Espresso machines · owner-verdict comparison

Breville Barista Express vs De'Longhi Dedica EC685: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Breville Barista Express: 54% of 602 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 Barista Express

54%of 602 owners recommend
54% recommend · 19% neutral · 27% don't
Owners praise
  • Great value for the price
  • Durable, lasts many years of daily use
  • Excellent beginner/starter machine
Owners complain about
  • Mediocre, inconsistent built-in grinder
  • Won't auto-stop extracting / flow-meter failure
  • Struggles with lighter roasts
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 Barista Express if
  • ✓Espresso beginners wanting a built-in-grinder all-in-one
  • ✓Milk-drink drinkers making lattes and cappuccinos
  • ✓Medium-to-dark roast drinkers
  • ✓Bargain hunters who find it discounted, not full price
Skip it if
  • Light-roast enthusiasts, since the grinder struggles
  • Those wanting shot-to-shot consistency without a separate grinder
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 Barista Express owners say

“He saw this video and got the machine and he's been really happy with the purchase!”
— @1ucky1ux on YouTube
“it works like new !”
— @hadrianopolis1968 on YouTube
“So currently following this review my decision is NOT to buy the machine, I don't have the time in the morning to wait 10 minutes until my cup of coffee is ready”
— @imamezalefet 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 Barista Express vs De'Longhi Dedica EC685: frequently asked questions

Is the Breville Barista Express or the De'Longhi Dedica EC685 better?

Real owners lean toward the Breville Barista Express: 54% of 602 owners recommend it, vs 48% of 139 for the De'Longhi Dedica EC685.

Who should get the Breville Barista Express?

Owners point the Breville Barista Express at espresso beginners wanting a built-in-grinder all-in-one, and milk-drink drinkers making lattes and cappuccinos.

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 Barista Express is mediocre, inconsistent built-in grinder. For the De'Longhi Dedica EC685, it's inconsistent shots, very sensitive to grind size and tamping.