An affordable, perfect espresso. Tips and tricks for the De'Longhi Dedica series

The De'Longhi Dedica series, with its flagship products, the 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 that for a good espresso, you don't necessarily have to spend the equivalent of a small car; you can dive into the world of espresso for around 150 euros.

However, it is not quite as simple "out of the box" as that. To get the best out of the machine and your coffee, we recommend a few tricks and upgrades for the machine. In this blog, we will guide you step by step and explain how to best operate your machine. Feel free to also take a look at our video collection for the Dedica 685/885 series.

Grinder

Unfortunately, it is not possible without further investment. You absolutely need a coffee grinder that can grind espresso-fine. This can sometimes cost as much as the Dedica itself. However, the grinder is essential for two reasons:

• 1. Ground coffee loses a large part of its aroma within a few minutes. If you buy pre-ground coffee in the supermarket, you only taste a few percent of the original aroma.
• 2. With the grinder, you determine how fast the water flows through the coffee grounds. If the water flows through too quickly due to a coarse grind, the espresso is under-extracted and often too sour. If the grind is too fine, the water flows through the coffee grounds too slowly and releases too many bitter compounds. The coffee is over-extracted and bitter. You can find the right "sweet spot" by adjusting the grind correctly. This is only possible with fresh, home-ground coffee!

The good news is that you can find good espresso-capable hand grinders for relatively little money. We have compiled what to look for in our hand grinder guide.

The portafilter

The Dedica comes with so-called "fake baskets." These baskets are designed for pre-ground coffee. The water is pressed through an extremely small hole, so you get a kind of "crema" on your espresso even with old coffee powder.

To brew a real espresso, you must swap the basket or the entire portafilter for a genuine, high-quality one. In our shop, you will find a portafilter with a double spout or a bottomless portafilter. With both versions, you can brew real espresso by adjusting the flow rate of the coffee via the grinder's grind setting. A game changer!

The right water

Did you know that even water plays a decisive role in brewing your espresso? To protect your machine from calcification and to extract as much flavor as possible from the coffee, your water should have a total hardness of 3 - 6 °dH (German hardness). This value can be achieved with filters or purchased bottled water. If you want to know more, read our blog on coffee water.

The right coffee

Of course, it also depends on the coffee you choose. For starters, we recommend our Bio Apas coffee, a true all-rounder. You can also use coffee beans from a local roastery. It is important that you know whether your coffee has been roasted dark or light and whether it is 100% Arabica or contains Robusta components. This information is important for the temperature setting on your Dedica.

Setting the brewing temperature on the Delonghi Dedica 685 and 885

The Dedica machines offer the possibility to set the brewing temperature. You have the choice between three levels:

• Level 1: 90° - 91° C
• Level 2: 92° - 93° C
• Level 3: 95° - 97° C

We have precisely measured all temperature levels in our tests and recommend the 2nd temperature level for the vast majority of medium and dark roasts. Some very dark roasts taste a little better with the 1st temperature level, but the third temperature level is hardly useful for any coffee.

The temperature setting is very simple. With the machine switched on, press and hold the steam button for a few seconds. The brewing buttons will now flash rhythmically. Then press the button for the single espresso shot. Now the three buttons will flash one after the other. This flashing symbolizes your temperature level. If you want temperature level 1, press the button for the single espresso shot. You get temperature level 2 by pressing the double espresso shot button, and level 3 by pressing the steam button. After a few seconds, the machine confirms with a flash that the new temperature has been saved.

Preparation

Now we finally get down to business. All preparations are made, and we are brewing espresso.

The Dedica is a so-called thermoblock machine. It heats up very quickly and reaches operating temperature in a few minutes. However, in this short time, the portafilter is far from reaching operating temperature and is ice-cold. Therefore, you should do a blank shot without coffee powder before the first espresso. The hot water warms up your portafilter and you are ready to go.

Now you prepare your coffee. The baskets from our shop hold about 16 grams of coffee powder. Make sure not to overload the basket, as otherwise, the coffee could burn on the shower screen. After the extraction, there should be no imprint of the screw visible in the coffee puck.

Once the ground coffee is in the portafilter, first compress it by tapping the portafilter on the table or with a "karate move" with your hand. The coffee settles, and all air pockets are closed. If you forget this step, it can happen that the water seeks the path of least resistance under brewing pressure. It then does not flow evenly through the coffee grounds but faster in one spot. The espresso then tastes sour and unbalanced, despite the correct grind.

Now start the pre-infusion twice. Stop it again by clicking the brew button again. Our temperature tests showed that with this little hack, you achieve a particularly stable temperature curve around 92° C during your espresso extraction.

The Dedica machines have programmable volumetrics. You can therefore set how much water your shot uses by holding down the brew button. This is how you can set your brewing recipe. We recommend a brewing ratio of 1 to 2 or 1 to 2.5. So your 16 grams of coffee powder should result in 32-40 ml of espresso in the cup. Place a scale under the cup and let go of the button at about 32 grams during the extraction. This programs your volumetrics, and the brewing recipe will also be correct for subsequent shots. Since the Dedica does not have an expansion valve, the machine will drip a little after releasing the button. You should keep this in mind and prefer to let go of the button a little "too early" when setting it.

The machine has an "auto-off" function to save power. This can also be adjusted. It is set to 9 minutes ex-works. If you want to change it, press and hold the steam button again for a long time. When all lights are flashing rhythmically, press the steam button again. Now the three buttons flash one after the other again and give you three setting options. The button for the single shot sets the "auto-off" to 9 minutes, the double shot button to 30 minutes, and the steam button to 3 hours.

Affordable to the perfect espresso?

Admittedly, anyone who chooses the Dedica as a beginner has to dig a little deeper into their pockets. At least a grinder and a high-quality, genuine basket are needed to really be able to dive into 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 miles," with this knowledge, nothing stands in the way of an affordable, 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.