The world of espresso is ever evolving. There are constantly new innovations to the design of an espresso machine, changing what we thought espresso could be and raising the bar.
If you’ve been paying careful attention to home espresso machine innovations, you may have heard about the Decent espresso machine. This sleek and cutting-edge model can be designed for a variety of setups, including sunken into your counter, on top of your counter, or even built into a coffee cart.
How does it compare to a more traditional home espresso machine, though? We’re about to find out in this Lelit Bianca vs Decent comparison.
By the end of this post, you’ll know the following:
- What features the Bianca and Decent have in common.
- Qualities that make them different from each other.
- Pricing information.
- How to determine which one you should buy.
Let’s jump right in…
Quick Summary
When we think of home espresso machines that deftly combine beauty and power, one of the first ones to come to mind is the Lelit Bianca. With its stainless steel case and wooden handles, it has a look that it can truly call its own. Pop the hood – so to speak – and you’ll find it has a strong dual boiler system combined with a rotary pump that lets it whip up your favorite drinks quickly. We recommend this one for enthusiastic prosumers or small businesses that want a compact and flexible espresso machine.
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Decent Espresso Machine (DE1)
We love when there are new innovations in espresso machines, and we feel like the Decent really depicts this ingenuity well. It has a thoroughly modern design that any tech lover would enjoy and ultra-easy touchscreen controls that will have those same tech lovers drooling. This machine is a must-have for modern high-tech homes filled with espresso experts.
Similarities
Single Group
One of the most basic similarities shared by these machines is their single-group design. Either espresso machine in this comparison has just one group head.
Naturally, this does limit the amount of espresso they can produce at one time. Espresso machines with two, three, or even four group heads can produce much more, which is why they’re must-haves in large businesses like coffee shops.
However, single-group machines are excellent for a variety of situations. Homes, small offices, hotels, and even spas can benefit from having a single-group machine because it is more affordable than its multi-group competitors. It also doesn’t take up as much space, which may be vital in businesses that aren’t coffee-centric and therefore have other appliances they need to account for.
That being said, there still are single-group commercial machines. You can see some examples in our list of the best 1-group commercial espresso machines.
Pressure Gauges
Brewing pressure might just be the single most integral aspects to making espresso. Being able to quickly gauge what pressure levels are like in your espresso machine is therefore vital.
The good news is that both espresso machines will give you pressure readouts. In fact, both can show you what the pressure levels are like in the group head itself, so you can determine that pressure is ideal right at the point of brewing.
Pour-Over Functionality
The Bianca and Decent are both designed so they can be used as pour-over machines. You may be able to guess what a pour-over espresso machine is based on the name alone: a machine that requires you to add water manually every so often.
There are a few benefits to pour-over machines. One is that you don’t need to rearrange your kitchen or workspace to find room to connect them your water line.
Another benefit is that they’re portable. Since they’re not connected to your water supply, you can easily move them around whenever necessary.
Temperature Controls
Temperature is another vital component to good espresso. Brewing at different temperatures can produce more or less acidic flavor profiles, so it’s a great part to experiment with if you want experience different tastes.
That’s why the Bianca and Decent both have temperature controls built into them. You can adjust the temperature through the tablet’s touchscreen on the Decent, while the Lelit Bianca has an integrated PID temperature controller.
Read Also: Best PID Espresso Machines
Pre-Infusion
Humans aren’t perfect. Some days, you’ll be ready to make delicious, high-quality espresso, and on other days, you may find yourself struggling to make something that tastes even moderately good.
The Bianca and Decent can help you with this, too. Either machine has pre-infusion, which occurs right before extraction.
Before the machine applies the full pressure of extraction, they gently saturate the grounds in the portafilter with water. This erases any unevenness in the puck, so that when it’s time to extract the espresso, the water is able to reach every single particle of coffee.
In other words, even if you’re not at your best on any given day, you’ll still be able to make a tasty espresso.
Metal Case
Even if plastic can be long-lasting, it just doesn’t feel as sturdy as metal. Fortunately, the Lelit Bianca and Decent were designed to be as tough as a busy home needs them to be.
That’s because either machine has a solid metal case. Aside from lending durability to them, these reliable metal cases also give the Bianca and Decent a polished sheen that you’ll love displaying in your kitchen.
Compact Design
The average home kitchen these days is filled with appliances. Aside from the larger appliances that take up space on your floor, you’ve likely got a whole menagerie of smaller ones that rest on your counters, like mixers, blenders, and air fryers.
With everything the standard home cook has on hand, you might worry about finding space for an espresso machine in the mix. Luckily, a good espresso machine isn’t impossible, even in the most cramped kitchens.
Both espresso machines in this comparison were created to be compact. That way, the average home barista can find room for them without a struggle.
Flow Profiling
The Lelit Bianca and Decent have a nifty feature that you won’t find in many home espresso machines: flow profiling systems. In short, either machine will let you tweak the flow of water during extraction.
Because you can adjust the water flow on the fly, you’re able to experiment with new tastes. It’s important to mention here, though, that the way in which you edit the water flow varies between these machines.
On the Lelit Bianca, there’s a beautiful walnut flow profiling paddle located just above the group head. You move the paddle from side to side to adjust the water flow.
With the Decent, on the other hand, you’ll need to drag your finger on the tablet. The water’s pressure will be adjusted based on your use of the realtime controller.
Differences
Appearance
There are numerous differences between the Lelit Bianca and Decent, but easily the most obvious one is how they look. Because looks can be important when choosing an appliance, we’ll start by examining their visual design.
The Decent has an entirely modern design. It has sides totally uncluttered and flawless, thanks to its touchscreen. It doesn’t need to have buttons or gauges all over its panels. This minimalist look is easy to match with other decorating styles, but modern tech enthusiasts especially will love it.
Looking for something with a lot of heart? The Lelit Bianca may have what you’re searching for. It has chic, gleaming stainless steel panels that are complemented by warm walnut handles and feet. We recommend this look for anyone wanting to add some warmth to a room or to accentuate more rustic elements.
Volumetric vs Semiautomatic
A less obvious, but no less important, difference is the basic types of the Lelit Bianca and Decent. Espresso machines can broadly be placed in a small handful of categories: manual, semiautomatic, automatic, and superautomatic.
The Decent is an automatic espresso machine. It will time the brew cycle for you based on your input preferences. In other words, you start the brew cycle, but the Decent will end it at the appropriate time for you.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Lelit Bianca is a semiautomatic machine. You are responsible for both starting and stopping the brew cycle at the right time. Honestly, it will be a bit trickier to use than the Decent as a result, but semiautomatic machines are beloved by baristas for their flexibility. You can pull short or long shots as you please on them.
Decent Tablet Operation
The one thing that probably catches your eye right away when you look at the Decent is its attached tablet. Unlike most other espresso machines, which use buttons, switches, and levers, the Decent is controlled almost entirely through a detachable touchscreen interface.
Touchscreen espresso machines offer users a variety of compelling benefits. For instance, they have a clean and modern look that you won’t find anywhere else.
They’re also easy to use, especially since most people these days are familiar with touchscreen navigation. If you’re familiar with a smartphone, you’ll be able to pick up using the Decent quickly.
Lelit Bianca Dual Boilers
We couldn’t really find detailed information on the heating design of the Decent, so we can’t say for sure what type of boiler or heating system it has. What we can say, however, is that the Lelit Bianca has a powerful dual boiler system that may swing the balance in its favor.
It has two boilers – one for steaming and one for brewing. Because it has one boiler for each function, it can perform both of them simultaneously.
The result? Even more rapid drink creation on your part. It won’t be long until you’re sipping on your first espresso of the day with the Lelit Bianca.
Decent Bluetooth Scales
There are two ways to determine when an espresso is done brewing: by weight or by time. Traditionally, baristas have carefully timed their espresso, halting the extraction when the correct amount of time has passed.
Timing isn’t always accurate, though. What constitutes the “correct” timing can vary from machine to machine, depending on a number of factors.
This is why weight, the second method of measuring your espresso, is often considered more accurate. Weight is the same across the board. With the Decent, you’ll have access to built-in scales, so you can choose when the brew cycle is done based on extremely precise weight increments instead of time.
Lelit Bianca Direct-Connect Convertibility
Earlier on in this comparison, we discussed how these espresso machines can both be used in a pour-over format that has you adding water by hand. However, it’s important to mention that the Lelit Bianca does not need to be used in such a format.
If you find adding water regularly to be an inconvenience or you go through enough espresso to justify plumbing it in, the Bianca does give you the option of attaching it to a water line. Once it’s attached, it will refill its boilers automatically without the need of a manual water tank.
This setup is ideal for businesses that make a higher volume of espresso or homes in which multiple espresso drinkers will be sharing the machine. You’ll never have to worry about remembering to fill the water tank.
See Also: Best Plumbed Espresso Machines
Decent Glazed Porcelain Water Tank
Oftentimes when an espresso machine says it has a pour-over reservoir, that water tank is made from plastic. A growing number of people are concerned about plastic coming into prolonged contact with their food and drinks.
You technically don’t need to be worried about this with either espresso machine in this comparison. By plumbing it in, you can avoid using the Lelit Bianca’s water tank entirely. Even if you do use its water tank, however, it’s BPA-free, so there’s no need to be concerned about harmful chemicals leaching into your espresso.
The Decent takes safety precautions even further, however. Its water reservoir is made from glazed porcelain, which is tough and, of course, plastic-free.
Lelit Bianca No-Burn Steam Wand
Do you like drinking milk-based drinks like lattes and cappuccinos the most? Then you’ll need to handle your espresso machine’s steam wand often, which gets extremely hot while frothing milk. On some machines, this can result in nasty burns on your fingers.
That’s not the case with the Lelit Bianca. The Lelit Bianca has a specialized no-burn steam wand which remains cool no matter how long you use it. As a result, you can comfortably froth milk or clean the wand at any time without fear of being burnt.
Decent Recipe Mimicry
The high-tech Decent has a lot of tricks up its sleeve. One of the most intriguing ones is its mimicry system.
Users can choose from a range of brew recipes that are specifically created to imitate the temperatures and pressure levels of famous espresso machines. Examples of espresso machines it can mimic the flavors of include La Marzocco machines and lever machines.
Pricing Information
Wondering how much these espresso machines will cost? Unfortunately, we can’t speak on behalf of the Decent, since it is not in the Majesty Coffee store at this point in time. At the time of this comparison, you could only purchase it from the Decent Espresso site.
We do, however, have the Lelit Bianca in our store for $2,979. This is one of the best prices you’ll find online for it!
Which Espresso Machine is Better?
Comparing these espresso machines was interesting. It’s clear that different ideas went into their designs, so there’s a lot that’s different between them…but there’s also much that is similar.
In the end, either the Decent or the Lelit Bianca would make a fantastic home espresso machine. We’ll look at some specific reasons you might choose one or the other, though.
A great place to begin is by looking at your skill level. If you have a lot of experience with espresso machines, you may get more pleasure from using the Lelit Bianca. Its semiautomatic design and flow profiling paddle will let you pull shots exactly as you want.
Beginners, however, may prefer the Decent. Its touchscreen controls are clean and user-friendly. Furthermore, its volumetric dosing will handle the timing of shots for you, so you get something consistent each time regardless of your proficiency with espresso machines.
Another thing to ask yourself is how much espresso you’re going to be preparing on the machine. If you’re going to make tons of espresso throughout the day, you’ll want a machine that can keep up with that demand. The Lelit Bianca’s dual boiler design and optional plumbed-in functionality make it much more prudent for those who will make a higher volume of espresso.
Worried about plastic components coming into contact with your water? Then you’ll love the Decent’s porcelain water reservoir. Keep in mind, though, that the Lelit Bianca’s reservoir is BPA-free and can be removed entirely if you choose to connect it to your water line.
Here’s the bottom line:
Buy the Lelit Bianca if you want more control over pulling each shot or if you want the convenience of a plumbed-in espresso machine. Its wooden accents may also be appealing for those into rustic design.
The Decent is better for beginners, though, due to its volumetric dosing and touchscreen controls. Users may also prefer it for its simple, modernistic visuals.
Need more help choosing the best espresso machine for your needs? Our team is more than happy to help you. Give us a call at 888-978-5224 or talk to us in our store chat.
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Tony Barlow, with over a decade of experience in the coffee industry, is the go-to technical sales expert at Majesty Coffee. He's passionate about helping businesses find the right espresso equipment for their needs.
