What is the La Marzocco Linea Micra?
A home espresso machine that La Marzocco designed as a scaled-down version of the Linea Classic S, one of its commercial machines.
The Linea Micra is a single-group semi-automatic machine: you start and stop each shot yourself with the brew paddle. It has two boilers with PID control, a 58 mm convertible portafilter, an insulated steam wand, a hot water spout and a 2 litre water reservoir. It connects to the La Marzocco Home app. La Marzocco USA sells it for $4,500.00 and says plainly that the grinder is sold separately. It weighs 42 lb and measures 11.5 inches wide, 18 inches deep and 13 inches tall.
This review is based on what La Marzocco publishes on its US and global pages, measured against the other machines we cover. We have not tested it hands-on, and where La Marzocco leaves a figure out, we say so.
Two boilers and PID, and why they matter
Espresso is sensitive to water temperature. A shot pulled too cool tastes sour and thin, one of the causes of under-extracted espresso, and one pulled too hot tastes bitter. Machines that make steam and brew water from the same boiler have to compromise between the two, which is why heat exchanger and single boiler designs need workarounds.
The Linea Micra avoids the compromise. It has a 0.25 l coffee boiler for brew water and a 1.6 l steam boiler for milk, and PID control holds each at its set point. La Marzocco adds that the group head is integrated with the boilers, and credits that combination for commercial-grade temperature stability. In practice that means the second and third shots of a morning should taste like the first, which is the problem these machines exist to solve.
The coffee boiler is small. That is sensible for a home machine, where one or two drinks at a time is the norm, and La Marzocco describes a quick heat-up time, but it is not a machine for serving a queue.
The portafilter, the steam wand and the app
The convertible portafilter is a practical touch. One handle changes between a single spout, a double spout and a bottomless setup, and La Marzocco says it works with standard 58 mm tampers. Bottomless is the quickest way to see whether a shot is flowing evenly, so having it in the box is useful for anyone still improving their technique.
The steam wand is insulated and, in La Marzocco's words, cool to the touch, so it can be wiped straight after steaming without burning a hand. With a 1.6 l steam boiler behind it there is plenty of steam for a milk jug at a time. What properly steamed milk should look and feel like is covered in what good steamed milk is.
The La Marzocco Home app adjusts temperature, runs auto-backflush and switches the machine on and off on a schedule. A schedule matters more than it sounds on a two-boiler machine: set it to switch on before you wake and the machine is hot when you want it. The brew paddle on the group keeps the look of a mechanical paddle, but La Marzocco describes it as an electric switch.
Living with it
- Water. A self-contained 2 l reservoir. La Marzocco says this makes plumbing the machine in optional.
- In the box. 14 g and 17 g baskets, a cleaning basket, a convex tamper, the convertible portafilter, Purocaf cleaning solution, a 12 oz pitcher and the installation and user guide.
- Size and weight. 11.5 x 18 x 13 inches and 42 lb. Small for what it contains, but heavy; plan where it will live before it arrives, because it ships by freight.
- Pump. A rotary vane pump, according to Espresso Dolce, a La Marzocco dealer; La Marzocco's own pages do not name the pump.
- Power. 1600 W at 110 V on the US page.
- Finishes. Blue, Brushed Stainless Steel, Crème, Light Grey, White, Black, Stainless Steel, Red and Light Blue.
La Marzocco's US page does not publish the pump pressure or the warranty period. Neither stops it brewing well, but a buyer spending this much should confirm the warranty terms with the seller before paying.
Budgeting for a grinder
A machine this stable shows every flaw in the grind. A dual boiler espresso machine paired with a basic grinder produces worse espresso than a modest machine paired with a good one, so the grinder deserves real money. The grinders we rate for this job are collected under espresso grinders. With a capable grinder, a scale and good water on top, the full setup costs noticeably more than the machine's price alone.
La Marzocco Linea Micra vs Rocket Appartamento TCA
The Rocket Appartamento TCA is the obvious alternative for someone who wants an Italian machine with a classic look for about half the money, at $2,300.00 from an authorised dealer. It is a heat exchanger machine: one 1.8 l copper boiler makes steam, and brew water is heated as it passes through, with four boiler pressure presets to set the brew temperature.
The Linea Micra's two boilers and PID give direct control of brew temperature and remove the drift heat exchanger machines are known for. The Rocket costs far less, uses the familiar E61 group and suits someone who likes a hands-on routine. If temperature consistency and a small footprint are what you are paying for, the Micra is the machine. If you want a well-made Italian espresso machine and $2,200 back towards a grinder, the Rocket is the sensible choice.
La Marzocco Linea Micra vs Lelit Mara X V2
The Lelit Mara X V2 is another heat exchanger machine with a 1.8 l boiler, sold at $1,699.95 by an authorised dealer, with three temperature settings: Warm, Hot and Extra Hot. Lelit states a 24 minute warm-up. It is the value route to milk drinks and espresso at the same time, and its simple temperature switch is easy to use. The Micra costs over two and a half times as much and replaces the three positions with PID on two boilers, an integrated group and app scheduling. The Lelit is actually the narrower machine, at 225 mm wide against the Micra's 11.5 inches.
Is the La Marzocco Linea Micra worth it?
At $4,500.00 before a grinder, the Linea Micra is expensive by any measure, and on specification alone machines costing less come close. What the price buys is La Marzocco's commercial design brought down to home size: two boilers under PID, the integrated group, and a machine built to be used every day for many years.
It is worth it for someone who already knows espresso, makes milk drinks daily and values temperature stability, compact size and a respected commercial maker over the lowest price. It is poor value for a beginner, who will not yet notice the difference two boilers make, and for anyone who wants automation. That buyer is better served by the Breville Oracle Jet, which grinds, doses and tamps for you at less than half the price.
Who should buy the Linea Micra (and who should not)
Buy it if
- You make espresso by hand and want every shot of the morning at the same temperature.
- Your counter is short on space but you want a dual boiler machine.
- You want the machine warm when you wake, set from an app.
Skip it if
- You are new to espresso and have not yet bought a good grinder.
- You want a built-in grinder or automatic milk.
- You make drinks for a crowd one after another.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the La Marzocco Linea Micra semi-automatic?
Yes. It is a single-group semi-automatic machine: you grind, dose and tamp, then start and stop the shot with the brew paddle. It has no built-in grinder and no automatic milk.
Is the Linea Micra a dual boiler machine?
Yes. It has a 0.25 l coffee boiler and a 1.6 l steam boiler, both under PID control.
Does the Linea Micra come with a grinder?
No. La Marzocco USA states that the grinder is sold separately.
Can the Linea Micra be plumbed in?
Plumbing is optional. La Marzocco says the self-contained 2 l reservoir means the machine does not need a water line.
Does the Linea Micra have an app?
Yes. The La Marzocco Home app adjusts temperature, runs auto-backflush and switches the machine on and off on a schedule.
What baskets come with the Linea Micra?
A 14 g basket, a 17 g basket and a cleaning basket, with a convertible portafilter that works as single spout, double spout or bottomless.
