Lelit Mara X vs Rocket Appartamento: Which Machine Is Best for You?

If you’re searching for the best prosumer espresso machine, it’s likely you will have stumbled across the Lelit Mara X vs Rocket Appartamento debate. From what I’ve seen online, there’s lots of discussion about which machine might be better. And having reviewed both the Mara X and the Appartamento, I’ve decided to weigh in.

I’ll say right away that I think both models are among the best home espresso machines I’ve used. And while there are a few differences to discuss, you really can’t go wrong with either machine. With that said, I’ve put together this Lelit Mara X vs Rocket Appartamento guide with the aim of helping you decide which is more suited to your needs. So, without further ado, let’s jump right in!

Overview: Lelit Mara X vs Rocket Appartamento

1.

Lelit Mara X

Compact footprint

Rugged build

Many adjustable settings

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2.

Rocket Appartamento

Beautiful design

Professional components

Heat exchanger boiler

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Before we go any further, I should point out that both the Lelit Mara X and Rocket Appartamento are extremely popular home espresso machines. Both are handmade in Italy, using premium materials and components, so you can be assured of a high-quality product.

What’s more, you won’t have to spend multiple thousands of dollars for either model. The Lelit Mara X retails for $1,699.95,while the Rocket Appartamento is a little pricier at $2,050.00. Sure, those are both fairly hefty price tags. However, the target audience for both these espresso machines will know that they’re relatively affordable.

So, who is the target consumer for the Mara X and Appartamento? Well, I’d say it’s someone looking to up their home espresso game. Perhaps they’ve been using an appliance-grade machine like the Breville Barista Express and want a more professional and authentic experience. Fortunately, both the Lelit Mara X and Rocket Appartamento will fit the bill nicely.

These are heat exchanger machines that offer a truly hands-on experience in terms of espresso and milk foam preparation. Plus, either machine will deliver exceptional results and should last a lifetime. In other words, it’s unlikely you’ll find yourself wanting to upgrade in a couple of years.

I should point out that if you’re considering buying one of these models, you’ll need to pair it with the best espresso grinder possible. I’m thinking of something like the Baratza Sett 270Wi or the MiiCoffee DF64 II. Oh, and while you’ll get a great espresso tamper with both machines, you might want to consider picking up a good coffee scale. Trust me, if you’re spending this much on an espresso machine, you should have the best espresso accessories.

Lelit Mara X vs Rocket Appartamento: Comparing Features

Now that we have a better idea of what we’re dealing with, let’s go deeper. Coming up, I’ll walk you through the most notable features of both machines.

Design and Build Quality

If you’re on the hunt for a compact, boxy espresso machine with timeless appeal, both the Rocket Appartamento and Lelit Mara X will float your boat.

You’ll find an abundance of high-quality stainless steel in the construction of both machines, and both are equipped with the famous E61 group head. Plus, both have 1.8-liter steam boilers as well as commercial components like 58mm portafilters and professional steam wands. Personally, I love this retro-industrial design aesthetic, and either model will look really cool in any kitchen.

With all that said, the Lelit Mara X is much slimmer than the Appartamento, and clocks in at 40.5 pounds (18.4 kilograms). Then again, that’s only 3.5 pounds (1.6 kilograms) less than the Appartamento.

Ultimately, both the Mara X and Appartamento are stunning to behold. The Mara X in White or Black comes with lovely maple accent pieces if that’s your thing. On the other hand, the Rocket Appartamento’s side panels feature cool circular cutouts with customizable inserts. Which machine you prefer to look at will be a matter of personal taste.

Ease of Use

I’d classify both the Lelit Mara X and the Rocket Appartamento as intermediate-level machines. In other words, don’t expect that the machine will guide you in any way. Rather, you’ll need some amount of experience in espresso preparation, including knowing how to dial in your grind size and dose as well as tamp properly.

Seeing as these machines have heat exchanger boilers, you can expect fairly high levels of temperature stability, which is vital for good espresso. Plus, you’ll have the luxury of simultaneous brewing and milk steaming.

However, I should point out that the Rocket Appartamento will require cooling flushes between shots. Plus, this machine doesn’t have a gauge to monitor pressure at the group head, so you won’t have as much diagnostic information.

On the other hand, the Lelit Mara X has a few tricks up its sleeve, including dual manometers and a PID controller. The latter component ensures more temperature stability, meaning you won’t need to perform those annoying cooling flushes. Best of all, the Mara X also has two modes – Xmode coffee for prioritizing brewing and Xmode steam for prioritizing the steam boiler. I’ll discuss those a little later. Suffice to say, the Lelit Mara X has a slight advantage over the Appartamento in terms of user-friendliness.

Steam Power

If you look at the Rocket Appartamento and Lelit Mara X, you can see that they have very similar steam wands and hot water wands. In fact, there’s very little to choose between the machines in this regard.

The steam wands are ball joint-mounted and have a double wall design, which means they stay cool to the touch. Oh, and although you’ll still want to wipe them clean after each use, you aren’t likely to encounter burned-on milk residue.

During my testing, I found that both machines have more than enough steam power. In fact, you might be surprised at first. However, thanks to the chunky dials, you’re able to precisely regulate steam power, which is a bonus if you’re learning how to steam milk.

As I mentioned earlier, you can make coffee and steam milk simultaneously with heat exchanger machines. This is a real game changer, seeing as you won’t have to wait around for your espresso machine to adjust itself between espresso and milk preparation. With that said, the trade off for Lelit’s enhanced temperature stability in Xmode Coffee is that you’ll experience reduced steam power. Then again, I didn’t really notice an issue during my review.

Espresso Quality

Having put both machines through their paces, I can tell you that it’s nigh on impossible to choose between the Lelit Mara X and Rocket Appartamento in terms of espresso quality.

Both models consistently produced exceptional cafe-quality espresso in the Coffeeness kitchen. What’s more, it took me very little time to start pulling awesome, tasty shots. Then again, I have a lot of experience in this field, and if you’re more of a beginner there’ll likely be a steeper learning curve.

With both the Appartamento and Mara X, I found that a 1:2 brew ratio worked like a charm. However, I will say that I preferred the Rocket’s manual pre-infusion over the Lelit’s automatic soft pre-infusion function. Then again, I like to be in full control over every aspect of espresso preparation.

I have to say that I didn’t experience the temperature control issues that supposedly plague the Rocket Appartamento. In fact, the machine showed impressive thermal stability during my review. Still, I did make sure to run a cooling flush in between each brew cycle. As for the Lelit Mara X, the machine turned out to be as temperature-stable as the manufacturer claims. In my opinion, a lot of people will really appreciate this fact, especially as it means you won’t be wasting water.

Special Features

When it comes to the Rocket Appartamento, there aren’t really any “special” features to discuss. Sure, the machine has a manometer to display pressure in the boiler, but that’s about it. However, don’t think that this lack of extras makes the Appartamento objectively inferior. In fact, many of you will prefer the idea of a simple, stripped-down semi-automatic machine. Besides, the thing makes superb espresso and milk foam, which is what really counts.

As for the Lelit Mara X, there are a few special things to point out. For starters, the Mara X has a dual manometer that also shows pressure at the group head. Personally, I love having this option seeing as it helps me diagnose any espresso issues I may be having.

Elsewhere, the Lelit machine offers three brew temperature options as well as a PID for maximum temperature stability. And as I mentioned earlier, there are two modes to choose from. Xmode Coffee prioritizes espresso preparation, and is ideal if you’re pulling multiple shots back to back. On the other hand, if you want increased steam power, Xmode Steam is the way to go.

Lelit Mara X vs Rocket Appartamento Comparison Chart

Verdict: Lelit Mara X vs Rocket Appartamento

I bet you’re thinking that I’m about to choose a winner in the Lelit Mara X vs Rocket Appartamento debate. Well, think again! These are both incredible semi-automatic espresso machines, and either choice will bring you a lot of joy.

The Rocket Appartamento might be a little more traditional and “hands-on,” but only a little. Besides, I really like that this model allows you to be in full control of every aspect of your espresso shots. Then again, you do end up wasting quite a lot of water during cooling flushes, which might sway some folks.

As for the Lelit Mara X, its special features could convince some buyers that it’s a better choice. In some ways I can agree. For example, having a PID in a heat exchanger is a real bonus seeing as it promotes increased levels of thermal stability. Plus, I do love being able to keep an eye on the pressure at the group head as I’m pulling shots.

Ultimately, though, what matters is that you can make delicious espresso and sublime milk foam with either of these espresso machines. So, your choice should come down to which one you’d prefer to look at on the daily.

To find out more information on these wonderful prosumer espresso machines, check out my Lelit Mara X review and Rocket Appartamento review.

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