La Marzocco Linea Mini Espresso Machine

Looking for a La Marzocco Linea Mini Espresso Machine in Singapore?

The La Marzocco Linea Mini Espresso Machine features a double boiler which is designed for a consistent temperature profile. It’s one of the brands on our consideration list for retail in Singapore. Given the high price tag, is that the only option in the market that gives equal or better performance? Is it a wise choice of purchase?

Actually, there are other options, the E61 which was invented in 1961 was hailed as the benchmark of commercial machine perform very well in maintaining thermal stability and are known to be very lasting. If you check out on Ebay, don’t be surprised that a refurbished unit from decades ago is available for sale.

This is an example of an E61 Grouphead.

The La Marzocco Linea Mini features a 170ml brew boiler for brewing coffee and a 3.5l service boiler for frothing milk and churning hot water.
This is quite unusual as pointed by critics if the tiny brew boiler will have any thermal stability issues as fresh water from the source will displace the hot water use, lowering the temperature rapidly. When the heating element tries to recover, it might overshoot and see an increase in temperature beyond the set parameter.  For users who like to churn out a lungo, a long black coffee, the issue might be quite obvious and annoying. This might mean that the double boiler is unable to perform its purpose for rock steady thermal stability.

Models like the Brewtus, which has a 1.5L brew boiler, can outperform in maintaining thermal stability. The service boiler is at an equal size of 1.5l, though half the size of the Linea mini, it has no problem releasing powerful steam for frothing milk. Brewtus has a wide user base globally and had been around for decades. It’s designed to be robust and able to produce excellent espressos. Most importantly, they are always priced attractively, it cost 1/3 of a La Marzocco Linea Mini Espresso Machine.

We currently put it on hold to retail the La Marzocco Linea Mini Espresso Machine in Singapore, as there are two brands that we carry that have the E61 grouphead, that’s Bezzera and Expobar, which you can find on our main website www.finecoffeecompany.com. Bezzera is the first company that created the first espresso machine and had been in the business from the start, since 1901. Bezzera is one of the few manufacturing companies in Italy that have a full production plant, that can build an espresso machine from scratch.

Since the E61 grouphead is an open patent, it comes as no surprise that many manufacturers adopt this system. The cost of the La Marzocco Linea Mini Espresso Machine is currently much higher, and we think that it might not add much value to our vast collection of machines at the moment. There are also other systems of the groupheads available.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of the E61 grouphead.

Advantages:

• Thermal stability (If the machine had idled long enough).
• Slightly easier extraction due to preinfusion.
• Easy to operate.
• Components are easily available for service.
• Affordable.
• Durable.

Since E61 debuted in 1961, many manufacturers had remastered the grouphead and created new systems to correct the existing issues. One of them is the Bezzera BZ Thermal efficient range. Models available are BZ07, BZ10, BZ13, BZ16 and Crema.

They are designed specifically for a few things in addition to great-tasting espressos. They are designed to be easier to service, quicker and smaller. The 20 small components in the E61 grouphead, had been replaced by an electronic solenoid, which is a simple switch that turns on and off via electromagnetism. This component is hardy, easy to replace and affordable. Most espresso machines with boilers should have at least one solenoid in the system. Instead of the thermosyphon system that traps a lot of limescale in the grouphead, the BZ grouphead has a small heating cartridge that constantly keeps the grouphead warm, even if there’s great displacement of water in the boiler from heavy usage. Heat recovery time is always faster due to the extra heating element and smaller boiler required.

From our service records, the ratio of the number of units that require servicing on the E61 grouphead compared the BZ grouphead is 11:1!

If you like the best machine for the best espresso, then you will have to consider the Spring Lever espresso machines, like the Bezzera Strega. This concept was formed even earlier than the E61, in 1942. The beauty of this machine is the way it extracts in varying pressure, it cuts off the sourest and the bitter ends of the coffee and releases a wider spectrum of flavours. This machine requires minimal cleaning and has the durability that lasts the longest among all types of espresso machines of the same league. As the extraction is done by the compression of the spring than the pump pushes its pressure.

If you really prefer to have an E61? Why not check out the Bezzera E61 range which is priced much better? And it’s coming from a brand that has been around for almost a century of solid reputation. From the original inventor of the modern espresso machine. You not only paying a better price, you are paying for a known reliable brand and a collection of history.

If you need to know more about machines other than a specific La Marzocco Linea Mini Espresso Machine, check out our website www.finecoffeecompany.com for our extensive collection of machines.

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Created by the founder of the CSC certification which has the highest standard of coffee creation, from the plantation to the final product in its bag. Even higher standards that the common known Specialty Coffee Association.

Who also happens to be the international juror for the cup of Excellence. Which is the grandest event seen on the television or newspaper for the most premium expensive coffee auctioned off.

This is the absolute legend in coffee which everyone has never noticed.

Find out more from the following:

Find out who did Forbes rated as the best Coffee Bean roaster!

Link to: Bezzera’s official website