REASONS TO BUY
Good taste
Small and sleek
REASONS TO AVOID
No grinder
De'Longhi EC685M Review
Not a bad choice if you already have a nice grinder and can find it on sale
Credit: De'Longhi
RELATED: Best Espresso Machine of 2024
Our Verdict
The biggest strong suit of the De'Longhi Dedica DeLuxe is its size. The modest footprint allows even those with small kitchens to enjoy the ritual of tamping and brewing espresso with a classic portafilter machine. Beyond that, the waters get a little murky as to whether this can be considered a top espresso machine. It does not have a built-in grinder, so you'll either need to invest in a nice grinder that can achieve a fine espresso grind, or buy some of the premium pre-ground coffee that is meant for espresso making. We find the overall performance average — there are other machines for a similar price point that offer a bit better finished drink.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The De'Longhi EC685M or Dedica DeLuxe offers a manual espresso brewing experience in a small package and makes some pretty tasty shots to boot. However, the lack of a grinder adds an extra consideration to consider before you buy.
Performance Comparison
A small footprint and decent performance make this a very viable option.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Espresso Quality
Earning an above-average taste score, the Dedica was able to pull a nice and robust shot in our testing. This machine's espresso did taste slightly watery when compared to that of the highest performing machines, but it was still stiff enough that it satisfied that craving for the concentrated punch of a good espresso. We found it easy to get some good foam for a cappuccino with the built-in steam wand, but the texture of its steamed milk left a little bit to be desired.
Ease of Use
The Dedica was again right around average in our ease of use testing. Thanks to a well-written instruction manual and very little required assembly, we had this machine out of the box and heating up water for the first brew in less than 10 minutes.
Like any semi-automatic machine, it will take a newcomer a bit to get used to manually tamping and brewing espresso. Beyond that, the interface is fairly intuitive, and the steam wand settings are conveniently labeled 'hot milk' and 'cappuccino' indicating how much foam each setting will produce.
Learning to properly tamp and dose espresso shots is going to take anyone a few goes before they get it right.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Ease of Cleaning
The Dedica is relatively painless when it comes to clean up. The portafilter tends not to build up too much coffee gunk when pulling a shot, so wiping it off is pretty easy. The steam wand also easily breaks down into multiple pieces and is dishwasher safe. Even if you forget to wipe it off a few times and you get some buildup, you can just toss it in the dishwasher.
The Delonghi Dedica DeLuxe's steam wand disassembles and is dishwasher safe.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
The descaling process took us just 27 minutes and was very clearly described in the user manual. However, we didn't feel like we could leave the machine alone to do its thing while descaling, so our attention was required for most of that time.
Milk Quality
Here again, the Dedica DeLuxe performed a bit above average. We were able to make some nice foam to top off a cappuccino, but its steamed milk didn't quite get that ideal creamy texture.
The steam wand is good, but falls a bit short of great.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Value
It's kind of hard to peg the value of this machine. It sells for a good price for a semi-automatic machine that performs well. Just remember you'll either have to invest in a nice grinder as well or commit to buying specialty pre-ground espresso coffee.
Conclusion
The De'Longhi Dedica DeLuxe offers fairly good performance and a full espresso brewing experience for those that really want to learn the ways of the barista. However, there are both better and more convenient machines in the same price range.
—
Max Mutter and Steven Tata
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