Review on De'Longhi EC685M Dedica Deluxe Espresso Machine with Automatic Features, Metallic by Billy Stull

This is a good espresso machine, stable, simple and small. There is a bit of a learning curve to getting used to this machine, but once you have it it only takes 5 minutes from start to finish (cleaning) for a good shot of espresso. the machine heats up quickly; It only takes 40 seconds to start. But I start by warming up the filter and cup and pulling out the empty stack. I noticed that the water temperature gets a bit warmer after the first hit. The next step is to prepare a real espresso. Most of the time I do double shots and it usually takes about 2530 seconds. It takes about 20 seconds for a single shot. (By comparison, the $180,000 fully automatic Starbucks Mastrena takes 1,824 seconds to brew four shots.) A 30-second double shot isn't bad for an entry-level espresso machine, and I found the quality of the shots to be consistent. Of course, the perfect shot of espresso isn't limited to the coffee maker, but when it comes to the quality of shots, coffee maker consistency is key. I've found that the default medium temperature works fine for me, but I can change the temperature to low or high in the settings if needed. I know this machine has no problems. I don't get super creamy and velvety frothed milk, but it does the job (steaming milk). Acceleration to 160 degrees takes about 60 seconds. And the water must be flushed immediately after steaming before making shots. It's a few extra steps, but it only takes about 20 seconds. All in all, this is a good little car. It's only slightly larger than my Nespresso Pixie and I love its compact design as it doesn't take up much counter space. Lately my pixie has been leaking and I'm tired of buying expensive Nespresso pods. I couldn't find a reliable reusable Nespresso filter either. So I can say in my defense that such a manual machine can justify my decision. I was looking for a manual/semi-automatic machine, not too expensive, "small" and easy to maintain. I find the price of the machine a bit high, but I'm still happy with the quality of the images I get. . For the budget option, I think the previous 680 is a good option (current price at $235) and the only difference I've found is the whistle. This newer version has 'hot milk' and 'cappuccino' steam options, while the 680 doesn't. To be honest I don't think this small change is worth more than the $100 difference in price as frothing milk (not 100%) depends on how the pitcher is handled. But for Americano, espresso con panna, simple espresso or just the latter and cappuccino, both models are certainly just as suitable.