Breville Infuser BES840XL vs La Marzocco Linea Micra
Ahead
The verdict
Breville Infuser BES840XL is the better buy on our scoring, 6.8 to La Marzocco Linea Micra's 6.3. It leads on build quality & durability and value for money.
Breville Infuser BES840XL costs $4,163.5 less.
Who each one suits
Breville Infuser BES840XL
Someone who already owns a grinder and wants the shot control without paying for a second one
Scores higher on build quality & durability, value for money.
La Marzocco Linea Micra
Commercial-grade temperature stability from dual boilers and an integrated group, in a machine small enough for a home counter
Scores higher on steam power & milk texturing, maintenance & cleaning, workflow & ergonomics.
How they score, criterion by criterion
Both are scored the same way against the rest of their category, from what their makers publish. The weight is how much each criterion moves the total. How the score works
| Criterion | Weight in category | Breville Infuser BES840XL | La Marzocco Linea Micra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shot Quality & Extraction | 22% | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Steam Power & Milk Texturing | 16% | 6.0 | 8.5 |
| Build Quality & Durability | 16% | 7.6 | 6.4 |
| Maintenance & Cleaning | 12% | 5.8 | 7.5 |
| Workflow & Ergonomics | 12% | 5.6 | 6.9 |
| Ease of Use & Learning Curve | 12% | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| Value for Money | 10% | 10.0 | 1.1 |
What each one costs
| Price | $336.50 | $4,500.00 |
Where they differ
Every specification the two makers publish differently. Everything they match on is in the full table below.
| Breville Infuser BES840XL | La Marzocco Linea Micra | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $336.50 | $4,500.00 |
| Best for | Someone who already owns a grinder and wants the shot control without paying for a second one | Commercial-grade temperature stability from dual boilers and an integrated group, in a machine small enough for a home counter |
| What sets it apart | PID temperature control adjustable in two degree steps, with volumetric shot control and no grinder to pay for | — |
| App Connected | — | ✓ |
| Body Material | Stainless steel | — |
| Boiler | — | 2 |
| Boiler Type | — | Dual boiler: 0.25 l coffee boiler and 1.6 l steam boiler |
| Brew Activation | — | Brew paddle working an electric switch |
| Built in Grinder | ✕ | ✕ |
| Colour Options | — | Blue, Brushed Stainless Steel, Crème, Light Grey, White, Black, Stainless Steel, Red, Light Blue |
| Made in | — | Italy. La Marzocco USA states Handmade in Florence across its site, though not on this machine's own page |
| Dimensions | — | 292 x 457 x 330 (W x D x H), published as 11.5 x 18 x 13 in |
| Hot Water Spout | — | ✓ |
| In Box Accessories | — | 14 g and 17 g baskets, cleaning basket, convex tamper, convertible portafilter, Purocaf cleaning solution, 12 oz pitcher, installation and user guide |
| Machine Type | Semi-automatic espresso machine | Semi-automatic dual boiler home espresso machine with an integrated group head, a scaled-down Linea Classic S |
| PID control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plumbable | — | Optional; the self-contained 2 l reservoir means plumbing in is not required |
| Portafilter Size | — | 58 mm |
| Portafilter Type | — | Convertible portafilter that changes between single spout, double spout and bottomless |
| Power | 1650 W | 1600, at 110 V |
| Pre Infusion | ✓ | — |
| Pump Type | — | Rotary vane pump |
| Ships to | US | — |
| Ships to Note | Confirmed on Amazon US, which is where this link points. Availability in other Amazon stores has not been checked, and a regional store may substitute a different product. | — |
| Steam Wand Type | Manual steam wand | Manual insulated steam wand, cool to the touch |
| Warm-up time | — | 300, published as about 5 minutes on La Marzocco's own Linea Mini against Linea Micra comparison rather than on the product page |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1, published as a 12 month parts and labor warranty |
| Water Tank | 1.7 L | 2 L |
| Weight | 7.9 kg | 19.1, published as 42 lb |
Pros and cons
From each full review, written from the same published facts as the scores above.
Breville Infuser BES840XL
- +PID temperature control adjustable in two-degree steps, which is finer than most machines offer at any price
- +Low pressure pre-infusion and a 1.7 litre tank
- +$336.50, less than half the $699.99 median
- −No built-in grinder
- −A manual steam wand
- −One-year warranty, where Breville's newer machines publish two
La Marzocco Linea Micra
- +Two boilers, a 0.25 l coffee boiler and a 1.6 l steam boiler, so brewing and steaming never compete.
- +PID control with full temperature adjustment, and an integrated group that La Marzocco credits for commercial-grade temperature stability.
- +La Marzocco Home app for temperature, auto-backflush and a daily on and off schedule.
- +A convertible portafilter that changes between single spout, double spout and bottomless, plus a hot water spout and an insulated steam wand.
- +Nine finishes on La Marzocco's US page, from Stainless Steel and Black to Red, Light Blue and Crème.
- −$4,500.00 is the highest price of any espresso machine on this site, and it does not include a grinder.
- −La Marzocco's US page does not publish pump pressure or a warranty period.
- −Baskets are 14 g and 17 g only, so anyone dosing 18 g or more needs to buy a larger basket.
- −The 0.25 l coffee boiler is small, which suits a home but is not built for making drinks for a crowd back to back.
Every specification, side by side
| Breville Infuser BES840XL | La Marzocco Linea Micra | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Price | $336.50 | $4,500.00 |
| Who it suits | ||
| Best for | Someone who already owns a grinder and wants the shot control without paying for a second one | Commercial-grade temperature stability from dual boilers and an integrated group, in a machine small enough for a home counter |
| What sets it apart | PID temperature control adjustable in two degree steps, with volumetric shot control and no grinder to pay for | — |
| Specifications | ||
| App Connected | — | ✓ |
| Automatic milk frother | ✕ | ✕ |
| Body Material | Stainless steel | — |
| Boiler | — | 2 |
| Boiler Type | — | Dual boiler: 0.25 l coffee boiler and 1.6 l steam boiler |
| Brew Activation | — | Brew paddle working an electric switch |
| Built in Grinder | ✕ | ✕ |
| Colour Options | — | Blue, Brushed Stainless Steel, Crème, Light Grey, White, Black, Stainless Steel, Red, Light Blue |
| Made in | — | Italy. La Marzocco USA states Handmade in Florence across its site, though not on this machine's own page |
| Dimensions | — | 292 x 457 x 330 (W x D x H), published as 11.5 x 18 x 13 in |
| Hot Water Spout | — | ✓ |
| In Box Accessories | — | 14 g and 17 g baskets, cleaning basket, convex tamper, convertible portafilter, Purocaf cleaning solution, 12 oz pitcher, installation and user guide |
| Machine Type | Semi-automatic espresso machine | Semi-automatic dual boiler home espresso machine with an integrated group head, a scaled-down Linea Classic S |
| PID control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plumbable | — | Optional; the self-contained 2 l reservoir means plumbing in is not required |
| Portafilter Size | — | 58 mm |
| Portafilter Type | — | Convertible portafilter that changes between single spout, double spout and bottomless |
| Power | 1650 W | 1600, at 110 V |
| Pre Infusion | ✓ | — |
| Pump Type | — | Rotary vane pump |
| Ships to | US | — |
| Ships to Note | Confirmed on Amazon US, which is where this link points. Availability in other Amazon stores has not been checked, and a regional store may substitute a different product. | — |
| Steam Wand Type | Manual steam wand | Manual insulated steam wand, cool to the touch |
| Warm-up time | — | 300, published as about 5 minutes on La Marzocco's own Linea Mini against Linea Micra comparison rather than on the product page |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1, published as a 12 month parts and labor warranty |
| Water Tank | 1.7 L | 2 L |
| Weight | 7.9 kg | 19.1, published as 42 lb |
Breville Infuser BES840XL vs La Marzocco Linea Micra: common questions
Which is better, Breville Infuser BES840XL or La Marzocco Linea Micra?
Breville Infuser BES840XL scores 6.8 against 6.3, both computed from published specifications rather than opinion. La Marzocco Linea Micra is still ahead on steam power & milk texturing.
Is Breville Infuser BES840XL or La Marzocco Linea Micra cheaper?
Breville Infuser BES840XL starts at $336.50, and La Marzocco Linea Micra at $4,500.00.
Who is Breville Infuser BES840XL for?
Someone who already owns a grinder and wants the shot control without paying for a second one
Who is La Marzocco Linea Micra for?
Commercial-grade temperature stability from dual boilers and an integrated group, in a machine small enough for a home counter
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