Breville Barista Express vs De'Longhi Dedica EC685

Two Paths Into Home Espresso

The Breville Barista Express (BES870XL) and De'Longhi Dedica EC685 represent two different philosophies for getting started with home espresso. Breville bundles a built-in conical burr grinder with a semi-automatic machine — an all-in-one approach. De'Longhi offers a slim, affordable machine that requires a separate grinder. Here is how they stack up for someone pulling their first shots at home.

The Grinder Question

The Barista Express includes a conical burr grinder with 16 grind settings and an adjustable dose dial. This is its biggest advantage — you get fresh-ground espresso without buying a separate grinder. The grinder is adequate for espresso, though purists note it produces slightly inconsistent particle sizes compared to standalone grinders like the Baratza Sette or Eureka Mignon.

The Dedica EC685 has no grinder. You can use pre-ground espresso or buy a separate grinder. A good entry-level espresso grinder (Baratza Encore ESP, ~$180) nearly doubles the total cost of the Dedica setup. Using pre-ground coffee works but produces noticeably less flavor complexity.

If you have no grinder and want a single purchase, the Barista Express is the simpler path. If you already own a quality grinder, the Dedica pairs well with it.

Shot Quality

The Barista Express uses a 15-bar Italian pump and a 54mm portafilter. It includes pressurized and non-pressurized filter baskets, so beginners can start with the forgiving pressurized basket and graduate to the standard basket as their technique improves. Temperature is managed by a PID controller, which improves shot-to-shot consistency.

The Dedica EC685 also uses a 15-bar pump but with a smaller 51mm portafilter. It comes with pressurized baskets only. The pressurized baskets produce decent crema even with inconsistent grinds, making it very forgiving for beginners. However, upgrading to a non-pressurized basket (aftermarket, ~$15) opens up better shot quality.

In blind taste tests, the Barista Express with its non-pressurized basket produces a more complex, balanced shot. The Dedica with its stock baskets produces a pleasant but less nuanced espresso. With a good grinder and aftermarket basket, the Dedica can close the gap significantly.

Milk Steaming

The Barista Express has a traditional steam wand with manual control. It produces commercial-quality microfoam suitable for latte art. The learning curve is moderate — most people need 10-20 attempts to get velvety microfoam consistently.

The Dedica's steam wand comes with a frothing sleeve (panarello attachment) that produces thick, bubbly foam automatically. Removing the sleeve exposes a more traditional wand for proper microfoam, though the Dedica's smaller boiler means steam pressure drops off faster. You can make decent latte art with practice, but the window of good steam is shorter than the Barista Express.

Size and Counter Space

The Dedica EC685 is remarkably slim: only 5.9 inches wide. It fits in tight kitchen spaces where most espresso machines cannot. This is a genuine advantage for small apartments and crowded countertops.

The Barista Express is a full-size machine: 13.4" W x 12.5" D x 15.9" H. It dominates counter space. The built-in grinder and bean hopper add to the footprint. If counter space is limited, this is a real consideration.

Warm-Up Time

The Dedica heats up in approximately 40 seconds — among the fastest in its class. From cold start to pulling a shot, you are under a minute.

The Barista Express takes about 3 minutes to fully warm up. The PID controller ensures stable temperature, but you wait longer for that first morning shot.

Price

The Breville Barista Express retails around $600-700. The De'Longhi Dedica EC685 runs about $250-300. With a separate grinder (Baratza Encore ESP at ~$180), the Dedica setup totals $430-480 — still $120-220 less than the Barista Express.

Durability and Maintenance

Both machines need regular descaling (every 2-3 months with hard water). The Barista Express has more internal components (grinder, PID, larger boiler) that can potentially fail. The Dedica is mechanically simpler.

Both are backed by 1-year manufacturer warranties. Breville's customer service is generally rated higher than De'Longhi's in online forums.

The Verdict

Choose the Breville Barista Express if: you want an all-in-one machine with built-in grinder, plan to develop your espresso skills over time, want better shot quality out of the box, and have counter space to spare.

Choose the De'Longhi Dedica EC685 if: counter space is tight, budget is the primary concern, you already own a good grinder, or you want the fastest warm-up time. It is an excellent entry point that punches above its price.

Both machines make real espresso that beats any pod machine. The Barista Express is the better long-term investment. The Dedica is the smarter buy if you are testing whether home espresso is for you before committing to more equipment.