If you’re looking to bring cafĂ©-quality espresso into your home without sacrificing precious counter space, the De’Longhi Dedica Deluxe EC685M might be exactly what you need. In this review, I’ll share my firsthand experience with this compact espresso machine, showing you how it performs with espresso shots, milk frothing, and daily use in a real kitchen setting.
I’ve been using this machine regularly and I’m excited to walk you through all the features that make it such a great choice for small kitchens and beginner home baristas.
Let me show you everything this machine can do in my hands-on video review:
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The Incredible Space-Saving Design
The first thing that absolutely blew me away about this De’Longhi Dedica is just how thin and streamlined it is! This thing will fit into any kitchen, even the smallest ones you can imagine. I love how it just slots right into my counter space with its sleek profile. It’s got lovely rubber feet on the bottom that keep it stable and secure, so you don’t have to worry about it sliding around while you’re making your coffee.
Quick and Easy Setup
Getting started with this machine couldn’t be simpler. All you do is press the button around the side, and then you’ll notice the button lights on top start to flash. When they start flashing, it’s ready to go—literally doesn’t take long at all! The heat-up time is incredibly fast, which is perfect for those busy mornings when you need your coffee quickly.
Professional Features I Absolutely Love
Here’s something really cool: the grided surface across the top is actually a cup warmer! You can leave your glasses upside down and it will actually warm them just like in a real cafĂ© with those larger Barista machines. This is such a nice touch that really elevates the whole coffee-making experience and helps keep your espresso at the perfect temperature.
What Comes in the Box
The machine comes with all the pucks you need, so you’ve got different size filter baskets for your coffee. There’s the double shot option which I like to use, and you’ve got the thinner single shot one as well. You also get the Puck base where you just click it into place. It comes with a plastic scoop that’s absolutely fine for measuring your coffee, though you can get a metal one if you want. The scoop has a flat end that you use to compress and tamp your coffee grounds.
Making Your First Espresso
Setting up for a shot is straightforward. You choose the size of the puck you want and just click it into place, ready to go. The water reservoir lifts out from the side—you can actually take this whole thing out or just use a cup to fill it, which is super convenient. I filled my Puck with coffee that I ground myself, though that’s a preference that’s completely up to you whether you use pre-ground or freshly ground beans.
After filling the portafilter, I give it a little bit of compression with the tamper, and there you go—it’s nice and tight. Then it simply goes into the machine from the side and you just turn until it stops, nice and solid. I choose the double shot button, and you’ll hear it winding up. The espresso that comes out is absolutely beautiful—look at the crema on it! It creates a really nice, full-bodied coffee with a gorgeous texture and head on top.
Mastering the Milk Steaming Wand
Now onto one of my favorite features: the milk steaming wand. It comes with attachments for hot milk and cappuccino, though I actually never use the cappuccino attachment because I get really good froth from just having it on normal. What you do is hit the steamer light on the top, and then you control the steam as you want.
I really recommend watching some YouTube videos and really learning how to do milk steaming properly. There’s a certain amount of skill to steaming the milk correctly, so definitely watch as many videos as you can to practice—it’s really good fun learning! It depends how frothy you want it and how much air you let in. You simply stick the wand in the milk and start steaming, then give it a shake and a tap, and there you go—you have steamed, frothy milk ready to pour.
The Results: Café-Quality Coffee at Home
When you pour that perfectly steamed milk into your espresso, you get this nice, creamy, amazing coffee that rivals what you’d get at your favorite cafĂ©. You do have to learn a little bit of technique with the pouring, but that’s part of the fun! I absolutely love this machine—it delivers professional results once you get the hang of it, and the learning process is enjoyable rather than frustrating.
Who Should Buy This Machine
This De’Longhi Dedica is ideal if you want a compact entry-level espresso machine and you’re okay learning a bit of technique to get great results. You’ll need to master grinding (if using fresh beans), tamping, and frothing, but none of it is overly complicated. It’s perfect for small kitchens, apartments, or anyone starting a home espresso setup without breaking the bank or taking up half your counter space.