#LM000306 reporting in (from South Africa!); I have the European / 230V model (230V power being standard in South Africa for all outlets), so that may account for the packaging differences I mention below. Unfortunately I don't really feel qualified to give this machine a proper review; my prior experience with espresso machines is limited to the Rancilio Silvia and Breville Café Venezia that I owned before; I imagine any heat exchanger or dual boiler would be a huge improvement over those

That said, I'm very pleased with the purchase. I've only had the machine since Friday (4 days ago), not enough time for any long-term glitches to show up, but so far I've just been impressed with everything. Very consistent output given the same input (grind etc.), the steaming power is an incredible upgrade, it looks fantastic in my kitchen, and everything feels solid. The one exception is the loose drip tray and cup tray grates, which have an annoying tendency to rattle with the pump vibration; anyone have any tips for dealing with the rattle? I'm still "calibrating" my sense of taste with regard to grind and dose factors, so I haven't touched the temperature dial yet, but I'll get there in time.

I noted that I got two portafilters (one with the double spout and one with the single spout attached), rather than the single portafilter reported by others; I also only got one 17g filter basket (along with the 21g, 14g, 7g, and blind baskets), which looks identical to my 18g VST, aside from being ridged.

iuvare wrote:After visiting this site and consulting with two well-known barista's (whose names I won't mention because their personal advice might be construed as brand endorsement) I jumped the counter and got into the game with a BDB and a Baratza Vario. Figured I'd have both for a few years before I upgraded, but that idea went out the window when La Marzocco announced the Linea Mini (I pre-ordered the same day). It was as though La Marzocco had read my mind and created a stripped-down version of the machine I saw in my favorite cafes.

Yeah, that's espresso for you! Always something "better" around the corner...

Home espresso has been changing quite fast over the last 20 years. Equipment is now looking like mini-commercial class devices with equivalent builds. (Sometimes that equivalence requires a technician on hand though. )

Marshall wrote:I think LM has wisely avoided features that are dear only to a small part of their intended market. This has the benefit of making the machine approachable, instead of intimidating. Frankly, I consider myself part of their target audience.

Anyone who doubts LM's target market for this machine is not gearheads should read this new story from Bon Appetit, which pronounced the Mini the "Best at-Home Espresso Machine on the Market." http://bit.ly/1Mwm3rP

mithrandi wrote:#LM000306 reporting in (from South Africa!)

The one exception is the loose drip tray and cup tray grates, which have an annoying tendency to rattle with the pump vibration; anyone have any tips for dealing with the rattle?

I noted that I got two portafilters (one with the double spout and one with the single spout attached), rather than the single portafilter reported by others; I also only got one 17g filter basket (along with the 21g, 14g, 7g, and blind baskets), which looks identical to my 18g VST, aside from being ridged.

Congrats! Regarding the drip tray, it should NOT rattle. The Linea Mini's drip tray is one of its best features as it uses magnets to lock it down to the rails to prevent rattling. The drip tray cover should fit tight. I did get a little rattle from the cup warmer tray but putting on a few discreet adhesive pads on the edges mostly eliminated that. You could try that on the drip tray cover as well if necessary.

I think I heard that outside of the U.S. they are shipping with two portafilters instead of just one portafilter with two spouts. This was one complaint I had, wish they did the same in the U.S. or shipped it with one standard PF and one chopped PF.

I'm curious what's the warm up time on the 230V version?

Also I was at recent LM home event here in Chicago and they are actually running a special promotion for the attendees. I definitely encourage anyone interested to check one of these event.

Regarding the drip tray.. I think it would make the whole machine look better if it looks similar to the GS/3's with rounded rectangle cut outs, compared to the boxy ones the machine has now.. but that's just me.

Regarding the drip tray, it should NOT rattle. The Linea Mini's drip tray is one of its best features as it uses magnets to lock it down to the rails to prevent rattling. The drip tray cover should fit tight. I did get a little rattle from the cup warmer tray but putting on a few discreet adhesive pads on the edges mostly eliminated that. You could try that on the drip tray cover as well if necessary.

I realised my wording was slightly unclear, so to be precise: the drip tray itself is not loose (as you mention, it has magnets holding it, which work great!), it is the cover / grate that fits on top which is loose (in the sense of not being secured by anything, it just lifts off). Also, now that I think about it, I haven't heard it rattle beyond when I was initially filling the machine, so I suspect that they might just not have been locked in properly.

The cup tray definitely still likes to rattle, but now that I'm storing some cups on it, it's quiet most of the time; I'll try the adhesive pads trick if it continues to annoy.

I'm curious what's the warm up time on the 230V version?

I've never actually observed the whole process, I'll do that tomorrow and report the exact time; my off-the-cuff estimate would be 10-15 minutes, so in the same ballpark as the 110V version. I don't have the gear to determine when everything reaches true temperature stability, but I would expect this to match the results reported by others with the 110V version.

I picked up a single group Linea about a month ago. I'm building another coffee bar around it currently. I can't help but think that a Linea Mini would suit 98% of my needs, so much easier, less hassle.....

How did you get a single group Linea? I've been thinking that would make a nice alternative to GS/3 if you have 220V and plumbing. I've rarely seen it used though and new list price seems quite high.