Smart workflow and ergonomics are the name of the game for the KB90. When a barista is busy pulling shots and steaming milk hundreds of times per day, the repetitive motions of the job can be taxing on their body (just look up “barista wrist” and you’ll see what we mean!). That’s where things like the new straight-in portafilter come in: it’s designed lock in and pull a shot using a more natural and less stressful movement, eliminating awkward twisting motions and offering a much gentler experience for the barista’s joints. The portafilter slides into place on rails and locks upward with ease, and removing it post-shot is done with a press of the thumb on a release tab. This makes for a slightly more complicated group, but relieves a great deal of stress on the barista’s body.

The KB90 also comes complete with a suite of new features, including the brand new Pro Touch wands. Unlike other cool touch steam wands on the market, La Marzocco’s are made of dual wall vacuum insulated steel, which seal in the heat and keep the wand cool to the touch even after the busiest of lunch rushes. New steam valves are not only also easier on barista wrists – with a smaller turning radius to engage full steam power – they are designed to be rebuilt more quickly and easily, allowing a tech to shut off steam at the boiler so they can swap out o-rings and rebuild the valve without having to shut the machine down entirely.

With optional drip tray scales, the KB90 is able to pull shots with Auto Brew Ratio mode. ABR allows the barista to weigh a dose in the portafilter directly on the shot scale, and the machine will pull a perfect shot to your desired output ratio. ABR machines can also be run in Mass Mode, so you can instead pull shots to your desired output weight directly into your cups. And with Drip Prediction, the KB90 is able to predict when to cut the flow to the shot to make sure your beverages are consistently tasting their best.

Straight-in Portafilter: The KB90’s signature feature is the new straight-in portafilter design. The brand new group lock-in mechanism allows a barista to gently insert the portafilter straight in, no twisting or contorting required. Lifting the portafilter handle engages the locking mechanism, and the group automatically seals when the pump is engaged.

Steam flush: After each shot, the KB90 is able to run an automatic flush of both hot water and steam to keep your dispersion screen clean and your coffee tasting its best.

Auto Brew Ratio: With Auto Brew Ratio (ABR), you can use the built-in drip tray scales and programming to weigh out your doses in the portafilter, and brew to a set ratio or to your desired beverage mass. ABR machines can also dose by volumetric pulses if desired. Please contact our sales team for more info about ABR machines.