Teme wrote:I understand that with the Linea Mini the pre-infusion is built in and cannot be adjusted or opted out for by the user.

I don't have an owner's manual, but that's my understanding as well.

Teme wrote:In the video, would you happen to recall what the pre-infusion settings for the GS3 were in that video?

Sorry, no. It was from my One week with the La Marzocco GS3 writeup in 2006, though some of the videos in that thread were "lost" by Google.

Teme wrote:Do I assume correctly that the tubing is within the brew boiler?

Yes, that's correct. Copied from my previous post for easy reference:

HB wrote:...Scott Guglielmino from La Marzocco USA explained that the Mini has a coil of tubing inside the boiler that supplies the preinfusion water prior to full pump pressurization.

HB wrote:Note that the Linea Mini preinfusion isn't the same as the GS/3 AV. Instead of pulsing the group solenoid on-off-on, Scott Guglielmino from La Marzocco USA explained that the Mini has a coil of tubing inside the boiler that supplies the preinfusion water prior to full pump pressurization. That's the spritz of water you see exiting from the grouphead during the initial 2 seconds prior to the pump starting.

So how much "preinfusion" are we talking about? ....about as much as a standard e61? or somewhere between a Classic EE and an e61?

....and would line pressure from a direct plumb effect the Mini's preinfusion?....what's driving the preinfusion?

Thanks for all your hard work on this review, Dan and Chris. You're making this machine really tempting to me. Damn you!

One thing I noticed in the videos posted by Dan was not just the temperature stability, but also how quiet the machine seems. My Duetto has an internal rotary pump as well, but it seems much louder and tends to make the cups and other parts of the machine resonate noisily. The idea of a really quiet machine is very appealing.

It's pretty shockingly quiet for a machine with a pump in the case. That said - you definitely don't want ceramic cups on top touching each other...

beta14ok wrote:five preinfusion questions...

I'm bringing it by Counter Culture Coffee this Thursday. Swing by on Friday and check it out for yourself!

Beezer wrote:One thing I noticed in the videos posted by Dan was not just the temperature stability, but also how quiet the machine seems.

Sure, it's quiet, but not any quieter than other well-designed espresso machines with rotary pumps. The Linea Mini had one advantage over most espresso machines: It was crated and delivered on a pallet, so it didn't suffer from the FedEx/UPS package sorting system.



Some noise problems are caused by the components getting jostled during shipment. For example, years ago an evaluation espresso machine arrived with side panels dented from the inside by the rotary pump bouncing around on the mounts. Pallet shipments cost more, but for heavy high-value espresso machines, it's worth the extra cost for the peace of mind. La Marzocco shipped the Linea Mini and GS/3 with shock indicators and big "drop-n-tell" warning labels.

Wow, that's an impressive looking package. Seems like UPS would need a forklift to get it to the front door. I'd definitely want to be home for that delivery. I'd hate to think about it sitting on my doorstep, waiting for someone to try to steal it.

For these types of shipments, you have to sign for it. In our area, they give you a four hour window for the delivery and will call/text 30 minutes before they arrive. If you're receiving such a shipment, you must schedule with a dispatcher 24 hours in advance and work out the details. For example, since it's usually a large freight truck, they are limited to where they can drop off the shipment. Typically they have a hydraulic lift and will deliver to the garage, but they may only deliver to the end of driveway if it's steeply sloped.

Yeah, with a package that large and heavy, it would probably make sense to have at least one other strong person there to help get it into the house and unpacked. I don't want to think about lugging that up the driveway, into the house, and onto the counter by myself. Seems like a good way to get a hernia.

The machine itself isn't that heavy. If the boilers are empty, it can be moved by one person.
But in the crate?
Hell no.

Teme wrote:As I am considering a move back to a pump-driven machine but want to avoid "too much" complexity, the Linea Mini looks to be a good match for my needs.

Wow Teme - 2.5 years between posts - was this sabbatical authorized ?

I believe your definition of complexity may be a little different than mine. Other than the obvious dramatic reduction in brew boiler size, I still see a pretty complex piece of machinery.