Tired of coffee from a pod machine that doesn't taste like anything? Is the office coffee just stale swill from a machine the size of a refrigerator? I always get a stomachache from the instant coffee at work. A real espresso—now that would be something. Bold, strong, and not bitter or sour. Or maybe a creamy cappuccino? Just like in my favorite cafe.
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 you need an expensive grinder. Maybe a new capsule machine is better after all?
The De'Longhi Dedica series promises something different. For just 200 to 250 euros, you can enjoy a delicious, authentic espresso. Anyone who reads a little in coffee communities will realize that Dedica machines are probably the best-selling entry-level machines. But do they deserve their good reputation? Can you really buy a decent espresso machine for so little money? We are huge fans of the Dedica machines too, and we'll tell you why!
Focus on the Dedica 685 and 885
There is a wide range of Dedica machines. In our article, we take a closer look at the current versions, the Dedica 685 for around 200 euros and the Dedica 885 for around 240 euros.
Here are the differences between the two machines:
The Steam Wand
The Dedica 885 comes with some new features on board. 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. However, to get fine-pored milk foam suitable for latte art, you need to control the air intake yourself during the stretching and rolling phase of milk frothing. This is almost impossible with a Pannarello steam wand. If you don't want to tinker with your machine and want a suitable steam wand right out of the box, 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 measuring spoon with a tamper function, which is completely useless and can be thrown away immediately. In contrast, the accessories for the 885 include a real, high-quality tamper that fits flush with the portafilter. Furthermore, you also get a small, robust milk pitcher for frothing milk.
In summary, the extra cost of the Dedica 885 is well justified, as you would have to pay significantly more to buy a proper tamper, a milk pitcher, and replace the Pannarello steam wand—not to mention the manual work involved.
What makes Delonghi Dedica machines the perfect entry-level machines?
The Price
The price. As simple as it may sound, the price really makes the machine interesting. For about 200 euros—often much cheaper used—you get a great entry into the world of espresso.
The Thermoblock
Dedica machines are thermoblock machines. In these machines, water from the water tank runs through a heated block during the brewing process, similar to an instantaneous water heater. 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 must first be brought up to operating temperature. That takes a good half hour.
It's different with thermoblock machines. The Dedica is ready to use in just 20 seconds. This is great for beginners who don't want to plan long in advance when they want to make an espresso. In the mood for an espresso? Turn it on and get started.
Last but not least, thermoblock machines consume much less electricity. Not bad at all!
Built-in Volumetrics
To brew a perfect espresso, you need a good brewing recipe. We often recommend a ratio of 1 to 2.5, e.g., 18 grams of ground coffee in the portafilter results in 45 milliliters of espresso in the cup.
With the Dedicas, the water quantity for single and double shots can be easily adjusted. You can place a scale under your cup and hold the brew button until you have reached the desired volume in the cup. The machine saves this value, and you don't need a scale for further extractions. This volumetric feature is extremely practical, ideal for beginners, and is not even included in many expensive machines.
Adjustable Brewing Temperature
Another special feature for an entry-level machine is the adjustable brewing temperature. It is not just the often-advertised pressure of an espresso machine that is crucial for the taste, but also the correct brewing temperature.
The Dedicas offer three temperature settings to choose from. For the vast majority of medium to dark roasts, we recommend the 2nd setting at 92° - 93° C.
Far from 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.
But to tell the whole truth, the Dedicas do not provide an entry into the world of espresso "out of the box." For this, you need to make a few upgrades, which we will briefly explain below.
Upgrades for the Dedica Machines
New Baskets
The Dedica machines are delivered with so-called double-walled baskets (pressurized baskets). Instead of many holes, these have only one tiny hole, through which the coffee is forced at enormous pressure.
It has become common knowledge that crema on espresso is a hallmark 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 actually tastes. Even worse, a little 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 created through natural resistance generated by the grind size of the coffee powder. For this, you definitely need suitable single-walled baskets. In our shop, you can buy a portafilter with a double spout or 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 make sense to buy coffee as beans and grind it fresh.
The second reason is: You determine how fast the water runs through the coffee grounds via the grind size. The coarser the powder, the faster the water runs through, and vice versa. Just think of fine and coarse sand in a sandbox. Roughly speaking, you hit the best taste—the so-called "sweet spot" of a coffee—with an extraction time of 25-35 seconds. You therefore need to choose a coffee grinder that can grind to an espresso fine level 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 Real Tamper
If you have bought the Dedica 685, you should replace the included coffee measuring spoon tamper (the word alone sounds terrible) with a high-quality tamper. With the tamper, you compress the coffee grounds and create a level surface for an even extraction. 51-millimeter tampers fit Dedica machines, such as this one in our shop.
Further Upgrade Options for Your Dedica
Besides the three important upgrades described above, there are also a few gimmicks that can be practical and helpful, but do not directly influence the quality of the espresso anymore.
Since the drip tray of the Dedica is a bit impractical, we recommend that you buy an additional drip grid or print one using a 3D printer in our shop.
Since the surface area under the Dedica machines is quite small and two cappuccino cups don't fit underneath at the same time, there is another expansion. You can print or buy a surface extension. Even if these two upgrades do not directly influence the taste, they still enhance the machine immensely.
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 froth with the silicone hose. This works better than with the Pannarello tube. We recommend securing the silicone hose with cable ties so that it does not slip off. If that is too makeshift for you, you can also simply pull the hose onto the inner tube and fasten it with a clamp. Detailed instructions are available in our video.
As you can see, the Delonghi Dedica machines are truly unbeatable for their price. With the right upgrades and a bit of practice, you can prepare delicious espressos and milk drinks of barista quality at home.
Here you can access an overview of accessory options for your Dedica in our shop.
We are curious what you have to say about your Dedica. Feel free to leave us a comment or send us an email.
See you soon and happy brewing!
