De'Longhi Dedica: Pressurised vs Open Baskets & Pannarello Milk Guide
Own the UK's best-selling budget espresso machine? When to switch baskets, which 51mm upgrades matter, and how to steam silky milk with the Pannarello wand.
The De'Longhi Dedica EC685 is the UK's best-selling espresso machine because it makes genuine espresso for £149. But out of the box it's deliberately held back: a pressurised basket that fakes crema, and a Pannarello steam sleeve built for foam rather than silk. Here's how to get past both — and when not to bother.
Pressurised vs open (non-pressurised) baskets
Your Dedica ships with pressurised baskets. A tiny valve builds pressure artificially, so even stale beans and coarse grinds produce something that looks like crema. Forgiving — but it caps quality.
Stay pressurised if: your grinder is a blade grinder or a basic £30 burr grinder, you drink mostly milk drinks, or you value convenience over flavour. There's no shame in it.
Switch to open baskets when: you own a capable grinder (Kingrinder K6, Timemore C3 or better — budget £70+), you drink straight espresso, and you're ready to dial in. Expect a week of sour-then-bitter shots while you learn; then a step-change in sweetness and texture.
An open 51mm basket costs under £15. That's the whole upgrade — but it demands fresh beans (roasted within the last month) and a real grinder. Without those, the open basket makes worse coffee than the pressurised one.
The 51mm upgrade path (and its limits)
The Dedica's 51mm portafilter is its ceiling. Third-party 51mm accessories exist — bottomless portafilter, precision basket, tamper — and they're worth it if you're committed: a bottomless portafilter alone teaches you more about channelling in a week than months of guessing.
But be honest about the limit: 51mm has a fraction of the aftermarket of the 58mm world (Gaggia Classic, Profitec Go) or even Sage's 54mm (Bambino Plus). If you see yourself spending £150+ on 51mm upgrades, stop — put that money toward the next machine instead. Our Bambino Plus vs Dedica comparison draws that line precisely, and the best machines under £300 shows what the next step costs.
Steaming milk with the Pannarello wand
The Pannarello sleeve injects air automatically — great for cappuccino foam, terrible for silky flat-white microfoam. Two modes:
Pannarello on (sleeve down): for beginners and big airy cappuccinos. Keep the wand near the surface, let it hiss, and stop early — it over-aerates fast.
Pannarello off (sleeve removed, bare wand): for silky milk. Purge, submerge the tip 1cm, stretch for 2–3 seconds of gentle hissing, then bury the wand to whirlpool until the jug is too hot to hold (around 60°C). Wipe and purge immediately — baked milk ruins the next drink.
The Dedica steams slower than a Bambino Plus (around 40 seconds per latte cup in our tests) and needs time to recover between drinks. Steam one drink at a time; don't fight it.
The honest verdict
Grinder first (£70+), open basket second (£15), technique third (free). That trio takes the Dedica from decent to genuinely excellent. Beyond that — 51mm money pits, PID fantasies — buy the next machine instead.