pinpoint perfect temperature, every time.
La Marzocco has a history of espresso machine innovation, from the design of the horizontal boiler to the low-profile, barista-friendly Strada, to the straight-in portafilter. By leveraging technologies like PID temperature control, pressure profiling, and solid-state relays, the goal of La Marzocco’s R&D department has always been to create espresso machines that are easy to work with, reliable, and built to last.SmartSteam is one of La Marzocco’s newest innovations in this direction, aiming to help you focus and engage with your customers while maintaining a service of the highest quality. It was designed to make it easier to steam beverages to the perfect temperature, every time, at the press of a button. No extra thermometer is needed. SmartSteam technology can control the exact temperature of each drink, and greatly reduce the margin of error, leaving the texture control, and the artistry in your hands.
To put it simply, once you begin steaming, the temperature probe monitors the milk temperature, and the specially-designed steam tip introduces a whirlpool effect to help create a perfect micro-foam milk texture, allowing you to control the foam density by adjusting the position of the steam wand. The electronics then calculate when to stop steaming to arrive at exactly the correct temperature.
This technology is available as an option when ordering a Linea PB, and you can choose to place it on either the right or left side of the machine while maintaining a manual steam wand on the other side of the machine. The SmartSteam system also includes a height-adjustable pitcher tray that can be placed on the side of the machine, allowing you to steam hands-free once adjusted.SmartSteam handles consistency by easily delivering precise temperature and ease of use, while keeping the artistry of Latte Art firmly in your hands. Coffee is all about connection. Make time for connecting with your customers and make sure they get the best experience – and coffee – they can.
Whether preparing a standard cappuccino, a latte or an extra-hot beverage, switching between is seamless. Its interface is designed for simplicity and ease of use. SmartSteam allows two temperature presets to be programmed using a single button: one for a short press and one for a long press. This allows you to easily use different presets for different drinks. SmartSteam also helps ensure safety by automatically preventing beverages from becoming too hot with the Kid’s Milk feature. Kid’s Milk is an optional feature that takes advantage of the fine temperature control to cap the maximum temperature a drink can reach. It can be activated by double-tapping the button and works by limiting the temperature of drinks intended for children to 35-40°C (95-104°F).La Marzocco uses several different control systems in its machines and grinders. From PID temperature control to precision control of a gear pump when pressure profiling to the drip prediction algorithm used to perfectly control the espresso dose in machines equipped with ABR scales. The final quality of a drink is influenced by many variables that need to be all accounted for. When steaming, variables such as milk type, volume, and starting temperature all influence the final temperature and the quality of the foam in the pitcher.
A seamless process, with inherent safety.
The engineering team had to find a way to ensure the temperature was pinpoint accurate regardless of those variables, drink after drink. Stopping the steaming right when the probe reaches the desired temperature, results in a temperature that will always be higher than your target. SmartSteam technology results in absolute precision in a process that seems straightforward yet is surprisingly complex. Achieving this result consistently wasn’t easy, as the engineering team had to go through several months of rigorous testing, evaluation, and refinement before finding the ideal solution. SmartSteam uses a predictive algorithm to account for variables like starting temperature, pitcher size, and the amount of milk used. By analyzing milk temperature 20 times per second, the system can predict exactly when to stop steaming to arrive at the final temperature, regardless of these variables. This eliminates the need for a temperature offset and increases precision.
