Top recommended La Marzocco Domestic Machines

We will be listing the range of La Marzocco Domestic machines from most affordable to expensive with the pro’s (and cons) of each.

With almost 100 years of business, La Marzocco is renowned for its quality espresso machines and have an incredible traction in South Africa. It is considered by most the pinnacle of espresso machines, and when you see the performance and design you will understand why. 

La Marzocco Linea Micra 


The La Marzocco Linea Mini has for quite some time been the only domestic machine available, until the Micra arrived. The Micra is 30% smaller than the Linea Mini and packs the same performance for home use at at least R30,000 less. Let’s not talk around the price of the machines. La Marzocco machines aren’t cheap. But with the material used, the Dual Boilers (for steam and espresso), rotary pump (compared to a vibratory pump), PID controller and time and again quality shots it has delivered, this is the ultimate for home coffee connoisseurs. Few home machines have the option of a dual boiler so you can froth milk and run espressos at the same time. Thus, you can run larger volumes of coffee at the same time without affecting the temperature or pressure of the coffee you are making. Rotary pumps are preferred above vibratory pumps as they last longer, are quieter, deliver consistent pressure and are much more reliable. It is not common to find rotary pumps in domestic machines, and this of course adds to the desirability (and price!) of the machine. Another great feature of the Micra is that the brew boiler is fed with water preheated by the steam boiler first. This allows for back-to-back coffee brewing without the loss of temperature stability and allows them to use a smaller coffee boiler which is faster to heat up and more responsive to temperature change.

Pros

  1. Dual Boiler
  2. Rotary Pump
  3. PID controller
  4. Top notch temperature stability and flow control
  5. App connectivity
Cons
  1. Price
  2. Lack of timer 
  3. Domestic volumes only

La Marzocco Linea Mini

The Linea Mini was developed as a domestic line for the La Marzocco lovers who is used to the Linea Classic. It has the same features and looks but on a smaller scale. The Linea Mini weighs nearly twice as much as the Micra and costs around R30,000 more. It is designed for semi-commercial volumes while the Micra is only designed for home usage. Some say 100 – 120 shots per day is no big deal for the Linea Mini, so it packs a punch for the size. The Linea Mini also features some of the same items as the Micra, like Dual Boilers, PID & Rotary Pump, Cool Touch Steam Wands etc, but provides this at semi-commercial volumes. The Linea Mini can also be plumbed in direct to water supply.

Pros:
  1. Dual Boiler
  2. Rotary Pump (quieter than Vibration Pumps)
  3. PID controller
  4. Top notch temperature stability and flow control
  5. App connectivity
  6. Steam power (3-liter boiler and four-hole steam tip – incredible power)
  7. Semi-commercial volumes
Cons:
  1. Lack of timer
  2. Small water tank that is difficult to reach fast (if not plumbed in, only 2.5 litres)

La Marzocco GS3

The La Marzocco GS3 comes in two versions. The automatic and the MP (manual paddle). The automatic version has no paddle on top of the group head and does not allow you to manually control the flow rate and pre-infusion. The MP version on the other hand, does have this, and competes then with the Linea Mini and Micra with the same lever. The difference here is the periscope manometer sits on top of the group head, giving you easy access to control the flow rate carefully. The other big difference between the Linea Mini and the GS3 is the electronics added to the GS3 machine. The GS3 boasts a digital screen and buttons, that allows you to pre-program shots, automatically rinse the machine and has a shot timer to perfect your shots. The screen also keeps you updated should anything go wrong or if it needs love and care. The GS3 is bigger than the Linea Mini, so keep this in mind if your space is tight, but it is also built to do bigger volumes than the Linea Mini. With the added features like the auto start/stop buttons and cool touch steam wands, this allows you to brew shots and froth milk faster (dual boiler) without keeping an eye on the manual paddle to stop it.

Pros:
  1. Dual Boiler
  2. Rotary Pump (quieter than Vibration Pumps)
  3. PID controller
  4. Top notch temperature stability and flow control
  5. App connectivity
  6. Steam power (3.5-liter boiler and four-hole steam tip – incredible power)
  7. Commercial volumes
  8. Customisability (you can change the sides and group head to match that of your home/business)
  9. Digital display
  10. Performance cool touch steam wands
Cons:
  1. The most expensive La Marzocco home machine
  2. Size and weight
  3. Steeper learning curve (it has many customisable options, requires skill and time)
  4. Not so commonly available as the Linea Micra and Linea Mini