I have a confession: I’m a coffee geek. Yes, I’m sure you know a lot of people who are too, but I came to coffee pretty late in the game. I managed to make it through 4 years of University and the first year of my first baby’s life and I didn’t touch a drop.
It sounds crazy, but it’s true. I used to think coffee was something old people drank around the kitchen table. That’s probably because the only coffee I was exposed to when I was a kid was instant crystals my Grandma added to hot water, or if she did use a coffee maker, it was course grinds added to hot water.
You’d have to spit out grinds for an hour after you drank her drip coffee, and it was so strong it would make your hair stand on end. You’d never add milk either, because according to my Grandpa, milk in coffee was for sissies. Now that I think about it, it was probably made that strong because he had to get up at 4 am to milk the cows in -40 weather. I think I’d need it in those conditions too.
After those experiences with coffee, I didn’t have my first Vanilla latte until I was 28, but it must have been good because I can’t imagine life without coffee anymore. Just like it’s fun to experiment with cooking, it’ s so much fun to make new and interesting coffee.
Although I use a single serve brewer every day, I was excited to have the chance to test out the De’Longhi Dedica Pump Espresso Machine and De’Longhi Burr Coffee Grinder. Since the moment it arrived I’ve been downing espresso, cappuccino, lattes, and once in awhile, a good old fashioned macchiato.
There was virtually no learning curve to making any of these hot coffee drinks either, and it didn’t take long to realize this little duo really does give you the total coffee experience.
Appearance
I tend to make space on my counter tops for appliances I really like, and those are second rung get put in a cupboard. The De’Longhi Dedica Pump Espresso Machine is one that would make the counter-top cut. It’s thin, black with silver detailing, very light and easy to move around, and it actually only takes up 6 inches of counter space.
The De’Longhi Burr Grinder is also small and light, and the compact square design makes it easy to tuck away in a corner.
Features
The De’Longhi Dedica Pump Espresso Machine has some great stand out features that set it apart from other espresso machines:
- It’s a two cup machine, so you can brew two cups of espresso at a time
- 15 bars of pressure makes thick foam
- Heats up in 35 seconds, so there is virtually no delay in you getting your cappuccino
- Warming plate to keep your coffee warm for longer
The De’Longhi Burr Coffee Grinder is no slouch in the feature department either:
- 2 oz capacity
- Electronic grind selector so you can just turn a dial and get the exact type of grinds you’d like
- Auto-shut off, and it will grind anywhere from 4 to 12 cups of coffee
Testing the De’Longhi Burr Grinder
If you’ve hesitated on espresso machines because you think single serve is easier to use, the De’Longhi Dedica is the machine that will change your mind. It’s so easy to make barista quality drinks with this machine, you may never visit a coffee shop again.
Before you can brew your shot of espresso, you have to grind your beans. That’s where the De’Longhi Burr Grinder comes in. I’ve had a coffee grinder for a few years now, but my model only lets you put the beans in and push down on the button. You can’t customize your grinds.
With the De’Longhi Burr Grinder, you can micro-adjust the dial to ensure your coffee grinds are exactly the way you’d like them. From fine to coarse, I tried all types of grinding and my beans came out exactly the way they were supposed to. There’s also a setting on the front to adjust for how many cups of coffee you’ll be making. I also loved that it’s a very quiet machine. No one wants to wake up the entire house every morning when you’re grinding your beans.
What’s really great about the Burr Grinder is that the container the grinds go into is its own little canister. I’ve had to dig my grinds out of my grinder and pour them into a plastic container, but the De’Longhi Burr Grinder’s container will grind and store until you need to grind more.
Testing the De’Longhi Dedica Pump Espresso Machine
Making custom coffee with the De’Longhi was so simple, I actually put my trusty single serve brewer in the cupboard while I had it. Why go for a simple cup of coffee when you can easily have a steaming hot latte every single morning?
All you have to do is plug it in, add water, turn it on, and it’s ready to brew in seconds. I was impressed with how quickly it heats up water. By the time I had my cup ready to slide under the drip, it was ready.
There are three options on the De’Longhi Dedica: one cup, two cups, and steam/hot water. To brew a shot you just fill the filter with coffee, pop it on, turn the handle to the lock position, and decide how much you want to brew. I usually went for one shot a time, although it very effortlessly brews two simultaneously.
I didn’t time how long it took to produce the espresso, but it was easily under a minute. Once done, you can move onto steaming your milk.
I’ve always had a tiny, portable steam wand that does an OK job frothing milk, but it doesn’t make it light and fluffy enough to make any sort of foam art. The De’Longhi Dedica is a milk-foam creator’s dream wand, and it consistently produced amazing steamed milk and foam every time I used it. The little De’Longhi steamer jug is the perfect size for frothing milk, and I tried with everything from egg nog to chocolate milk with great results.
When I created hot beverages with the De’Longhi Dedica, I brewed them straight into the De’Longhi espresso, cappuccino, and macchiato cups. I can’t say enough about these cups. They are available in three sizes and because they are double insulated, your coffee stays hot and your cup stays cool. No more scorching your hands when you it up. The cup maintained such a cool temperature that the first time I used them I had no idea the espresso would be so hot.
Just watch this Vine video and you can watch the De’Longhi cups in action when I whip up an egg nog latte with the De’Longhi Dedica.
https://vine.co/v/iWzB3OrJMhM/embed/postcard
Clean up
It is rare that an appliance is as easy to clean as the De’Longhi Dedica. All you have to do is empty your grinds, rinse your filter, and that’s it. The Burr Grinder is simple to clean out too. You can wipe the inside with a soft cloth or paper towel, and the grinder itself is removable for easy cleaning.
Overall Thoughts
Whenever I test an appliance I always ask myself, “Would I buy this?” When it comes to the De’Longhi Dedica Espresso machine, the answer is an unequivocal yes. After letting my husband steal the egg nog latte I just made, he said, ‘This is going on your Christmas list.’ I think he meant the De’Loghi, not the latte.
Coffee is one of life’s little luxuries, so make sure the coffee you drink at home tastes like you just hit your local coffee shop for it. That’s exactly what the De’Longhi Dedica does, and it does it so easily you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Set yourself up with the De’Loghi Dedica Pump Espresso machine and Burr Grinder this year and you’ll be able to treat yourself to great coffee every day.
