The La Marzocco Linea Micra is the third single-group dual boiler espresso machine from La Marzocco. With the Linea Micra, La Marzocco is targeting the home espresso bar, while the GS 3 and Linea Mini can certainly also find a place in the commercial setting in terms of performance. This is also reflected in the price: the Linea Micra in stainless steel at around €3,330 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 is not only supposed to be cheaper, but also bring additional features that make sense especially at home. Low energy consumption is on the wish list, as are quick heat-up times and compact dimensions.
In this test report, we take a close look at the Linea Micra and present the strengths and weaknesses of the newly launched machine. As always, there is an extensive test video as well as a shorter summary of the video.
Also of interest: in the meantime, a test of the new La Marzocco Linea Mini-R has been published on our site.
A Milestone for Boiler Espresso Machines
To be honest, we had written off boiler espresso machines. In terms of heat-up speed and power consumption, there was little progress in recent years, while thermoblocks and thin-film heaters set new standards. Heat-up times of 5 minutes and power consumption that was five times lower were quite a statement. We had already begun our lament for espresso machines with boilers.
With the Micra, La Marzocco tears up our assessment and once again proves that in Florence, espresso machines are not assembled from the same assortment of components, but innovation is being driven forward.
The La Marzocco Linea Micra promises a heat-up time of 5 minutes. In other words, this means: in the sixth minute after we turn on the espresso machine, the machine should be ready to use. And what can we say?! Yes, our tests with the Micra confirm exactly that.
And not only that. The Linea Micra also takes the top spot when it comes to power consumption. After heating up, with five double espressos pulled, the La Marzocco Linea Micra with the steam boiler switched off shows a power consumption of 0.07 kWh. This is the lowest value we have measured so far for an espresso machine!
In our new presentation, we show the energy consumption of the La Marzocco Linea Micra in even more detail. The consumption for one espresso with the steam boiler switched off corresponds to 0.038 kWh. For a cappuccino, it amounts to 0.206 kWh. Switching on the steam boiler significantly increases energy consumption.
Cooperating Boilers and Temperature Stability
An important role is played by the interconnected boilers, which can, however, operate independently of each other. The Linea Micra is equipped with a 1.6 l boiler that is responsible for the steam capacity of the machine and can also support temperature stability over longer periods of operation. In addition, a 0.23 l coffee boiler together with a saturated brew group is responsible for the temperature of the brewing water.
Decisive for the low power consumption is the fact that the machine can operate without a steam boiler. Some manufacturers do allow the steam boiler to be switched off, but neglect the fact that it must provide essential preliminary heating of the brewing water via a heat exchanger. And then the equation doesn't add up if the controller doesn't pump enough power into the coffee boiler.
With the Linea Micra, this interplay works. The boiler and brew group reach the necessary temperature on their own to bring the brewing water to our target temperature. The steam boiler is essentially not necessary for this, but at higher frequency it contributes significantly to the temperature stability of the machine. So if you want to make more espresso, it's wise to turn on the steam boiler, even if you don't plan to steam milk.
A heat exchanger is also the method of choice here. However, the still cold brewing water is not passed through the steam boiler, but spiraled around the insulated stainless steel boiler.
Limits of Brew Temperature
The limits of brew temperature become apparent without the boiler on the 4th pull. The machine itself also signals via an illuminated LED that it wants to reheat. The app also reports the same thing accordingly.
With the steam boiler turned on, we 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 approved for the World Barista Championship. Of course, these are espresso machines for professional use in gastronomy, but it's still interesting to investigate when and where an espresso machine reaches its limits.
With the Linea Micra, we observed this during the transition to a 30-second idle interval. Here the espresso machine could no longer maintain the temperature.
A Portafilter with Concept
The portafilter of the La Marzocco Linea Micra can flexibly be transformed from a naked portafilter into a portafilter with a 1-shot or 2-shot spout. For this purpose, a portafilter was developed that has a holder for two polymer spouts. This high-tech plastic primarily fulfills one task: it does not absorb heat and thus does not extract it from the espresso. This means it also does not need to be heated during the warm-up phase of the espresso machine.
In fact, portafilters are often the slowest to heat up when warming an espresso machine because they are far from the heat source. With the solution chosen here, La Marzocco bypasses this problem in an innovative way – but harvests many discussions from metal purists among espresso machine lovers in return.
In the cup, we have about 5 degrees more temperature when we compare the Linea Micra portafilter with the classic La Marzocco portafilter.
Conceptually, the portafilter created in this way is the consistently further developed solution for a fast-heating espresso machine. Anyone who waits 25 minutes for their espresso machine can also easily heat up a hefty stainless steel portafilter along with it.
Compact, Lighter, and Accessories
Weighing 18 kg, the new La Marzocco Linea Micra is 14 kg lighter 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 especially narrower and deeper than the Linea Mini (35.7 cm wide, 37.7 cm tall).
The smaller dimensions and especially the light weight make it possible for the machine to be shipped by UPS and not dependent on a freight service. An important factor considering the direct sales strategy that La Marzocco has chosen for the Micra.
Also included in the scope of delivery are a 14 g and a 17 g basket, a tamper, cleaning powder, a 0.35 liter milk jug, and a blind basket. In principle, everything is there to get started with the machine.
However, La Marzocco doesn't exactly cover itself in glory with the tamper and the two baskets. The tamper is a bit too small to finish flush with the baskets, and above all, a modern 17–19 gram basket is missing. We immediately optimized the machine with a corresponding basket from IMS.
Espresso Quality
The La Marzocco Linea Micra has everything that makes good espresso possible. A rotary pump that is immediately powerful and delivers consistent pressure. Consistent temperature in various application areas and already just a few minutes after starting the machine.
We have drunk many good espressos, from light specialty espresso to stronger darker espresso blends with Robusta content.
Important to note: the paddle on the front of the machine might give the impression that the Linea Micra can also run pressure profiles. However, this is not the case. The paddle is merely an on and off switch. No room for tricks, then, and no way to play with pressure or flow rate adjustments on complex coffees. The Linea Micra is not suitable for that.
A real drawback is that the Linea Micra also has no water volume control and programming. The espresso amount in the cup must be stopped manually and thus requires the use of a scale. A shot timer is available in the app but is missing from the machine itself.
Milk Frothing
The 1.6 liter steam boiler does its job well. The pressure gauge indeed shows values of up to 2 bar, but feels like it froths with slightly less power than the sister models GS3 and Linea Mini. The performance is sufficient to get the entire milk in a 0.6 liter pitcher boiling. Only the steam wand is a bit short and requires quite a high milk level in the pitcher.
Comparison Linea Mini and Linea Micra
In comparison to the Linea Mini, visually aside from the reduced size, mainly cosmetic differences stand out. The drip tray is also large on the Micra in relation to many other espresso machines. A nice upgrade is that the 1.6 liter water tank behind the drip tray can be easily refilled without having to be pulled out. This is possible because a forward-projecting part of the tank is recessed into the drip tray.
The Linea Micra is the first La Marzocco machine to have a float in the drip tray to warn of overflow. Inside the machine, there are some differences: the steam boiler holds 3.5 liters, almost double that of 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 Dependency
If you want to use the app, you first have to register. Why I should provide my email address to the manufacturer for using my espresso machine is only partially clear to me. At least it ensures that I correspond with the machine and not my neighbor.
The app works well in itself and connects easily via Bluetooth. The machine itself is then integrated into the Wi-Fi, receives new updates, learning videos, and FAQs.
In addition, you can set the brew temperature, pre-brewing and pre-infusion, and many other things. A morning start and stop time can be defined, as with the other IoT-capable espresso machines from La Marzocco.
The steam boiler can also be switched 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 distributed only through direct sales from La Marzocco and through La Marzocco subsidiaries. The machine can be viewed in corresponding showrooms. In Germany there are three of them, namely in Berlin, Munich, and Stuttgart. In Austria, the machine can be viewed in Vienna. In Switzerland, there is no such option. So far, according to La Marzocco's website, online purchase in Switzerland is also not possible.
Direct sales certainly have advantages when it comes to the sales price. No reseller margin needs to be factored in. Nevertheless, online sales and sales at only a few showrooms and stores contradict what we recommend to espresso machine buyers. In regions where local dealers do good work and have also helped make the La Marzocco brand present 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 remains the point of contact for service and questions about the machines. A local dealer can also help assess the temperature of your own machine and may also be the right address for home barista courses.
When buying a machine online, it is often forgotten that an espresso machine only makes good coffee if the person in front of it and the machine and grinder form a well-coordinated team. A local dealer can provide valuable assistance in mediating between the three.
La Marzocco is banking on sales through its own operating structure also because this allows feedback on a completely new machine to arrive directly and unfiltered at the mother company. After six months, it is planned for some markets that the machine will also be sold through other dealers. Let's hope this will also be true for Switzerland.
