linea mini or gs3? which one for your home?

linea mini or gs3? the key differences

Linea Mini has a paddle to start the shot, a built-in timer and Brew by Weight. You can also adjust it in the La Marzocco Home app.

GS3 comes in two versions. AV lets you programme volumetric espresso doses. MP has a conical paddle that you use to control water flow and pressure by hand.

The models also differ in dimensions, water tank and steam boiler capacity, and finish. Linea Mini is narrower and comes in 8 colours. GS3 has a larger water tank and a larger steam boiler.

la marzocco linea mini and gs3 compared

linea mini r: a la marzocco espresso machine for everyday use at home

Linea Mini R suits people who make their own espresso and like simple operation. It is ready to brew about 10 minutes after you switch it on. It has a 3 l steam boiler and a 2.5 l water tank.

You start the shot with a paddle that harks back to La Marzocco machines from the 1970s. Pre-infusion works via two valves, and you adjust the pump pressure without opening the body.

Brew by Weight, app and automatic backflush

Paired with a compatible scale, Linea Mini ends the extraction by itself once the drink reaches the set weight. This makes it easier to repeat a recipe. The built-in timer shows the extraction time, and in the La Marzocco Home app you can change the temperature and set a switch-on schedule.

There is also automatic backflush, standby mode, lighting over the drip tray and a cool-touch steam wand with a PEEK tip.

Choose the Linea Mini if:

• you want the machine to end the extraction by itself once the drink reaches the set weight (Brew by Weight);
• you want an app and a switch-on schedule;
• you want to adjust pump pressure without opening the body;
• you would use automatic backflush and standby mode;
• you want to choose a colour: white, matte black, red, yellow, navy, cream, satin silver or brushed steel;
• you have less width on your worktop (36 cm).

la marzocco gs3: when it makes sense

GS3 is a 1-group espresso machine with a 1.5 l coffee boiler and a 3.5 l steam boiler. It has a saturated group, separate PID control of both boilers and preheating of the water entering the coffee boiler. The technology behind its temperature stability comes from the Strada café machine.

Inside is a rotary pump, the water tank holds 3.5 l and the display shows temperature and extraction time. GS3 has cool-touch steam wands, a steel finish and tempered glass side panels. There is no choice of colours.

Choose GS3 if:

• you want to programme repeatable volumetric espresso doses (AV version);
• you want to control flow and pressure by hand with a conical paddle (MP version);
• you need a larger water tank (3.5 l) and steam boiler (3.5 l);
• you are looking for a machine with a separate 1.5 l coffee boiler, a saturated group and water preheating;
• you like steel with tempered glass side panels.

gs3 av or gs3 mp?

Choose the version based on how much control over brewing you want.

GS3 AV has programmable doses. Once you set a dose, the machine pours the same volume of drink every time. You can read more about the AV version in our guide to La Marzocco machine versions.

GS3 MP has a conical paddle that gradually increases water flow and pressure. You control pre-infusion, pressure and brew time yourself. It makes sense if you want to change the pressure during the shot.

Neither GS3 version has the La Marzocco Home app or Brew by Weight.

does gs3 make better espresso than linea mini?

A more expensive machine will not make better coffee on its own. Linea Mini and GS3 both have two boilers and PID control of coffee and steam temperature. The taste of espresso depends above all on the coffee, the grinder and the settings: grind size, coffee dose and the amount of drink in the cup.

GS3 MP gives more options to people who want to deliberately shape the extraction. For good espresso at home, Linea Mini is enough for most people.

With either machine you need a good espresso grinder, because grinding has a big effect on taste and consistency. We help you choose one together with the machine.

which la marzocco machine will fit in your kitchen?

Linea Mini is 36 cm wide, 54 cm deep and 38 cm high, and weighs 30 kg. GS3 is 40 cm wide, 53 cm deep and 35.5 cm high, and weighs 34.5 kg. So Linea Mini is 4 cm narrower, but 2.5 cm taller and 1 cm deeper.

Before you buy, measure your worktop, including the height under wall cabinets. Leave room for the grinder. Both models have a water tank, and a mains water connection is optional. Linea Mini also has a hybrid mode.

If you are still deciding between the smaller models, read our comparison Linea Micra or Linea Mini.

purchase, leasing and service

You can view every Linea Mini colour and both GS3 versions from all sides in our configurator. We sell the machines for outright purchase and, if you buy through a business, also on lease. We provide delivery, installation and service throughout Poland, and we also help you choose a grinder.

frequently asked questions

read also

• Which espresso machine for an office? Does a traditional one make sense?
• Linea Micra or Linea Mini? Which one for your home?
• Grind-by-Sync: how La Marzocco controls a Mahlkönig grinder
• How to make milk drinks faster in a café
• Espresso machine for a roastery or showroom: how to show off your coffee
• 10 mistakes when buying a café espresso machine (and how to avoid them)
• Espresso machine for a bakery or patisserie: selling coffee alongside your bakes
• Is a more expensive café espresso machine worth it?
• New espresso machine in your café: a barista training plan for the first month
• Espresso grinder for a café: on-demand or doser, and how many you need
• ABR drip tray scales or AV dosing? When the extra cost pays off
• Espresso machine service: what it covers, how often, and when to call a technician
• Café espresso machine leasing: lease, rent or buy?
• La Marzocco in Warsaw: Tekla, Doza and Wandal
• Specialty café: which espresso machine to choose? What a specialty café needs
• Opening a café? An equipment plan, step by step
• Dual boiler, saturated group, independent boilers: what they change in the cup
• When to replace your café espresso machine? 5 signs
• Water for espresso machines in venues: hardness, filtration, boiler protection
• Espresso machine cleaning and backflush: a schedule for your team
• Espresso machine for a restaurant or hotel: what to look for
• Which espresso machine for a café? A guide to La Marzocco machines
• Linea Classic S, Linea PB, KB90 or Strada? A comparison
• AV, ABR, EE, MP: what La Marzocco machine versions mean
• Preparing your venue for an espresso machine: power, water, drain
• How many groups does your venue need?