If you want to serve up seriously good coffee, you should consider investing in the La Marzocco GS3. However, don’t take the word invest lightly – it is an expensive bit of gear. To make the decision easier for you, we’ve put together a thorough review of the La Marzocco GS3, including whether to purchase the MP or AV model.
What is the La Marzocco GS3?
Created in Italy, the home of coffee, this coffee machine is made of state of the art stainless steel. It doesn’t just look good – it’s an incredibly well-made piece of kit, that creates delicious espressos. The machine has a large drip tray and a high-quality steamer, which is great for purging.
Reasons to Purchase the La Marzocco GS3
The La Marzocco GS3 looks excellent, but it is also incredibly functional. It has two temperature-controlled stainless steel boilers, meaning that it works perfectly for commercial businesses. The boilers mean that every espresso will be at the same temperature as the last.
Furthermore, the large steam boiler uses the right amount of pressure to ensure that the milk steams perfectly. You’ll use the performance touch steam wand to froth your milk – it’s a no-burn wand but with pro-level results! The hot water arm is easily adjustable and gives water at just the right temperature for teas and americanos – hot, but not boiling.
The system also has a saturated brew group instead of E61 groups found in most coffee machines. Saturated brew groups result in more consistency and a better temperature.
The La Marzocco GS3 comes with its own application – an exciting and useful addition. From it, you can discover information about extractions, change the temperature, set the machine up for pre-brewing, change the doses each unit of water delivers, and do much more.
While the machine is packed full of fantastic features, it is not bulky, and it will fit most countertops and cabinets. The machine is also incredibly quiet due to a rotary vane pump in the machine.
La Marzocco is a company that prides itself on quality. Many of its parts are either made by the brand themselves, or from a third company exclusively for La Marzocco. This is to ensure that they can make a high-quality machine that baristas and coffee fanatics will feel comfortable relying on.
Reasons against purchasing the La Marzocco GS3
The La Marzocco G3 is a fantastic machine, and if you can afford it, there aren’t many drawbacks. However, here are a few things are worth mentioning.
- While the machine is worth it if it is within your budget, there are other models out there that are much cheaper. Such as the La Marzocco Linea Mini.
- If you purchase the MP model, you will find that the pressure profiling feature can be slightly fiddly and sensitive. The more you use it, the more you should adapt to it and find it a beneficial feature.
- The application works well but can be a bit temperamental if you are far from the WiFi router.
Notes about the La Marzocco GS3
- You may need to upgrade your grinder when you purchase to get the best out of the machine. A poor quality grinder just won’t get the same flavours as anything high quality.
- If you purchase the MP model, you will use a lot of water while experimenting. This means that you should get in the habit of using the plumbing kit from day one. Otherwise, you may find it difficult to manage water later. La Marzocco is aware of this, which is why they provide the plumbing kit and the large drip tray.
Should I get the AV or MP model?
The AV model is for automatic brewing. If you don’t want to use the pressure profiling feature, you will save a lot of money by purchasing this option. You can select from four programmable buttons to get the kind of extraction that you like on this model.
You’ll definitely end up with a delicious espresso even with the AV model. However, if you like to experiment and want to play around with the pressure profiling feature to make different brews, and if you own a coffee shop and want to be famous for your brews, go for the MP version.
The MP, on the other hand, has a manual flow profiling paddle, which you control with a valve inside the group head. This connects to the valve which helps you manually control the maximum flow rate before and during extraction. You’ll be able to ramp it slowly before infusion and quickly ramp the pressure down at the end, making an exquisite cup every time.
Conclusion
The La Marzocco GS3 is a fantastic coffee machine, particularly for any caffeine fanatics or coffee shop owners! If you want a machine to experiment profiling on and have the budget, there’s no better investment than the La Marzocco GS3 MP. If you are serving coffee, but don’t have a particular reputation for it, you may find that the La Marzocco GS3 AV is sufficient.