Bezzera DUO Top DE 3 PID – Dual Boiler with Touch Display
In the morning it's already up to temperature, because you've programmed it for the day of the week. One lever, the espresso runs – and while it flows into the cup, the milk is already steaming in parallel. Two separate boilers, no waiting in between.
The Bezzera DUO Top DE 3 PID is a compact dual-boiler portafilter machine with three PID thermostats, volumetric dosing and a 3.5-inch touch display. Bezzera makes it in Italy, in a slim stainless steel body with rosewood handles and an illuminated back panel.
Dual boiler with three PID
Two separate copper boilers share the work: a 0.45-litre coffee boiler for extraction and a steam-and-water boiler holding around 1 litre. Because both are independent, you can pull espresso and steam milk at the same time, as often as you like, without pressure or temperature dropping. Three PID thermostats keep the values steady: one for the group head, one for the coffee boiler, one for the steam boiler. You set the brew temperature in a range of around 88 to 96 °C.
We extract by weight ratio – 1:2 as a starting point, so around 18 g of coffee to 36 g of espresso – and adjust grind size, dose and temperature until it tastes right to us. There's no right and no wrong.
The electrically heated BZ group head
Unlike the E61 variant (called the Bezzera DUO MN), the DE works with its own electrically heated BZ group head. That shortens heat-up time significantly: from cold, it's ready in around ten minutes. The 58 mm portafilter is a standard size, so common accessories fit.
Touch display, dosing and comfort
You control everything through the 3.5-inch touch display: set boiler temperatures, read the digitally displayed gauges for pump and boiler pressure, program the pre-infusion and set on and off times for every day of the week. The DE abbreviation stands for volumetric dosing – a microprocessor measures the water flowing through, you program four shots directly on the keypad, and the fifth button dispenses manually. There's also an automatic group-head flush programme and a water-filter alarm. The machine is supplied via the removable 4-litre tank or via a direct water connection; the rotary pump runs quiet and steady.
At a glance
| Design |
Dual boiler (brews and steams at the same time) |
| Group head |
Bezzera BZ group, electrically heated (not E61) |
| Temperature control |
3 PID (group head, coffee boiler, steam boiler); brew temperature approx. 88–96 °C |
| Boilers |
Coffee boiler 0.45 L, steam/water boiler approx. 1 L, both copper |
| Dosing |
Volumetric (DE): 4 programmable shots + manual |
| Display |
3.5-inch touch, digital gauges (pump and boiler) |
| Pump |
Rotary pump (brew pressure approx. 9 bar) |
| Pre-infusion |
Adjustable |
| Comfort |
Weekly timer, automatic group-head flush programme, water-filter alarm |
| Steam/water |
Cool-touch wands, tilt-lever valves |
| Portafilter |
58 mm |
| Water |
4 L tank or direct water connection |
| Housing |
Stainless steel AISI 304, rosewood handles, illuminated back panel |
| Heat-up time |
around 10 minutes |
| Dimensions (W×D×H) |
326 × 470 × 425 mm, ca. 33 kg |
| Origin |
Made in Italy |
| What's included |
2 portafilters (rosewood handle), baskets for 1 and 2 cups (7 g, 16 g), rosewood brew buttons, blind basket, tamper, measuring spoon, nylon brush |
Who the DUO Top DE is for
For anyone at home who wants to brew and steam in parallel and appreciates the comfort along the way – the weekly timer, automatic dosing and touch controls take steps off your hands. Whether this is your first dual-boiler machine or you've been at it for a while: the DUO makes the start easy and still leaves you room to grow. You don't need any prior experience.
What goes with it
Freshly ground decides everything. A machine in this class deserves a capable grinder from our Coffee Grinders – for example the Varia VS6 or the Weber Workshops EG-1; a little more affordable are the Varia VS3 or the Comandante as a hand grinder.
For clean tamping and puck prep, it's worth a look at the Normcore Collection or the Weber Workshops range – thanks to 58 mm, everything fits. To nail your 1:2 ratio, a scale with an app from the Acaia Collection helps, or a compact one from the Normcore Collection.
How a dual boiler differs from a single-circuit and a heat-exchanger machine is explained in our deep dive on heating systems; the machine comparison tool.
Buying the Bezzera DUO Top DE 3 PID – in Bern, Zurich and online
Buying the Bezzera DUO Top DE 3 PID in Switzerland works through the online shop or directly with us in Zurich and Bern, where you can experience it live: Bern at Gerberngasse 44 (map) and Zurich at Hagenholzstrasse 50b (map). We deliver throughout Switzerland and to Liechtenstein in 2 to 4 working days. Financing is available.
Buying a machine includes a personal introductory course (around 60 minutes, in Bern, Zurich or online) – so you can get started right away. We're happy to answer questions at [email protected] or by phone during business hours, more at coffeecoachingclub.ch.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Bezzera DUO Top DE have an E61 group head?
No. The DE version works with its own electrically heated BZ group head and three PID thermostats. The E61 variant is called the DUO MN. The BZ group heats up faster – around ten minutes – and uses a 58 mm portafilter.
What does DE mean, and what do the 3 PID stand for?
DE stands for volumetric dosing: you program four shots on the keypad, and the fifth button dispenses manually. The three PID thermostats separately control the group head, the coffee boiler and the steam boiler.
Can the DUO brew espresso and steam milk at the same time?
Yes. As a true dual boiler with two separate copper boilers (coffee boiler 0.45 L, steam boiler around 1 L), both run in parallel without pressure or temperature dropping. You set the brew temperature to around 88 to 96 °C.
Tank or direct water – and how do I maintain it?
Both: the removable 4-litre tank makes it flexible, or it can run on a direct water connection. An automatic group-head flush programme is built in; backflush daily with the blind basket without detergent, and about every 50 shots with detergent. We recommend soft, low-lime water and regular descaling depending on hardness.
Where can I buy the Bezzera DUO Top DE 3 PID?
Online throughout Switzerland and to Liechtenstein with delivery in 2 to 4 working days, or directly in our showrooms in Bern (Gerberngasse 44) and Zurich (Hagenholzstrasse 50b). Financing is available.
From the roastery: the DUO holds temperature remarkably steady – that suits dense, sweet profiles, even with plenty of milk. We recommend Cozy Chocolate, Nutty Delight and Very Nutty. If you like it bright and fruity, try Wild Peach or Bright Cassis from our coffee beans. That's our recommendation, one among many.
