@dfk41 edited my post because I keep trying not to get into disagreements.
There’s not really a standout feature on the Linea range. I guess I can only list the things I enjoy-
It feels so bloody solid. On other machines I’ve had bits just felt a bit ‘flimsy. Like the the panels would flex a little, or the knobs felt fragile and light. The LM has a heft to it that’s just quite tactile and enjoyable to me.
I enjoy that there’s little to no maintenance beyond backflushing and group gasket replacement. There aren’t actually that many non-E61 machines out there in the £2-5000 range.
Also something seems to make the shots less susceptible to bad prep. I know this sounds like utter nonsense but I can’t really explain why this is happening. On previous machines, if I didn’t get a grind pretty bang on, it was usually unpleasant. On the LM, even shots that I’m convinced will taste underextracted can be perfectly drinkable.
I’ve chalked this up to the temperature stability. We know how much this can affect taste. An extreme example is say a Rancilio Silvia. If you don’t temp surf it and pull a shot with the temp ramping down, it tastes awfully sour.
I’m fully aware it sounds like complete BS… but I suppose what I’m saying is that the LM allows me to be lazy and rushed in my prep, and still get enjoyable coffee. I’ve dabbled with RDT and all that stuff but I come back to just wanting a fast, simple and repeatable process. ‘Espresso’ means fast, after all!
Honestly though I’m not completely single minded. I think there’s a range of beautiful machines out there, and for anyone who wants profiling the levers from Nurri/ACS look brilliant.
I recommended an ACS Minima to a friend the other day who was looking for a machine.
