Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. When you buy through Amazon links or other links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.
 

La Marzocco vs Breville: Which Brand Should You Pick?

La Marzocco vs Breville

If you’ve looked into espresso machines at all, you’ve realized that there are countless brands. With so many choices out there, it can be difficult to pick just one.

La Marzocco and Breville are two brands that make a great starting place. As an illustration, we’ll be putting La Marzocco vs Breville in a direct comparison.

This is what we’ll uncover:

  • The story of how La Marzocco and Breville were created
  • What each brand specializes in
  • Reasons why one might be better than the other for you
  • Our selections for the top machines from each brand

History

La Marzocco

Many espresso machine manufacturers are time-tested Italian companies, and La Marzocco is a fine example of one.

They were created in 1927 in the historical city of Florence, Italy. They quickly earned a reputation for crafting gorgeous and innovative espresso machines.

One of their most noteworthy contributions to the industry came about 10 years after their founding. They designed the world’s first espresso machine with a horizontal boiler, which has become a standard build used internationally.

If you’re interested in learning more about La Marzocco, you can take a look at their story here. 

Breville

Breville has an almost a century of experience when it comes to appliances.

Born in Sydney, Australia in the early 1930’s, they have since then spread to become an international sensation. Their focus has been on bringing easy to use appliances to home kitchens around the world – including espresso machines.

If you’re interested in Breville, click here to read a bit more about their story. 

Brand Specialties

La Marzocco

What can you expect from La Marzocco?

On average, you can expect extravagance and excellence. They focus on creating luxury espresso machines that bring commercial-level features to the home.

However, they’ve been around long enough that they offer a wide variety of machines. If you’re looking for one that’s powerful enough for a business, you’ll easily find a fitting La Marzocco model.

You can also expect that any La Marzocco will be designed to look impressive. This is usually achieved with gleaming stainless steel, colored accents, and interesting controls like classical paddles.

Breville

Rather than focusing solely on espresso machines, Breville’s mission is to create general kitchen appliances for everyone.

Because of this, you can anticipate that a Breville espresso machine is budget-friendly. Aside from cost, you’ll find that these machines are also typically fantastic for beginners.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive model, or one that you can use with little experience, you’d do well to consider a Breville.

Which brand should you pick?

Even if you know what you can expect on average from a brand, you may not know which one to pick.

That’s because that question can only be answered by determining what your needs are. You can factor in things like your budget, how many drinks you’ll be making, and your experience level.

Beginners will prefer machines that are constructed to be simple. A Breville model will be just the ticket, due to their user-friendly features like built-in grinders.

You should also seriously consider Breville if your objective is to find an inexpensive home machine. Generally, Breville configurations are remarkably affordable.

On the contrary, if you’re looking to make barista-level drinks, want more control over your espresso, or are searching for a heavy-duty commercial model, La Marzocco will do nicely.

As a luxury manufacturer, you can rightfully expect La Marzocco products to have cutting-edge and innovative features built to craft professional-level beverages. You’ll typically have control over the temperature, as well as the capability to steam and brew at the same time.

If you’re going to be making a large volume of espresso drinks, such qualities will be critical.

Top La Marzocco Machines

La Marzocco Linea Mini

La Marzocco Linea Mini

Crowded kitchens in need of a high-end espresso machine will find a good match in the La Marzocco Linea Mini.

You’ll be able to enhance various flavor profiles from the same blend of coffee using the stepped temperature adjustment wheel. Simply turn the wheel on the left side of the machine to tweak the temperature however you like.

Barista lights built by the group make it possible for you to safely brew even in the dark. By clearly lighting the workspace, these lights will also reduce the risk of burns and messes from spills.

  • Machine Type: Semiautomatic Paddle
  • Groups: 1
  • Boiler System: Dual boiler
  • Plumbing: Pour-over
  • Dimensions: 15 inches tall, 14 inches wide, 21 inches long
  • Best Use: Home
  • Large Steam Boiler: A massive 3.5-liter steam boiler allows you to make many drinks in a row without needing a break.
  • Barista Lights: Protect yourself from hazardous spills using the bright illumination of the barista lights on the Linea Mini.
  • Stepped Temperature Adjustment Wheel: With a simple turn of the wheel, you can adjust the temperature to tailor the flavor of each drink to your preferences.
  • Stainless Steel Construction: The Linea Mini’s stainless steel build looks polished and is durable, promoting the machine’s longevity.

Majesty Coffee does not have the Linea Mini in our store. If you'd like a comparable machine, we'd recommend the La Spaziale S1 Mini Vivaldi II. It's small, has two strong boilers, and is excellent for use at home.

La Marzocco GS3 MP

La Marzocco GS3 MP

Do you want a unique-looking espresso machine? The La Marzocco GS3 might just be exactly what you need.

In addition to being operated by a paddle that looks old-fashioned, it has an intriguing periscope gauge. Beyond adding character to the GS3, the gauge shows you the brew pressure.

With that kind of information at your disposal, you’ll known instantly when the machine is ready to brew.

It also doubles as a maintenance indicator. Because you’ll be able to tell if the GS3 is frequently unable to reach the right pressure, you'll know when repairs are necessary.

  • Machine Type: Mechanical paddle
  • Groups: 1
  • Boiler System: Dual boiler
  • Plumbing: Pour-over or direct-connect
  • Dimensions: 17.50 inches tall, 16 inches wide, and 21 inches long
  • Best Use: Home, small restaurant or office
  • Cool Touch Steam Wand: Cut down on time spent cleaning, as this steam wand remains so cool that milk won’t crust onto the tip.
  • Periscope Manometer: In just a second, you can tell with the manometer that your machine is ready to brew instead of guessing.
  • Pre-infusion: Don’t let tamping errors affect your drinks. Pre-infusion will protect you from these errors by settling the coffee before extraction with a gentle stream of water.
  • Hot Water Dispenser: The GS3 isn’t limited to just coffee – you can get hot water from it to make teas or hot chocolate.

Like the way the GS3 looks? We may not have it in our store, but we do have a great alternative: the La Spaziale S1 Vivaldi II. It's a user-friendly automatic espresso machine with a pair of robust boilers perfect for generating creamy milk foam every time. 

La Marzocco Linea PB

For bustling coffee shops, offices, or restaurants, there’s the La Marzocco Linea PB.

Its energetic dual boiler system will make it possible to whip through drink orders by brewing shots and frothing milk at the same time. Two group heads contribute to this speed by making twice as many shots as a machine with only one.

You’ll even get two steam arms, so two baristas can work on either end of the machine, doubling your output. Customers will undoubtedly be impressed by the efficiency.

  • Machine Type: Automatic
  • Majesty Coffee Price: $16,300
  • Groups: 2
  • Boiler System: Dual boiler
  • Plumbing: Direct-connect
  • Dimensions: 21 inches tall, 28 inches wide, and 23 inches long
  • Best Use: Medium to large coffee shop, restaurant, or café
  • Dual PID Temperature Controller: The Dual PID temperature controller grants you total control over the temperature in both the brew and steam boilers. As a result, you can offer your customers more options by adjusting the temperature to perfect different tastes.
  • Digital LCD Display: Baristas will be able to access information on system alerts, boiler temperatures, and the timing for each shot all on the intuitive LCD display.
  • Energy Efficiency: Reduce your electricity bills with the Linea PB’s eco mode, which allows the boiler temperatures to lower to specific levels during idle times.
  • Ruby Flow Restrictors: Protects the lifespan of your machine by resisting damaging scale buildup.

Top Breville Machines

What sets the Breville Barista Express apart from other home espresso machines is multi-functional design.

For example, instead of having to buy a separate espresso grinder, you’ll get one built right into the Barista Express. It also comes with an integrated bean hopper, so you can even store your favorite blends inside the machine.

Furthermore, it has a removable tamper above the drip tray. You can tamp your espresso and then store the tamper with the Barista Express, saving you storage space elsewhere.

  • Machine Type: Semiautomatic + programmable dosing options
  • Groups: 1
  • Boiler System: Single thermocoil boiler
  • Plumbing: Pour-over
  • Dimensions: 15.8 inches tall, 12.6 inches wide, and 13.2 inches long
  • Best Use: Home
  • Built-In Grinder and Tamper: Because the Barista Express comes with a grinder and tamper, you won’t need to buy these things yourself.
  • On-Demand Grinding: Grind exactly as much espresso you need as you need it, cutting down on waste.
  • Hands-Free Grinding: You won’t need to stand at your machine holding your portafilter as you grind – the Barista Express has a convenient portafilter holder. You can feel free to sit back and relax while the perfect amount of fresh espresso is ground for you.
  • Stainless Steel Swivel Steam Arm: Easily reposition the stainless steel steam wand to froth your milk at the optimal angle.

The Breville Infuser was created to make professional-level espresso easily in your kitchen at home.

It accomplishes this with gentle pre-infusion, a feature used by many coffee shops around the world. With a low pressure stream of water, the Infuser settles your coffee grounds so that every single particle can be reached during extraction.

What does that mean for you? It means that, in the end, you’ll get to enjoy a consistently richer cup without having to make an expensive trip to a coffee shop.

  • Machine Type: Semiautomatic + programmable dosing options
  • Groups: 1
  • Boiler System: Single thermocoil boiler
  • Plumbing: Pour-over
  • Dimensions: 13.2 inches high, 13.7 inches wide, and 11.5 inches long
  • Best Use: Home
  • Stainless Steel Construction: Built mainly from stainless steel, the Infuser is meant to be long-lasting.
  • Razor Dose Trimming Tool: A blade removes excess from the grounds in your portafilter so the extraction and taste of your drinks are constantly great time after time.
  • Hot Water Dispenser: Are you a fan of the popular Americano? With the Infuser’s hot water dispenser, you can make one at home without having the heat the water separately.
  • Puck Drying: Dries the puck after extraction so you won’t make a mess when you clean up after every beverage.

User-friendliness and speed are brought together in the Breville Oracle. So if your search is for an espresso machine that can help you serve your family and friends fast, this is the one for you.

One of the things that contributes to its speed is its grinder. The grinder will grind and tamp the right amount of espresso freshly for you whenever you need to make a drink.

Another quality that makes this home machine quick is its dual boiler system. Because it has two boilers, it can steam and brew simultaneously.

You'll be able whip up a beverage that much faster.

  • Machine Type: Semiautomatic + programmable dosing options
  • Groups: 1
  • Boiler System: Dual boiler
  • Plumbing: Pour-over
  • Dimensions: 17.6 inches tall, 14.5 inches wide, and 14.7 inches long
  • Best Use: Home
  • Automatic Grinding: This grinder is perfect for beginners. You won’t need to fuss with complicated grind settings every time you want a drink.
  • Stainless Steel Conical Burrs: You won’t need to replace the burrs in the grinder any time soon, because they’re made of sturdy stainless steel.
  • Extra-Large Water Tank: An amazing 84-ounce capacity means you’ll be able to make several drinks in a row before you need to stop to add water.
  • One-Touch Americano: The Oracle will brew your shots and pour hot water for an Americano with one button. Americanos don’t get any easier than this.

Leave a Comment