Everyone’s morning ritual is sacred. Whether you’re a morning person or not, what you do in the morning matters. You might sleep in, go for a run, check Instagram — whatever. But for coffee people, the ritual of brewing a morning cup is more than just a routine, it’s a passion. I would self-identify as a “coffee person” and waking up to make a cappuccino is one of the best parts of my day.
Over the past few years, that ritual has been enabled by my Breville Barista Touch, and it’s been serviceable — quality espresso, easy to maintain, all-in-one machine, what’s not to love?
I would self-identify as a “coffee person” and waking up to make a cappuccino is one of the best parts of my day.
But the more I use the machine, the deeper I fall into the espresso rabbit hole of WDT, RDT, extraction times, flow profiling and the like. I consume hours of content from YouTube coffee virtuosos like James Hoffmann and Lance Hedrick. I pull a shot and then pull one again, repeating until it is as close to dialed in as I can get it. And make no mistake, the Breville Barista Touch makes a damn fine shot of espresso.
I find myself wondering, though, what a more advanced espresso machine can offer. To explore my prosumer itch, I tested La Marzocco’s Linea Micra. It’s the smallest La Marzocco espresso machine in the lineup, and also the most affordable. Does the espresso quality and workflow justify the nearly $3,000 delta between my Barista Touch and the Linea Micra and improve my morning ritual for the better?
La Marzocco Linea Micra
So is the La Marzocco Linea Micra the prosumer upgrade I was looking for? Unequivocally, yes. It allows me to do things that my Breville simply can’t, and the only real sacrifice I’m making in terms of convenience is the start-up time (more on that later).
La Marzocco Linea Micra
Pros
- Typical outstanding La Marzocco build quality
- Compact design that looks good
- Powerful dual boilers
- Smart features are great for nerding out on your brews
Cons
- Slow to heat up
- Lacks the flow control capability of some competitors
- Included portafilter baskets may be too small for your needs
- Costs nearly four grand, which is objectively a lot