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The De’Longhi Dedica’s selling point fits in one number: about 15 cm, six inches wide. It slides into the gap between a kettle and a toaster in a galley kitchen where nothing else fits. That’s why it’s one of the best-selling espresso machines anywhere.
There are several Dedicas now, and the names get confusing. Underneath, they’re close relatives. The steam wand is where they really differ, and for anyone who drinks cortados or flat whites that’s the part that matters.
What Every Dedica Shares
- A Thermoblock heater, which heats water on the way through instead of keeping a boiler hot. It’s quick to warm up. For how this compares with boilers, see our boiler types guide.
- A 15-bar pump, which delivers around 9 bar at the coffee, like any espresso machine.
- A 51 mm portafilter, with pressurized baskets in the box.
- No built-in grinder. You’ll need one.
The Models
Dedica EC685 (sold in the US as the Dedica Deluxe EC685M). The original. Its Panarello wand has a sleeve that sucks in air and foams the milk automatically. It makes bubbly cappuccino foam, not the smooth milk a cortado needs. A common trick is to pull the sleeve off and steam with the inner nozzle.
Dedica Arte EC885. Swaps the Panarello for a proper manual steam wand, which De’Longhi calls My LatteArt. It’s still low-powered, so steaming takes patience, but you can make real microfoam with it. It ships with a metal tamper and a milk pitcher. For milk drinkers on a budget this is the Dedica to get.
Dedica Maestro EC900M. A manual wand plus three brew temperatures (low, medium and high), which De’Longhi calls Active Temperature Control. It’s a little wider at about 7.5 in.
Dedica Maestro Plus EC950M. The top model. Its wand steams automatically with three foam textures, and it adds a three-way solenoid valve, which leaves a drier puck and means you can backflush it. It comes with both pressurized and standard baskets. Its list price is high, but it’s often discounted.
There’s also the Dedica Duo EC890, sold mainly outside the US, with a cold-brew mode that reviewers haven’t liked much.
The Limits, and How to Get Past Them
The pressurized baskets make crema-like foam even from stale coffee. They’re forgiving, but they hide what’s happening and cap how good the shot can get. To go further:
- Fit a non-pressurized 51 mm basket and a 51 mm bottomless portafilter.
- Use a real espresso grinder and fresh beans. Pre-ground coffee only works with the pressurized baskets. Our grinder guide and hand grinder guide cover the options.
- Get a proper 51 mm tamper to replace the plastic one.
Even then, the small 51 mm basket limits the dose, and a Thermoblock can’t hold temperature as steadily as a PID-controlled heater.
Dedica or Breville Bambino?
The Breville Bambino is the obvious rival at a similar price. It uses a 54 mm portafilter that shares baskets and tools with Breville’s bigger machines, a PID-controlled ThermoJet heater that’s ready in seconds, and a better manual wand than most Dedicas. The Bambino Plus adds automatic milk steaming. The Dedica’s real advantage is its narrow body.
If the space is there, the Bambino is the stronger machine. If it isn’t, the Dedica Arte is the one to buy.