Small espresso machines
Which small machine still makes sense in two years?
Both fit where a normal espresso machine will not. The difference is what happens once you own a decent grinder — one machine improves with it, the other largely cannot.
| Compared on | Bambino Plus | Dedica Style EC685 |
|---|---|---|
| Baskets | 54 mm, non-pressurised | 51 mm, pressurised |
| Responds to a better grinder | Yes, substantially | Barely — the valve masks grind |
| Milk | Automatic texturing, real microfoam | Panarello — bubbles, not microfoam |
| Heat-up | ≈ 3 seconds | ≈ 40 seconds |
| Width | 19 cm | 15 cm |
| Price | Roughly double | Lowest here |
A tick marks the better answer on that line only. Counting ticks does not decide the page — the two verdicts below do, because these machines answer different questions.
Buy the Bambino Plus if you own or will buy a grinder. It is a genuine espresso machine in a small body, and its automatic milk texturing beats what most people manage by hand for the first two months.
Buy the Dedica if the budget is firm, the worktop is fifteen centimetres, or you are finding out whether you like making espresso at all. It works on day one with supermarket pre-ground, and that is both its virtue and its ceiling.
Building pressure against a small valve rather than against the coffee, so crema-like foam appears from almost any grind. That makes the machine forgiving and caps how good the coffee can get, because changing your grind barely changes the cup.
Yes, 51 mm precision baskets exist and improve it noticeably — but only if you already own a grinder that goes fine enough and holds consistency. Without one you get sour, gushing shots and a worse machine than you started with.
54 mm · automatic milk texturing · 3 s heat-up
Ready in three seconds, nineteen centimetres wide, and it textures milk automatically to a temperature you choose. The one espresso machine that suits a small kitchen without pretending grind does not matter.
Best for: Someone who already owns a grinder, or is buying one, and has no space.
≈ $500 / £380 / 400 €
51 mm portafilter · 15 cm wide · pressurised baskets
Fifteen centimetres wide, heats in forty seconds, and makes a decent drink for under 200. It ships with pressurised baskets that fake crema from any grind — which is exactly why it works for beginners and why it stalls after a year.
Best for: A tiny kitchen, a first espresso machine, or a second machine for an office.
≈ $200 / £170 / 180 €
