Thanks for the response- what you are saying makes a lot of sense.
I am working with a Maximatic which I really love, but I wouldn't say it's forgiving, although I understand the difference because I did have an E61 machine for awhile and that was comparatively easy to get the hang of.

How much does it weigh? Sorry if I missed that somewhere. I see the LMLM is 71 pounds, so I'm curious about the difference here.

Thank you for the preview Jim, you're a very good writer. Can't wait to read more!

NewCoffeeGuy1 wrote:How much does it weigh? Sorry if I missed that somewhere. I see the LMLM is 71 pounds, so I'm curious about the difference here.

Not an exact number, but my impression was between 40 and 45 pounds.

Jaroslav wrote:Thank you for the preview Jim, you're a very good writer. Can't wait to read more!

Thanks. I'll be answering questions; but the machine has moved on to other reviewers. Despite being a lever/flow control guy; I'll miss it.

I suppose a critical question for me (and maybe several other home users) is: if you are a home user who makes 3-5 shots a day and occasionally serves a group of 5-8, do you have any reasons to opt for a Linea Mini over the Micra? Faster workflow? Maintenance? Performance?

Does the Micra provide a way to configure pre-infusion time and subsequent pause (blooming)?

Other than brand, build quality and looks (which is a subjective thing), what functional benefits does the Micra offer over far less expensive dual-boiler machines that are known to have excellent temperature stability (e.g. Lelit Elizabeth, Breville Dual-boiler, Rancilio Silvia Pro X)? Is there expected to be any significant difference in the result in the cup or in workflow?

The Mini is a catering machine; you can make 30 to 60 milk drinks an hour on it. The "crazy" price increases it had since its introduction are probably because it is so good and in demand in this role.

The Micra works like every other higher end home double boiler/rotary pump machine with a 1.5 to 2 liter boiler set at 2.25 bar, and a 1000 to 1200 watt heater in the steam boiler. You can turn out straight shots as fast as you can go. You make steam a 6 ounce cappa in under 10 seconds and have the boiler fully recovered in a minute. You can steam a large milk drink in about 20 to 25 seconds, but will need to wait 1 3/4 minutes to 2 minutes for the boiler to fully recover.

With my current single dosing setup, I can't outrun this class of machine. Even with an on demand grinder, it will handle dinner and cocktail parties, since you will be schmoozing while you pull shots. Now, if I had a fast commercial on-demand grinder, like a Mahkonig, Mythos, or Eureka 75, and was silently turning out shots, I would outrun these home DB machines, and would need a catering machine like the Mini.

I hope this answers your question.

boren wrote:Does the Micra provide a way to configure pre-infusion time and subsequent pause (blooming)?

There are two preinfusion modes, based on whether the machine is plumbed, or using the reservoir.

Pre-wet is used for the reservoir and has configurable "wet" and "soak" times. Not my favorite, but it works.

Preinfusion is used when plumbed and this is essentially a line pressure bloom for however long you set it to last before the pump comes on. There is no practical way to cut the flow during preinfusion, so it just hangs out at whatever your line pressure is until the pump kicks in. This is honestly one of the best preinfusion methods. Yeah, a kill solenoid to let the puck "breathe" and allow the pressure to fall might have some benefits. But this works really well.

There are no other features, really.

It is just an extremely well-built and small machine made for home use with excellent consistency that also carries commercial certification, because... LM.

Cheers!

- Jake

boren wrote:Does the Micra provide a way to configure pre-infusion time and subsequent pause (blooming)?

Other than brand, build quality and looks (which is a subjective thing), what functional benefits does the Micra offer over far less expensive dual-boiler machines that are known to have excellent temperature stability (e.g. Lelit Elizabeth, Breville Dual-boiler, Rancilio Silvia Pro X)? Is there expected to be any significant difference in the result in the cup or in workflow?

In terms of the shot making experience, none of the machines you mention is even close to the Micra (or for that matter any other rotary pump DB machine in this class). They make OK shots, but they are not a joy to use. Also, the groups are unrefined and the shots they turn out simply do not have the same degree of clarity or depth you will get in an E61, never mind a group made by LM. Finally, the steaming, of course, is a pale shadow of what you get with a larger boiler at higher pressure. It's an entirely different class of machine.

I am not a fan of pump sputtering, so called pre-infusion, either on the Micra or any other machine I've tried it on. Every single time I've tried, the shots tasted worse than they do just pulled straight. I imagine it's something invented by a non-espresso drinker in the marketing department. Its results are entirely unlike line pressure pre-infusion or flow control