Set Up Your Bezzera Duo MN Espresso Machine. In this manual, you should find everything you need to operate and maintain your dual boiler, E61 espresso machine.
Please read carefully before using your Bezzera Duo MN Espresso Machine.
If you have any other questions, be sure to contact us.
Included Accessories:
- Rosewood bottomless portafilter
- Rosewood double spouted portafilter
- Single basket
- Double basket
- Backflush disc
- Group head brush
- Temporary plastic tamper
- Stainless steel braided line
- Reservoir plug
Water
Espresso machines have specific requirements when it comes to water. There are two primary considerations: filtration and hardness.
Filtration gets rid of tiny particles, such as sand or rust, in your water. If these particles were allowed to enter your machine, they could cause all manner of trouble, specifically by clogging the small valves and other parts in your espresso machine. Almost any water filter will do the job, whether it’s the one built into your fridge, a Brita, or a whole house filter. Ensuring that this filter is replaced in proper time will be important to ensure machine health.
Water hardness is equally important. Use the water hardness test strips included with your machine to test the water you plan to use. Ideally, we want a hardness of between 35-85 ppm (parts per million). Hardness refers to the dissolved solids or mineral content in your water. Common dissolved solids are things like magnesium, calcium, and various forms of sodium. These dissolved solids are what make water, and therefore espresso, taste good. But an excess will result in scale buildup inside your machine. Scale can cause irreparable damage to your machine by clogging and forming a mineralized layer over the surface of metal parts. The process of descaling is even more damaging, eating away at the machine’s metal internals. Luckily, the buildup can be entirely avoided by keeping your water hardness within the recommended TDS range of 35-85 ppm.
There are numerous methods to soften your water if the mineral content has been tested to be too high for your machine.
- A Note on RO (Reverse Osmosis) or Distilled Water
Taste aside, espresso machines require some mineral content to function properly. Their steam boiler fill probes, in particular, use the conductivity of water to detect the water level. With no dissolved solids, they’ll overfill, giving you water instead of steam. You must add some mineral content back in. Our recommendation is Third Wave Water packets, designed to offer ideal flavor and be safe for your machine.
- Reservoir Solutions
Our first recommendation is an in-tank water softening pouch. They’re affordable, last 4-6 months, and very effective. Using distilled water purchased by the gallon in combination with Third Wave Water packets is another effective option.
No matter what solution you pick, we recommend testing the water coming from your machine’s group head every few months. City water hardness changes seasonally, and softening systems wear out. Quarterly testing will ensure you keep your machine safe.
- First Time Setup with Reservoir
The machine arrives in reservoir mode, you can simply fill the reservoir with your filtered and softened water. Be sure to leave a few inches at the top to prevent spillage. The reservoir is removable. Ensure that you do not spill water on top of the machine when filling, as this may cause electrical damage. Once the reservoir is full, turn on the main power switch found at the top right corner of the face of the espresso machine.
- First Time Setup with Water Line
The Duo will arrive in reservoir mode. If you wish to use the machine in plumbed-in mode, you will need to install the included plug into the reservoir inlet before connecting the machine to a water line. If you wish to plumb-in your machine, switch the water source to plumbed in the control panel. Attach the included braided line to the direct water inlet on the bottom of the machine. To attach, simply screw on the line until hand tight, then use an adjustable wrench to tighten an additional quarter turn. Attach the other end of the braided line to a cold water source. Then, open your water line and check for leaks at all of the connection points.
Programming the PID
The Bezzera Duo features a touch screen control panel on the machine’s face to edit and modify various settings. On the home screen, you’ll see the readout for both your steam boiler and brew boiler. If you tap on the brew or steam temperature, this will bring you to the temperature settings. Press the plus or minus button to change the selected boiler temperature.
From the brew boiler screen, you can also edit pre-infusion settings, turn on and off the shot timer (Chrono setting), and indicate which boiler takes priority during the machine’s initial warmup.
There is a wide array of options within the settings menu to edit and modify. You can program an automatic on and off schedule from this menu, calibrate the water level indicator, and set up reminders to keep up to date with routine maintenance and water filters.
Technical Details
For a complete list of technical details, please see the spec table on our product page.
Now you're ready to start pulling shots! Check out our Espresso 101 section to learn about steaming milk, latte art, our suggested starter espresso recipe, grinder dial-in tips, and much more.
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Still have questions? Reach out to our coffee experts and technicians.