The Bezzera Magica left a good impression in our espresso machine test. With a small upgrade that you can perform yourself, the Bezzera Magica is a great choice when it comes to heat exchanger espresso machines.
You can find out more about how it compares to 11 other heat exchanger espresso machines here.
And the espresso tastes like…
Just like the Bezzera BZ10, the Bezzera Magica delivers what matters most. Good espresso! We tasted our Brazilian espresso from the Apas Cooperative. The espresso was rounded, 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 grounds, is the performance of the espresso machine. In our espresso machine tests, we focus on the machine's temperature, as well as the distribution of the brew water through the shower screen.
Temperature measurement on the Bezzera Magica
The Bezzera Magica performs well in both these aspects. The brew water is distributed evenly through the shower screen, wetting all the grounds in the portafilter uniformly. And the temperature of the Bezzera Magica is optimally adjusted, too. At the start of the brew, the temperature was 93.5 degrees, rising to approx. 94.2 during the extraction. That's not perfect, but it is well within the desired range. When in this target range, slight temperature fluctuations are hardly noticeable.
What we don't like…
However, we were disappointed by the stock basket included with the Bezzera Magica. It is surprisingly large and easily holds 20 grams of coffee. That in itself is not a disadvantage. We recommend taking advantage of this volume so that there isn't too much space between the coffee puck and the shower screen (headspace), which leads to increased turbulence and the risk of uneven extraction.
Bezzera Magica basket
A bigger problem is that the hole pattern stops well before the edge, forcing the brew water, which extracts particles at the edge of the basket, to take a detour towards the center. A better basket, e.g., a VST precision basket or an IMS competition basket*, would certainly be a very good upgrade here, especially since the holes are also more precise.
Unfortunately, the included tamper is once again a bad joke. The plastic piece can be used for many things, but it should only be an absolute last resort for tamping. The plastic disk 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 a stylish espresso machine is on your counter.
Design, material, and price
We tested the Bezzera Magica without PID control. And once again: when a machine is tuned this well, there is no need for PID control. The machine runs at the desired temperature, and playing with temperature settings only really makes sense if you want to dive deep into all aspects of espresso culture.
Side view of the Bezzera Magica
The Bezzera Magica S relies on the proven Faema E61 technology, which delivers exactly what it should – good, constant temperature. The toggle switch gets a bit hot, but not as hot as other models in our test series. The vibration pump is in the medium volume range. Often, it's not the pump that's responsible for 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, however, unfortunately does.
Overall, the machine is well built. This is also evident when looking inside the machine. The usual sharp edges are part and parcel of most espresso machines. (We go into more detail about the individual edges in the video).
The Bezzera Magica has an enormous copper boiler with a volume of 2 liters. This is located inside the machine, which is why the Bezzera Magica is one of the wider heat exchangers. A width of 30 cm is contrasted with a height of 44 cm and a depth of 45 cm. Consequently, the machine takes quite a while to heat up – you should plan for 25 to 30 minutes before pulling your espresso.
It is surprising that the Bezzera Magica is offered at really low prices in both Switzerland and Germany. We have already seen it from 1250 € and 1550 Swiss Francs.
For that price, you get a lot of performance, which was also evident when steaming milk.
Making cappuccino with momentum
Our Coffee Academy director, Michel Aeschbacher, praised the machine for its good vortex. Frothing with the 0.6L pitcher was quick and powerful, and the cappuccinos were a treat for both the palate and the eyes.
Two delicious and beautiful cappuccinos.
Speed and powerful performance are particularly pleasant when you have already mastered the handling of frothing. Then, a good vortex during the rolling phase helps to ensure that the small bubbles created during the stretching phase are well dissipated.
For beginners to frothing, it is often easier if a machine doesn't have quite as much power. However, it is then also difficult to find the right position to get all the milk moving.
Pros and cons... But one thing is certain: the Bezzera Magica can steam milk – no question about it. And with practice, anyone can get desirable results from the machine.
Conclusion on the Bezzera Magica S
We liked the Bezzera Magica S. It is neither an innovative high-flyer like the Lelit Mara X nor a consistency marvel like the Quickmill Andreja Premium PID. Instead, it is simply a good heat exchanger espresso machine at a fair price. In our case, we were unlucky that a pressure gauge leaked and drew in moisture. Otherwise, only the tamper should be replaced and optionally the basket. Then you can have a lot of fun with the Bezzera Magica.
*This is an affiliate link. If you order via this link, you won't pay any more, but we receive a small commission that we can put into new machines and tests.
