GS3... my take

The GS3 is leaving us today... thought it was time to post my report:

First of all, the GS3 is still as great as everyone said it is. We've had a prototype to experience for almost a month, and it still amazes us every day.

I think that the factor that will make the greatest long-term impact overall is the fact that this machine presents a new paradigm in espresso machine design: bigger isn't necessarily better. The analogy that comes to mind is that in the automotive world, the obvious way to improve the speed (through a course) or perhaps even just the acceleration of a car is to increase the engine displacement, and increase horsepower. The other solution, and the one that's considered a more 'modern' approach, is that you can increase overall speed by having a better suspension (and better handling), and improve acceleration by decreasing overall weight... perhaps even using technologies like forced-induction (turbos and superchargers) to get more power out of a smaller engine. In fact, once all is said and done, you can see that the smaller+technology=faster model is superior in many ways to the bigger+more_power=faster.

Traditionally, whether for steam power or for brew water stability, bigger was better. The reason that the 3-group La Marzoccos were so popular (and more sought-after by temperature-nazis) was that the brew boiler was so big... bigger than the 4-group Lineas, which have two 2-group-sized brew boilers inside. Now, there's nothing that feels quite like a normally-aspirated big-block V-8 at full-throttle (riding shotgun in a Corvette Z06 was an experience I would have paid admission for), so for steam-power, big is still better... but I think that you COULD, with the right heating element and maybe a preheat coming into the steam boiler, keep good pressures on a small steam boiler in a commercial setting.

The GS3, to me, is the harbinger of espresso machine design to come. It might take 10 years to materialize, but to be able to (theoretically) have a commercial multi-group espresso machine that's small enough to change the entire espresso-bar design is a very exciting idea to me.

The other thing that's perhaps even MORE significant is how this machine came into being in the first place.

Time and time again, albeit only over the past few years, our community of baristas has been telling equipment manufacturers what we want. David Schomer is famous for coining the phrase, "Engineered mediocrity." In other words, the technology is there to build a machine that performs to our specifications, but the manufacturers simply didn't care enough to do anything about it. Frankly, with the economics of it all looking us in the face, it appeared that we represented too small a segment of the market to spend the money on design and manufacture of such equipment. With Synesso, that all changed. A small, boutique machine manufacturer with the right motivation was producing machines with the performance and temperature stability that we were all clamoring for.

For La Marzocco, under the leadership of Bill Crossland, to have spent so much time, energy, and funding to develop the GS3 demonstrates one major fact: the powers that be are truly paying attention. Combined with the legacy of the GS and GS2 machines, it's difficult to imagine any real improvements that can be made to the GS3 as is. Every issue that came to mind has already been addressed for the production models. It's seriously a dream come true, and the sign of great things to come.

Thanks to Bill, the folks at La Marzocco and ESI, Greg Scace, and Mark Prince for helping provide us the opportunity to be a part of the last days leading up to the production-runs of the GS3.

Now... we're waiting for someone to build us a freakin' grinder. C'mon folks! Get with da program!!!