The Bezzera Magica made a good impression in our espresso machine test. With a small upgrade that you can perform yourself, the Bezzera Magica is a good choice when it comes to dual boiler espresso machines.
Learn more about the comparison with 11 other dual boiler espresso machines hier.
And the espresso tastes…
Like the Bezzera BZ10 before it, the Bezzera Magica delivers what matters most. Good espresso! We tested it with our Brazilian espresso from Kooperative Apas. The espresso was round, creamy and balanced in terms of sweetness, bitterness and acidity. We only found room for improvement in the aftertaste.
Decisive for the taste of an espresso, in addition to the correct grinder setting, clean distribution and tamping of the ground coffee, are the performance characteristics of the espresso machine. In our espresso machine tests, we focus on the temperature of the espresso machine, but also on the distribution of brewing water through the shower.
Temperaturmessung at the Bezzera Magica
The Bezzera Magica delivers both of these aspects well. The brewing water is distributed evenly through the shower, wetting all the ground coffee in the portafilter evenly. And the temperature of the Bezzera Magica is also optimally calibrated. At the beginning of brewing, the temperature was 93.5 degrees and then increased to approximately 94.2 during brewing. This is not perfect, but certainly within the desired range. When in this target range, slight temperature fluctuations are hardly noticeable in taste.
What we don't like…
However, we noticed a negative aspect in the basket supplied with the Bezzera Magica. It is surprisingly large and easily holds 20 grams of coffee. This is not a disadvantage in itself. We recommend using this volume so that there is not too much space between the coffee cake and shower (headspace), which would lead to increased turbulence and the risk of uneven extraction.
Sieb of the Bezzera Magica
More problematic is that the hole perforation stops well short of the edge, forcing the brewing water that extracts particles at the edge of the basket to take a detour toward the center. A better basket, such as a VST precision basket or a IMS competition basket* would certainly be a very good upgrade, especially since the holes are also more precise.
Unfortunately, the supplied tamper is once again a bad joke. The plastic missile can be used for many things, but should only be an absolute last resort for tamping. The plastic disc is too small and too unstable to compress the coffee grounds evenly.
The basket upgrade is optional, but you shouldn't skimp on the tamper when such an elegant espresso machine is sitting on the table.
Design, Material and Price
We tested the Bezzera Magica without PID control. And once again: if a machine is so well calibrated, it doesn't need PID control. The machine runs at the desired temperature and playing with temperature really only makes sense if you want to delve into all aspects of espresso culture.
Seitenansicht of the Bezzera Magica
The Bezzera Magica S relies on proven Faema E61 technology and delivers what it should – good and consistent temperature. The installed toggle switch gets somewhat hot, but not as hot as other models in our test series. The vibration pump operates in the mid-range volume level. Often it's not the pump that determines the noise, but the rattling of the lid and drip tray. On the Bezzera Magica, the lid sits on rubber stoppers and doesn't wobble. The drip tray, unfortunately, does.
The machine is overall well made. This is also evident from a look inside the machine. The usual suspects – sharp edges – are part of the picture of most espresso machines. (In the video we go into detail about each edge).
The Bezzera Magica has an enormous copper boiler with a volume of 2 liters. This sits inside the machine, which is why the Bezzera Magica is also among the wider dual boilers. 30cm width is paired with a height of 44cm and a depth of 45cm. Accordingly, the machine takes a long time to heat up – you should plan for 25 to 30 minutes before the espresso.
Surprisingly, the Bezzera Magica is offered at really reasonable prices in both Switzerland and Germany. We've seen it for as little as €1250 and 1550 Swiss francs.
For that you get quite a lot of performance, which also showed in milk steaming.
Making Cappuccino with Flair
Our coffee academy director Michel Aeschbacher gave the machine considerable swirl. The steaming of the 0.6 liter pitcher was swift and powerful, and the cappuccinos were a pleasure for both taste and the eye.
Zwei delicious and beautiful cappuccinos.
Speed and powerful performance are especially pleasant when you already have some mastery of steaming technique. Then good swirl in the rolling phase helps ensure that the bubbles created in the pouring phase are well broken down.
For beginners at steaming, it's often easier if a machine doesn't have so much power. However, it can then also be difficult to find the right positioning to get all the milk into a swirl.
Pros and cons… But one thing is certain. The Bezzera Magica can steam milk – no question about it. And with practice, anyone can get the desired results from the machine.
Conclusion on the Bezzera Magica S
We liked it, the Bezzera Magica S. It's neither an innovative high-flyer, like the Lelit Mara X nor a consistency miracle, like the Quickmill Andreja Premium PID. Instead, it's simply a good dual boiler espresso machine at a fair price. In our case, we were unlucky that a pressure gauge wasn't sealed properly and drew moisture. Otherwise, only the tamper should be replaced and optionally the basket. Then you can have a lot of joy with the Bezzera Magica.
*This is an affiliate link. If you order through this link, you don't pay more, but we receive a small commission that we can put toward new machines and tests.
