The De'Longhi Dedica EC680.M is a slim (about 15 cm wide) 15-bar pump espresso machine for ground coffee or ESE pods, with a thermoblock heater and a manual milk frother.
The De'Longhi Dedica EC680.M is a slim (about 15 cm wide) 15-bar pump espresso machine for ground coffee or ESE pods, with a thermoblock heater and a manual milk frother. Owners rate its espresso and crema highly once dialled in, and like its tiny footprint, quick heat-up and programmable shots. Its weaknesses are a forced cool-down after steaming before the next shot, a small basket that limits strong or long drinks, a short steam wand, a weak cup warmer and limited mug clearance. Some owners also report switch and leak faults. It is effectively discontinued in the UK. New stock is scarce and dearer than its successor, the Dedica Style EC685, which adds a two-setting frother and taller cup clearance. Used units are cheap on eBay. Evidence on long-term durability is limited to older store reviews.
Strengths
Good espresso with crema once grind and dose are dialled in
Very slim, about 15 cm wide, fits small kitchens
Fast heat-up, simple buttons and programmable temperature, volume, water hardness and auto-off
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Takes both ground coffee and ESE pods, with a hot water function
Widely available second-hand in the UK at a low price
Things to consider
After steaming, brewing is blocked until the thermoblock cools, which slows down making several milk drinks
Small, pressurised-style basket and filter holder; very fine grinds can choke and strong long drinks are hard
Steam wand too short for deeper jugs; cup warmer ineffective; little mug clearance
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Some owner reports of power-switch, leak and pressure faults
Discontinued in the UK; the new offer found costs more than the successor EC685, and one Amazon listing is a 120 V US import
Who is it for, and who is it not for?
Good for
Espresso or single milk-drink makers with little worktop space who are willing to learn grind and tamp
Budget buyers happy with a used, tested unit
May not suit
Households making several cappuccinos or lattes in a row
People who want large mugs or long, strong Americanos straight from the machine
Buyers who want a new machine with a full retailer warranty; the newer Dedica Style EC685 is easier to find and cheaper new
The EC680 is effectively discontinued in the UK. De'Longhi UK's Dedica range lists only the Dedica Style and Maestro Plus. John Lewis marks its EC680 'No longer available online', Currys Business shows it out of stock, and neither Argos nor Currys lists it. Amazon UK points buyers to the EC685.M as the newer model.
A 15-bar pump espresso machine with thermoblock heating and a 1 l removable tank. It takes ground coffee or ESE pods, has a manual milk frother and can dispense hot water. It has no grinder.
De'Longhi claims a 3-button illuminated panel, flow stop to store cup volume, a descaling alarm, a removable drip tray with level indicator, and three filters (single, double, ESE).
De'Longhi says the EC685 successor adds an adjustable cappuccinatore with Hot milk and Cappuccino settings, and a double drip tray that fits cups up to 12 cm. The EC680 therefore has a single-setting frother and less cup clearance.
Reviewers most often praise the espresso: good crema and 'coffee shop' quality once the grind, dose and settings are dialled in. Several say this takes some practice.
Most owners find the steam wand quick and effective. A recurring complaint is that it is too short for deeper jugs, and a few found it makes bubbly froth rather than silky microfoam.
After steaming, the machine will not brew again until the thermoblock has cooled, and the buttons flash in the meantime. Several owners found this frustrating when making more than one milk drink. Others purge it with hot water or switch it off and on.
Some owners criticise the portafilter: the basket holds only about 14 g, the holder feels cheap, and finely ground coffee or a hard tamp can choke the flow. Others found the spring-held basket easy to empty.
The passive cup warmer is widely called ineffective. Some owners say a standard mug, or two full-size cups side by side, does not fit under the spout without removing the drip tray.
Individual owners report a power button needing several presses to switch on (including a replacement unit), water leaking from the pump outlet, and units losing pressure or stopping completely. These are isolated store reviews, not a failure rate.
A few owners say it suits espresso and milk drinks better than long, strong Americanos, because the basket limits the dose and the water must be topped up.
De'Longhi claims a 3-button illuminated panel, flow stop to store cup volume, a descaling alarm, a removable drip tray with level indicator, and three filters (single, double, ESE).
De'Longhi says the EC685 successor adds an adjustable cappuccinatore with Hot milk and Cappuccino settings, and a double drip tray that fits cups up to 12 cm. The EC680 therefore has a single-setting frother and less cup clearance.
Reviewers most often praise the espresso: good crema and 'coffee shop' quality once the grind, dose and settings are dialled in. Several say this takes some practice.
Most owners find the steam wand quick and effective. A recurring complaint is that it is too short for deeper jugs, and a few found it makes bubbly froth rather than silky microfoam.
After steaming, the machine will not brew again until the thermoblock has cooled, and the buttons flash in the meantime. Several owners found this frustrating when making more than one milk drink. Others purge it with hot water or switch it off and on.
Some owners criticise the portafilter: the basket holds only about 14 g, the holder feels cheap, and finely ground coffee or a hard tamp can choke the flow. Others found the spring-held basket easy to empty.
The passive cup warmer is widely called ineffective. Some owners say a standard mug, or two full-size cups side by side, does not fit under the spout without removing the drip tray.
Individual owners report a power button needing several presses to switch on (including a replacement unit), water leaking from the pump outlet, and units losing pressure or stopping completely. These are isolated store reviews, not a failure rate.
A few owners say it suits espresso and milk drinks better than long, strong Americanos, because the basket limits the dose and the water must be topped up.
Owners mostly like the Dedica EC680 for its espresso. Once the grind and dose are right it gives good crema and coffee they compare to a café. They also value the slim footprint, fast heat-up, simple programmable shots and easy cleaning. Most find the steam wand quick and effective, but many say it is too short for deeper jugs, and a few could not get silky microfoam. The most common frustration is that after steaming the machine blocks brewing, with flashing lights, until it cools, which slows down making several milk drinks. Other complaints are a small, cheap-feeling basket that chokes on very fine grinds, a cup warmer that barely works, and little room for mugs under the spout. A minority describe faults such as a stubborn power button, a leaking pump outlet or a unit that stopped working.
What buyers like
Good espresso with crema; coffee compared to coffee-shop quality74 reviews
Compact, slim footprint suits small kitchens53 reviews
Easy to use and clean, heats up quickly43 reviews
Milk frothing quick and effective26 reviews
Seen as good value compared with coffee-shop or pod coffee25 reviews
Common complaints
Steam wand too short for deeper jugs9 reviews
Cup warmer barely warms cups9 reviews
Filter holder or basket feels cheap or holds too little coffee7 reviews
Must wait or purge after steaming before the next shot; buttons flash6 reviews
Fine grind or firm tamp leads to slow drips or weak extraction6 reviews
Instructions or setup not clear5 reviews
Faults: power button needs repeated presses, leaks, unit stopped working6 reviews
How was this summary made?
Summarised from 97 reviews; 1 reviews about delivery, packaging or the seller were left out. The summary is drawn from opinions that recur in the reviews read; each theme shows how many reviews mention it. These counts are not a rate and do not apply to every unit.
97 unique reviews with text: John Lewis 77 (all reviews on the red EC680.R, API pages 1-4), Amazon.co.uk UK listing 13 (product page, 2 duplicates removed), Amazon US-version listing 7. 1 off-topic review excluded. Theme counts are hand tallies. ratings_total is the sum of the three stores' rating counts.
Show reviews (21 of 97)Read the texts as published by the store
21 original reviews can be listed on this page. The number of reviews analysed may differ.
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M*** G*** L***5/527 January 2015AmazonColour: Metal
It’s a cracking little machine - compact with a small footprint (which is handy if space is limited) yet sturdy and stable. … I have found the machine very easy to use and it produces excellent cappuccinos and lattes. Some critics have suggested the steam wand is too short for frothing milk. I would suggest that the problem is their choice of frothing jug. … The cup warming area on the top of the machine is not very effective, but this isn’t important as cups can easily be warmed with a 2 cup measure of hot water instead.
M*** H***5/57 June 2016Amazon
Positives = fast heating element, easy to use, easy to keep clean and fairly quiet pump, ESE coffee pods available if you want convenience. … Negatives = nothing major; messier and less convenient than pods, the cup warmer doesn't really work (not a deal breaker though), and the weird measure. One scoop of coffee basically fills the double filter; far too much for a single shot.
N***5/523 November 2016Amazon
The unit feels a solid, well made piece of kit. The filter holder is easy to engage and remove and has a spring retaining clip to hold the filter in place when knocking out used coffee grains. … The cup heating plate is of a passive design so does not warm cups quickly. … Really does produce a "coffee shop standard" espresso. Highly recommended.
r***5/511 February 2015AmazonColour: Metal
You can get a tasty cappuccino from this machine as well, the steam wand could be a tad longer but will reach into most cups. I bought the 600ml stainless jug and if I'm making one cappuccino the steam wand won't reach the milk. After using the steam wand the machine will automatically stop you making another expresso for about 4-5mins until the boiler has cooled to prevent scalding to your precious pre ground coffee…
J*** T***5/512 September 2016Amazon
What I like the most about this machine is the automatic water dispensing for either one or two cups making your coffee very consistent. Also impressive is the steam wand which can froth up milk for two cups in under 60 seconds! … 2) There isn't quite enough room for two full sized cups side-by-side under the brewing head.
P*** W***1/55 June 2017AmazonColour: Black
Machine looked good, but failed miserably form the word 'go'. Having used the larger De'Longhi for many years, I recognised a distinct lack of power immediately: it was quiet in operation, coffee could hardly get our into the cup and, no crema was ever produced. … Power behind the steam wand was varying considerably, and preparing my much-loved coffee became torturous, ending with the whole thing ceasing to function completely.
S***5/516 June 2017John LewisRed EC680.R
This espresso machine is compact and really easy to use and clean. I haven't used the milk foamer yet as I prefer black coffee, but the espressos match what I can get in a good coffee shop at a fraction of the price. This is an excellent investment.
M***3/524 September 2016John LewisRed EC680.R
I rinse the coffee filter after each use of the machine. I am now at the point where the coffee drips through into the cup as opposed to flowing through. I cannot see any blockage so I assume there is a blockage at the bottom of the coffee filter. Either that or the water pressure is not sufficient to force the coffee through.
p***2/57 August 2016John LewisRed EC680.R
I purchased this in May and have just returned it to JL (end of July) for testing as the water leaks from the pump outlet when making coffee. … Also, we were constantly mopping water from beneath the machine and this wasn't just due to condensation - it was a lot of water. … Another thing is it does need descaling regularly - we had to descale it twice in the time we had it and the process is a bit tiresome.
G***4/55 July 2016John LewisRed EC680.R
we returned this coffee machine as we found it doesn't make strong coffees, best used for espresso only, or as a cappuccino/latte base. Needed to make double espresso and top up with kettle water for strong americano, too much faff in the morning, exchanged it for a filter coffee machine, more suited to our needs. Beautiful machine however, looked fab on our counter.
H***1/520 May 2016John LewisRed EC680.R
… I am not very pleased with it as you can't make more than one cup of coffee at a time as the lights are flashing so I have to turn it on and off its so frustrating especially if you have guests and a husband waiting for his morning coffee. I have even watched YouTube to see how to use it but still no joy. The machine looks lovely but that's about it. Wouldn't recommend.
B***5/510 May 2016John LewisRed EC680.R
Excellent value for money and an aesthetically beautiful piece of equipment.Makes a good crema or Americano but prefer to use coffee beans rather than pods as this produces more flavour. The steamer is ultra fast for making cappuccinos. …
A***5/515 March 2016John LewisRed EC680.R
I love this machine. It takes up a small space on the worktop. It can use my favourite home-ground coffee, avoiding the environmental damage caused by coffee pods. … My only gripe is that with the machine in the corner of my kitchen it's not easy to see how much water is left in the reservoir and there's no warning when it's going to run out apart from a terrible grunging sound followed by a halt part-way through making a shot!
D***2/525 January 2016John LewisRed EC680.R
I purchased this machine as a gift for my husband. The first one was returned to John Lewis with a faulty switch. Now that has been replaced but we still have the same problem. It can take 4 or 5 attempts before it will switch on. Obviously this is an inherent fault, which should be looked into further. Does make lovely coffee though.
T***4/522 February 2015John LewisRed EC680.R
I can't make another coffee straight away after using the frother/steamer. Our machine flashes up the 1 and 2 shot buttons continually … 2. The steamer really just seems to froth, so getting a thick milk for a latte is an art which is beyond me, but then that could be just user error rather than the machine itself - but something to consider.
S***4/529 November 2014John LewisRed EC680.R
Very good coffee. But harder to use than it need be if you want a long drink with expresso flavour, or if you want to make several cups at once. The filter doesn't actually let you put in much coffee, despite its size. Two shots, yes; three shots is a struggle. … And then given the wasted space, you can't quite fit in a 'standard' size mug (9cm) under the filter. Would be a brilliant machine, with a redesigned filter.
D***4/527 October 2014John LewisRed EC680.R
The filter holder and basket is a real cheap affair and the coffee filter basket in my opinion is not big enough if you like your coffee strong and plentiful, it will only hold about 14gms of coffee and if you tamp it too tight to pack more in, with a fine grind such as Illy Espresso the water cannot get through and just drips slowly into the cup giving a sour burnt taste.The steam wand works well …
k***2/518 October 2014John LewisRed EC680.R
it produces very nice coffee, thick crema and the milk foam is so thick I was looking forward to trying to produce barista style swirls on my latte.my main issue with the machine is switching it on.. should be an easy process of of pressing the button, but it takes either of us several attempts and usually switches on on the 4-5th time, sometimes more.
h***2/521 September 2014John LewisRed EC680.R
… the filter holder is a miserable affair compared with the Krups.However the most infuriating feature is that it is much too easy to knock the pump switches when you are steadying the machine to insert the filter holder, and this has happened to several people who tried using it.I've no issues with the coffee it produces …
M***5/524 September 2014John LewisRed EC680.R
The steam nozzle is perfect. Very easy to clean, and makes the milk nice and hot and very frothy. … The whole machine is very easy to clean and is ready in 35 seconds after you switch it on.I really love it, it's just brilliant! :o)
L***5/527 December 2014John LewisRed EC680.R
Easy to set up and after less than a minute warm up its ready to produce really nice espressos with a good crema. A few seconds later the milk frother is ready and a lovely coffee follows.Very slim and stylish. Milk frother can drip onto work top but this is a minor point. Frother nozzle could also be slightly longer but again a very minor point.
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YouTube · Review
Delonghi Dedica EC680M Espresso Machine Review and Tutorial
The De'Longhi Dedica EC680 is a compact, fast, and easy-to-use espresso machine ideal for smaller kitchen countertops. It features pressurised filter baskets that reliably create rich crema and an aerating steam wand that simplifies milk frothing. However, its small heating coil means it can overheat or cool down quickly, limiting it to making roughly one milk drink at a time.
The De'Longhi EC680 Dedica is an affordable and compact espresso machine suitable for beginners and small kitchens. It produces a good shot of espresso with rich crema and offers decent milk-steaming capabilities. However, older filter baskets are prone to clogging and require maintenance.
DeLonghi EC680 Vs. DeLonghi Dedica EC685 Side by Side Comparison
The De'Longhi EC680 is a durable workhorse espresso machine that holds up well over years of regular use. However, after extensive service, it suffers from diminished water pressure and heat output, requiring frequent descaling. In comparison to newer models, it produces noticeably weaker coffee extraction and takes significantly longer to steam milk.
The De'Longhi Dedica EC680 is a compact, fast-heating espresso machine built with a durable stainless steel casing and adjustable brew temperatures. While it extracts balanced, tasty espresso with good crema from pre-ground coffee, its panarello steam wand creates aerated foam rather than fine microfoam and is slightly fiddly to clean.
This page is compiled from manufacturer, store, review and video sources; every piece of information links to the source it was read from. Technical values are as stated by the manufacturer or store; user experiences are summarised from the reviews read and do not apply to every unit. We do not test products ourselves.
