Delonghi EC685M DEDICA Review – Size Doesn’t Always Matter

by | Feb 7, 2018

Size – an aspect of modern products which is often overlooked. When choosing a coffee machine for a coffee shop or just for your own home, size should be one of the most important factors. It reflects on so many other features, such as sturdiness, boiler volume, and so on. What the designers over at Delonghi did is attend to the needs of a certain portion of the market.

People have been wanting a quality espresso maker with a tiny footprint for a long time now, and they finally got it. The Delonghi EC685M Dedica is a relatively cheap and beautiful machine which doesn’t sacrifice your coffee’s quality when cutting down on size.

Delonghi EC685M DEDICA Review

Well, right off the bat, the size of this thing is applaudable. It fits literally anywhere and even looks rather good! It has a solid construction and various premium materials all over it, such as the stainless steel shell and the stainless steel Pannarello, used for steaming and frothing. We discussed materials used in espresso machines in our Buyer’s Guide.

 

DeLonghi America EC685M 

Sale
De'Longhi EC685M Dedica Deluxe Automatic Espresso Machine,35 oz, 1, Metallic
  • Design: Less than 6-inch in width, super-slim design, fully metal body, 15-bar pump and incorporated cup warmer
  • Use: Brews a variety of of espresso-based drinks
  • Practical: Heats in 40 seconds and keeps perfect temperature
  • Customizable: Adjustable coffee length, foam and steam levels
  • Double Drip Tray: The removable drip tray allows you to use mugs and glasses up to 12 cm tall

The Dedica utilizes a thermal block instead of a traditional boiler. This not only reduces the price but is also considered a downside by many people who prefer the traditional boiler method of getting the water to the right temperature.

Either way, your water won’t take more than half a minute to heat up with this thing, and that is more than good enough. When everything reaches the right conditions, your espresso won’t taste any different than it would with a more expensive machine, which is perhaps the biggest advantage of this unit. It brings a professionally made tasteful cup of a coffee right to your kitchen at your disposal.

If you want to further improve the taste of your coffee, we recommend getting a pack of water purifiers for the machine’s water tank.

Another amazing thing is that it has a programmable water temperature. You can choose from low, medium, or high. If you want your espresso to be even hotter, raise the standby time to 30 minutes (or 3 hours).

The water hardness function (soft, medium or hard) also improves the brewing quality, but taste, as most things are subjective, so try finding the perfect combination for you. Lastly, there is a cup warmer on top of it, which can be used either to pre-warm your cup, or dry the ones you just washed.

 

Pros & Cons

What we really like

Cheap

✔ Great bang for the buck

✔ Stainless steel elements

✔ Heats up relatively quick

✔ Various programmable options

✔ Great for home use

✔ Quiet

✔ Relatively good for cappuccinos

✔ Espresso quality is amazing considering the price

What we don't like

✗ Doesn’t have a high output (cups/hour)

✗ Not the best warranty out there

A thing that has to be mentioned here is that the weight can also be a downside. When twisting the portafilter around, the little weight of the Dedica can make the whole unit wiggle, thus causing trouble.

 

EC 685M Possible Alternatives

Although one might say that this machine works well behind a bar in a coffee shop, we would want you to know that that’s not the case. In our opinion, the Delonghi EC685M is made solely for home enthusiasts.

It sure can have a high output of let’s say 60 cups per minute if you try hard enough, but that will just push it above its limits and shorten its service life. If you want to open a bar, the best possible choice you can make is the Breville BES920XL Oracle or the Rancilio Silvia.

The EC685M is by far the best espresso machine we’ve reviewed, in the range of acceptable price tags so if you are on a limited budget, this is the right choice for you.

La Pavoni PA-1200 Coffee Press, Silver
Best Value
Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machinet,0.3 liters, with Iron Frame and Stainless Steel Side Panels, 11.4 by 13.4-Inch
Top Performer
Breville BES920XL Dual Boiler Espresso Machine,84 oz, Brushed Stainless Steel
Budget Option
De'Longhi EC685M Dedica Deluxe Automatic Espresso Machine,35 oz, 1, Metallic
Gaggia 14101 Classic Semi-Automatic Espresso Maker. 72 ounces, Pannarello Wand for Latte and Cappuccino Frothing. Brews for Both Single and Double Shots.
Amazon Rating
-
-
-
-
Capacity
100 oz
12 oz
84 oz
35 oz
72 oz
Dimensions
12 x 13 x 10 in
9.2 x 11.4 x 13.3 in
14.7 x 14.8 x 14.7 in
13 x 5.9 x 12 in
9.5 x 8 x 14.2 in
Weight
24 lbs
30 lbs
30 lbs
8.8 lbs
20 lbs
Fully Automatic
Prime Benefits
-
-
-
-
-
La Pavoni PA-1200 Coffee Press, Silver
Product Name
Amazon Rating
-
Capacity
100 oz
Dimensions
12 x 13 x 10 in
Weight
24 lbs
Fully Automatic
Prime Benefits
-
Best Value
Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machinet,0.3 liters, with Iron Frame and Stainless Steel Side Panels, 11.4 by 13.4-Inch
Product Name
Amazon Rating
-
Capacity
12 oz
Dimensions
9.2 x 11.4 x 13.3 in
Weight
30 lbs
Fully Automatic
Prime Benefits
-
Top Performer
Breville BES920XL Dual Boiler Espresso Machine,84 oz, Brushed Stainless Steel
Product Name
Amazon Rating
Capacity
84 oz
Dimensions
14.7 x 14.8 x 14.7 in
Weight
30 lbs
Fully Automatic
Prime Benefits
-
Budget Option
De'Longhi EC685M Dedica Deluxe Automatic Espresso Machine,35 oz, 1, Metallic
Product Name
Amazon Rating
-
Capacity
35 oz
Dimensions
13 x 5.9 x 12 in
Weight
8.8 lbs
Fully Automatic
Prime Benefits
-
Gaggia 14101 Classic Semi-Automatic Espresso Maker. 72 ounces, Pannarello Wand for Latte and Cappuccino Frothing. Brews for Both Single and Double Shots.
Product Name
Amazon Rating
-
Capacity
72 oz
Dimensions
9.5 x 8 x 14.2 in
Weight
20 lbs
Fully Automatic
Prime Benefits
-

 

Delonghi EC685M Conclusion and Rating

If you want a great home coffee-brewing machine, go for the Delonghi EC685M. It is cheap, quiet, made out of quality materials, and doesn’t compromise on the quality of your morning coffee.

It has little to no downsides when used in a kitchen, and can be your perfect morning companion for years to come if you take good care of it. We gave this model 4.2 out of five stars.

 

DeLonghi America EC685M 

Sale
De'Longhi EC685M Dedica Deluxe Automatic Espresso Machine,35 oz, 1, Metallic
  • Design: Less than 6-inch in width, super-slim design, fully metal body, 15-bar pump and incorporated cup warmer
  • Use: Brews a variety of of espresso-based drinks
  • Practical: Heats in 40 seconds and keeps perfect temperature
  • Customizable: Adjustable coffee length, foam and steam levels
  • Double Drip Tray: The removable drip tray allows you to use mugs and glasses up to 12 cm tall

  Last update on 2023-12-11 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API.