Bezzera Duo DE Dual Boiler

[wooly89]

Hi noidle22, I've just purchased the Buzzer Duo DE, and I'm also curious about how to go about installing the anti vac valve to the drip tray? I'm keen to protect my investment as much as possible. Thanks in advance!

[mikef]

I did the modification myself. It's a big job but was well worth it. I've since sold the machine and moved on to a Rocket R9 One.

[yamdaddy]

I love my Bezzera Duo DE however I've always been enamored by the Slayer with its ability to provide a very long slow pre-infusion. So I have modified my Duo and installed an adjustable needle valve and a push-button switchable valve. It works brilliantly. Setting the needle valve to deliver 50ml in 30 seconds with no portafilter in the group translates to a pre-infusion time/flow control with coffee (before drips emerge from the basket (naked portafilter)) of 20 seconds for a 20gm dose and 10 seconds for a 10gm dose. IE pre-infusion at a flow rate of about 1ml per 1 gm of coffee per second.

mikef hey I have a bezzera duo and I'd love to have it modified for pre infusion like you did with yours, did you have someone do it for you or did you do it yourself?

Sorry I can't PM due to just signing up!

[man2112]

I love my Bezzera Duo DE however I've always been enamored by the Slayer with its ability to provide a very long slow pre-infusion. So I have modified my Duo and installed an adjustable needle valve and a push-button switchable valve. It works brilliantly. Setting the needle valve to deliver 50ml in 30 seconds with no portafilter in the group translates to a pre-infusion time/flow control with coffee (before drips emerge from the basket (naked portafilter)) of 20 seconds for a 20gm dose and 10 seconds for a 10gm dose. IE pre-infusion at a flow rate of about 1ml per 1 gm of coffee per second.

Once pre-infusion is finished I just switch it off and the extraction rises to 9 bars (as set by my rotary pump). It's absolutely repeatable and allows for finer grind and greater extraction. I measure about 22% extraction efficiency with my refractometer. I can adjust the needle valve to be faster or slower at will. I can also press the pre-infusion button during the extraction to provide a 'ramp-down' at the end of the extraction. My internal implementation of the needle valve and control valve is quite original. The use of the pre-infusion function works perfectly with the volumetric dosing IE the volumetric measurement also measures and includes the pre-infusion water and therefore the delivered doses don't change whether using pre-infusion or not. Needless to say, I'm very happy with my espresso particularly with lighter roasts.

Any chance you have a link to instructions on how to modify the Duo DE in that fashion? I'm on the fence of buying the Bezzera, but doing such a mod would make it the perfect machine for me.

[quester]

Meant to PM, sorry folks

[datahunt]

quester I couldn't PM you so I've posted above

[datahunt]

I've been searching the net looking at all the information that I can find on the Bezzera Duo and Martix DE machines before I commit to a purchase, I'm coming form a Breville Dual Boiler so the DE is similar in features, I've been talking to a few of the NZ coffee machine retailers and most say to stick with ECM that carry ECM and Bezzera, giving the edge to ECM. I just like the look of the Matrix DE but I've read the first lot of Martix DE had issues with the screen, though they remedied this on future machines post 2019, additionally a couple of other smaller issues. I saw you were in Tauranga and thought I'd make an account and send you a message as not many people in Tauranga seem to own a Bezzera Duo or Matrix from what I can see online.


Wlwith owing the machine for awhile now, would you recommend me away from the Matrix DE and towards another machine from ECM, Profitec, etc. I've even thought of importing a Decent machine.


Regards,
Will

[mikef]

I love my Bezzera Duo DE however I've always been enamored by the Slayer with its ability to provide a very long slow pre-infusion. So I have modified my Duo and installed an adjustable needle valve and a push-button switchable valve. It works brilliantly. Setting the needle valve to deliver 50ml in 30 seconds with no portafilter in the group translates to a pre-infusion time/flow control with coffee (before drips emerge from the basket (naked portafilter)) of 20 seconds for a 20gm dose and 10 seconds for a 10gm dose. IE pre-infusion at a flow rate of about 1ml per 1 gm of coffee per second.

Once pre-infusion is finished I just switch it off and the extraction rises to 9 bars (as set by my rotary pump). It's absolutely repeatable and allows for finer grind and greater extraction. I measure about 22% extraction efficiency with my refractometer. I can adjust the needle valve to be faster or slower at will. I can also press the pre-infusion button during the extraction to provide a 'ramp-down' at the end of the extraction. My internal implementation of the needle valve and control valve is quite original. The use of the pre-infusion function works perfectly with the volumetric dosing IE the volumetric measurement also measures and includes the pre-infusion water and therefore the delivered doses don't change whether using pre-infusion or not. Needless to say, I'm very happy with my espresso particularly with lighter roasts.

[coffeemachine]

Hi Noidle22, I am looking at purchasing a new machine to replace my Rocket HX and like the look of the Bezzara Duo manual or Profitec 600. I think a 1L boiler is ample. How did you go about installing the anti vac valve to the drip tray? Could you please share more info on this, may be some pictures. I don't know why Bezzera would not do this out of the factory given the electronics inside this unit. I believe the 600 has venting to the drip tray already. Thanks!

[quester]

My experience with the volumetrics on the Duo De is different to clubbi4's, below. The theory is as c4 explains. In practice, I programmed one of the buttons for 40gms/mls which is the most frequently used. Typically I run, say, 9gms through the Bezzera single shot basket and it will pour 50 mls. I then switch baskets to the 16gm basket for my 18.5gm dose and the same button/programme puts out nearer 38mls/gms. This happens consistently. There is clearly a difference in resistance. Probably, if I were to programme a different button for the single shot to the double shot, the problem would be solved.
Re volumetrics, as Mike has earlier referred (from memory) you can still manually run as much as you like by pressing the Programming/Continuous dispensing button, so you get the best of both worlds.
I too short listed the Bezzera Duo DE with the Crem One. Faced with the same decision today and having owned the Duo for 15 months I would get the Bezzera again.

[Ernata]

Thanks a lot Clubbi4. I m looking to replace my Sage oracle touch and was interest on the Bezzera Duo Top or the new Crem One profile. For the one that have this machine do you still recommend the Bezzera?

[clubbi4]

Yes, When you setup your volumetric dose, it will always dispense the same amount of water. The thing is, if you setup 45ml in the cup with 18gms of coffee, it will always drop 45mls. If you dose 24gms coffee, the coffee in the cup will be less cause the amount of coffee you have dosed is more and thus absorbing more water in the puck so you might get 40ml in the cup.

Hope I explained that properly for you.

[Ernata]

I'm very interested in this machine and I wish to have more details about the volumetrics function. As I read this is not as simple as it seems. What I'm expecting is when the dose is saved it will push always the same amount of water in the group whatever the grind settings , the dose etc. If it's not the case whas is the point of this feature?

Thanks in advance

[PeterW]

Thanks quester. I haven't plumbed my machine in. We make between 6 and 8 cups a day and find the tank is plenty large enough. I probably only refill it every second day.

[quester]

PeterW You'll be rapt with the naked PF. When the valve was replaced it came with the plastic black handle and it was easy to switch that for the wooden one. Love the aesthetics.

I can't explain the valve being open either other than the faulty one seemed to have been having problems sticking and the new one doesn't stick at all. The person servicing the machines lubricated both valves and fine tuned the ball cup water and steam hose joints etc and these now swing around much easier. So worth getting someone tending to this who knows what they were doing!

Re the Kasa, I agree the Duo has a scheduler but, from memory, it was to do with the Standby function and not being able to override it. I think Mike addressed this in an earlier post. Do read all his entries, they are invaluable. In the meantime I still use the Kasa switch but have scheduled it to turn off the machine at set times. ie I turn the machine on manually by tapping the TP-Link switch button and let it switch off according to schedule. It would probably be fine programme to turn on as well but my bench is expensive and I can't afford to risk another incident, even if this time it is human error. eg someone accidentally leaving the lever up and no-one noticing. As I said, I now am paranoid and leave the Hot water lever over the water tray area rather than over the bench as a matter of procedure.

Plumbing the Duo in was another useful thing to do and manually draining is no problem.