La Marzocco has pioneered many of the best new technologies in the world of espresso. They have been the market leaders in that regard for many years and have several, instantly recognisable and extremely well respected machines on the market. The La Marzocco KB90 is the culmination of decades of progressive and innovative work - La Marzocco have in fact touted the KB90 as the Linea PB in its final form! The main feature that truly sets the KB90 apart from all other espresso machines is the bold and progressive strides that it has taken to re-invent the espresso work-flow. Designed specifically to increase the speed of service, the KB90 is the ultimate solution for high volume cafes looking to maximise their output. 

About the La Marzocco KB90 "Straight In" Portafilter

The current "twist in" portafilter model has been a standard feature of espresso machines since the first espresso machines were invented over 100 years ago. La Marzocco is the first company to revisit the ergonomics of portafilters, and with the KB90, they decided it was time to go back to the drawing board, and re-invent the portafilter and grouphead from the ground up. The main issue that they sought to address was the aggressive twist needed to lock in a portafilter. Not only is this a clunky motion that causes wear and tear inside the grouphead, but as coffee is becoming a more lucrative professional career around the world, we are seeing more and more baristas developing repetitive strain injuries from repeating this locking in motion hundreds of times a day (look up barista wrist and you will see what we mean).

La Marzocco's solution to this was a Straight In portafilter that locks in automatically as the portafilter clips into place. No twisting or aggressive motions needed. The Straight In portafilter provides a fast and effective workflow that removes the need for any strenuous motions. This offers a drastic reduction in the amount of strain that baristas might experience and allows them to sustain a high volume of output for longer periods. Not only does this more gentle motion improve on the ergonomics of your espresso workflow, but it also improves on the quality of your espresso, as the clunky ergonomics of traditional espresso can often result in cracks in the espresso puck and channelling of your shots.

About the La Marzocco KB90 Commercial Espresso Machine

Designed specifically to speed up workflow, the KB90 is equipped with automatic steam flushing group heads that activate when the portafilter is removed, freeing up the hands of the barista for those precious seconds in a mid-morning rush. It is also optionally equipped with hardware and programming which provides weight-based volumetric shot control that frees up the barista to concentrate on providing top-notch customer service. The KB90 uses a flow rate algorithm for its volumetric controls that allows it to predict precisely when your beverage will reach the desired weight with unparalleled accuracy.

The KB90 uses the same unrivalled thermal stability as the Strada and achieves this through a few separate technologies. It uses a water pre-heating system, which accelerates recovery times. Rather than just dual boilers, it also includes a separate coffee boiler for each group head, each one controlled by PID. Finally, the iconic saturated group heads maintain the temperature all the way to the portafilter. This means the most consistent extraction possible.

We cannot talk about the KB90 without mentioning its stunning design. They have achieved something that is comfortably familiar, reminiscent of its predecessors the Linea PB and the classic FB80, while still keeping things edgy and modern. Like every element of this machine, the design of the KB90 pays homage to its origins while bringing a modern refresh to the machine's aesthetics. It would make an outstanding centre piece on any coffee counter.

On top of all this high-end technology, La Marzocco has not forgotten the finer details. The drip tray has extra clearance for those tall takeaway cups, the steam wands are always cool to the touch, as well as optional extras like a cup warmer or high legs for easy access to extra space underneath the machine.

La Marzocco KB90 Espresso Machine features

• Ergonomic Straight In portafilter
• Automatic steam flush group heads
• Automatic volumetric (AV) yield 
• Brew Ratio technology measures beverage yield by weight (optional) 
• Drip Prediction algorithm delivers a more accurate yield (optional) 
• Saturated group heads for increased thermal stability
• Independent insulated boilers per group head and separate steaming boiler
• Boiler material: stainless steel
• High-performance cool touch steam wand(s)
• Multiple PIDs for brewing & steaming
• Water pre-heating system reducing recovery & start-up time
• Intuitive programming and clear digital display
• Extra cup clearance for tall cups
• Comes with stainless steel portafilters and precision baskets

La Marzocco KB90 Espresso Machine specifications