Not new, but with many revisions, the new La Marzocco Linea Mini-R presents itself. It is not just an update to the previous Linea Mini, but replaces it. We had the opportunity to test the Linea Mini-R even before its international market launch. As always, we bought this machine too and are not holding back with our opinion.
La Marzocco knows this and still goes along with it, without influencing the outcome of our test. Sometimes the feedback is positive, like with the Linea Micra. Sometimes it's mixed or rather negative, as with the La Marzocco Pico.
We appreciate that La Marzocco informs us about testing a machine before market launch. This way, you know from the start what we think about the machine. And for us, it's an honor to be among the first in the world to test a machine.
What has changed with the La Marzocco Mini R?
La Marzocco remains true to itself with the Linea Mini-R. The machine builds on the strengths of the old machine and revises some functions and, above all, the design.
- Shot timer: The machine now has a shot length display located on the front above the paddle.
- The haptics and design of the paddle and rotary knobs have been revised. These are now matte black, which looks more premium and feels better.
- The metal plate behind the brew group on the front is in the color of the entire machine. This looks much more coherent, fits the unity of the machine, and previously had to be purchased as a customized work from other suppliers.
- The machine is prepared for connection to the La Marzocco Acaia scale to offer brew-by-weight.
- The pressure of the rotary pump can now be adjusted from above with a screwdriver. The adjustment is integrated into the cup tray.
- Completely revised pre-infusion function, even without a fixed water connection. Described in more detail below in the article.
- Modular portafilter with plastic spouts, as seen and discussed with the Micra.
- Revised app and functionality without internet or Wi-Fi connection, once calibrated with the app.
- The temperature wheel on the side has disappeared.
And otherwise? The Linea Mini remains the Linea Mini. The main internal changes are the pre-infusion, some changes in the pump area, and an associated noise reduction. The removal of the drip tray and water tank has also been revised, based on the function of the Micra, and is now easier to handle.
Buy La Marzocco Linea Mini-R
The following specialist shops sell the La Marzocco Linea Mini-R, and we can recommend purchasing from these businesses. All offer the option of readjusting the machine's offset.
Germany:
We look for specialist partners for you that we know provide good work and good service, and we are in close contact with the mentioned retailers. The links are so-called affiliate links. If you order via one of these links, you will not pay a single cent more – however, we will receive a small commission, which we invest directly into new test equipment.
We are still looking for competent partners in the DACH region for you.
Who is the Mini R suitable for?
The Linea Micra shifted the logic of the single-group machine assortment. While the Linea Mini used to be the entry-level espresso machine from La Marzocco, a true La Marzocco for significantly less money and yet with a good price-performance package was now presented in the Micra.
The Micra heats up quickly, has a relatively low energy consumption, and everything to deliver good espresso and milk foam. Besides the lower price of under €3,500, it differs from the Linea Mini in that it has significantly less power under the hood.
For the quality-conscious home barista, the Micra is a grateful entry into the world of La Marzocco espresso machines. The Linea Mini, with a price of over €5,000, was suddenly in an argumentative vacuum. Who is this machine actually suitable for?
Because anyone who truly wanted performance and capability from a single-group espresso machine often dug deeper into their pockets and invested another €1,500 to own a La Marzocco GS3. With this machine at the latest, the home barista then arrived in the realm of commercial quality at home.
The introduction of the Acaia scale integration created a clear distinction for the Linea Mini from the Micra (which therefore will never be officially retrofittable with a scale). With the connection of the scale, the Linea Mini brews via weight detection. This function was presented last year and was already available as an upgrade for the previous Mini. With the Mini-R, the connection is not only native but improved.
And how does the market positioning look now?
Today, the Linea Mini-R not only wants to be the espresso machine for the home barista, but also to perform as a single-group espresso machine in gastronomy with its integrated scale. In many smaller specialty coffee shops, especially in Asia, this is a common use case for the Mini.
In our test, we therefore extensively tested whether the Mini-R can meet this claim.
- Is it also, especially with the revised pre-infusion, the perfect espresso machine for brewing demanding light roasted specialty espresso?
- And last but not least: has La Marzocco, even with the Mini-R, now arrived in an era where lower energy consumption plays an increasingly important role for many home baristas?
Espresso performance and temperature stability
The quality of espresso is what every espresso machine must be measured by. The most important criteria for this are temperature stability, even over several shots, well-implemented pressure performance, and easy adjustability of the pressure. Further criteria also include the supplied baskets, as well as an even distribution of the brewing water.
Temperature and heating time with steam boiler
Let's start with temperature stability and readiness. It's impressive how quickly the La Marzocco Linea Mini-R reaches operating temperature. Our temperature readiness test takes several days, as we let the machine cool down completely between each measurement cycle and only recheck the next day whether faster heating is possible. With the Linea Mini-R, we determined a heating time of 10 minutes. We recommend flushing the portafilter for 20 seconds after 10 minutes to thoroughly warm it up as well. The brew boiler signals readiness after just 8 minutes. However, waiting another two minutes is advisable.
After 10 minutes, the KM temperature protocol and then the WBC protocol were measured. In the KM temperature protocol, five shots are pulled at one-minute intervals immediately after heating up. In the WBC protocol, after one hour of standby time with the machine running, 14 shots are measured according to the World Barista Championship protocol. The "idle" time, i.e., the time between shots, is increasingly shortened. Despite the small boiler, the LM Mini-R showed very good results with the steam boiler switched on, with a standard deviation of 0.74 and 0.76 degrees respectively in the KM protocol.
The WBC protocol has a frequency that simulates the highest possible espresso performance in a cafe. Faster work is not possible with a single-group machine. In any case, in terms of temperature stability, the La Marzocco Mini-R is suitable for any mass-production scenario.
Pressure and espresso quality
The same can be said for pressure stability. The machine showed no significant irregularities across all shots. This was evident in our test in very good espresso extractions that left nothing to be desired. We brewed different espressos, tested various recipes, and were able to achieve excellent espresso results through the use of a good espresso grinder and careful puck preparation.
Thanks to the relatively small brew boiler, which sits directly above the brew group, a relatively quick adjustment of the brew temperature is also possible. The temperature is adjusted via the app. Approximately 20 seconds of water should be dispensed to stabilize the temperature before starting with the changed temperature.
Steam boiler off causes problems
To be clear: the function to deactivate the steam boiler proved unusable in our tests. We emphasize this so clearly because the option exists in the app. Yes, the Linea Mini-R can, in principle, be operated only with the brew boiler. However, we did not reach the target temperature after 10 or even 20 minutes. In fact, we had to set the temperature 3 degrees higher to even reach brewing temperature. However, this temperature was by no means as consistently stable as the brew water temperature with the steam boiler on. At both 93 and 96 degrees, the temperature dropped significantly during extraction.
See also the graph of espresso extraction with the steam boiler off at 96 degrees at the end of the article.
Steaming until the cows come home
While the brew boiler, with only 200 ml, provides surprisingly consistent brew temperature and shows that La Marzocco is smart, the steam boiler is more an indication of power and anachronistic attitude.
Yes, the machine delivers 1.9 Bar and the steam blasts out of the wand. We are actually big fans of a lot of pressure and set steam boilers to the highest possible level. With the La Marzocco Mini-R, level 3 is almost too powerful even for professional barista Michel Indelicato. A few seconds are enough to heat and rotate the steam.
In Basel, we measure steam power performance by whether a machine could withstand the "hot chocolate" demands of Fasnacht. And what can I say? Give me a Mini-R and drop me in the middle of the Cortège. I will deliver.
Why anachronistic?
We have already seen good steam performance with machines with significantly smaller boilers and, above all, with less energy consumption. The La Marzocco Linea Mini-R joins the ranks of power-hungry machines. With a power consumption of 0.38 kWh for 5 double shots including heating, it is one of the poorer espresso machines in terms of energy consumption. It only gets significantly better if we turn off the steam boiler. 0.13 kWh are recorded here for the shots including heating. Due to the performance difficulties mentioned above, however, this good value can hardly be used as a valid metric. The machine simply lacks the crucial three degrees of temperature to meet our requirements for heated machines.
Design and Quality
"Finally," one wants to exclaim. With the lower front plate, the entire machine is now designed in the style of the color variant. What Specht-Design or Deon previously had to retrofit is now part of the machine. And the revised paddle, the rotary knobs for the steam wand and water dispenser are not only visually harmonious, but also convey quality.
What always bothered me about earlier La Marzocco Linea Minis was the glossy look of the control elements. These felt somewhat cheap and cold. The matte look and slightly rough haptics convey a pleasant touch.
The water tank and drip tray can now be easily removed and retain their large capacity. The drip tray has a float on the plate, which was introduced with the Micra and which we know from many cheaper espresso machines. This makes it easy to see when it's time to empty the drip tray. However, the drip tray of the LM Mini-R is so large that hardly anyone will wait until this large drip tray is full. Before the drip tray is full, its enormous capacity will rather turn it into a biotope and mosquito breeding ground.
The now used stainless steel flow regulators in the pre-infusion area of the machine are a welcome update and promise less limescale build-up inside the machine.
And then there's the shot timer, which now displays the duration of the espresso shot on the machine. La Marzocco has - finally - responded to the community and created a beautiful display of the espresso shot time. The appearance is similar to the digital display of the La Marzocco Pico. It is simple, reduced to the essentials, and with its discreet display, it blends well into the machine's overall look.
Modular Portafilter
But let's address the elephant in the room: the portafilter. What was, at least for us, a coherent addition to the concept of the La Marzocco Micra with its extremely short heat-up time and good energy performance, seems rather out of place on the Linea Mini-R. One reason for this is that the plastic of the 1- and 2-spout outlets optically resembles the plastic of the former control elements. It's glossy. However, the machine has now completely switched to matte as a design and color element.
For those who don't know the portafilter then and now: La Marzocco previously supplied two high-quality stainless steel portafilters with the Linea Mini. One was intended for single shots and the other for double shots. Instead, there is now the Micra portafilter, which saves material, comes with two plastic rotating spouts, and can also be used as a bottomless portafilter without an attachment. The latter is smart, and in principle, it's also smart that the portafilter needs less time to heat up because less material is used and the plastic is hardly conductive. So little temperature is lost to the plastic spout.
However, the Linea Mini-R, with its claim to play a role in gastronomic setups, seems wrongly equipped with the modular portafilter. The good 14g, 17g, and 21g baskets and single-shot baskets, also available in the scope of delivery, don't make it any better. If I really have to pull many shots, I don't want to tamp on the plastic attachment, but a powerful and durable stainless steel portafilter like before.
For home use, the modular portafilter is a nice thing, even with the Mini-R. Of course, the stainless steel portafilter can be purchased and added. Which brings us to accessories in this article.
An Acaia scale changes the Mini
The most important and best upgrade for the Mini is the Bluetooth scale adapted by Acaia for the Mini. The scale is such a central addition to the La Marzocco Mini that it should actually be an integral part of the package. Because even if you already have an Acaia scale today, you will need a new one to use the full range of functions of the Mini-R. (Unfortunately, this is the case, as only the LM Acaia scale can be integrated into the app and the Linea Mini.)
The scale is connected to the app and thus to the espresso machine via Bluetooth. The connection usually works without problems, if there are no problems. For us, it worked reliably on the first day, on the second day the app was buggy and kept disconnecting during connection, and on the third day the performance was good.
When the scale is connected, the output quantity can be entered as a weight value via the app. It is very good that the scale also communicates with the machine even when the app is not activated. The last entered weight selection is recalled by the machine when the paddle is operated.
When a new scale is connected to a machine for the first time or when switching from one espresso to a significantly different one, the accuracy of the scale control has larger fluctuations. After a few shots, however, the scale settles in well and then delivers the amount in the cup with an accuracy of approx. 0.5 grams deviation. This is good precision.
However, a good flow meter is also capable of achieving such precision. The scale should in principle have strengths when working with pressure profiles or different flow rates. However, these functions are not provided at all with the La Marzocco Mini-R.
Criticism of the scale integration
The integration of a scale into the Linea Mini workflow is therefore only half convincing for me. In principle, I like the idea. Compared to good volumetric control, however, it doesn't convince me on the Linea Mini-R.
- The gram selection can only be changed via the app, and not directly on the machine. With the GS3, I simply press the 1-shot or 2-shot button to select a different volumetric.
- The accuracy of the scale is not superior to volumetric control, at least with our pre-release firmware and software.
- The workflow with the scale is a workflow with the scale. Although the scale tares well and precisely shortly after the cups are placed and the shot is started, the scale first needs to be positioned and the cups placed.
And now we come to the drip tray, which was provided to us by the manufacturer. (We bought the machine and the scale.)
The Drip Tray and the Flushing Process
The scale drip tray has a recessed well for the scale. And honestly: we would never buy it! While the workflow with a scale on a normal drip tray is almost habituated from working with other espresso machines without volumetrics, prying the scale out of its recess feels like finger acrobatics. On a normal drip tray, we slide it left or right, with or without cups. Done.
Yes, both La Marzocco and Acaia confirm that the scale should withstand the temperature during flushing. But at least we can't bring ourselves to flush 90-degree hot water over a 400-euro scale. It just feels wrong!
And this is where I get hung up with the whole scale and "Brew-By-Weight" topic. For me, La Marzocco misses a great opportunity with the Mini-R to integrate the scale into the drip tray's suspension. Like we know it from grind-by-weight grinders or espresso machines with integrated scales.
The scale drip tray and the Bluetooth-connectable scale via app also feel somewhat tacked on in the Mini-R, just as was already the case with the La Marzocco Mini without the R.
The Commercial Workflow with the Scale
For me, good volumetrics or brew quantity programming is a prerequisite for an espresso machine to make sense in gastronomy. That's why, in the past, I recommended the GS3 from La Marzocco when it came to a single-group espresso machine.
The integration of the scale sensibly complements the machine, making it generally well-suited for a café environment. Of course, a café can also operate without volumetrics and with manual stopping. However, I have too often experienced myself, especially when working alone in a café, that guests or other work prevented me from standing for 25 seconds before the espresso flowed out. Consequently, I might have missed the moment when I should have manually stopped the espresso.
The scale now helps me to do exactly that very precisely. In the 15 years I have built and managed cafés and coffee houses, however, another criterion for an espresso machine has been added. For my cafés, I want espresso machines that, especially at peak frequency, are simple and require no additional steps. Only at high frequency do cafés really make money. That's when it really matters. That's when we cover the high costs incurred during the hours of cleaning, preparing the café in the morning, and closing in the evening. That's why I choose espresso machines that perform exactly at that moment. And that's why I would still unhesitatingly prefer the GS3 over the Linea Mini-R for a gastronomic context. Because the workflow with the scale, balancing the espresso cups on it, and sliding them back to the side for flushing are simply too many micro-steps for a fast and reliable workflow under stress.
If the scale were integrated below the drip tray (like with the Decent Stand) or in the suspension, the Linea Mini-R would be an interesting alternative.
The Paddle - Style or Heavy Legacy
Yes, I also like the paddle. By the way, I think the new paddle is really elegant and the changing angle of the paddle also makes an impression. And yet, I am also unsure about the paddle whether it really makes sense in the overall concept of the new Brew-By-Weight espresso machine. Because: it does not return. Although the shot stops cleanly via the scale's control, the paddle remains in the left position. Because we didn't stop the shot with the paddle.
Let's put it this way: if La Marzocco had designed a truly new espresso machine, considered new functions, and designed everything from scratch, then I doubt the La Marzocco Linea Mini-R would look exactly as it does today. If it had a paddle, it would automatically return to position the moment the machine stops. Or the different weight quantities would be equipped with buttons à la GS3.
Or would the La Marzocco Linea Mini-R then destroy the market position for the GS3, just as the Micra did for the Mini? That may be. Because what could the GS3 do better than the Linea Mini-R, if we recall how good the temperature stability under frequency and the steaming performance of the Mini-R were?
Let's take the idea a step further: The Linea Mini-R would have an integrated scale below the drip tray or the scale would be sensibly integrated. This would put the GS3 under strong pressure. Now the question is, what would distinguish the GS3 in the future? What about, for example, advanced flow rate control, savable pressure profiles, or adaptive control? We could certainly come up with a lot for the La Marzocco GS3.
App Control and Connectivity
The La Marzocco app ranks as one of the better espresso machine apps, alongside numerous rather poor apps. The LM app also doesn't make any big leaps, but what it delivers depending on the machine is solid. For the Linea Mini-R, it's the temperature setting in tenth-degree increments, 3 pressure levels for the steam boiler, pre-brewing and pre-infusion (both described in the next chapter).
The start time of the espresso machine can also be programmed. Perhaps the machine should start earlier on Mondays and not until 10:00 AM on Tuesdays. However, this function is probably more interesting for models like the GS3. The Linea Mini-R, with its short heat-up time, is quickly up and running anyway.
If the scale is connected via Bluetooth to the app and machine, the scale's volume can also be saved in 0.1 gram increments on two programmable virtual buttons via the app interface. Once the scale, machine, and app have "grooved in," the interaction between the scale and machine also works without the app. The last set dosing quantity is then reproduced.
The flushing function of the Linea Mini-R can also be set. If the paddle is activated briefly, the espresso machine flushes for a defined time. A nice function to flush with some time reduction.
The app has a rather sluggish transmission to the machine. It takes about half a second until settings like temperature changes or volume adjustments are transmitted. In times of immediate program reactions, this feels nostalgic, like command input in Windows XP, but it's manageable. The login and account requirement are more annoying. Yes, you heard right.
To operate the app and thus the espresso machine, you first need a La Marzocco user account. This is created either via an email address or a Google account. What was incredibly annoying in the past is still annoying today. At least the machine now works without Wi-Fi once it's configured. That, at least, is a good development step for the app!
Pre-brewing and Pre-infusion
If the Linea Mini-R is connected to the fixed water supply, which is possible just like mounting the drain pipe, the option of pre-infusion is unlocked. With pre-infusion activated, the coffee is pre-wetted with the water line pressure, which in many households is around 3 bar. This means the pump is not activated and thus full brewing pressure is not applied to the puck. The pre-brewing time can be chosen by the user. In this way, especially with poorer puck preparation or grinders with more pronounced clumping, a more even extraction is supported.
Pre-brewing is a variant of pre-wetting and is implemented slightly differently in the La Marzocco Linea Mini-R than in other espresso machines. Pre-brewing essentially consists of activating the pump for a definable time. Full pressure is thus built up and delivered to the coffee puck. Subsequently, a pause time can be set. For example, we can deliver water for 3 seconds, then pause for 6 seconds, and then deliver brewing water again with pump pressure.
A specific feature of the Linea Mini-R's construction is that, due to the integration of a second solenoid valve, the pre-brewing water is not relieved. We will investigate the exact taste implications of this in a separate series of tests. The espressos we have pulled so far with and without pre-brewing were excellent anyway.
Conclusion La Marzocco Linea Mini-R
La Marzocco has made an effort to find a good intermediate position in its machine lineup between the Micra and the GS3 with the Linea Mini-R. And the Linea Mini-R has indeed become a really good espresso machine. I would prefer it over many other espresso machines on the market because it performs so well, is powerful, and also looks good. And that's not just because La Marzocco is on the front (see also article on the takeover of La Marzocco by Delonghi).
Taken by itself, much about the Linea Mini-R is indeed very good.
- Very good steam performance
- Very good temperature stability
- Good consistency of volume when using the scale after calibration
- Improvements such as the integration of a shot timer, use without Wi-Fi (once connected), etc.
And yet, the missed opportunities are significant. While old issues like the temperature wheel have now been resolved, others prevent a complete reimagining of the machine. Although that was not the goal, the superficial integration of the scale or the function to turn on the steam boiler seems tacked on, without deep conceptualization. The workflow with the scale could be so much better if it were cleanly integrated below the drip tray. While the steam boiler can be turned off, saving power, the temperature performance of the La Marzocco Linea Mini-R then suddenly becomes second-rate. But if an elite manufacturer suggests to me that the function "Turn off steam boiler" is possible, then we also expect performance there. We sharply criticized this in the first version of the Baby T Plus and it must be addressed just as clearly here. Ascaso reacted at the time and revised the coupling of the steam boiler and thermoblock. Let's see where the journey goes with La Marzocco and the Linea Mini-R.
In any case, we will now play around with the pre-brewing a bit more and update this article in due course.
