Dedica Upgrades: From Cinderella to Princess
Out of the box, the Dedica is a mediocre machine. Honestly: properly upgraded, I've had better coffee from it than from some professional machines costing a few thousand euros. It comes down to the setup. Here's what you need, sorted by impact.
Taste · Everyday use (space, tidiness, milk)
What holds the stock Dedica back
| Weakness | What you notice | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| baskets | lots of foam, little flavour, old coffee gets stuck behind the flap[16] | Basket + grinder |
| 7 g / 14 g dose per the older manual[17] | thin double shot | Portafilter |
| , 3 settings | espresso sour or bitter | Temperature |
| (EC685) | foam is fine for cappuccino, coarse for latte art | Milk |
| small drip grid, holes only in the middle | drips sit on top, no room for two cups | Space |
| cup height | tall glasses don't fit, espresso drops a long way | Space |
| no | basket sticks, wait approx. 1 min[△] | stays |
1. Non-pressurised basket, plus a grinder
- real espresso instead of foam
- the flavour of the bean comes through
Then dial it in, or the best basket won't help. Grind size, dose, yield and time have to match. A common starting point: about 32 g of espresso from 16 g of ground coffee in 25 to 30 seconds. Step by step: Dial in espresso on the Dedica.
I use the DF64 for my regular coffee and the Sage Smart Grinder Pro for decaf. Two grinders, not a market comparison.
Which beans I recommend, and at what grind size, will get its own article.
In the photo: Blindshaker 51 mm, DF64 Blindshaker Holder
2. Dedica bottomless portafilter or double spout
| Bottomless | Double spout | |
|---|---|---|
| Advantage | you see whether the espresso flows evenly; no spout, so more room above for a cup or scale | two cups at once, no spraying |
| Needs | nothing else | room for two cups side by side; the stock grid is too narrow for that (section 3) |
| Downside | sprays at first (), one cup | you can't see what happens in the basket |
| Who it's for | anyone learning to dial in, or short on space under the spout | two people, everyday use |
| Price | Kaffeemacher €34.90[3] | Kaffeemacher €39.90[4] |
What to look for
- Check the model list: the bottomless one fits the EC680, EC685 and EC885[3], the double-spout one the EC685 and EC885.[4]
- Stainless steel head, not chrome-plated.
- Cheap portafilters under €30 often have plastic handles with a wood look. Real wood doesn't get hot, but it doesn't go in the dishwasher.
- If it twists loose while brewing: often an old gasket in the group head is to blame, not the portafilter.
I have both from Kaffeemacher, plus the original. Coffee for two: double spout. Just for me: bottomless.
In the photo: "Livanto Design" Drip Tray
3. Room under the spout: drip tray, cups, scale
| Problem | Fix | More height? |
|---|---|---|
| small grid, drips sit on top | swap just the drip grid | barely |
| no room for two cups side by side | replace the whole drip tray with a wider, lower one | approx. 1 cm |
| latte macchiato glass doesn't fit | take the drip tray out, then glasses up to 12 cm[△] | yes |
| espresso drops a long way into a small cup | riser under the cup | cup sits higher |
| no scale under the portafilter | slim scale, approx. 15 mm[8] | needs room |
3D renders of my parts, dimensions measured on my parts.[△] Wider and lower works with other solutions too. The dimensions show what matters.
Replacement drip grids compared
- Kaffeemacher KM drip grid: 13.5 × 12.5 cm, recycled plastic, dishwasher-safe, €12.90.[5]
- MakerWorld, Printables: free files to print yourself, a little wider or lower.
- My grid: 11.9 × 11.8 cm, open across the whole surface instead of only in the middle.[△]
- PLA: wash by hand in warm water, not in the dishwasher, or it can warp.[13] Drip water doesn't hurt it.[△]
Slim scales (height per manufacturer or retailer): Bookoo Themis Mini 15 mm, Acaia Lunar 15 mm, Timemore Black Mirror Mini approx. 16 mm.[8] Whether scale plus cup fit underneath depends on the portafilter and grid.
Under mine I have our drip tray and a scale.
4. Dedica temperature settings: change them in one minute
- Switch on. Wait until the lights stop flashing.
- Hold the steam button for 10 seconds until all three buttons flash one after another.
- Press the 1 cup button. The lights that stay lit show the current setting.[△]
- Press the new setting (see graphic). Saved. With no input, the menu closes by itself.[1]
Water amount, water hardness, auto-off and factory reset: Dedica descaling, settings and troubleshooting.
How to preheat so the temperature stays stable: Making espresso, step by step.
I've set mine to level 1 because I drink a dark roast. On mine, only the first light stays lit in step 3.
5. Water
- For espresso, fairly soft: 3 to 5 °.[14]
- De'Longhi DLSC002 filter: goes in the tank, approx. €10, lasts 2 months. Not included with the EC685.[9]
- Change the water in the tank completely every few days, don't just top it up. Otherwise algae can grow.[16]
- Also works without accessories for the machine: run the water through a filter jug first, or use a filter on the water supply.
- Descaling: Descale the Dedica, step by step.
- The “water hardness” setting doesn't change the water. It only tells the Dedica when to ask for descaling.
I use a perfectly normal Brita water filter, the jug: fill it, let it run through, pour it into the tank. On top of that I have a Brita filter fitted to the water supply. With that, I don't need De'Longhi's tank filter.
6. Milk frothing and steam wand: stock is fine for cappuccino
Cappuccino foam works out of the box. If you want to do latte art and already have some practice, you're better off with a machine with more steam. In between, these options help:
| Option | Effort | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Pull off the panarello and steam with the bare tube. Two cable ties around it stop it slipping off.[13] | 10 sec. | €0 |
| Push-on stainless steel steam wand | push on, no tools | approx. €15[6] |
| Fit the Rancilio Silvia steam wand | open the machine, about an hour, Torx T20[18] | approx. €28[7] |
- Before frothing, open the steam knob until only steam comes out.
- Hold the jug at an angle, nozzle near the edge: that gets the milk spinning.[17]
- Afterwards, pull off the panarello and rinse it under the tap; wipe a fixed wand with a damp cloth.[16]
- Espresso first, then milk. After steaming, the Dedica needs one to three minutes to cool down.[16]
- EC885: comes with a proper steam wand, a tamper with a metal base and a milk jug, otherwise technically the same.[12]
- Stays with every option: steam for approx. 1 min at a time, not at the same time as coffee.[1]
The foam is fine for my cappuccino. I still swapped the panarello for a steam wand: looks better, the foam is similar, maybe slightly better, but no big difference.
Kaffeemacher sees a big difference in the foam once the panarello is off.[12]
What it still can't do after upgrading
- No stable temperature: no . The Sage Bambino (€349.90 in the Sage shop) has one.[10]
- No 3-way valve; the Gaggia Classic E24, for example, has one.[11] Backflushing isn't possible.[15] How to clean it instead: Dedica cleaning.
- Brewing and steaming only one after the other, steam approx. 1 min.
For 1 to 3 espressos or cappuccinos a day, that's fine. For four milk drinks every morning, it's too small.[△]
What the upgrades cost
| Package | Contents | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|
| Without grinder | portafilter, basket, panarello off, filter, grid | under €100 |
| With grinder | plus an espresso grinder | €200 to €350 |
Costs: my rough estimate.[△] The grinder comes with you to your next machine.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth upgrading the Dedica?
If you already own one: yes. The biggest gains come from a non-pressurised basket and a grinder that grinds fine enough for espresso. If you're buying new and make a lot of milk drinks: better get a machine with more stable temperature and more steam.
Which Dedica temperature setting for a dark roast?
Fairly low, level 1 (about 90 to 91 °C). Dark roasts quickly turn bitter with too much heat.
Do two cups fit side by side under the Dedica?
Not out of the box, the drip grid is too narrow for that. With a wider, lower drip tray, two cappuccino cups fit side by side.
Does a bottomless portafilter fit the EC885?
Yes. The Kaffeemacher bottomless portafilter is listed for the EC680, EC685 and EC885. Always check the retailer's model list before buying.
Is the EC885 better than the EC685?
Not for espresso. Measurements on several machines show the same temperatures; technically both are identical except for the steam wand. The EC885 comes with a proper steam wand, a tamper with a metal base and a milk jug. If you make a lot of milk drinks, that's worth having. More on this: Milk foam.
Can I use pre-ground coffee in a non-pressurised basket?
Hardly. Pre-ground coffee is usually too coarse, so the espresso runs through too fast. That's what the stock baskets are for.
Every upgrade only pays off once grind size, dose, yield and time match. How to dial in your espresso
Behind the scenes
I print every part from the ads above myself, in Munich, on five Bambu printers. Photos and videos are made on my own Dedica.
Sources
Numbers and operating steps carry a small number in the text. Click it to jump to the source.
- De'Longhi, Dedica EC685/EC695/EC785 instruction manual (PDF, in German), German edition 06/2026: temperature menu, steam for 60 seconds max at a time.
- Kaffeemacher, 51 mm baskets (product page, in German): €10.90, 20 mm deep 12.5 g, 25 mm deep 16 g, with the 25 mm basket the black insert has to come out.
- Kaffeemacher, Bottomless portafilter for De'Longhi Dedica (product page, in German): €34.90, fits the EC680, EC685 and EC885.
- Kaffeemacher, Portafilter for De'Longhi Dedica with double spout (product page, in German): €39.90, fits the EC685, EC885, EC890 and SMEG ECF01.
- Kaffeemacher, KM drip grid for De'Longhi Dedica (product page, in German): 13.5 × 12.5 cm, recycled plastic, €12.90.
- Kaffeemacher, Steam wand for the Dedica (product page, in German): €14.90, no tools needed, EC680 and EC685.
- Avola, Rancilio Silvia steam pipe (retailer): €27.50.
- Manufacturer spec Acaia Lunar (15 mm), retailer specs Bookoo Themis Mini (15 mm) and Timemore Black Mirror Mini (15.8 mm).
- De'Longhi, DLSC002 water filter (product page): lasts about 2 months. Not included according to the manual. Retail price about €8 to €14.
- Sage, the Bambino (product page, German shop, €349.90) and Quick Guide: PID temperature control.
- Gaggia, Classic E24 (product page): 3-way solenoid valve. Older Classic models from 2015 to 2018 didn't have one.
- Kaffeemacher (YouTube), “Delonghi Dedica 685 vs 885 - Espressomaschinen-Vergleich [Dedica Reihe 1/5]” (in German), 2023: EC685 and EC885 technically identical except for the steam wand, EC885 accessories, panarello vs steam wand.
- Kaffeemacher (YouTube), “So wird Deine Delonghi DEDICA Espressomaschine besser! [Reihe 2/5]” (in German), 2023: removing the plastic insert leaves three holes, panarello off with two cable ties, printed grids can warp with lots of hot water.
- Kaffeemacher (YouTube), “So machst du guten Espresso mit der Delonghi Dedica [Reihe 3/5]” (in German), 2023: temperatures of the three settings on several machines, recommendation per roast, water 3 to 5 °dH.
- Kaffeemacher (YouTube), “DeLonghi Dedica reinigen - Einfache Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitung [Reihe 5/5]” (in German), 2025: no backflushing with a blind basket.
- Kaffeemacher (YouTube), “Delonghi Dedica EC685 - die populärste Start-Espressomaschine - Test” (in German), 2022: flap in the stock basket, changing the tank water, rinsing the nozzle, espresso first, then milk.
- Kaffeemacher (YouTube), “DeLonghi Dedica EC 685 - Espressomaschine unter 200 €, schmeckt der Espresso?” (in German), 2019: dose per the older manual 7 and 14 g, 50 mm tamper for the stock basket, jug at an angle when frothing.
- Kaffeemacher (YouTube), “Upgrade: 4 Tuning-Tipps für die DeLonghi Dedica EC685 Espressomachine” (in German), 2020: Sage basket in the modified stock portafilter (about €5, about 17 g, 53 mm tamper), fitting the Rancilio Silvia steam wand, about an hour, Torx T20.
- My own experience, Max Fraunhofer, Dedica EC685 in daily use for years. Marked as “How I do it”.
You can get my parts here in the shop and on Etsy.