Last October I upgraded from an ECM synchronika to a LM Línea micra and I don’t regret it one bit. The thermal stability, the bone dry steam it creates is on another level. I haven’t looked back. Love my Little Micra and the plastic bits were upgraded to Oak within the first week of owning 😂 Thanks for the video!
Well, the Micra is certainly a “cute” package. In 2019, after running through several “lesser” machines over the years, I finally decided: 1. Linea Mini for the home kitchen. 2. The GS3 MP for the office. I have high end Mazzer grinders and “make” and treat my own water and use the reservoirs on both. Do regular maintenance and enjoy lots of coffee every day with never a problem. Did I hear about the “upcoming in just a couple months” wifi network iphone interface? Yes. And I intentionally avoided them and went for the ones I did WITHOUT that!!
Thanks for this helpful comparison. I would have liked if you included the following measurements for the two machines as these are raised as concerns on forums and other video's: 1. Space between drip tray and portafilter spout (with double spout in place) 2. Length of steam wand, distance between corner and steam tip
@@ArtistiCoffeeRoasters Thx for your response. I think the Mini is the better choice for me in the end. I also found out yesterday after comparing the internals of both machines that the preheating of the Micra is very different from the Mini. Whereas the Mini uses a short HX element to preheat the water going to the brew boiler, the Micra (to save space I guess) uses about 5 meters !! of copper tubing coiled around the boiler. This tubing has a volume of about the 250ml, so essentially working as a second copper boiler (but with 5 times the contact area compared to a normal boiler). For brewing espresso, I like my water fresh from the tank and also prefer stainless steel material over copper. Copper tends to corrode and leach more over time, especially when getting in contact with descaling solutions etc. I don't mind a short tube here and there, but 5 meters is something I have't seen in any machine really. With the Micra you would need to flush more than half a liter of water to get fresh water from the tank. The brew boiler of the Micra is 250ml and for some reason is also larger than that of the Mini (170ml).
Nice one Luke! In my thoughts, if you are looking for easy to use, repeatable & solid espresso performance with great steaming for the home, it's hard to see much of a case in going anything beyond the Micra. There are a few things that lend very nicely to the home situation on the Micra, like size and heat up times, and beyond the brew by weight & hybrid saturation, there's not so much the Mini really offers beyond the Micra. The new hybrid saturation with the secondary solenoid is cool and possibly it's main selling point over the Micra, but I'd still lean preference to a plumbed preinfusion which both machines do. Not to mention, the Micra is a good bit cheaper. They're probably each others biggest competition in many ways! 😀
What do the hybrid saturation with the secondary solenoid? On the other hand, pre-infusion is only available when the Linea Mini is plumbed-in to a filtered water source, right?
@@JuanCarlos-hi1hr Basically it has a solenoid which can hold the pressure built in front of itself and to the coffee from the pump on portion, allowing the pressure to be held (it will naturally decline as it pushes through the coffee) during the hold portion of the hybrid preinfusion instead of the solenoid just opening and exhausting all water to the drip tray during the pause on the previous mini.
@@jackowens_ Great, sounds good. And pre-infusion is only available when is plumbed-in to a filtered water source? Or, can you activate it with the reservoir?
Luke, although I’d love to have any of those two machines, I only could get the Breville Dual Boiler which is the first machine in display at your shop. We trust you will continue to offering the promised videos about the Dual Boiler, an appliance for some, a maker of good coffee for others! Cheers
Another difference between these machines is that the new Mini has a different group configuration and employs a secondary solenoid valve for its pre-brewing/infusion that the Micra does not have. I have read that this helps with puck integrity which is an issue with the Micra/GS3/etc.. I haven't seen a lot of video on the new Mini that address this difference.
Hi. I see mini models without the timer above the brew lever. Is this only on particular models of the mini, or on a new “facelifted” model? Best regards Stephen from Copenhagen DK
Hi Stephen, yes its a new feature on the Linea Mini R model which was released this year. Here's a video review of the R model if you would like to learn more: th-cam.com/video/vQlOrcT-9co/w-d-xo.html
Not sure if pricing varies a lot globally, but in my part of the woods I can buy two E61 dual boiler machines (with zero plasticky bits and levers), e.g ECM or Profitec for the price of one Mini. The La Marzocco brand means a lot, but there should be a linear inverse relationship between the amount of plastic, and price.
The plastic isn't the same as a cheap throw away machines, it’s also what has been used for many years and is a look back to the heritage of what the Linea commercial machine which made them what they are today. There are some really nice after market timber kits to customise these machine too👍🏻
For me the look of Mini&Micra is just ancient. They are good machines, but I prefer to wait for release of Slayer Steam Single. That should be a better choice
Hoping the new additions to the Mini (shot timer etc) get added into the Micra in the near future. Would be a no brainer to upgrade over to the Micra for home use. Curious if I'm overthinking it's value there but I'm hoping to upgrade from my Rancilio Silva M to the Micra in the next few years.
I have the last 4 1/2 years the appartamento (my first espresso machine) and now I’d like to buy a dual boiler machine. I’m between the Micra and Mini , i like the Mini a lot but to be honest I think that the maybe is too much for me because I make only 2 cortado a day 😬.
Water filters are specifically designed for a water test in your region. All towns and even different streets in towns have different water as you may have old rusty pipes. A kit will need a good filter, a pressure limiting valve and should be installed by a plumber or coffee tech as if it leaks and wrecks all your cupboards then you may not be insured. So above $500 aud is the starting point depending on the filters and the kit LM offer.
Hey bud, how would you compare them to the gs3? I know they are different pair of shoes, especially with the flow control at the gs3. I’ve been also considering to go for a lelit Bianca.
Great review. Although briefly mentioned here, between the Mini and GS3, which one you think will be better in an espresso mobile cart type operation? I know the GS3 is more expensive but that means it will perform better? Recover faster and be able to produce more drinks (mostly lattes) hourly? Again, thanks for your review and awesome content. Saludos !!! 😎☕️
The mini over the mica for sure with any commercial applications. The gs3 again would be better than the mini if the price is not an issue. But you can get the the single group lines classic S which is a commercial machine that is designed for the cafe specifically
I'd say it's just an update away. Sooner or later perhaps. Although it would unlock that function and probably grab a bunch of LM x Acaia sales, it's one less string to thebow of the Mini over the Micra...
Linea mini has and always had the same steam boiler as the GS3 and it’s a 3.5l boiler, not 3l. Check some old spec sheets of the machine to confirm because it seems la marzocco has a mistake on their Mini R page spec sheet…
Haha! Like a plumber has bad water, a builder house is never finished, a coffee roastery owners home gear is used to get them out the door in the morning weekdays to make everyone else’s coffee world great! The weekend is where the love for the home machine comes in! 🤙🏻
Really want to upgrade my Flair 58 to the Micra but the price in the US is extremely high, What in your opinion is the best machine at that compact size please. Thank You!
I think unless you absolutely NEED to run back to back shots at high speed, there is no advantage to having the mini at home. It consumes more energy, takes longer to warm up, and has excess capacity you'll never use. i often make 3-4 coffee's in a row after dinner for family, and my Micra has been superb from day one, with consistency, and steam power to spare!
Love my micra but the app is absolute TRASH. So frustrating every time I want to backflush or change a setting I have to re-pair the machine. They need to hire someone to develop something that works consistently
We don't like the portafilters that they provide. We want the FULL café experience with the ORIGINAL portafilters, NO PLASTIC involved!! They have NOT been serious about this. At least they could have provided both portafilters for the price!!
Boy do i have a surprise for you. Well wait until you see how much plastic they crammed inside. Plastic frame, plastic diffuser in the grouphead, plastic upon plastic upon plastic. Shameless shadow of the old Linea Mini’s glory, cost cutting, thinner metal sheets, what the hell is happening with La Marzocco under Bernardinelli is way beyond me.
I assume the traditional LM Mini Porta Filter is fitting to the LM Micra machine? Then just let it heat up 15 minutes longer and you can easily have your espresso with a traditional Porta Filter, but it will be a bit tricky to place the scale properly, maybe 2 cm or so would be better. Cappuccino with the traditional Mini PF on the Micra is probably not possible.
Last October I upgraded from an ECM synchronika to a LM Línea micra and I don’t regret it one bit. The thermal stability, the bone dry steam it creates is on another level. I haven’t looked back. Love my Little Micra and the plastic bits were upgraded to Oak within the first week of owning 😂
Thanks for the video!
Great to hear you noticed the changes, yes timber highlights are a nice touch and make it looks beautiful
I hardly consider that an upgrade.
@@johngilman760the ECM isn't all that, pretty weak wet steam and the E61 group should be retired.
Well, the Micra is certainly a “cute” package. In 2019, after running through several “lesser” machines over the years, I finally decided: 1. Linea Mini for the home kitchen. 2. The GS3 MP for the office. I have high end Mazzer grinders and “make” and treat my own water and use the reservoirs on both. Do regular maintenance and enjoy lots of coffee every day with never a problem. Did I hear about the “upcoming in just a couple months” wifi network iphone interface? Yes. And I intentionally avoided them and went for the ones I did WITHOUT that!!
2:31 None of these have saturated groups, both have integrated groups.
Thanks for this helpful comparison. I would have liked if you included the following measurements for the two machines as these are raised as concerns on forums and other video's:
1. Space between drip tray and portafilter spout (with double spout in place)
2. Length of steam wand, distance between corner and steam tip
Noted! The removal of the spout helps with this height, and yes a small jug is best for steaming, a large jug is tricky
@@ArtistiCoffeeRoasters Thx for your response. I think the Mini is the better choice for me in the end. I also found out yesterday after comparing the internals of both machines that the preheating of the Micra is very different from the Mini. Whereas the Mini uses a short HX element to preheat the water going to the brew boiler, the Micra (to save space I guess) uses about 5 meters !! of copper tubing coiled around the boiler. This tubing has a volume of about the 250ml, so essentially working as a second copper boiler (but with 5 times the contact area compared to a normal boiler). For brewing espresso, I like my water fresh from the tank and also prefer stainless steel material over copper. Copper tends to corrode and leach more over time, especially when getting in contact with descaling solutions etc. I don't mind a short tube here and there, but 5 meters is something I have't seen in any machine really. With the Micra you would need to flush more than half a liter of water to get fresh water from the tank. The brew boiler of the Micra is 250ml and for some reason is also larger than that of the Mini (170ml).
Another good review for all budgets keep up the great work.
Thank you. Yea there are machines for all budgets, this is a high price but if there was not the market the machines would not be made.
Nice one Luke! In my thoughts, if you are looking for easy to use, repeatable & solid espresso performance with great steaming for the home, it's hard to see much of a case in going anything beyond the Micra. There are a few things that lend very nicely to the home situation on the Micra, like size and heat up times, and beyond the brew by weight & hybrid saturation, there's not so much the Mini really offers beyond the Micra. The new hybrid saturation with the secondary solenoid is cool and possibly it's main selling point over the Micra, but I'd still lean preference to a plumbed preinfusion which both machines do. Not to mention, the Micra is a good bit cheaper. They're probably each others biggest competition in many ways! 😀
Yes a great summary. Volume output is a big key here, the mini is great for a bar or restaurant and the micra for home .👍🏻
there's also the height between the cup and the group, which is low on the Micra when you place a scale and the spout for 2 cups...
What do the hybrid saturation with the secondary solenoid?
On the other hand, pre-infusion is only available when the Linea Mini is plumbed-in to a filtered water source, right?
@@JuanCarlos-hi1hr Basically it has a solenoid which can hold the pressure built in front of itself and to the coffee from the pump on portion, allowing the pressure to be held (it will naturally decline as it pushes through the coffee) during the hold portion of the hybrid preinfusion instead of the solenoid just opening and exhausting all water to the drip tray during the pause on the previous mini.
@@jackowens_ Great, sounds good.
And pre-infusion is only available when is plumbed-in to a filtered water source? Or, can you activate it with the reservoir?
Luke, although I’d love to have any of those two machines, I only could get the Breville Dual Boiler which is the first machine in display at your shop. We trust you will continue to offering the promised videos about the Dual Boiler, an appliance for some, a maker of good coffee for others! Cheers
The dual boiler is a very popular machine and we certainly do aim to produce some videos around it. I hope you're enjoying your new machine :)
@@ArtistiCoffeeRoasters Yes I am! Just finished a bag of The Fix, such a nice coffee 😋👍
Another difference between these machines is that the new Mini has a different group configuration and employs a secondary solenoid valve for its pre-brewing/infusion that the Micra does not have. I have read that this helps with puck integrity which is an issue with the Micra/GS3/etc.. I haven't seen a lot of video on the new Mini that address this difference.
Yes you are correct 👍🏻
Own the micra…the heating up time on these machines are insanely fast. High end machine which also happens to be perfect for beginners too.
Yep, they are a fantastic little machine!
Hi.
I see mini models without the timer above the brew lever. Is this only on particular models of the mini, or on a new “facelifted” model?
Best regards
Stephen from Copenhagen DK
Hi Stephen, yes its a new feature on the Linea Mini R model which was released this year. Here's a video review of the R model if you would like to learn more: th-cam.com/video/vQlOrcT-9co/w-d-xo.html
@ thanks for your quick response.
Not sure if pricing varies a lot globally, but in my part of the woods I can buy two E61 dual boiler machines (with zero plasticky bits and levers), e.g ECM or Profitec for the price of one Mini. The La Marzocco brand means a lot, but there should be a linear inverse relationship between the amount of plastic, and price.
agree, the plastic isn’t a good look on premium machines
The plastic isn't the same as a cheap throw away machines, it’s also what has been used for many years and is a look back to the heritage of what the Linea commercial machine which made them what they are today. There are some really nice after market timber kits to customise these machine too👍🏻
For me the look of Mini&Micra is just ancient. They are good machines, but I prefer to wait for release of Slayer Steam Single. That should be a better choice
Man stop defending 😂
let alone only providing one year of warranty in North America for the Micra.
Would any of these be ok for a coffee cart with no mains power? I guess what I’m asking is would a generator be enough to power them? Thanks
Hoping the new additions to the Mini (shot timer etc) get added into the Micra in the near future. Would be a no brainer to upgrade over to the Micra for home use. Curious if I'm overthinking it's value there but I'm hoping to upgrade from my Rancilio Silva M to the Micra in the next few years.
Yes it would be nice to have the shot timer, you can always have the timer on a scale to help this.
Can you do an in-depth review of the Breville Dual Boiler?
Coming soon, 🤙🏻
My breville dual boiler caught fire after two years. Smoke was coming out of the casing. The workmanship is very poor. I wouldn't buy it again.
I have the last 4 1/2 years the appartamento (my first espresso machine) and now I’d like to buy a dual boiler machine. I’m between the Micra and Mini , i like the Mini a lot but to be honest I think that the maybe is too much for me because I make only 2 cortado a day 😬.
Что в итоге ты купил ? И как впечатления?
Спасибо!
Hi my question is what type of water filtration system is required for warranty purposes and what cost for the system?
Water filters are specifically designed for a water test in your region. All towns and even different streets in towns have different water as you may have old rusty pipes. A kit will need a good filter, a pressure limiting valve and should be installed by a plumber or coffee tech as if it leaks and wrecks all your cupboards then you may not be insured. So above $500 aud is the starting point depending on the filters and the kit LM offer.
Hey bud, how would you compare them to the gs3? I know they are different pair of shoes, especially with the flow control at the gs3.
I’ve been also considering to go for a lelit Bianca.
Great review. Although briefly mentioned here, between the Mini and GS3, which one you think will be better in an espresso mobile cart type operation? I know the GS3 is more expensive but that means it will perform better? Recover faster and be able to produce more drinks (mostly lattes) hourly? Again, thanks for your review and awesome content. Saludos !!! 😎☕️
The mini over the mica for sure with any commercial applications. The gs3 again would be better than the mini if the price is not an issue. But you can get the the single group lines classic S which is a commercial machine that is designed for the cafe specifically
@@ArtistiCoffeeRoasters Thanks for the advice. Saludos !!!
thank you for this video. Can you feel a difference in the quality of the cup?
No problem, thanks for watching. There's no noticeable differences in the quality of coffee made on either machine. Both produce fantastic results :)
I am wondering if u can take a screwdriver and do pressure profile with Mini, just as u do with Gs4….. That would make a mini worth the price for me
Pre infusion on any of them?
no hints from LM to upgrade their Micra software to also connect to acaia scale?
Not that I am aware, I’ll keep you in the loop if I hear anything
I'd say it's just an update away. Sooner or later perhaps. Although it would unlock that function and probably grab a bunch of LM x Acaia sales, it's one less string to thebow of the Mini over the Micra...
Linea mini has and always had the same steam boiler as the GS3 and it’s a 3.5l boiler, not 3l. Check some old spec sheets of the machine to confirm because it seems la marzocco has a mistake on their Mini R page spec sheet…
Do you even pro Home Barista if you don’t empty the drip tray for a week?
Haha! Like a plumber has bad water, a builder house is never finished, a coffee roastery owners home gear is used to get them out the door in the morning weekdays to make everyone else’s coffee world great! The weekend is where the love for the home machine comes in! 🤙🏻
Really want to upgrade my Flair 58 to the Micra but the price in the US is extremely high, What in your opinion is the best machine at that compact size please. Thank You!
Not everyone needs a dual boiler for home, there are many HX machines that will make great coffee for under $3k Aud that would be good for you.
@@ArtistiCoffeeRoasters Thank you! What is your favorite compact model and brand.
I think unless you absolutely NEED to run back to back shots at high speed, there is no advantage to having the mini at home. It consumes more energy, takes longer to warm up, and has excess capacity you'll never use.
i often make 3-4 coffee's in a row after dinner for family, and my Micra has been superb from day one, with consistency, and steam power to spare!
I'm very close to buy one but a lot of people they have a lot of problems...
Love my micra but the app is absolute TRASH. So frustrating every time I want to backflush or change a setting I have to re-pair the machine. They need to hire someone to develop something that works consistently
We don't like the portafilters that they provide. We want the FULL café experience with the ORIGINAL portafilters, NO PLASTIC involved!! They have NOT been serious about this. At least they could have provided both portafilters for the price!!
Boy do i have a surprise for you. Well wait until you see how much plastic they crammed inside. Plastic frame, plastic diffuser in the grouphead, plastic upon plastic upon plastic. Shameless shadow of the old Linea Mini’s glory, cost cutting, thinner metal sheets, what the hell is happening with La Marzocco under Bernardinelli is way beyond me.
@@jurgenzielmann1108 I only care about plastic or non-noble materials in hot water circuits to be honest...
I assume the traditional LM Mini Porta Filter is fitting to the LM Micra machine? Then just let it heat up 15 minutes longer and you can easily have your espresso with a traditional Porta Filter, but it will be a bit tricky to place the scale properly, maybe 2 cm or so would be better. Cappuccino with the traditional Mini PF on the Micra is probably not possible.
@@1705Enzo they give you the plastic portafilter that isn’t even stainless steel with the new Linea Mini now too it’s a disgrace
What was the original one
🤤🤤
I cringed whenever he said meecra.
Toxic plastic - disgusting 🤢