Welcome to the Next Generation of the Strada
Over the course of two years, La Marzocco worked with thirty of the world’s finest coffee professionals to design an espresso machine. This group was known as the “Street Team”. The Strada, which means Street in Italian, was named in their honor.
The second generation of the Strada improves upon the features and modernizes the aesthetics of the original. A lower profile invites customer engagement in a café setting while providing the barista with an open, expansive work area.
The Strada X represents the best of La Marzocco’s pioneering espresso engineering in its easiest-to-use machine ever. With predictive mass-based profiling tied to drip tray scales, straight-in portafilters, and independent group pumps, the Strada X combines industry-leading espresso technology with an all-new software system and Smart Saturation to ensure every shot pulled is exactly how the barista imagined it.
Explore the innovative new features of the Strada X:
Smart Saturation
The Strada X offers unparalleled consistency due to its Smart Saturation feature. Instead of pre-infusing coffee manually or with a timer, the Strada X automatically saturates the espresso puck at a low pressure set by a pump that feeds consistent pressure into the machine.
The barista will no longer need to guess when their coffee has reached its saturation point; instead, the Strada X uses data from internal flow meters to sense the exact moment it should increase the pressure. Because the coffee is thoroughly wetted to the exact same amount every time, espresso profiles have a repeatable flow rate that achieves the same beverage weight at the same time until the grind size is changed.
No matter how unique or inventive the espresso profile is, Smart Saturation ensures that every shot pulled is exactly what the barista intended.
Pressure Profiling
In 2009, the Strada EP pioneered variable-pressure espresso profiles, and now the Strada X has perfected them.
Along with an independent boiler, each group head has its own variable-pressure motorized pump. Like the Strada EP, the Strada X can run three profiles simultaneously at different pressures without affecting espresso quality.
The difference comes from the Strada X’s Smart Saturation feature, alongside updated programming software. The Strada X operates with algorithmically generated pressure modeling using data collected from thousands of espresso shots to gently increase or decrease pressure. Even if the barista were to run the paddle from 0 to 12 bars of pressure in the space of two seconds, the Strada X would map out the transition in a way that protects the integrity of the espresso puck.
While the barista still has full control to set custom profiles, the Strada X guarantees that even the most adventurous pressure curves can evenly extract repeatable shots of espresso.
Mass Based Profiling
The Strada X maps new profiles based on pressure and beverage weight, adding a new layer of consistency to boundary-pushing espresso. With independent variable pressure motors for each group head, the barista can set pressure profiles to bring out coffee flavors unachievable on other espresso machines.
By tying that variable pressure to a target beverage weight, the Strada X ensures that, while the flavors are unique, your results are not. Paired with Smart Saturation, Mass Based Profiling means even the most adventurous espresso is repeatable for every single customer.
Mass Based Profiling also frees the barista up to focus on grinder adjustments to experiment with shot time, limiting the number of variables they would have to juggle while dialing in. With beverage mass as a constant, shot time now becomes the main variable for the barista to adjust to experiment with coffee quality.
Strada X Additional Features
In addition to the above functionality, the Strada X also comes equipped with:
Straight-In Portafilters
Straight-in portafilters increase speed while reducing the strain on baristas and being gentler on espresso pucks. Combined with an auto steam flush for streamlined workflow and cleaner groupheads, straight-in portafilters are a complete reimagining of the most repeated task in espresso preparation.
Independent Boilers
Grouphead-specific boilers allow for simultaneous custom brew temperatures while a separate steam boiler delivers on-demand steam pressure.
Proportional Valve Technology
Control steam pressure with pinpoint accuracy on an electronically controlled valve.
Independent Pumps
An external pump provides stable pressure for Smart Saturation while grouphead-specific pumps can simultaneously run unique pressure profiles.
PID Temperature Control
Set independent temperatures for each grouphead and steam boiler accurate to 0.1 degrees Fahrenheit.
PID Pressure Control
Create unique pressure curves with the knowledge that profiles are tuned by a PID system that updates 40 times each second.
Saturated Groups
Ensure unsurpassed thermal stability, shot after shot. Learn more here.
