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Bean & Burr

HUB 01 · Espresso Machines

De'Longhi Dedica Review (EC685)

Under six inches wide and genuinely capable — the Dedica reviewed on what the slim body includes, tolerates, and gives up.

By Stephen V.Updated How we research
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The Dedica's pitch is one number: it is less than six inches wide. Nothing else that qualifies as a real espresso machine — thermoblock heat, proper pump, programmable shot volumes — occupies so little counter. For a galley kitchen, an office, a dorm or an RV, the Dedica is frequently not the best option but the only option, and it is honestly good within its limits.

The limits are real and worth naming. The steam wand is a panarello — an air-injecting sleeve that makes thick, foamy milk easily but not true microfoam (enthusiasts pull the sleeve off, with mixed results). The 51mm portafilter sits outside the accessory mainstream. And like every machine in this class it ships with pressurized baskets that flatter pre-ground coffee while capping the ceiling.

Below it sits against the Stilosa — De'Longhi's even-cheaper starter — and the Bambino Plus, which is the answer when the counter can spare a few more inches and the budget a bit more money.

The short answer

Quick picks

#ProductBest forScorePrice
01
De'Longhi De'Longhi Dedica Deluxe (EC685)
De'Longhi Dedica Deluxe (EC685)

The slimmest real machine here — barely wider than a wine bottle, and it works.

The narrowest counters
7.0
$229.99Amazon
02
De'Longhi De'Longhi Stilosa (EC260)
De'Longhi Stilosa (EC260)

The honest cheapest way to find out whether you're actually going to do this.

Testing the waters on a tight budget
6.6
$149.95Amazon
03
Breville Breville Bambino Plus (BES500)
Breville Bambino Plus (BES500)

The one to buy if you already have a grinder. Tiny, fast to heat, and it auto-steams milk.

People who already own a grinder
8.2
$498.49Amazon

#ad · Live prices from the Amazon Product API, as of Jul 26, 2026. Where we have no verified live price, we show none — we would rather leave a gap than print a number that has rotted.

In detail

The picks, in full

01
De'Longhi De'Longhi Dedica Deluxe (EC685)

The narrowest counters

De'Longhi Dedica Deluxe (EC685)

4.9-inch wide15-bar pumpManual milk frotherFast pre-heat
7.0/10

The slimmest real machine here — barely wider than a wine bottle, and it works.

Shot quality
7
Steam & milk
6
Ease of use
8
Build quality
6
Value
8

Pros

  • De'Longhi lists it at under five inches wide, which genuinely solves the 'no counter space' problem better than anything else here
  • Heats quickly and pulls a respectable shot for the size and price
  • Manual frother lets you learn milk texturing properly

Cons

  • The small stature means a small boiler and tank — it's built for one or two drinks at a time
  • No grinder, and the pressurized basket flatters mediocre grinding rather than rewarding good grinding

Don't buy this if…

…counter space isn't your constraint. You're paying a slight premium for slimness — a Stilosa or a Bambino Plus gives you more machine for the footprint you'd otherwise use.

$229.99View on Amazon

Price as of Jul 26, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's is the one that counts.

#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to De'Longhi Dedica Deluxe (EC685)

02
De'Longhi De'Longhi Stilosa (EC260)

Testing the waters on a tight budget

De'Longhi Stilosa (EC260)

15-bar pumpManual steam wandTamper includedCompact footprint
6.6/10

The honest cheapest way to find out whether you're actually going to do this.

Shot quality
6
Steam & milk
6
Ease of use
7
Build quality
5
Value
9

Pros

  • Costs a fraction of the Breville and De'Longhi machines while still pulling a real pressurized shot
  • A genuine manual steam wand, so you can practice milk without an auto-frother doing it for you
  • Small and light enough to stash in a cupboard if the hobby doesn't stick

Cons

  • No grinder, single-walled basket, and modest temperature stability — the shot ceiling is lower than the pricier machines
  • Plastic-heavy build that feels its price

Don't buy this if…

…you already know you're serious. You'll outgrow it fast and end up buying twice — start with the Barista Express or Bambino Plus and skip the upgrade.

$149.95View on Amazon

Price as of Jul 26, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's is the one that counts.

#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to De'Longhi Stilosa (EC260)

03
Breville Breville Bambino Plus (BES500)

People who already own a grinder

Breville Bambino Plus (BES500)

No built-in grinder54mm portafilter3-second heat-upAutomatic milk texturing
8.2/10

The one to buy if you already have a grinder. Tiny, fast to heat, and it auto-steams milk.

Shot quality
8
Steam & milk
8
Ease of use
9
Build quality
7
Value
9

Pros

  • Breville rates it at a 3-second heat-up — you genuinely can go from cold to a shot faster than a kettle boils
  • The automatic milk-texturing wand froths to a set temperature and texture with no technique required, which is the feature beginners actually benefit from
  • A tiny footprint that fits a cramped counter where the Barista Express won't

Cons

  • No grinder, so you must own or buy one — factor that into the real price
  • Small water tank means frequent refills if you make several drinks a day

Don't buy this if…

…you don't have a grinder and don't want to buy one. Pre-ground coffee makes bad espresso in any machine, and this one gives you nowhere to grind — get the Barista Express instead.

$498.49View on Amazon

Price as of Jul 26, 2026. Prices change — Amazon's is the one that counts.

#ad · we may earn a commission from this link to Breville Bambino Plus (BES500)

Who the Dedica actually fits

Buy it if width is the binding constraint — there is no six-inch competitor this competent — or as a low-commitment first step into real espresso that still makes a proper shot with fresh beans and a decent hand grinder.

Skip it if milk texture matters to you (the panarello makes bubbles, not silk — latte-art households want the Bambino Plus) or if you can spare the width: the Bambino's faster heat and better wand justify the extra inches for most buyers. The Stilosa undercuts it on price, but the Dedica's metal body, slimmer footprint and volume programming are worth the step up if either machine fits the budget — the full comparison is in Bambino Plus vs Dedica.

How we picked

We do not run a testing lab

We compiled published manufacturer specifications, computed what each option costs to run where relevant, and cross-referenced aggregated owner reviews, then scored each product against a published rubric. The scores are judgments from documented research — they are not measurements we took, because we do not have a lab and we are not going to pretend we do. Where a number came from a manufacturer or a standard, we name it in Sources.

Questions

Frequently asked

Can the De'Longhi Dedica make a real latte?
It makes a good hot milk drink — the panarello wand produces warm, foamy milk with zero technique. What it can't easily produce is café-style microfoam for latte art; the air-injecting sleeve makes bubbles, not silk. If that distinction matters to you, it's the single best reason to size up to a machine with a proper wand.
Does the Dedica work with pre-ground coffee?
Yes — its pressurized baskets are designed for exactly that, and it's a fine way to start. The honest upgrade path is the same as every entry machine: fresh beans, a burr grinder, and the non-pressurized basket, in that order. See pressurized vs non-pressurized.
Dedica vs Stilosa — which cheap De'Longhi?
The Stilosa is cheaper and wider, with a plastic body and the same class of pressurized 51mm baskets; the Dedica buys a metal body, the six-inch width, programmable shot volumes and a cup warmer. If the extra cost is comfortable, the Dedica is the more finished machine; if not, the Stilosa makes the same basic shot for less.

Keep reading

Related

Receipts

Sources

We do not run a testing lab, and we do not pretend to. Where a measured number came from a manufacturer spec sheet or a published standard, we name it and link it. Where we could not verify something, we say so on the page rather than quietly leaving it out. Read our full method.