Yes, $3,000 is a lot of money. However, when you decide to enter this high level espresso machine category (DB, PID, flow control, excellent steam power, etc.), you will quickly find that the Lelit Bianca V3 is a bargain.
Moving up from a Gaggia Classic, I was concerned that I was over-buying and paying for a lot of features I would never use. Wrong! Initially, I left everything at factory settings and did not touch the flow control. A few weeks and tons of perfect shots later, I'm experimenting with shot profiles, Turbo shots... you name it.
I'm getting great shots and only wish I had saved the money from the earlier machines and gone straight to the Bianca. It's that good.
Downsides: None that I can see.
You will love this machine.
