Happy new year all!

I am opening a new cafe and I planning of using a La Marzocco. I have never worked on any of La Marzoccos machines.

So here it goes. The cheapest is the Linea EE 2 groups. Then at about the same price I can get: the Linea EE/3, the Linea MP/2 and the GB5 EE/2. I do not include the AV version of the Linea, as I have heard so many things about the Pierro groups and the temperature stability of the machine.

Is the Linea more durable and reliable machine than the GB5?

Will I hate the MP version of the Linea, or is it a great advantage just to exist when you have time to experiment?

Is the machanical paddle working as the Cyncra? OFF-    line pressure pre-infusion  - pump pressure brewing or it is constant pressure changing thingie?

What are your thoughts?

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All great machines. Cant go wrong with any of them. The paddle is just off, line, full. And my experience any preinfusion you have to do manually every time is silly. Unless your cafe is not the that busy, in which case you can take advantage of it. But 95 percent of places with manual preinfusion machines dont take advantage of it, because its really hard to stay consistent when the effing shot counter doesn't start till the pump is engaged at full pressure.

Get a Linea AV3 with one group converted to paddle. Best of both worlds.

We have a 3 group GB5 AV. As much as I love paddle (we also have a slayer) in a high production environment, automatic is amazing. If you end up buying used, above anything else, get something with PID. You can have a PID put on a anything if it doesn't have it. As far as preinfusion, unless you're getting a paddle machine built with that intention like the Slayer for expample, it's crap. Our GB5 has a preinfusion function but it's terrible. I tried it a lot of different ways but couldn't get anything usable out of it.

Linea AV PID vs GB5 EE?

Jeff Hoeppner said:

We have a 3 group GB5 AV. As much as I love paddle (we also have a slayer) in a high production environment, automatic is amazing. If you end up buying used, above anything else, get something with PID. You can have a PID put on a anything if it doesn't have it. As far as preinfusion, unless you're getting a paddle machine built with that intention like the Slayer for expample, it's crap. Our GB5 has a preinfusion function but it's terrible. I tried it a lot of different ways but couldn't get anything usable out of it.

I have a friend with a Linea EE in high production, and his constraint is babysitting shots. I wouldn't recommend any EE model, but, that's just based on my experience and observations. Between the two, I'd say a Linea AV with PID.

georgemvg said:

Linea AV PID vs GB5 EE?

Jeff Hoeppner said:

We have a 3 group GB5 AV. As much as I love paddle (we also have a slayer) in a high production environment, automatic is amazing. If you end up buying used, above anything else, get something with PID. You can have a PID put on a anything if it doesn't have it. As far as preinfusion, unless you're getting a paddle machine built with that intention like the Slayer for expample, it's crap. Our GB5 has a preinfusion function but it's terrible. I tried it a lot of different ways but couldn't get anything usable out of it.

I had almost desided the EE GB5. Here we go again...

Jeff Hoeppner said:

I have a friend with a Linea EE in high production, and his constraint is babysitting shots. I wouldn't recommend any EE model, but, that's just based on my experience and observations. Between the two, I'd say a Linea AV with PID.

georgemvg said:

Linea AV PID vs GB5 EE?

Jeff Hoeppner said:

We have a 3 group GB5 AV. As much as I love paddle (we also have a slayer) in a high production environment, automatic is amazing. If you end up buying used, above anything else, get something with PID. You can have a PID put on a anything if it doesn't have it. As far as preinfusion, unless you're getting a paddle machine built with that intention like the Slayer for expample, it's crap. Our GB5 has a preinfusion function but it's terrible. I tried it a lot of different ways but couldn't get anything usable out of it.

If you have a chance to use each of these machines and play around on them for a few hours, do it. That will tell you way more than a forum can. Your own experience should lead the way. In my experiences, temperature plays a huge role, that's why for me PID is more important than paddle vs push button.

georgemvg said:

I had almost desided the EE GB5. Here we go again...

Jeff Hoeppner said:

I have a friend with a Linea EE in high production, and his constraint is babysitting shots. I wouldn't recommend any EE model, but, that's just based on my experience and observations. Between the two, I'd say a Linea AV with PID.

georgemvg said:

Linea AV PID vs GB5 EE?

Jeff Hoeppner said:

We have a 3 group GB5 AV. As much as I love paddle (we also have a slayer) in a high production environment, automatic is amazing. If you end up buying used, above anything else, get something with PID. You can have a PID put on a anything if it doesn't have it. As far as preinfusion, unless you're getting a paddle machine built with that intention like the Slayer for expample, it's crap. Our GB5 has a preinfusion function but it's terrible. I tried it a lot of different ways but couldn't get anything usable out of it.

The AV LInea will sure be ordered with PID. The point is, which is more preferable than the other: the automatic button(Linea AV) vs the better temperature stability(GB5 EE), or the other way around? I cannot calculate the production, but I think it would be around 100-200 drinks per day. The only one I can try this time is the Mp Linea.

Jeff Hoeppner said:

If you have a chance to use each of these machines and play around on them for a few hours, do it. That will tell you way more than a forum can. Your own experience should lead the way. In my experiences, temperature plays a huge role, that's why for me PID is more important than paddle vs push button.

georgemvg said:

I had almost desided the EE GB5. Here we go again...

Jeff Hoeppner said:

I have a friend with a Linea EE in high production, and his constraint is babysitting shots. I wouldn't recommend any EE model, but, that's just based on my experience and observations. Between the two, I'd say a Linea AV with PID.

georgemvg said:

Linea AV PID vs GB5 EE?

Jeff Hoeppner said:

We have a 3 group GB5 AV. As much as I love paddle (we also have a slayer) in a high production environment, automatic is amazing. If you end up buying used, above anything else, get something with PID. You can have a PID put on a anything if it doesn't have it. As far as preinfusion, unless you're getting a paddle machine built with that intention like the Slayer for expample, it's crap. Our GB5 has a preinfusion function but it's terrible. I tried it a lot of different ways but couldn't get anything usable out of it.

If the Linea is equipped with PID, temp stability shouldn't be an issue. I love the look of the Lineas too. Simple and to the point. I've seen a few pics floating around with Lineas that have had the side and back panels replaced with wood panels with the shops logo engraved. Pretty tricked out. Anyway, that shouldn't be a deciding factor. Whatever you choose, I'd be interested to hear what you went with and how it works out.

georgemvg said:

The AV LInea will sure be ordered with PID. The point is, which is more preferable than the other: the automatic button(Linea AV) vs the better temperature stability(GB5 EE), or the other way around? I cannot calculate the production, but I think it would be around 100-200 drinks per day. The only one I can try this time is the Mp Linea.

Jeff Hoeppner said:

If you have a chance to use each of these machines and play around on them for a few hours, do it. That will tell you way more than a forum can. Your own experience should lead the way. In my experiences, temperature plays a huge role, that's why for me PID is more important than paddle vs push button.

georgemvg said:

I had almost desided the EE GB5. Here we go again...

Jeff Hoeppner said:

I have a friend with a Linea EE in high production, and his constraint is babysitting shots. I wouldn't recommend any EE model, but, that's just based on my experience and observations. Between the two, I'd say a Linea AV with PID.

georgemvg said:

Linea AV PID vs GB5 EE?

Jeff Hoeppner said:

We have a 3 group GB5 AV. As much as I love paddle (we also have a slayer) in a high production environment, automatic is amazing. If you end up buying used, above anything else, get something with PID. You can have a PID put on a anything if it doesn't have it. As far as preinfusion, unless you're getting a paddle machine built with that intention like the Slayer for expample, it's crap. Our GB5 has a preinfusion function but it's terrible. I tried it a lot of different ways but couldn't get anything usable out of it.

Thank you Jeff. I have to sleep over it. The PID is a standard for me, and I also like the way Linea looks, but I prefer the simplicity of the EE. Sure, it is not a exterior design decision...

The other differences between the Linea and GB5, aside from the preheater going through the steam boiler, is the extra security features with the steam boiler on the GB5.  Though as a tech I would prefer the sight glass.  I would recommend against a EE in a Linea.  It already has a manual back up on all groups, if your cpu takes a crap.  Nice feature.

Any more details about that? I know also that Linea sucks a lot of milk in the steam wand. Is this the case with the GB5 also?

Scott said:

The other differences between the Linea and GB5, aside from the preheater going through the steam boiler, is the extra security features with the steam boiler on the GB5.

I didn't get that. The Linea EE has this or the GB5?

Generally, which are the deferences?

Scott said:

It already has a manual back up on all groups, if your cpu takes a crap.

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