I've had a Bezzera Duo MN for about two weeks now, and I'll add to my impressions as I own the machine longer. I first made home espresso in the mid-1990's, with my Pavoni Europiccola. My friends and I were very happy with the results, but I did not apply the level of sophistication that home baristas are using today. After studying barista techniques, I purchased a used Breville Infuser and a Sette 270 grinder, worked with them for about six months, and then I was ready to upgrade to a prosumer machine.
Bezzera is an Italian company who has manufactured espresso machines in Milan since 1901. They invented and patented the portafilter. I decided that I wanted a classically-styled Italian machine. The Breville Dual Boiler and the like were quickly scratched from my list. This left me with the usual providers, such as ECM, Lelit, Rocket, Marzocco, Profitec, Crem, Rocket, and I suppose a few others.
The Bezzera Duo has the usual check-box items which the other brands offer, including Dual boiler, Plumbable Rotary Pump, Dual PID, Classic Italian Prosumer design, etc.
Bezzera makes four versions of this machine: First, there is Duo and Matrix. Identical, except the Matrix has LED-lit transparent side panels for a very modern look. Second, there is MN (for Manual) and DE (Dosed). The MN versions have a traditional E61 group head, while the DE versions have a custom Bezzera-made group head with a third PID. The DE has volumetric dosing -- press a button and a specific amount of water flows through your portafilter. All models come with two wood-handled portafilters (a dual and a bottomless) and wood handles for steam and hot water dispensing. The machine is stunningly beautiful, although the other prosumer makers have beautiful stainless designs as well. The included plastic coffee tamper is suitable for, well, nothing. It is too small and you must buy a proper tamper for this machine. The price was slightly lower than most comparably fitted competitors, such as Rocket, ECM and Lelit. It's likely that, as more people buy these new models, the prices will rise.
I chose the most basic -- the Duo (no LED side panels) and the MN, which means I manually raise and lower a lever to brew my espresso. (i.e., it has a standard E61 group head)
Without a doubt, what sets the Bezzera out apart from the other brands is the touchscreen on the front of the machine. In using the machine, I have to say that this screen is fantastic, well-designed, and very useful. The UI design is very easy to work with, showing both brew and steam temperatures, boiler readiness, and pressure. While brewing espresso, the display becomes a shot timer, which is very convenient. Simply place your cup on a scale, tare it, and lift the brew lever. The timer starts automatically, although I'd prefer for it to remain onscreen a few seconds longer.
Another very useful feature of the display is that you can program wake and sleep times. Every morning I wake up to a fully warmed up machine. The cup warmer on top of the machine warms the cups very well, but you can easily warm any cup with the hot water dispenser. You can also use the display to program a pre-infusion time, but this feature hasn't had much effect yet because my machine is not yet plumbed.
I've read negative comments about the screen from people who fear the machine's high heat will cause the screen to break. I have touched the screen and surrounding areas while the machine was fully warmed up, and the screen itself is cool. About two inches above the screen, the metal panel is hot, and the group head, of course, is very hot. But the screen is cool to the touch. Beyond that, automobiles and cell phones expose semiconductors and display screens to extreme heat without causing them to fail, and, frankly, if it does fail in five years, I'll fix it. Besides, all of these prosumer machines depend upon breakable electronics, such as sensors, CPU, etc.
So far, I am delighted. Fortunately for me, I live near Portland, Oregon, so I am able to drive to the Clive Coffee showroom and look at a huge variety of these prosumer machines. Clive has been extremely helpful and patient. They are true coffee enthusiasts, and always happy to brew an espresso shot for me when I drop by. I was able to bring my machine home without shipping and I've picked up a variety of odds and ends. As with most brands, the plumbing connection is some sort of British or Metric fitting which can be difficult to find in most hardware stores; Clive gave me one at no charge.
What's really new for me with this machine is milk steaming. With my Breville, it was so slow to switch from brew to steam, and for steaming to complete, that the espresso would be cold. So I always used a separate milk frother with the Breville. With the Bezzera, I can steam milk FAST, in about 20 seconds, though I've never timed it. I'm still working on my steaming techniques, but the taste is good and I'm sure I'll get there soon.
I hope to have the water lines plumbed this weekend or sooner; I really look forward to that. So far, the drinks have been great, but despite my experience, I'm still in the learning curve. I did have family over for the recent holiday and made a total of six drinks in ten minutes, and everyone liked them very much. So far, I am completely happy with this machine and I haven't had a whiff of regret.
