First things first. This will be a biased review. I say this because I’ve been using espresso machines from Pasquini for years, and have a fondness for this LA based company. When given the opportunity to try their Bezzera BZ-13 machine, I jumped at the chance. But, before I get into that, let me say I’ve been happily using the Pasquini Livia G4 espresso machine for over 10 years. It’s a beauty to look at, and a pleasure to use. And the coffee is, of course, excellent.
Pasquini no longer sells machines branded with their own name; instead they have taken on Bezzera, an established Italian espresso machine maker. Pasquini helped determine the feature set of the BZ-13, a consumer machine with professional machine attributes. From the white enameled sides to the rosewood handles, this Bezzera is a beautiful object. Backing up the good looks are all the features a high quality machine is known for. The BZ-13 has volumetric programming for espresso shots, an electronically heated grouphead, and an insulated cold touch steam wand.
As is the case with all espresso machines, it takes a few rounds of producing espresso to understand and set the machine to your preference. Once dialed in, this machine is a breeze to use. I have a morning routine of making double shot lattes for my wife and myself each morning, and I’ve got it down perfectly. The espresso comes out with the perfect amount of crema on top, and the insulated steam wand makes the perfect amount of froth. Actually, the steam wand is something of a life saver. In the past, while still half asleep, I’ve managed to burn myself more than once while frothing the milk. The insulated steam wand on the Bezzera eliminates this problem, as it always stays cool to the touch – an impressive upgrade.
Bezzera was founded by Luigi Bezzera in 1901, the year Mr. Bezzera patented a process for preparing coffee. The company now has its own production facility near Milan, where it employs approximately 70 people. The machines are assembled entirely in-house, and most of the components are also produced in-house.
Pasquini was founded by Ambrose Pasquini in 1957 with the opening of one of Los Angeles’ first espresso bars. Over the years, this morphed into the Pasquini Coffee Company. The company is still completely family owned and run, and in addition to supplying professional espresso machines to businesses across Los Angeles, they also sell Pasquini Coffee. They recently moved to a new location in Frogtown (Elysian Valley) that is worth a visit. The showroom is quite beautiful, and the staff is warm and welcoming. I’ll bet if you stop by, you’ll be offered a delicious espresso.
