The coffee from the pod machine doesn't taste good? At the office, there's only stale swill from the refrigerator-sized coffee machine? The instant coffee at work always gives me a stomach ache. A real espresso, yes, that's what I need. Strong, intense, and not bitter or sour. Or a creamy cappuccino? Just like at my favorite café.
There are countless reasons why more and more people are looking for high-quality coffee. When it comes to espresso and cappuccino, most people encounter portafilter machines and are immediately put off. They cost several thousand euros, plus an expensive grinder. Maybe a new capsule machine would be better?
The De'Longhi Dedica series promises something different. For just 200 to 250 euros, you're supposed to enjoy a delicious, real espresso. Anyone who reads a bit in coffee communities will find that Dedica machines are probably the most purchased entry-level machines. But do they deserve their good reputation? Can you really buy a decent espresso machine for so little money? We are also enthusiastic about Dedica machines, and we'll tell you why!
Focus on the Dedica 685 and 885
There is a whole range of Dedica machines. In our article, we take a closer look at the current versions Dedica 685, for around 200 euros, and Dedica 885 for around 240 euros.
These are the differences between the two machines:
The Steam Wand
The Dedica 885 comes with some new features. The most noticeable upgrade is a new and truly usable steam wand on the Dedica 885. The cheaper Dedica 685 has a so-called Pannarello steam wand. With this technology, steam is mixed with air in a stainless steel tube to froth the milk. For latte art-capable, fine-pored milk foam, you have to control the air supply yourself during the stretching and rolling phases of milk frothing. This is almost impossible with a Pannarello steam wand. So, if you don't want to tinker with your machine and want a suitable steam wand right away, you should go for the Dedica 885.
If you have a Dedica with a Pannarello steam wand, check out our video with tuning tips, where we also replace the steam wand with a Rancilio Silvia steam wand.
The Included Accessories
The 685 and 885 also differ in terms of accessories. With the cheaper 685 version, you only get a plastic coffee dosing spoon with a tamper function, which is completely unusable and can be discarded immediately. The 885's accessories, however, include a proper, high-quality tamper that fits very snugly with the portafilter. In addition, you also get a small, robust milk pitcher for frothing milk.
In summary, the higher price of the Dedica 885 is well justified, as you would have to pay significantly more and even do some DIY work for a proper tamper, a milk pitcher, and the conversion of the Pannarello steam wand.
What Makes the Delonghi Dedica Machines Perfect Entry-Level Machines?
The Price
The price. As simple as that may sound, the price really makes the machine interesting. For about 200 euros, often significantly cheaper second-hand, you get a good introduction to the world of espresso.
The Thermoblock
Dedica machines are thermoblock machines. In these machines, water from the water tank flows through a heated block, similar to an instantaneous water heater, when making espresso. The water is heated and brought to the correct brewing temperature. This is much faster than with espresso machines with a boiler, where the entire boiler first has to be brought up to operating temperature, which can easily take half an hour.
It's different with thermoblock machines. The Dedica is ready to use after just 20 seconds. This is good for beginners who don't want to plan long in advance when they'll make an espresso. Craving an espresso? Turn it on and get started.
Last but not least, thermoblock machines consume much less electricity. Not bad either!
Built-in Volumetrics
To brew a perfect espresso, you need a good brewing recipe. We often recommend 1 to 2.5, meaning, for example, 18 grams of ground coffee in the portafilter will result in 45 milliliters of espresso in the cup.
With Dedicas, the water quantity for single and double shots can be easily adjusted. You can place a scale under your cup and hold down the brew button until you reach the desired volume in the cup. The machine saves this value, and you won't need a scale for subsequent shots. This volumetrics is extremely practical, ideal for beginners, and is not even installed in many expensive machines.
Adjustable Brewing Temperature
Another special feature for an entry-level machine is the adjustable brewing temperature. Not only the often-advertised pressure of an espresso machine is crucial for the taste, but also the correct brewing temperature.
The Dedicas offer three temperature levels to choose from. For most medium to dark roasts, we recommend the 2nd level at 92° - 93° C.
By no means all machines offer the luxury of an adjustable brewing temperature, especially not in the lower price segment.
As you can see, both the Dedica 685 and the Dedica 885 have some very useful features that are truly remarkable for this price segment. This makes them, especially at their low price, really interesting entry-level machines.
However, the whole truth is that Dedicas do not provide an "out of the box" entry into the world of espresso. For this, you need to make a few upgrades, which we will briefly explain below.
Upgrades for Dedica Machines
New Baskets
Dedica machines are delivered with so-called double-walled baskets. Instead of many holes, these have only a tiny hole through which the coffee is pressed with enormous pressure.
It has now become widely known that crema on espresso is a sign of quality. The extreme pressure created by the double-walled basket produces crema with almost any coffee, no matter how old or incorrectly ground, regardless of how terrible the espresso tastes. Even worse, some old coffee always remains under the rubber ring in the double-walled basket. This is unhygienic and certainly does not contribute to a delicious drink.
Real espresso, as we understand it, is achieved through a natural resistance created by the grind size of the coffee powder. For this, you absolutely need matching single-walled baskets. In our shop, you can buy a portafilter with a double spout or even a bottomless portafilter. These come with high-quality baskets directly included. An absolutely necessary upgrade!
A Grinder
Ground coffee loses a large part of its aroma after just a few minutes. For this reason alone, it would be sensible to buy coffee as beans and grind it fresh.
The second reason is: you determine how quickly the water flows through the coffee grounds by the grind size. The coarser the powder, the faster the water flows through it, and vice versa. Just think of fine and coarse sand in a sandbox. The best taste, the so-called "sweet spot" of a coffee, is roughly achieved with an extraction time of 25-35 seconds. So you need to choose a coffee grinder that can grind espresso-fine and then adjust it accordingly.
A good electric grinder can easily cost another 230 euros. If you don't want to invest that much, you should buy a good hand grinder.
A Proper Tamper
If you bought the Dedica 685, you should replace the included coffee dosing spoon tamper (the word alone sounds terrible) with a high-quality tamper. With the tamper, you compact the coffee grounds and create a flat surface for even extraction. For Dedica machines, 51 millimeter tampers fit, such as this one in our shop.
Further Upgrade Options for Your Dedica
In addition to the three important upgrades described above, there are also a few gadgets that can be practical and helpful, but no longer directly influence the quality of the espresso.
Since the drip tray of the Dedica is somewhat impractical, we recommend buying a drip grid or having one printed via 3D printer in our shop.
Since the standing areas under the Dedica machines are quite small and two cappuccino cups don't fit under them simultaneously, there is another extension. You can print or buy a standing area extension. Even if these two upgrades don't directly affect the taste, they still immensely enhance the machine.
If you have a Dedica 685, you can also upgrade the Pannarello steam wand without technical know-how. First, you can simply pull off the outer metal tube and steam with the silicone hose. This works better than with the Pannarello tube. We recommend fixing the silicone hose with cable ties so that it does not slip. If that's too provisional for you, you can also simply pull the hose onto the inner tube and fasten it with a clamp. Detailed instructions can be found in our video.
As you can see, the Delonghi Dedica machines are truly unbeatable for their price. With the right upgrades and a little practice, you can prepare delicious espressos and milk drinks of barista quality at home.
Here you can find an overview of accessory options for your Dedica in our shop.
We are excited to hear what you think of your Dedica. Feel free to leave us a comment or send us an email.
See you soon and happy brewing!
