The De'Longhi Dedica series, with its flagship products Delonghi Dedica 685 and Delonghi Dedica 885, has made a name for itself in recent years as an insider tip in the espresso scene. The Dedica series shows us: For a good espresso you don't necessarily have to pay the equivalent of a small car, but you can immerse yourself in the world of espresso for around 150 euros.
But it's not that easy out of the box. In order to get the best out of the machine and also out of your coffee, we recommend a few tricks and extensions for the machine. In this blog we will take you step by step and explain how best to operate your machine. You can also watch our video collection for the Dedica 685/885 series.
mill
Unfortunately, this is not possible without further investment. You definitely need a coffee grinder that grinds espresso fine. This can sometimes cost as much as the Dedica. But the mill is essential for two reasons:
- 1. Ground coffee powder loses much of its aroma within a few minutes. If you buy pre-ground coffee in the supermarket, you will only taste a few percent of the original aroma.
- 2. You use the grinder to determine how quickly the water flows through the ground coffee. If the water flows through too quickly with a coarse grind, then the espresso is under-extracted and often too acidic. If the grind is too fine, the water flows too slowly through the ground coffee and dissolves too many bitter substances. The coffee is over-extracted and bitter. You can find the right “sweet spot” by setting the grind correctly. This is only possible with freshly home-ground coffee!
The good news is that you can find good espresso-capable hand grinders for relatively little money. In our hand mill guide we have put together what you should pay attention to.
The portafilter
The Dedica comes with so-called “fake sevens”. These strainers are designed for pre-ground coffee. The water is pressed through an extremely small hole, so that you get a kind of “crema” on your espresso even with old coffee powder.
In order to brew a real espresso, you have to replace the sieve or the entire portafilter with a real, high-quality sieve. In our shop you will find a portafilter with a double spout or a bottomless portafilter . With both variants you can brew real espresso by adjusting the flow rate of the coffee using the grinding degree of the coffee grinder. A game changer!
The right water
Did you know that even water plays a crucial role in brewing your espresso? In order to protect your machine from calcification and to get as much flavor out of the coffee as possible, your water should have a total hardness of 3 - 6 °dH (German hardness). This value can be achieved with filters or with purchased supermarket water. If you want to know more, read the coffee water blog.
The right coffee
Of course, it also depends on the coffee you choose. To get started, we recommend our organic Apas coffee, a real all-rounder. You can also use coffee beans from a local roastery. It is important that you know whether your coffee was roasted dark or light and whether it is 100% Arabica or has Robusta components. This information is important for setting the temperature on your Dedica.
Adjust the brewing temperature for Delonghi Dedica 685 and 885
The Dedica machines offer the option of adjusting the brewing temperature. You have the choice between three levels:
- 1st stage: 90° - 91° C
- 2nd level: 92° - 93° C
- 3rd level: 95° - 97° C
We measured all temperature levels precisely in our tests and recommend the second temperature level for the vast majority of medium and dark roasts. Some very dark roasts taste a little better with the first temperature setting, but the third temperature setting is hardly suitable for any coffee.
Setting the temperature is incredibly easy. With the machine on, hold down the steam button for a few seconds. The reference keys now flash rhythmically. Then you press the button for a simple espresso brew. Now the three buttons flash one after the other. This flashing symbolizes your temperature level. If you want temperature level 1, press the button for simple espresso brewing. You get temperature level 2 by pressing the double espresso dispenser and level 3 by pressing the steam button. After a few seconds, the machine will flash to confirm that the new temperature has been saved.
The preparation
Now it's finally time to get down to business. All preparations have been made and we are brewing espresso.
The Dedica is a so-called thermoblock machine. It heats up very quickly and is at operating temperature after just a few minutes. In this short time, however, the portafilter is far from being at operating temperature, but rather ice cold. That's why you should make a single draw without coffee powder before your first espresso. The hot water warms up your portafilter and you are ready to go.
Now prepare your coffee. About 16 grams of coffee powder fit into the sieves from our shop. Be careful not to overload the strainer, otherwise the coffee could burn in the shower. After dispensing, no imprint of the screw should be visible in the coffee cake.
If the ground coffee is in the portafilter, you first compact it by tapping the portafilter on the table or using a “karate move” with your hand. The coffee settles and all air pockets are closed. If you forget this step, the water may find the slightest resistance under the brewing pressure. It then doesn't flow evenly through the ground coffee, but rather faster in one place. The espresso then tastes sour and unbalanced, despite the correct grind.
Now you start the pre-infusion twice. You can stop it again by clicking on the reference button again. Our temperature tests showed that with this little hack you can achieve a particularly stable temperature curve of around 92° C while making your espresso.
The Dedica machines have programmable volumetrics. So you can adjust how much water your reference uses by holding down the reference button. This is how you can adjust your brewing recipe. We recommend a broth recipe of 1 to 2 or 1 to 2.5. Your 16 grams of coffee powder should result in 32-40 ml of espresso in the cup. Place a scale under the cup and release the button at around 32 grams during the dispensing process. This is how your volumetrics are programmed and the brewing recipe is also correct for other references. Since the Dedica does not have an expansion valve, the machine drips a little after it is released. You should keep this in mind and let go of the button a little “too early” when adjusting.
The machine has an “auto-off” function to save electricity. This can also be adjusted. It is factory set to 9 minutes. If you want to change it, press and hold the steam button again. When all the lights flash rhythmically, press the steam button again. Now the three buttons flash one after the other again and give you three setting options. The single draw button sets the auto-off to 9 minutes, the double draw button to 30 minutes and the steam button to 3 hours.
Inexpensive for the perfect espresso?
Admittedly, anyone who decides to use the Dedica as a beginner will have to dig a little deeper into their pockets. You need at least a grinder and a high-quality, real sieve to really immerse yourself in the world of espresso.
Thanks to our community and our test rounds, we are gathering more and more knowledge about the intricacies of the Dedica series. Even if you have to go a few extra meters, with this knowledge nothing stands in the way of an inexpensive, perfect espresso. Follow our tips and you will be amazed at how high-quality your espresso can taste at home!
Tuning tips and useful accessories for your Dedica
Here you will find a selection of accessories and useful additions for your Dedica 685 or 885: Delonghi Dedica accessories .
