La Marzocco GS3, Linea Mini R or Linea Micra? What are the differences?

A lot has happened on the home front in recent years. It's been just under 2 years since the Linea Micra was launched, and since then the Linea Mini has been given an overhaul.

And now that La Marzocco has 3 home machines in its range, there are probably more people wondering what the actual differences between the espresso machines are.

In this post, we'll give you an insight into the different models and the inspirations that helped shape them into the machines they have become. In addition, we'll cover some pure, technical facts about the machines and their innards. And finally, we'll talk a little about the implications of these technical differences on the user experience.

So buckle up and get ready to nerd out.

Contents

• The La Marzocco models and technologies that inspired the espresso machines
• Technical comparison of GS3, Linea Mini and Linea Micra
• User experience and uses
• Summary

The La Marzocco models and technologies that inspired the espresso machines

If you have any knowledge of La Marzocco's catalog of espresso machines, it is not difficult to see the connection between the Micra and Mini to the Linea family of espresso machines.

The Linea models are the workhorses of La Marzocco and are designed to be reliable machines that can produce espresso after espresso with consistent results. Linea models are the heart of several cafes, restaurants and offices all over the world, even here in Norway - just take Espresso House and several Kaffebrenneriet branches as an example.

This is the philosophy and capability that the Linea Micra and Linea Mini are based on.

The La Marzocco GS3, on the other hand, gets its name from the technology La Marzocco developed in the 70s and still uses in all of its commercial machines - "gruppo saturo".

"Gruppo saturo" is Italian for saturated group . It means that the entire group is filled with the same water it uses to brew. This is an essential technology that revolutionized espresso machines and helps La Marzocco's commercial machines remain so consistent and temperature stable to this day.

Taking inspiration from the groundbreaking Strada model and carrying the same torch in many ways, the GS3 is the ultimate home espresso machine, especially for the enthusiastic nerd.

Technical comparison of GS3, Linea Mini and Linea Micra

Often the numbers speak for themselves, and then it's best to let the numbers speak.

The table below is a purely technical comparison between the machines, which may make it easier to understand some of the differences and similarities between the espresso machines.

	GS3	Mini Line	Micra Linea
Number of brewing tanks	2	2	2
Brewing tank espresso	Independent	Integrated	Integrated
Brewing tank capacity esp.	1.3L	0.2L	0.2L
Special brew tank temp. control	Digital and app	App	App
Pre-infusion	No	Yes	About water connected
Pre-infusion control	Manual (MP only)	App, if water connected	App, if water connected
Pre-brewing	Yes (OFF only)	Yes	Yes
Pre-brewing control	App & machine (OFF only)	App	App
Programmable doses	Yes (OFF only)	Yes - only in app together with Brew-by-Weight scale	No
Steam tank capacity	3.5L	3L	1.6L
Steam tank PID	Yes	No	Yes
Adjustable hot water temperature	Yes	No	No
Graphic display	App & machine	App	App
Water tank	3.5L	2.5L	2L
Water connection kit	Yes	Spare part only	Spare part only
Height	33.7cm	38.1cm	30.4cm
Width	28.6cm	35.56cm	30.4cm
Depth	46.4cm	45.72cm	38.1cm

User experience and uses

The technical differences speak for themselves and give us a good insight into the differences and what we can expect from them. But there are some everyday user experiences and areas of use that the technical details don't show and can be nice to highlight.

All 3 machines can be partially remotely controlled with an app. This means that you can program the machine to start heating from standby mode when you wake up in the morning so that the espresso machine is ready for use when you get up.

Here the biggest differences between the machines will be the heat-up time. Since the GS3 has 2 large brew tanks and a stainless steel portafilter, it will naturally take longer to heat up a GS3. Here, for example, the Linea Micra will shine.

Since the Linea Micra has small brewing tanks and a portafilter with a heat-saving design, the heating time can be as short as 5 minutes.

Maybe you don't want to make a cappuccino, but just an espresso. Then you don't need steam, and with the app you can turn off the steam tank. This means that only the brew tank is heated. With the app you can also program different startups so that, for example, on weekends both brew tanks are heated and on weekdays, only the brew tank for espresso is heated.

Maybe you're not as into nerds, but want something simple and consistent that delivers the same thing time and time again. Then the GS3 AV and Linea Mini R (only in conjunction with the Brew-by-Weight scale) give you the ability to program fixed doses that will always give you the recipe you set.

Maybe you want that little extra, to control the entire process. Everything from the pressure in the group head from the moment you start the shot, to the amount and temperature. Yes, then the GS3 MP will be the machine for you.

All three machines are high-quality espresso machines, with similar features and build quality to a commercial espresso machine. If you need a machine for a smaller café, a wine bar or for an event, for example, the Linea Mini or GS3 can be just as good a choice as a Linea Classic S.

Summary

Like a great sports car, there is room for those who want to nerd out and for those who just want to enjoy the beauty and the masterpiece of engineering that a La Marzocco machine is.

When choosing a machine, it is important that you think about the area of ​​use and user experience. And as we can see from the three models, there is something for everyone, but all three machines are La Marzocco machines. Founded on almost 100 years of knowledge and experience, and are pure works of art that you can decorate your home with.

Come by our showroom to experience the machines or feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

We talk,

rRebel