I ordered a PL043 espresso grinder direct from Lelit (lelitespresso.com) with free shipping for $249. Customer service was initially fine, and the machine arrived quickly. After 2 days of very light use, the grinder stopped taking beans in from the hopper, the grind selector wheel wouldn’t turn, and the machine made a horrendous screeching noise. Beyond this the grinder was built very cheaply out of flimsy plastic and metal that wasn’t even molded properly (gaps at seams, blemishes, etc).
I email Lucy at Lelit to explain my issue and ask for a RMA to return the item and I’m promptly given a RMA. I take a few pictures of the grinder, clean it all up, pack it in the orig packing, and send it off. All is well so far.
Until they receive it. Remember that I paid $249 and had free shipping. Lucy tells me that they found nothing wrong with the grinder, and that my refund will be $204. The difference is that they’re not refunding my (FREE) “shipping” cost, and charging me a BS 15% restocking fee. They won’t budge on the refund amount.
Fortunately I paid through Paypal so I filed a dispute… to my surprise, Paypal actually came to the rescue refunded me an additional $55. Given my horrible experiences, I’m sharing my story to inform those considering buying a Lelit grinder or espresso machine.
DON’T BUY LELIT! The product is cheaply made, and their customer support is abysmal. They’ll try to screw you out of as much $$ as possible. Judging from multiple reviews/posts with essentially the same message, BUYER BEWARE!
I email Lucy at Lelit to explain my issue and ask for a RMA to return the item and I’m promptly given a RMA. I take a few pictures of the grinder, clean it all up, pack it in the orig packing, and send it off. All is well so far.
Until they receive it. Remember that I paid $249 and had free shipping. Lucy tells me that they found nothing wrong with the grinder, and that my refund will be $204. The difference is that they’re not refunding my (FREE) “shipping” cost, and charging me a BS 15% restocking fee. They won’t budge on the refund amount.
Fortunately I paid through Paypal so I filed a dispute… to my surprise, Paypal actually came to the rescue refunded me an additional $55. Given my horrible experiences, I’m sharing my story to inform those considering buying a Lelit grinder or espresso machine.
DON’T BUY LELIT! The product is cheaply made, and their customer support is abysmal. They’ll try to screw you out of as much $$ as possible. Judging from multiple reviews/posts with essentially the same message, BUYER BEWARE!

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