The beginning of every home brewers coffee journey starts with finding the perfect entry-level espresso machine. Naturally, we chose the The Breville Duo-Temp Pro features an internal PID, auto-purge and pre-infusion to create great coffee at home.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_13505" align="alignnone" width="1080"] The DeLonghi Dedica is one of the slimmest semi-automatic we've seen![/caption]
Shot
If you’re looking to hone your coffee skills, then we recommend the Breville Duo-Temp Pro. Equipped with non-pressurized portafilter baskets, you can learn how to dial in your grinder. When you’re feeling lazy, switch over to the pressurized portafilter and let it do all the hard work for you. As an added bonus, the Duo-Temp Pro’s baskets are stainless steel—high-quality for an entry-level espresso machine! On the opposite end, the DeLonghi Dedica has a pressurized portafilter, which is better for those want to make great coffee without practice.
[caption id="attachment_13047" align="alignnone" width="1080"] The Breville Duo-Temp Pro features pressurized and non-pressurized baskets for the portafilter.[/caption]
As an entry-level espresso machine, the Dedica excels with programmable features! You can program two time-based espresso buttons, temperature, water hardness, auto descale and auto shut-off time—whew! Did you catch all that? It’s nice to have some control over your espresso in this small machine! We say some because the programmability is limited to a set amount but it still offers more options. This is great for beginners who want to add some customization without getting technical. The Duo-Temp Pro is completely manual using a turn knob to start and stop for brewing and steaming. This is great for improving your barista muscle memory—soon you’ll just know when you’ve hit between 20 and 30 seconds for your shot.
[caption id="attachment_13504" align="alignnone" width="1080"] The Dedica features two programmable espresso buttons.[/caption]
Steam
Another reason the DeLonghi Dedica is a perfect entry-level espresso machine is the panarello-style steam wand. For those you don’t already know, the panarello automatically froths milk by drawing in air from a hole at the top. This gives you foamy cappuccino froth every time. If you were interested in practicing latte art, then you’d want a traditional style steam wand like the Breville Duo-Temp Pro has. It’s like we’ve been saying—the Duo-Temp Pro is designed to help you learn! With the Duo-Temp Pro, you can learn how to texture your milk for latte art or dry cappuccino foam.
[caption id="attachment_13050" align="alignnone" width="1080"] The Duo-Temp Pro comes with a traditional steam wand.[/caption]
Since both machines have thermoblocks, we recommend steaming first and then brewing. Of course, that means the thermoblock is at steam temperature and too hot to brew coffee—a dilemma if you want your coffee quick. That’s why we love the Duo-Temp Pro auto-purge feature which reduces the temperature! After steaming, you can hear the valve release hot water behind the drip tray, so you can brew your coffee in a snap. We’re stoked that this feature is offered on an entry-level espresso machine. With the Dedica, we can easily bring the temperature down to brewing by pulling hot water through the steam wand. The Duo-Temp Pro’s auto-purge is an amazing bonus!
[caption id="attachment_13506" align="alignnone" width="1080"] The Dedica features a pressurized portafilter to extract espresso perfectly each time.[/caption]
Style
It’s great to see that the Breville Duo-Temp Pro features the same sleek style as the rest of Breville’s impressive lineup. Encased with brushed stainless steel casing, the Duo-Temp Pro integrates effortlessly into modern kitchens. If you’re considering size, the Dedica is one of the narrowest semi-automatics we’ve seen! It’s nearly 3-inches narrower than the Duo-Temp Pro. The Dedica’s slim body easily cozies up to kitchen appliances and saves valuable real estate on home barista’s counters. Like the Duo-Temp Pro, the Dedica has a polished stainless steel casing that adds an extra touch on an entry-level espresso machine.
[caption id="attachment_13507" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Because of the Dedica's narrow body, it has a 33-ounce water tank.[/caption]
Breville maintains their high-quality design on the Duo-Temp Pro and outfitted it with a user-friendly interface that we mastered in a few shots. We mentioned the centered turn knob controls the espresso and steam; likewise, to operate the hot water or steam, all you need to do is click the adjacent button and flip the knob. With the Dedica though, there are several programmable options that you can learn by referencing your manual—the slight learning curve is worth the extra rewards! Once the Dedica is programmed, your coffee is just one push of a button away.
[caption id="attachment_13049" align="alignnone" width="1080"] The Duo-Temp Pro's clean controls make it easy for beginner's to learn.[/caption]
Conclusion
If you’re looking for your first espresso machine, then check out the Breville Duo-Temp Pro and DeLonghi Dedica. The Duo-Temp Pro offers beginning barista’s a chance to grow with their machine and gain the experience to use advance semi-automatics down the road. On the other hand, the Dedica features two programmable espresso buttons and a panarello steam wand to make grabbing a homemade latte a cinch. We’d love to hear what you think about these two entry-level espresso machines! Share your thoughts in the comments below.
