Espresso machines · owner-verdict comparison

Breville Bambino Plus vs De'Longhi Dedica EC685: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Breville Bambino Plus: 83% of 66 owners recommend it, vs 48% of 139 for the De'Longhi Dedica EC685.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Breville Bambino Plus

83%of 66 owners recommend
83% recommend · 12% neutral · 5% don't
Owners praise
  • Great espresso quality for the price
  • Compact footprint saves counter space
  • Heats up fast for quick shots
Owners complain about
  • Forced cleaning cycle you can't bypass
Full owner report →

De'Longhi Dedica EC685

48%of 139 owners recommend
48% recommend · 17% neutral · 35% don't
Owners praise
  • Great espresso once dialed in, especially with mods like a bottomless portafilter or better basket
  • Durable and long-lasting with daily use, many owners report 4-10 years of service
  • Excellent value for the price
Owners complain about
  • Inconsistent shots, very sensitive to grind size and tamping
  • Coffee comes out sour or overly bitter
  • Portafilter slips, pops, or unlocks itself under pressure
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Breville Bambino Plus if
  • ✓Espresso beginners learning the basics
  • ✓Small kitchens needing a tiny footprint
  • ✓Medium and dark roast drinkers
  • ✓Anyone wanting fast heat-up and auto milk
Skip it if
  • Light-roast fans wanting temperature stability
  • Anyone annoyed by the forced cleaning cycle
Get the De'Longhi Dedica EC685 if
  • ✓Beginners entering espresso on a tight budget
  • ✓Small kitchens or offices needing a compact, fast-heating machine
  • ✓Tinkerers happy to add a bottomless portafilter and better basket
  • ✓Dark and medium roast drinkers
Skip it if
  • Those wanting consistent shots without dialing-in effort
  • Light roast drinkers, since water rarely gets hot enough

What Breville Bambino Plus owners say

“It’s such a crazy good machine”
— @bradyvilhauer4445 on YouTube
“I love this machine.”
— @edmundowhite on YouTube
“It was a nightmare to keep clean”
— @catbert88 on YouTube

What De'Longhi Dedica EC685 owners say

“Bought it back in 2018 not a single issue and still as the first day despite being used daily. Beautiful machine that looks great in the kitchen and prepares really good coffees”
— @Maximiliano.Montero on YouTube
“I got the dedica from a friend as my first espresso machine when he upgraded”
— @andrei0525 on YouTube
“Long story short: my dedica never delivered hot enough water and I could't brew any coffee other than oily dark roasts in a consistent way.”
— epegar on Reddit

Breville Bambino Plus vs De'Longhi Dedica EC685: frequently asked questions

Is the Breville Bambino Plus or the De'Longhi Dedica EC685 better?

Real owners lean toward the Breville Bambino Plus: 83% of 66 owners recommend it, vs 48% of 139 for the De'Longhi Dedica EC685.

Who should get the Breville Bambino Plus?

Owners point the Breville Bambino Plus at espresso beginners learning the basics, and small kitchens needing a tiny footprint.

Who should get the De'Longhi Dedica EC685?

Owners point the De'Longhi Dedica EC685 at beginners entering espresso on a tight budget, and small kitchens or offices needing a compact, fast-heating machine.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Breville Bambino Plus is forced cleaning cycle you can't bypass. For the De'Longhi Dedica EC685, it's inconsistent shots, very sensitive to grind size and tamping.