20 Jun Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Bezzera BZ13 Espresso Machine

Even before sheltering in place, I have made a latte every morning at home. Years ago, I decided to stop spending the money on a daily coffee run and instead invest in a good espresso machine. I have had a few espresso machines over the past 20 years. My newest machine is the Bezzera BZ13, the Please The Palate pick of the week. I was not looking for a new espresso machine but a few weeks ago, my trusty Pasquini machine started spurting water. A seal had broken and unfortunately they no longer support the machine I had. My machine was eight years old. I called Los Angeles-based Pasquini company who imports espresso machines from Italy for both personal and commercial use. While I previously had the Pasquini espresso machine for home use, it was suggested that the comparable option was the Bezzera BZ13. Based in Milano, Italy, Bezzera produces professional and semi-professional espresso coffee machines. The Bezzera BZ13 is a compact machine that fits perfectly on a home kitchen counter. The machine is electronically heated. My machine is a semi-automatic, in which the brewing is managed manually so that I can determine how large I want my espresso shot to be. The insulated cold touch steam wand heats up the milk very quickly and makes the machine feel like a commercial machine. The Bezzera BZ13 takes approximately 8 minutes to heat up are there is a digital thermometer so I can adjust the temperature if I would like. I grind my own coffee beans and as the espresso drips out, a beautiful creama forms on top. The milk heats up quickly and I love the final product. The Bezzera BZ13 also has a hot water dispenser should I want to make an Americana or tea. My new Bezzera BZ13 espresso machine is an investment but I enjoy using it every single day.