Lavazza Blue LB 1300C Classy Soul coffee machine

All Lavazza Blue capsules — the Lavazza instruction manual specifies single-use ‘Lavazza or compatible capsules’:

• Lavazza Blue espressos — Intenso, Tales of Venezia Lungo, Amabile, Decaffeinato, Tales of Milano / Roma / Napoli, ¡Tierra! Bio-Organic. See the Lavazza Blue range.
• Lavazza Blue drinks for the Specialities buttons — Cioccolato Fondente, Bevanda Bianca (milk), Lavazza Blue teas.
• Blue-compatible capsules from other roasters (Kimbo, Covim, Bristot) — the same capsule shape, available in the Lavazza Blue category.

Not compatible: A Modo Mio, Espresso Point, Firma (the other three Lavazza systems), Nespresso®, Dolce Gusto®, ESE pods. The Lavazza Blue capsule has a polypropylene body and an aluminium lid: it is its shape, not its material, that makes it suitable only for LB machines.

The three Lavazza Blue machines at Cafemalin use the same capsules but are designed for different uses:

• LB300 Classy Mini — the compact entry-level model, with conventional buttons and a smaller water tank: for a small team, meeting room or home.
• LB 1300C Classy Soul (this product) — touchscreen, 6 selections including free-flow dispensing and two Specialities buttons for drink capsules, Temperature Boost, 1,6 L water tank, capsule container with indicator, automatic switch-off. The most fully featured compact model: for offices, reception areas and small to medium-sized teams.
• Professional LB 2310 machine — the high-volume machine, designed for continuous service in a medium-sized office or in Ho.Re.Ca.

In summary: limited worktop space for coffee and a desire to adjust your drink volumes and temperature → Classy Soul. A tight budget for occasional use → LB300. A continuous flow of cups throughout the day → LB 2310.

Free-flow dispensing delivers up to 150 ml and stops when you choose: handy for a lungo to your taste or a large mug. The two Specialities buttons (50 and 120 ml) are reserved for Lavazza Blue capsules for other drinks: Cioccolato Fondente chocolate, a Bevanda Bianca milk capsule or Lavazza Blue tea. The volumes for these two buttons cannot be changed; volume programming applies only to the three coffee buttons (Espresso, Espresso Lungo, Lungo), with a minimum of 20 ml.

Pressing the TEMPERATURE BOOST button before dispensing increases the water temperature for the next cup — the button lights up more brightly and the machine confirms with an audible signal; pressing it again returns to the standard temperature. The setting cannot be changed during dispensing. This is Lavazza’s answer to the most common request in offices, ‘hotter coffee’, without changing the machine’s internal settings.

The Classy Soul is an espresso machine: it has neither a steam wand nor a built-in frother. There are two ways to make a milk-based drink: use a Bevanda Bianca capsule (Lavazza Blue powdered milk) with a Specialities button, then add an espresso on top; or use a separate milk frother. For a true steam-frothed cappuccino using Blue capsules, choose a Blue machine equipped with a milk module.

The machine tells you when it needs descaling: a steady orange light comes on. Procedure from the Lavazza instruction manual: fill the tank with 250 ml of Lavazza Descaling + 250 ml of water, place a container of at least 0,5 L under the spout, start the programme (using the button combination described in the manual), then rinse with 2 L of clean water in two cycles. Frequency depends on your water hardness: in Île-de-France or Nord (hard water), the light will come on more often than in Brittany. An in-tank water filter extends the intervals between descaling and improves the crema.

Rated power of 1 500 W during heating (a few tens of seconds), followed by a low-power mode and automatic switch-off after 9 minutes of inactivity — Lavazza states a power consumption of 0,2 W in this state. You can also switch it off manually with a long press. When switched back on, it is ready in around thirty seconds according to distributors. Power supply 220–240 V, 0,8 m cable: make sure there is a socket near the worktop.