A good cup of coffee in the morning can make even the longest of days a bit more bearable. The thing is, such coffee comes only from a fantastic shot of espresso.
If you want to get that kick of flavor and alertness with every brew, you need a reliable espresso machine.
Today, we’re comparing Breville Bambino vs Delonghi Dedica; two of the most popular brands in the coffee world.
In this guide, we’ll cover the features and performance of the Bambino Plus vs the Dedica EC680M to help you figure out which machine is better equipped for your espresso needs.
Table of Contents
Breville Bambino vs Delonghi Dedica: Overview and Specs
Before we dive deeper into the features and performance of the espresso machines, let’s take a look at their general overview and specs.
The Breville Bambino Plus
It’s packed with many features to help you brew the perfect espresso shot and automatically or manually froth milk into silky creaminess.
Not to mention, it’s compact enough to fit on any counter without creating clutter while being easy to control.
With the Breville Bambino Plus, you get to select whether to brew a single or double espresso shot. You can also choose your preferred milk temperature and texture.
This espresso machine is well-built and delivers consistently delicious results with every use. It’s also less problematic to clean thanks to the automatic purge feature.
Here are the specs:
- Type: pump espresso maker
- Material: stainless steel
- Interface controls: buttons
- Machine weight: 10 pounds
- Machine dimensions: 6.5 inches W x 14.0 inches D x 12.0 inches H
- Pressure: 15 bars
- Reservoir capacity: 64 ounces (removable)
- Portafilters: single and double shot (pressurized)
- E.S.E. pod: not compatible
- Automatic timer shutoff: 10 minutes
- Milk temperature: low, medium, high
- Milk texture: 3 options (microfoam)
- Warranty: 2 years
The Delonghi Dedica EC680M
Not only is this machine attractive, but it’s also quite affordable compared to other semi-automatic espresso makers in the same tier.
Its operation is impressively quick, allowing you to be drinking the perfect brew in as few as 30 seconds.
The at-home barista feeling you get from the Delonghi Dedica is excellent for the price and the narrow footprint.
The unit is sturdy and you can tell its craftsmanship is of great quality.
The user interface is easy to work with and the features are tailored around consistency and convenience. With the Dedica EC680M, you’re guaranteed tasty espresso shots, and you don’t even need to worry about cleaning afterward!
Here are the specs:
- Type: pump espresso maker
- Material: stainless steel
- Interface controls: buttons
- Machine weight: 9.3 pounds
- Machine dimensions: 6.8 inches W x 13.0 inches D x 13.0 inches H
- Pressure: 15 bars
- Reservoir capacity: 34 ounces (removable)
- Portafilters: single and double shot (pressurized)
- E.S.E. pod: compatible
- Automatic timer shutoff: 9 minutes, 30 minutes, 3 hours
- Brew temperature: low, medium, high
- Water hardness: soft, medium, hard
- Milk texture: dry foam and microfoam
- Warranty: 1 year
Breville Bambino vs Delonghi Dedica: What’s in the Box
Now, let’s take a look at the items included with each espresso machine.
The Breville Bambino Plus
- A frothing jug (16 ounces)
- A tamper
- A dosing tool
- A cleaning tool
- A cleaning disc
- A double cup dual-wall filter basket (for two espresso shots)
- A single cup dual-wall filter basket (for one espresso shot)
The Delonghi Dedica EC680M
- A coffee filter holder
- A double cup filter (for two espresso shots)
- A single cup filter (for one espresso shot)
- An E.S.E. pod filter (for easy-serve espresso pods)
- A coffee scoop and tamper tool
- Two Delonghi Thermo double-walled espresso glasses
Breville Bambino vs Delonghi Dedica: Features and Performance
Now that you have a better idea about the two espresso machines and the items included with each, it’s time to examine their features and performance up close.
Construction and Design
The Breville Bambino Plus
Construction-wise, this machine has both stainless steel and plastic components. The body, for example, is made out of stainless steel while the steam switch is plastic. Overall, we can tell the unit is well-grounded and it feels high quality.
The dimensions of the Breville Bambino Plus are about 6.5 inches wide, 14 inches deep, and 12 inches high. It weighs around 10 pounds, which is a bit heavier than the Delonghi Dedica.
When it comes to looks, the Bambino Plus seems professional and sophisticated. It has the advantage in the colors department as it’s available in 8 different color options.
The Delonghi Dedica EC680M
Construction-wise, this espresso maker also consists of both stainless steel and plastic elements, but the locations are a bit different.
For one, the body is made out of plastic but the steam switch is made from stainless steel. Overall, we can tell this machine is well-built, although a tad inferior to the Bambino Plus.
The dimensions of the Dedica EC680M are approximately 6.8 inches wide, 13 inches long, and 13 inches high. It weighs around 9 pounds, which is on the lighter side of the spectrum.
As for looks, the Delonghi Dedica is sleek and stylish. It has a simple yet attractive design, but it only comes in 3 color options.
Control Panel and Usability
The Breville Bambino Plus
The control panel on this machine uses buttons for a straightforward experience.
You get to choose whether you want to brew a single or double espresso shot and pick from 3 milk temperatures and 3 milk textures. There’s also an automatic shutoff feature that’s triggered after 10 minutes of idle time.
With the Bambino Plus, you don’t get to run and stop the steam however you prefer. It’s either engaged or the unit is cooling down to reach brewing temperature.
There’s no dedicated power button; the user has to actively hold down two particular buttons to switch off the unit. This eliminates the ability to schedule it to switch on at a specific time.
However, the Bambino Plus takes an incredibly short time of 3 seconds to reach the needed temperature for brewing.
The Delonghi Dedica EC680M
Similar to the Bambino Plus, the control panel on the Dedica EC680M uses buttons to boost simplicity.
Unlike the Breville Bambino, you get to choose the extraction temperature in addition to the shot size (E.S.E. included) and milk texture. The automatic shutoff feature triggers after either 9 minutes, 30 minutes, or 3 hours.
With the Delonghi Dedica, you can run and stop the steam however you want. The presence of an independent power button also enables you to schedule the unit to switch on at a specific time via a timer or smart switch.
That said, the Dedica EC680M takes a longer time to warm up than the Breville, requiring 40 seconds to reach the brewing temperature.
Brewing and Frothing
The Breville Bambino Plus
When it comes to brewing, this unit is superior to the Delonghi Dedica thanks to the integrated pre-infusion and PID technologies.
The pre-infusion feature enables the machine to wet the coffee grounds at low pressure before it begins the extraction process at higher pressure. This results in more uniform espresso extraction.
The PID feature allows for more precise espresso extraction as it controls the delivery of water at just the right temperature. It also maintains the temperature constant while extracting to avoid the usually ashy taste caused by uneven extraction.
As for milk frothing, this machine lets you select the temperature and texture of the milk. The operation can also be automated if you have something to do meanwhile, or you can do it manually.
The Delonghi Dedica EC680M
This machine pulls a nice espresso shot; there’s no doubt about that. It just doesn’t have the same sophistication or precision offered by the Breville Bambino, so if you taste a shot from each machine side by side, there’s going to be a difference resulting from the varying uniformity approaches.
Frothing-wise, the Delonghi is decent. The operation is manual only, so there’s a bit of a learning curve involved.
Cleaning
The Breville Bambino Plus
Thanks to the steam purge function, cleaning the milk piper is a lot less problematic. The base also slides off for easier cleaning.
The Delonghi Dedica EC680M
The unit has a self-cleaning function for in-between uses. When it’s time for a deeper cleaning, you can detach the water reservoir and the drip tray for easier reach. The components are also dishwasher safe.
Breville Bambino vs Delonghi Dedica: Which One Should You Get?
To help you make up your mind, here’s a checklist of the suitable conditions for purchasing either machine
Buy the Breville Bambino Plus if:
- If you want a higher-quality espresso shot.
- You need the option of automatic frothing.
- You want a machine that’s easier to clean.
Buy the Delonghi Dedica EC680M if:
- You’re on a tighter budget.
- You want to control the extraction temperature.
- You want a more compact and lightweight machine.
Wrap Up
There you have it, a complete comparison of Breville Bambino vs Delonghi Dedica in terms of features and performance.
While either machine can pull a good shot of espresso, the Bambino Plus comes out superior thanks to its focus on extraction uniformity and precision.