Best All-Rounder
Breville
Breville Barista Express
The one machine that turns a kitchen counter into a coffee bar.
$300–$800 on Amazon
De'Longhi
EC885M
De'Longhi Dedica Arte EC885
Real espresso in a machine that fits where nothing else does — 5.9 inches wide.
6.2/10 editor
5.9" W × 13" D × 12" H51mm portafilter40s heat-up1-year warranty
Typically $300–$800
A price range for this class of machine, not a live figure — check the current price on Amazon.
Eligible for Amazon Prime — free delivery and returns for Prime members.
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The short version
The Dedica Arte is De'Longhi's slimmest espresso machine: at 5.9 inches wide it slides into a gap on the counter that no other real espresso machine here fits. It ships with a proper non-pressurised 18g basket alongside the pressurised and pod baskets, a commercial-style steam wand and three brew temperatures, so a competent user with a grinder can get a genuine shot out of it.
Ideal for
Someone whose counter space is genuinely 6 inches wide, who already owns or will buy a grinder, and wants a real shot rather than a pod.
Look elsewhere if
Anyone without a width constraint, or who wants the most reliable machine for the money.
Editor scores
Our judgement · not manufacturer data
Espresso Quality6/10
Ease of Use7/10
Milk & Steam6/10
Barista Control6/10
Build Quality6/10
Maintenance7/10
Value6/10
Scored against the other machines in this catalogue. How we score.
The full review
The Dedica's whole reason to exist is its width. Almost every espresso machine is 10 to 15 inches across; this one is under six. If your kitchen has a narrow slot beside the backsplash, the Dedica is often the only machine on this site that physically fits, and it still brings a real steam wand and a non-pressurised basket rather than being a toy.
Used with the 18g non-pressurised basket and a decent grinder, it pulls a legitimate espresso — reviewers with barista backgrounds say as much. The catches are a thermoblock with no PID hold, so temperature is set rather than stabilised, and a build that is stainless-wrapped plastic and feels it. The 3.9-star average is the lowest of the machines added here, and the one-star reviews cluster on the steam wand weakening and on early failures, which is a pattern worth reading before buying.
Buy it for the footprint. If width is not your constraint, the Barista Express or a Bambino Plus plus grinder is a more robust use of similar money.
Eligible for Amazon Prime — free delivery and returns for Prime members.
Buy on AmazonFull specifications
A dash means we could not verify it — never a guess
Type & Brewing
- Machine type
- Semi Automatic
- Pump pressure
- 15 bar
- Extraction pressure
- —
- Heating system
- Thermoblock
- Boilers
- 1
- PID temperature control
- No
- Pre-infusion
- No
- Heat-up time
- 40 s
Grinder & Portafilter
- Built-in grinder
- No
- Burr type
- —
- Grind settings
- —
- Bean hopper
- —
- Portafilter
- 51 mm
- Basket type
- 51mm — non-pressurised 18g basket plus pressurised and ESE-pod baskets
Milk & Drinks
- Milk system
- Manual 'My LatteArt' steam wand, three temperature levels
- Milk carafe included
- No
- One-touch drinks
- 0
- Programmable recipes
- No
- Hot water outlet
- Yes
Capacity & Size
- Water tank
- 33.8 oz (1 L)
- Removable tank
- Yes
- Cup clearance
- —
- Width
- 5.9" (15 cm)
- Depth
- 13" (33 cm)
- Height
- 12" (30.5 cm)
- Weight
- 9.3 lb (4.2 kg)
Power & Build
- Power
- 1300 W
- Voltage
- 120 V
- Housing
- Stainless steel wrap over plastic
- Display
- Buttons
- Made in
- —
- Warranty
- 1 yr
Cleaning & Care
- Water filter included
- No
- Descaling program
- No
- Removable brew group
- No
- Cup warming tray
- No
Also worth knowing
- Width
- 5.9 inches — De'Longhi's slimmest espresso machine
- Baskets included
- Non-pressurised 18g, pressurised single and double, ESE pod adapter
- Auto flow-stop
- Programmable single and double shot volumes
- Temperature
- Three selectable brew temperatures (no PID hold)
The honest bit
Pros and cons
What we like
- 5.9 inches wide — fits kitchens where no other real espresso machine will
- Comes with a true non-pressurised 18g basket, not just a pressurised one
- Commercial-style steam wand with three temperature settings
- Programmable shot volumes with auto flow-stop
- Handles ground coffee, ESE pods and pressurised baskets
What to consider
- Lowest rating of the machines added here — 3.9 stars over 2,134 ratings
- Thermoblock with no PID: brew temperature is set, not held steady
- Reviews report the steam wand losing power and early failures
- Stainless-over-plastic build; 1-year warranty
- No built-in grinder — budget for one to use the good basket
What owners report
Summarised from the 2,134 Amazon ratings
Fans highlight the tiny footprint and are surprised by the shot quality once paired with a grinder and the non-pressurised basket. Critical reviews — enough of them to pull the average to 3.9 — describe the steam wand weakening over months, weak or inconsistent temperature, and units failing inside the first year. Several reviewers treat it as a good machine held back by patchy reliability.
Little but mighty
Finally a strong, hot, cup of coffee. No more pods for me. Had it for a week and love it.
Takes practice
I experimented with the settings and De'Longhi's own espresso blend to get a better sense of a perfect shot. It rewards effort.
Milk frother stopped working
I bought it about 1.5 months ago and am very disappointed. The steam is now very weak while heating milk.
Review excerpts are quoted from the product's Amazon listing and belong to their authors.
Keep looking
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Breville Bambino Plus
Café-grade thermals and hands-free microfoam in the footprint of a toaster.
$300–$800 on AmazonBest for Purists
Gaggia
Gaggia Classic Evo Pro
Commercial parts in a domestic box. The machine you keep, not the machine you replace.
$300–$800 on Amazon