I have a small kitchen and I love coffee. So five Amazon Prime Days ago (read, about 5 years ago), I made a quick, not-so-thoroughly researched purchase and invested in the De'Longhi Dedica and I have thanked that impulse decision ever since.
It was the size that got me. This espresso machine is just 6 inches wide and 12 inches high. And something that would fit on my countertop and leave me plenty of room for my all-important decor was top of my priority list.
Price came second after size and aesthetics. I do drink coffee every day, so I wasn't after something super cheap that wouldn't last or make great coffee, but I was also working my first job, paying crazy rent, and money was relatively tight, so something mid-range was on the cards. I can't remember the exact price I paid back then, but I'd guess it would have been under $200. So when I saw in Amazon Prime Day sale my much-beloved machine was 20% and just $159.95 I had to make some noise about it as I think it's one of the best coffee machine deals happening right now.
Okay, I've said this is small, I've said this is sleek now let's talk performance. How good is the coffee? And how easy is it to use? Let me quickly talk you through my coffee routine so you can get some understanding of how really speedy it is.
I fill the portafilter with my favorite ground coffee and tamper it down using the original tamper that came with my machine, click it into place, and press the double shot button. Even if I have just added cold water to the water tank the espresso comes out hot straight away. There's a thick crema and delicious strong coffee below every time. I love coffee, but I don't love fuss so this is all I need.
I use the milk frother less regularly, but still a couple of times a week (milky coffee is for the weekends). It's super simple too, a great steam wand for beginners (which I was when I bought this machine). It textures both dairy and plant-based milks beautifully and quickly. As with all steam wands, it's a bit of effort to clean, but no more time-consuming than any other model I have used.
Five years on, my De'Longhi Dedica is still going strong, and I can't imagine I will be replacing it anytime soon, it works as well as the day I bought it. But since I acquired my machine, there has been an upgrade released, the De'Longhi Dedica Arte, which is also on sale this Amazon Prime Day at $199.95, down from $299.95.
If you are looking for a small, gorgeous looking coffee machine that's no fuss but makes great coffee then I would look no further than the Dedica. It's a joy to use every day and is so firmly part of my routine I think even if it were to go down I would replace it with exactly the same machine.
