Skip to main content

FAQ


Check out our FAQ below to see if we have answers to your question. If not, head on over to our Contact Us page for ways to get a hold of us.

Currently we will ship to the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. When you choose the Free Shipping, or any other Shipping option for anything other than an espresso machine purchase, it will be sent via UPS Ground. Due to La Marzocco International Reseller Agreements we are unable to ship to reshippers or freight forwarders at this time.

We currently collect sales tax when shipping to the following states: AR, CA, CO, GA, HI, IL, IN, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, NC, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, TX, UT, WA, and WI.

Purchasing your machine directly from La Marzocco Home means one-on-one phone support Monday through Friday from 9 am – 5 pm PST. If we can’t solve your problem over the phone, we have a list of Preferred Service Providers that we trust to work on La Marzocco Espresso Machines that we will send out to fix your machine. If you are in an area where there are no service providers, we will give you instructions on how to ship your machine to us for repair, or help you repair the machine yourself depending upon your needs.

For all Service Inquiries, reach out to homesolutions.usa@lamarzocco.com

The most important thing you can do for your espresso machine is to use the right water. Most of the problems people experience with their machines stems from the fact they are using water that is outside of the specification given by La Marzocco for proper operation. Each of our machines ship with a water test kit so that you can make sure the water you are using is within spec. View our Water Specificaitons and enter the results of your test in our Water Calculator. Also, be sure to read through this Water for Home Espresso post we put together.

Parts & accessories returns or exchanges must be initiated within 30 days of receiving your order Items must be unused and in original packaging in order to receive a full refund. You can initiate a return for all parts & accessories orders at our Return Portal. Once received and processed, refunds can take up to a week for your bank to generate in your account.

Espresso machines and grinders require further coordination to faciliate and must be initiated within 30 days of receiving your order. Equipment must be in new and unused conditioned otherwise we reserve the right to retain a 15% restocking fee.  In the event you would like to initiate a return for your espresso machine or grinder please contact home.usa@lamarzocco.com.

All of our products are tested and ETL certified under their stock configuration. By changing out the exterior materials it changes the model that was approved. Technically changing the exterior materials does not change the internal components that were approved, but since it is no longer the exact ETL model we can not say it is ETL certified. This has no affect on the home user since ETL is used purely for consumer confidence. If you have more specific questions about this, please e-mail us at home.usa@lamarzocco.com

La Marzocco Home offers free shipping for any order over $50. We don’t currently ship outside the United States. In order to fulfill all of our orders we use standard parcel shipping

tazmanian freight

For any espresso machine order, we ship using standard freight. When receiving a freight shipment it is important that you are available to be home to receive the delivery — You can expect to receive a call prior to coordinate a delivery that suits you. You must inspect the machine for damage before signing the paperwork. Once you sign the paperwork you are responsible for any damage that may have occurred in transit. Make sure that you note any damage that you find on the delivery receipt. View our guide to receiving freight packages here.

UPS + usps

For all grinders, parts & accessories, we ship using UPS. For all orders under $50 we charge a flat-rate shipping charge of $10. We also offer 3-day shipping for a flat rate charge of $30. All espresso subscription shipments ship USPS Priority.

Learn to install your La Marzocco Espresso machine using the Installation Guides below. Reach out to homesolutions.usa@lamarzocco.com for any questions about getting your machine up and running.

The expansion valve on your espresso machine sets the peak pressure in your brew boiler.. Our machines are set to a peak pressure of 12-bar on bench (this is not to be confused with brew pressure which is set on the pump itself). However, in the process of preparing our machines for shipment, the expansion valve must be loosened. Although we set them back via a witness mark, the end user will often need to make small adjustments to the valve. If you notice that your expansion valve is set too high or low, please refer to the Operating Manual of your machine for instructions on how to adjust.

Please reach out to homesolutions.usa@lamarzocco.com for any and all questions about adjusting your expansion valve, or any other technical questions that you may have.

The water you put into your espresso machine is incredibly important, and goes far beyond brewing good coffee. Putting good, clean water into your espresso machine will extend the life of your machine, and can help your machine continue to run well for years to come.

We put together a Blog Post that serves as a simple introduction to the world of water—how it affects your coffee, why it matters for your machine, and what you should do about it.

In fact, most of the problems people experience with their machines stem from the fact they are using water that is outside of the specification given by La Marzocco for proper operation. Each of our machines ship with a water test kit so that you can make sure the water you are using is within spec. View our Water Specifications and enter the results of your test in our Water Calculator.

Using proper water is paramount to keeping your machine running properly—be sure you’re using water within our specifications!

Beyond that, maintaining your La Marzocco Espresso Machine is simple. We recommend a cleaning routine at least once a week.

Settling into a regular cleaning schedule can help keep your machine clean and will go a long way in keeping it running smoothly throughout its lifespan. We like to backflush the machine with detergent and a blind portafilter, clean the portafilter, screens, and baskets all at the same time. This will help keep your espresso tasting crisp and clean, and won’t get in the way of great tasting coffee.

Check out our handy “How to Clean Your Espresso Machine” video to see it in action.

From the beginning, our mission at La Marzocco Home has been to “create an uncompromised espresso experience for the home barista through professional equipment and education.”

We stand behind the products we sell and want to make sure that your experience with La Marzocco is exceptional. If you ever have any problems with the items you purchase directly from us, we are here to help. If you purchased your GS3 through another reseller we request that you contact them first in order to allow them to go through their normal procedure and to take care of their customers in the best way they know how. If you purchased your Linea Mini through another reseller, please contact La Marzocco Home technical support, as your warranty is provided through the manufacturer.

The La Marzocco GS3 espresso machine carries a 13-month parts and labor warranty when purchased directly from La Marzocco Home, and a 13-month parts warranty when purchased from a reseller.

The La Marzocco Linea Mini espresso machine carries a 24-month parts and labor warranty, provided by La Marzocco Home.

For more information on the warranty included with each machine, check out our Warranty Page. If you have questions, please reach out to us at home.usa@lamarzocco.com.

Espresso is a coffee-brewing method that uses pressure to force water through finely-ground coffee. The resulting beverage is an espresso.

What you’ll need:
  • Whole Bean Coffee
  • Grinder
  • Tamper or Distribution Tool
  • Scale
  • Espresso Machine (temperature between 195° – 205°)

Every coffee is different. That’s part of the joy of making espresso! No matter how much you know, dialing in a new coffee and pulling a shot is a constant pursuit. When you put a new coffee into your grinder hopper, it’s a good idea to have a target brew ratio in mind—that is, how much ground coffee you’ll put in the portafilter and how much liquid espresso you’ll brew into the cup.

Brew ratios balance three important variables: ground coffee (in), liquid espresso (out), and brew time. A good starting place for a new coffee is a 1:2 ratio in 25-30 seconds at 200 degrees. From there, you can adjust as needed.

Check out our “How to Make Espresso” Post over on the Blog for more. Also, feel free to drop us a line if you have questions—we love nerding out about espresso!

Steaming milk is a combination of steam pressure, positioning of the steam wand, and knowing what to look, feel, and listen for. With a high-powered steam boiler, little changes to your milk steaming technique can make a huge difference. Practice and attention to detail truly do make perfect. We put together a quick video tutorial to help out—in it, we go through the basics of steaming milk, including positioning, timing, and what to look and listen for during the process.

First and foremost, it should taste *good.* But what does that mean? Every coffee is different, but there are some common themes you can use when tasting espresso to help you identify what you like.

First, try to identify what the body of your espresso is like. Is it thick and syrupy? Is it light and airy?  From there, when we taste espresso, we’re looking for balanced taste. Rather than trying to identify specific tasting notes on the first go-round, we try to identify the combination of bitterness, sweetness, and acidity present in our espresso.

We worked with Meister to put together an illustrated guide to tasting espresso. Check it out to see if it helps!

Maybe you got a new grinder, changed your burrs, or you just got a brand new bag of coffee that you’ve never tried. Where do you start? Instead of just winging it, we put together this quick guide to help you get dialed in for espresso in a timely and efficient manner. Plus, we added a few tips & tricks that we’ve learned over the years. Whether you’re a seasoned home barista (and don’t need the help) or you’re just getting started, this quick guide will walk you through the process of dialing in.

If you don’t feel like reading our Dialing In Post, a good place to start is with a target Brewing Recipe (Brew Ratio, Time, Pressure, and Temperature).

There are quite a few variables that we’re looking to control and balance at one time in order to get the best possible taste out of a coffee. Understanding these variables comes with time and practice, but one of the most important variables we need to control is also one of the easiest: brew ratio.

When we talk about brew ratio, we’re talking about the weight of coffee grounds to the weight of espresso in the cup. By changing the weight of coffee or the weight of liquid espresso in a shot, we can manipulate the taste and mouthfeel of the espresso.

Measuring brew ratio is pretty easy with a scale, and doesn’t require much practice (we recommend a scale that measures to the .1 g). Using a scale, we can easily and consistently measure the weight of ground coffee that goes into the portafilter, as well as the weight of the liquid espresso that ends up in the cup.

A brew ratio consists of your ins (ground coffee) to your outs (liquid espresso), and it’s always a good idea to plug your preferred brew ratio (ristretto, normale, lungo) into a larger brewing recipe.

Here’s a good place to start:

Brew Ratio: 1:2
In: 18g
Out: 36g
Time: 30s
Temperature: 200 F
Pressure: 9 bars

Check out “Brew Ratios Around the World”