Brand New: La Marzocco Linea Mini R Review

[@LanceHedrick]

PLEASE READ: It has come to my attention (by 1 person) that there is a slight chance one could watch this video and think I'm impressed by this machine. That is not the case. For the price and legacy and company, I expect and have expected for some time a true competitor for the modern market. But the company decided to hold onto what they do best and not push for unnovation or question the quo. For what they do, they do well. That's what this reflects. If you jive with that, cool. I'd never buy this unless I had a small catering service. Hate to ask, but if you enjoyed the video, kind reminder to hit the like button, leave a comment, hit save or copy link, etc. All of these help push the video and is much appreciated! Hope you enjoyed. And hope LM is willing to take a step outside their comfort zone to provide something a bit more innovative in the future!

[@ericbaluya361]

In 2024, which espresso will you buy with your own money.

[@LanceHedrick]

@ericbaluya361 I have bought about 6 so far lol. I have about 25 I've bought

[@ferhatdikmen552]

@@LanceHedrick I love your videos. What would be your (best) top 5 home espresso machine if the money is not a problem...?

[@Wochenendkommune]

Love the shoutout to the @kaffeemacher. They are super rigorous in their testing and know what they are talking about….even though Lance and they disagree harshly when it comes to the bambino plus temperature.

[@LanceHedrick]

@Wochenendkommune lol I showed my testing live for people to watch I believe on tiktok

[@Kaffeemacher]

Thanks for the shout, Lance. We're happy that, as almost always, we're on the same page with this test and the evaluation of the Linea Mini R. Keep up the great work. ❤

[@Wochenendkommune]

When is the collaboration coming @lancehedrick and @thekaffeemacher? ❤️

[@LanceHedrick]

@Wochenendkommune hopefully sooner than later!

[@murats.3169]

@@Wochenendkommune and when are we going to see Samo and Lance in CH at the same time :)

[@christopherguy1217]

There is no reason why all APIs aren't open source. They're selling the hardware, they're not a software company. Having the community contribute to software improvements only makes their machines more valuable.

[@pizzaspider]

i would be one of the maybe many(hopefully) that would race to merge request from 9.9 seconds to 1 millions seconds on blooming shots

[@UntrackedEndorphins]

Ghidra and Frida make everything open source

[@WildlifeZambezi]

“Only a Sith deals in absolutes” - Obi-Wan. Open source is a misnomer here. I think what Lance means is that the API isn’t open to other companies and developers to integrate with. Which I agree is a shame. There are also many many reasons why all APIs shouldn’t be open source. Especially for a company that is developing proprietary software against handmade hardware. Open source requires a greater level of technical resources to manage code changes and community.

[@altruistx]

It was extremely expensive to build and gives them an edge over some others. Simple logic really

[@JimNortonsAlcoholism]

That's not true. The software features are part of their brand

[@michaelcibula9552]

“I’m always at 3 cause I go hard in the paint”. Needed that Lance moment. Thank you.

[@jaynetarzana]

Made me smile too.

[@tatemazer]

21:21 Omg that's my face 😯😯 thanks for the mention, working on getting that kit ready for you!

[@darkmann12]

Yoooooo love your videos dude

[@ckuang4964]

Handsome man 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@Phil_OG]

The plastic attachment to the portafilter is actually really cool. Comes in handy very much when you have guest over

[@Jaroslav.]

Just a small note to the steam wand mention at 1:45 - they used to ship the previous Mini with Pro Touch stock (at least here in Europe), Mini R has something they call Cool Touch. The steam wand on the Mini R isn’t the $700 Pro Touch made in the US, it’s some sort of cheaper alternative made in Italy. It’s still double walled stainless steel and all that, it just isn’t vacuum sealed and isn’t made by the aerospace company in the US. 😊

[@davidjaniszewski6653]

I added a pump kill button to my Eagle one prima and now I can do pre infusion with line pressure without activating the 3 way solenoid. I don't understand why it is so hard for these big brands to offer these basic features. As much as I don't personally love the feel of using the Decent espresso machine, I totally understand why its popular since its actually giving customers what they want.

[@LanceHedrick]

Listen. This is an argument I've had with so many company engineers. It's wild!

[@TomJones-tx7pb]

@@LanceHedrick I feel your pain. Until this video I did not realize many machines released pressure upon pause - I only tried that for a day or so before realizing it gave inferior extractions for me and stopped experimenting with it.

[@JimNortonsAlcoholism]

​@@LanceHedrickMost likely something to do with longevity of the parts

[@Pdubbcooking]

I sold my E1 Prima and got a Decent DE1XL. No regrets whatsoever.

[@markosgd]

I also wanted to saturate the pack as quickly and efficiently as possible - so I bought the lever :) All jokes aside, this is an absolutely wonderful machine, I used Micra for about 8 months and enjoyed it so much. Great review Lance!

[@spirqc]

Looking forward for the Tate Mazer collab!

[@jackowens_]

Very nice analysis Lance, thanks! ☺️possible correction at 18:07 - I think it’s still an integrated brew group rather than saturated… I think the thermal stability issue without the steam boiler is perhaps due to the steam boiler being an HX to preheat the feed water to the brew boiler. Interesting to hear how much it affects things when turned off, though I agree with you regarding the ability to taste a couple degrees drift over the course of a shot being very small!

[@LanceHedrick]

It is still saturated by definition. The group is directly exposed to the water and boiler and the water is heating up the group head actively. It is both integrated and saturated.

[@jurgenzielmann1108]

Jack is right, it’s not a saturated group and never was. It’s an integrated group and it also says in the spec sheet. The group isn’t saturated at all, there’s a thin path for water from the brew boiler to through the group.

[@JimNortonsAlcoholism]

​@@jurgenzielmann1108This is correct and mentioned by Jake G as well. It's not saturated.

[@BenjaminHohlmann]

Amazing review (as always). Thanks for the shoutout. ❤

[@thodgson13]

I love the idea of the mini as a catering machine - and if I was going to do that I'd shell out for the scale. I got to play with one a few months ago and it worked really well. That being said, for home use, I'll just stop it manually. I also love that portafilter as someone who normally uses a bottomless but occasionally likes to split shots. And honestly the shot timer is so nice to have.

[@purecoffeewater]

17:10 so true regarding the importance of water. That is also what drove us to create pure coffee water - best coffee/espresso taste with zero risk of corrosion/scaling

[@OliverLaisen]

Absolutely another great video Lance, thank you for also doing these High end machines 🙏

[@onecreative1]

First time watching your videos. Excellect job without going too far into the weeds. Thank you

[@Yirgamalabar]

Love the RPavlis water mention and the idea of adding more minerals after the shot. Makes a lot of sense and never occurred to me as a viable option.

[@DeCaboRojoPR]

As usual very good review Lance. This unit is in my short list for a coffee cart. Appreciate the effort you put to learning and sharing ❤.

[@amandapeine6745]

The Synchronika also has a switch to turn the steam boiler off. I don't steam but I do like having the hot water tap so I leave it on.

[@myatix1]

Thank you so much for sharing Lance… Great video! I would really love to hear your thoughts about the new La Marzocco Mini vs Lelit Bianco V3… Thanks again

[@samp6113]

Love the pre-brew critique

[@jimmythefish]

If I’m being picky, the gauges are a little small and it would be nice to have a timer that didn’t look like a clock radio from 1983.

[@sympathetic_crustacean]

Absolutely correct. The aesthetics of this machine are off even if you like the paddle.

[@shadowbroker1]

Yeah I'm with you on this. I'm glad I didn't wait for this machine.

[@jimmythefish]

@@shadowbroker1 if I get one it’ll be the Micra.

[@apple-dad]

This is the video I was waiting for!

[@The_Catman_Dont]

Nice thorough review, as always!

[@entertainment6630]

Great review as usual.. Normally I like matt plastic aesthatic, but boi, the matt finish plastic on the new mini looks very cheap....I much prefer the original one...

[@andrezavattieri]

Amazing innovation presented by Koffeemacher about how vibration improves taste

[@jo.comics]

I feel like when you get to this level of price for a machine it has to give you what you are expecting. Missing shot timers (I know this one has one), weird app configurations, an inability to use other smart scales and whatnot just feel like they're overcharging you. I especially find that there really shouldn't be an excuse with thermal stability at that point, considering the Sage/Breville Dual Boiler nails that so consistently at a much, much lower price. It feels very much like it's more of a name recognition thing with this machine rather than actual worthwhile quality, even though I'm sure it's built fantastically. It seems to me that something like the Sage/Breville DB or the Lelit Bianca are far more worthwhile purchases. It does make me wonder a bit who these types of machines are really for when I just don't see what they offer beyond some small additions that you could probably replicate in much cheaper machines, too.

[@f16coolplane]

I love LM, but solely for home use is it worth getting over the micra for the price increase...?

[@nimitzg]

Loved the detailed non-bias content. Keep it up.❤

[@andrewpiper2880]

Geat video Lance...Love your delivery.

[@fran9420]

great work Lance!

[@fudgcicle]

I appreciated the Avett Brother's reference

[@cemguler4588]

If we want to talk about the espresso taste/quality, is there any noticable difference between gs3, strava x and this linea mini for a home user? Features are good to know but we buy these machines for taste and there is almost no video/info on that. Thank you.

[@mryoyo7741]

U need years of practice for espresso taste or the find the difference

[@dparad22]

I'm so excited to test this bad boy out. The matte black model arrives on my bar this week.

[@brankbrankbrank]

I have a video idea for you Lance. Take brew recipes from random viewers and try them yourself on video, and critique them. Would be a great way to learn. Sure it's very dependent on beans and such, but I think A LOT of home baristas are very set in their ways, no matter what beans they are using. You could also teach about the differences on beans and maybe give opinions on what would be better for different types of beans and why. Maybe people could submit videos of their process, and list their machine, grinder and type of beans, and the actualy brew recipe they are using? I would love to watch this kind of content. Could even be a video series you do over time. 🤩

[@ADAM-fl9tv]

As always perfect presentation 🙏❤️‍🔥🙏

[@jacksonhamm6385]

Lance, I love you. Your channel is everything I want in coffee KZbin.

[@9804216]

Just a thought but won't the espresso coming out of the plastic spouted portafilter and the steam coming out of the plastic nozzle release microplastics over time?

[@andrealacina5738]

I thought the same thing. Not for me

[@edwardlowe4902]

Very sick machine. Great video

[@TomJones-tx7pb]

Nice video! Lots of useful information. Every time I go into my local coffee gear shop and see the Linea Mini I think "wow that is a big machine, and what is that lever for - it can't really be just a big ugly switch?". I would not want to be locked into an inflexible algorithm for saturation/blooming, even if it kinda works based on time with a fixed speed rotary pump. If I pause or go too slow before the puck is fully saturated, the extraction from the upper part of the puck is different to the lower part of the puck too much and I usually dislike the resulting flavor profile. So, when I pull shots with full manual control of the pressure the puck is usually saturated at around the time I reach 6 bar, but the time it takes to do that varies quite a bit from coffee to coffee and different puck preps. I can't rely upon first drip for this - the amount of water delivered to the puck is a much better indicator. I guess with a fixed speed rotary pump it has a fixed flow rate as long as the OPV is not engaged yet, and in that case time is a way to achieve saturation as long as you keep pulling the same shots with the same coffee and procedure - which I do not.

[@fateswingman3006]

"A lot of people don't want to faff with an app." I love that word. Way to work the word faff into a review!! Lance you da man, who always goes hard in the paint.

[@davidcook7847]

You've sold me on the Linea. Just placed an order

[@rafraf3553]

Great Video Lance!

[@Jesseharmonn]

Amazing video lance

[@CREY25]

Came here for the review, left with an Avett Brothers reference. Bravo

[@Persason]

It would be great to see a review of the Ascaso Steel UNO/DUO/PLUS. These are very unique high end thermoblock machines which I believe is where espresso machines should be moving towards (away from boilers).

[@liamthompson9342]

That plastic spout is a great idea now you explained it. I want one!

[@mryoyo7741]

Because it is from LM 😂 ?

[@scd6969]

Soft touch is an absolute deal breaker. Everything I've ever owned that had soft touch has gummed up to a disgusting sticky mess..what companies fail to do is utilized a plastic that does not off gas because these gasses end up deteriorating the soft touch finish over time. And if not for that then most certainly the oils on your hands will slowly down the synthetic rubber coating. And for a sec let's just, for the benefit of doubt, assume this doesn't happen. Well, I can guarantee what WILL happen is that matte finish will be worn away and buffed shiny where you repeatedly touch it.

[@tennesseetee]

Beware. I killed my new one at a busy event. Was steaming milk in a large pticher for 2 drinks at once. Ran out of steam. Got to talking. Left wand in pitcher. Milk was sucked into the steam boiler. Scorched. Tried to purge by running many gallons through the steam and tea spout. Never worked. Side not LM USA support never even responded to support ticket. I made the mistake. But their lack of support means we now own a Sanremo You. Far superior machine. Kicking myself for not buying it first. Kudos to Coffee Machine Depot for guding through the mess and getting me the You quickly.

[@cheekster777]

Thank you Lance.

[@krancan25]

Awesome review, I love the more detailed approach. I was surprised by your statement that the minerals in the water doesn't affect the brew. I would argue that those minerals passing the coffee would have an effect (chemically) on the brew? Do you know if anyone has made some tests on that already?

[@LanceHedrick]

This has been tested and I've discussed it in past videos. Cheers

[@krancan25]

I just jumped into this rabbit hole and haven't checked all your videos yet... Recently moved to Porto and want to invest in a descent espresso setup. But now I am worried not just about the machine, but also water, grinder, tampers, RDT, ... :) Thank you for replying and again, awesome content!@@LanceHedrick

[@JimNortonsAlcoholism]

​@@krancan25The water still matters as not to build limescale inside the machine

[@mryoyo7741]

Dear heddick, Do they fix the loud pump noise ?

[@RyRyTheBassGuy]

Man, that thing has the face only a mother could love.

[@ryanottens8540]

What machines rival this in terms of quality, functionality and the small size?

[@mryoyo7741]

Rocket bicocca

[@ЛентяйЁпта]

Imagine needing an app to set the temperature on your $6000 espresso machine

[@asabaniam1]

What's the advantages over the lelit bianca v3 🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@LanceHedrick]

Different machines. I'd take Bianca if going for out of the box. If I could have either for free, I'd probably take this and modify it. Lol

[@johnyoung-cd6kb]

Thanks Lance for your work! Wondering about your thoughts on the gs3 mp for home “prosumer” use compared to a mini (Including for pre-infusion ramp up and down).

[@crypto_joey8483]

Same! Really want to see it on his bench 😁I’m in the market for a new machine and the GS3MP is high on my list

[@Sharonlikescoffee]

What is the name of the water? I can’t figure it out @ 17:35

[@Thalia.o4]

Dr. Palvis water. Googling it you’ll find it’s a recipe of adding potassium bicarbonate into either di water or as Lance said, reverse osmosis water.

[@jeffjones6667]

wish we could get a updated MP version for flow control. like bells and whistles but i want it in a manual control format

[@ToroMateo]

I really hope they release the firmware update for all Acaia Lunars. It just feels unjust and wasteful to force people to buy another scale they might already have, or one that is more accessible (As in available everywhere) to sell their own white labeled scale that is exactly the same. For how much this machine costs, I would expect them to have a brew boiler with a heating element and not one being fed by a heat exchanger and pressure profiling that doesn't require you to twist that thing on top. The plastic portafilter thing is actually genius, it would come in handy when you have guests and want to split a shot. Great machine, but too expensive for what it does.

[@BarisDuygu-q2u]

How does it compare to lelit Bianca? Is it much better? Do you feel any different?

[@ЕгорИгнатьев-ж9з]

Great review. What is better: DF83 V2 with HU burrs or Zerno with 64mm HU? Are there any recommendations for burrs for lever coffee machines? Thanks

[@loganmontgomery1955]

Depends on taste. Look up reviews

[@asabaniam1]

For home user I will go for zerno

[@DaniyalShah-x2u]

Thank you for the video. I guess as someone trying to decide between the Micra and this new Mini R version. Is there any difference as far as espresso taste is concerned? My focus is on taste rather than all the other features. thanks! 🙂

[@martinfabian5803]

Would the Dr Pavlis Water on its own make good coffee or would you need to add additional minerals to the coffee after extraction?

[@amourb7133]

Is the mini makes better espresso than Breville dual boiler ?( build quality and repeatability aside ) only shot quality

[@LanceHedrick]

No

[@Boters14]

Hi everyone! I just received my new Linea Mini R and the Group Head Bayonet Ring is significantly scratched on the back part. It does look like a manufacturing defect but wondering how "normal" that might be! I haven't been able to find pics on internet... Any thoughts would be appreciated! I already reached out LM Home USA directly

[@jamesgalloway5807]

Water you mentioned - is this rpavlis water? Is that the same as 10g potassium bi-carbonate to 100g of distilled water??

[@francois-alexandrebuteau4082]

Nice video. What is that lever machine in the background?

[@raphifrei8473]

Its a strietman ct2

[@amourb7133]

Is the second solenoid “semi blooming “ worth to upgrade from the old linea mini ?

[@Yirgamalabar]

Can anyone explain where the extra $$$$ this machine costs over a Lelit Bianca manifest in terms of actual capabilities? I doubt the slightly better temperature stability and huge steam boiler make as noticeable a difference as what the Bianca flow control can make (with some beans). The only thing I can think of is the LM brand, to those who care about it.

[@pogokam]

Hi! What is your opinion about replacing a Rocket R58 v2 for this machine? Would you go for it or stay (same grinder). Thanks!

[@Linus405]

19:10 Ooooh I can’t believe what is happening. I love watching Kaffeemacher 😮 Do you speak German?

[@markw-2025]

Hi Lance, so where does the use of an upper mesh puck screen fit in to pre-brewing feature? Which is better, using the screen and bypassing the pre-brew function, or not using the screen and using pre-brew? It seems it is redundant.

[@flyboy970]

Are they updating the micra as well?

[@brunellom8914]

Are they going to update the micra also?

[@benabrams9839]

Great review! Lance where do you get your offset flannels?!

[@sundancer1967]

Your honest oppinion: does any of the high Level machines Beat your Nurri Lever ? I have a ponte vecchio lever machine, am searching for an Upgrade and the nurri ist in my top 5 together with the the lm micra, and the san remo you. I ´m interested in Taste of espresso shot only. Thank Your.

[@TaiShu740]

Great video, as always. How would you rate the performance for nordic (light) roasts without being plumbed in (= no pre-infusion capabilities)? Is it a machine worth looking at or would you recommend something else in this price-range? Thanks in advance

[@craigcook328]

Lance, Thank you for the super helpful and insightful review. What grinder would you recommend to go with the Linea. I currently use Bartaza Forte with stainless burrs for pourover. Pure espresso use. Open minded about single dose. Thanks

[@jeffthomas912]

Lance! Love the video, man. Unrelated but any chance you could share where you got that shirt?

[@LightsCameraAccent]

Hey Lance! Thanks for such an in-depth review! Which would you recommend in terms of the previous Linea Mini and Micra (they're almost the same price from where I'm getting them). I'm just a home user, probably no commercial use (but maybe in future who knows!)

[@javaTL]

One thing I was hoping to learn about in this video is their "automatic backflushing" feature which I think is one of the differences between the Mini and the Micra. Is it just for marketing or is it genuinely added value?

[@MrNerdTech]

You stated that the portafilter was chrome plated brass, is that also true of the portafilter that comes with the micra?

[@Rayenator]

On the topic of water, would it be possible for Lotus to make a remineralization filter that adds the right recipe for coffee back in after an RO system? Probably not simple, but i would love that.

[@Tfol077]

Im a little confused Lance 😢 If I am using the Dr. Pavlis' recipie, wouldn't having no hardness from non alkaline sources reduce flavors extracted from my coffee? I thought hardness was very important to the actual extraction process, not just making water sweeter or whatever as a consequence of the total hardness (which you could add after the brewing process). Please help me understand, and thanks again for your awesome review. You rock!

[@reecemcnaughten4160]

Honestly this is why the hand pull machines like the flair pro 2 are incredible. because they achieve all the Vazul different profile on the fly, all of these top heritage expensive and beautiful brands still can't nail descending shots or custom profiles in between each Shot, without some fancy LCD screen tracking with graphs. I love watching new technology being introduced, but it seems as though they're having to use so much expensive high tech Energy, high-tech parts, and combining it with a smart phone in order to kind of know what's happening in the machine is kind of ridiculous, and at the end of the day they still need to be back flushed cleaned, yearly maintenance, if something goes wrong on them I don't imagine they're very cheap to fix, the price is hugely expensive, and you can't take them on a plane travelling with you to a new place to try out new coffee beans. Theyre heavy so you have to lug them around. I kind of don't see much point and big machines like this anymore, a hand pull operation lever so much better.

[@markk4708]

This is a really good review. Thanks for doing it. If I was willing to drop $5900 on an espresso machine would you recommend this or something else? Home use, NOT a pro.

[@jeremy144713]

This or the Bianca V3? What would you recommend?

[@twaitesy]

Lance! I need more! Sp pre-infusion at low pressure. I should stop?! I have a Breville dual boiler, so I should stop doing pre-infusion. Do I have this correct? Do you have a video about this, or am I doing a Dad look?

[@wi1dcard192]

Oh boy my opinion on the La Marzocco Linea Mini R just dropped (I had never heard of this machine)

[@LanceHedrick]

It's just the new linea mini

[@davidtester863]

He just agrees with whatever you have to say 🙏 ​@@LanceHedrick

[@amourb7133]

Can you do a “slayer shot” using the screw on top?

[@martinfabian5803]

So would you say blooming shots are superior to pre infusion? And I take it you would have preferred they left the flow restricter at 0.8?

[@Keket_p]

Hi @Lance, have you try slowpresso? Its blooming 3 min and have unique flavour... in Indonesia we have tried using lever machine and the result is actually very unique... maybe you can try 3 minutes pre influsion.. thx

[@matejpetkovski490]

Hey Lance, love those corduroy jackets you wear. Really wanna know where you get your hands on those hahah.

[@mvadu]

I did click like and commenting.. But to be frank I watched inky bits of it since it's completely outside of my wish list and/or price range.

[@crazydan13]

Is the pre brewing feature on this the same that is on the Micra, does it work the same as you just explained?

[@MeBarnson]

Love the call out for the pre-brewing limitation, also who came up with the idea to use slotted screws on the panels. Slotted screws anywhere is a big questionmark.

[@LanceHedrick]

They explained this to me as a cleaning thing. Easier to wipe out slotted than Philips. Sounded sus but they were intent on the explanation

[@thodgson13]

@@LanceHedrick That feels very LM of them - I believe that they mean it even if the rest of us don't agree lol.

[@Kareberries]

I only watched this cuz of the post where you apologized and I don't see any issues. 😅 I watched half and couldn't continue only because I have zero interest in this machine and will never have any interest in paying the price of it. 😂 Like I said, you do you, at least it was fun watching your face about the bloom.

[@goldfish8196]

Liked the video. for sure. Why did you stop recommending Lotus Water? ❤️

[@LanceHedrick]

I don't like to self promote. I co founded lotus

[@goldfish8196]

@@LanceHedrickGot it. Noble . Well, I'm enjoying LW.

[@nikoscharatsis6766]

Any recommendations for pre infusion plumbed in? How many seconds are worth for improving espresso?