The La Marzocco Linea Micra is La Marzocco's third single-group dual-boiler espresso machine . With the Linea Micra, La Marzocco targets the home espresso bar, while the GS 3 and Linea Mini , with their performance, also find their place in the restaurant context. This is also reflected in the price: at approximately €3,330, the Linea Micra in the stainless steel version is almost €2,000 cheaper than the Linea Mini (€5,271 in stainless steel) and more than €4,000 cheaper than the La Marzocco GS3 (€7,675).
But the Micra isn't just supposed to be more affordable; it's also supposed to offer additional features that are especially useful at home. Low power consumption, fast heating, and compact dimensions are also on the wish list.
In this review, we take a close look at the Linea Micra and present the strengths and weaknesses of the recently launched model. As always, there's a detailed review video and a shorter summary of the video.
Perhaps also interesting: we have now published a review of the new La Marzocco Linea Mini-R .
(Article still in progress).
A milestone for boiler espresso machines
To be honest, we'd given up on boiler espresso machines. There'd been little progress in terms of heat-up speed and power consumption in recent years, while thermoblocks and thick-film heaters were setting new standards. Heat-up times of five minutes and five times lower power consumption were a real statement. Our demise of boiler espresso machines had already begun.
With the Micra, La Marzocco shatters our assessment and proves once again that espresso machines in Florence are not simply cobbled together from the same old assortment of components, but rather that innovation is driven forward.
The La Marzocco Linea Micra promises a heat-up time of 5 minutes. In other words, this means that the espresso machine is ready to use six minutes after we turn it on. And what can we say?! Yes, our tests with the Micra confirm this.
And not only that. The Linea Micra also takes pole position in terms of power consumption. After heating up, with five double espressos made, the La Marzocco Linea Micra, with the steam boiler turned off, consumes just 0.07 kWh of power. This is the lowest value we've ever measured for an espresso machine!
In our new chart, we show the energy consumption of the La Marzocco Linea Micra in even greater detail. The consumption for an espresso with the steam boiler off is 0.038 kWh. A cappuccino consumes 0.206 kWh. Turning on the steam boiler significantly increases energy consumption.
Cooperating boilers and thermal stability
The interconnected boilers, which can operate independently of each other, play a key role. The Linea Micra is equipped with a 1.6-liter boiler that provides the machine's steam output and can also maintain temperature stability over extended periods. In addition, a 0.23-liter coffee boiler, together with a saturated brewing group, maintains the temperature of the brewing water.
A key factor in the machine's low power consumption is that it can operate without a steam boiler. Some manufacturers allow the steam boiler to be switched off, but neglect the fact that it has to provide significant pre-heating power via a heat exchanger when heating the brewing water. And then the equation simply doesn't work if the control system doesn't pump enough power into the coffee boiler.
With the Linea Micra, this interaction works perfectly. The boiler and brewing group independently reach the necessary temperature to bring the brewing water to our target temperature. The steam boiler isn't actually necessary for this, but at higher frequencies it contributes significantly to the machine's temperature stability. So, if you want to make more espresso, it's a good idea to turn on the steam boiler, even if you don't want to froth milk.
A heat exchanger is also the preferred method here. However, the still-cold brewing water is not conducted through the steam boiler, but rather spirals around the insulated stainless steel boiler.
Brewing temperature limits
Without a boiler, the brewing temperature limits become apparent after the fourth brew. The machine itself then signals with a lit LED that it needs to reheat. The app also notifies you accordingly.
With the steam boiler switched on, we can maintain performance for much longer. For this purpose, we subjected the La Marzocco Linea Micra to the WBC temperature test , which was developed for espresso machines eligible for the World Barista Championship. These are, of course, espresso machines for professional use in the hospitality industry, but it's still fascinating to investigate where and when an espresso machine breaks down.
With the Line Micra, we noticed this during the transition to an idle interval of 30 seconds. At this point, the espresso machine could no longer maintain the desired temperature.
A portafilter with a concept
The portafilter of the La Marzocco Linea Micra can be flexibly converted from a bottomless portafilter to one with a single or double spout. A portafilter was developed for this purpose that includes a mount for two polymer spouts . This hi-tech plastic fulfills one primary function: it does not absorb heat and thus does not draw it out of the espresso. Therefore, it does not need to be heated during the espresso machine's warm-up phase.
In fact, portafilters are often the slowest when heating espresso machines, as they are located far away from the heat source. With this solution, La Marzocco circumvents this problem in an innovative way – but it's met with much discussion from metal purists among espresso machine enthusiasts.
The temperature in the cup is about 5 degrees higher when we compare the portafilter of the Linea Micra with the classic La Marzocco portafilter.
Conceptually, the portafilter created in this way is a logically advanced solution for a quickly heating espresso machine. If you wait 25 minutes for your espresso machine to heat up, you can easily heat up a thick stainless steel portafilter at the same time.
Compact, lightweight and accessories
The new La Marzocco Linea Micra weighs 18 kg, 14 kg less than the La Marzocco Linea Mini. A width of 28.8 cm, a depth of 46.5 cm, and a height of 33.5 cm make the Micra narrower and deeper than the Linea Mini (35.7 cm wide and 37.7 cm high).
The smaller dimensions and, above all, the light weight allow the machine to be shipped via UPS, eliminating the need for a freight forwarder. This is an important factor considering the direct sales strategy La Marzocco has chosen for the Micra.
Also included are a 14 g and a 17 g sieve, a tamper, cleaning powder, a 0.35 g milk jug, and a blind sieve . Essentially, everything you need to get started with the machine is included.
However, La Marzocco doesn't cover itself in glory with the tamper and the two sieves. The tamper is a bit too small to fit flush with the sieves, and most importantly, it lacks a modern 17-19 gram sieve. We immediately optimized the machines with a corresponding sieve from IMS .
Espresso quality
The La Marzocco Linea Micra has everything you need for great espresso: a rotary pump that's instantly up to speed and delivers consistent pressure, a consistent temperature in different operating conditions, and all within minutes of starting the machine.
We drank many good espressos, from light specialty espressos to stronger, darker espresso blends with Robusta.
Important to note: The paddle on the front of the machine might give the impression that the Linea Micra can also adjust pressure profiles. However, this isn't the case. The paddle is simply an on/off switch. There's no room for fiddling around, and therefore no way to play around with complex coffees by adjusting pressure or flow rate. The Linea Micra isn't suitable for this.
A real downside is that the Linea Micra also lacks water volume control and programming. The amount of espresso in the cup must be measured manually, necessitating the use of a scale. A shot timer is available in the app, but is missing from the machine itself.
milk foam
The 1.6-liter steam boiler does a solid job. The pressure gauge actually shows pressures of up to 2 bar, but it froths with slightly less oomph than its sister models, the GS3 and Linea Mini. The power is easily enough to simmer all the milk, even in a 0.6-liter jug. Only the milk lance is a bit short, requiring a fairly high milk level in the jug.
Comparison of Linea Mini and Linea Micra
Compared to the Linea Mini, the most striking features are its smaller size and, above all, its exterior. The drip tray on the Micra is also large compared to many other espresso machines. A nice upgrade is that the 1.6-liter water reservoir behind the drip tray can be easily filled without having to pull it out. This is possible because a protruding part of the reservoir is recessed into the drip tray.
The Linea Micra is the first La Marzocco machine to feature a float in the drip tray to warn of overflow. There are a few differences inside the machine: the steam boiler, at 3.5 liters, holds almost twice as much as the Micra. The heat exchanger runs through the boiler and is not wrapped around it.
The temperature of the Linea Micra is set via the La Marzocco Home app.
App compulsion
Anyone who wants to use the app must first register. Why I should provide an email address to the manufacturer to use my espresso machine isn't entirely clear to me. After all, this ensures that I'm the one communicating with the machine, and not my neighbor.
The app itself works well and connects easily via Bluetooth. The machine itself is then integrated into the Wi-Fi network, receiving new updates, tutorial videos, and FAQs.
You can also adjust the brewing temperature, pre-brewing, pre-infusion, and a variety of other settings. A morning start and stop time can be set, just like with other IoT-enabled La Marzocco espresso machines.
The steam boiler can also be turned on via the app. A cleaning program can also be started via the app—nice.
Sales strategy and availability
The Linea Micra will initially be sold only through La Marzocco's direct sales channels and through La Marzocco subsidiaries. The machine can be viewed in dedicated showrooms. There are three in Germany: Berlin, Munich, and Stuttgart. In Austria, the machine can be viewed in Vienna. There is no such facility in Switzerland. According to the La Marzocco website, online purchase is currently not possible in Switzerland.
Direct sales certainly have advantages in terms of selling price. This eliminates the need to factor in a reseller margin. However, selling online and through only a few showrooms and stores contradicts our advice to espresso machine buyers. In regions where local retailers are doing a good job and have also contributed to establishing the La Marzocco brand in the markets, sales should always be local.
We also see the purchase of a machine as the beginning of a partnership with a local dealer, who will remain a contact for service and questions about the machines. A local dealer can also help estimate the temperature of your own machines and may also be the right place for home barista courses.
When purchasing a machine online, it's often forgotten that an espresso machine only makes good coffee if the operator, the machine, and the grinder work together as a well-coordinated team. A local dealer can provide valuable assistance in mediating between the three.
La Marzocco also relies on sales through its own operating structure because this allows feedback on a completely new machine to reach the parent company directly and unfiltered. After six months, the plan is for some markets to also sell the machine through the remaining dealers. So let's hope this is also the case in Switzerland.
Work in progress. Article will be added later.
Update development La Marzocco Linea Micra
12 August 2023: In Swiss specialist retailers
The La Marzocco Linea Micra is now available in Swiss specialist retailers. It can be viewed and purchased locally at various locations. The Swiss importer Kialoa has secured a good deal for Switzerland, reflecting the unique structure of Swiss specialist retailers.
