****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
My boyfriend has been using the well-reviewed Capresso burr grinder for a number of years for making French press coffee and espresso drinks at home. He is a “gourmet” and has a “palate.” (I like to tease him, but I enjoy his cooking!) However, at nearly a decade old, his Capresso has gotten temperamental in behavior at some grind settings. He would voice mild complaints, but wasn’t planning to buy a replacement. Here was a great opportunity for a Christmas gift!After doing product research on Amazon and reading user reviews, I chose the DeLonghi Dedica conical burr grinder. He liked it right away. With French press, he noted smoother flavor. Those who think that Starbucks over-roasts their coffee still may not like Starbucks beans(!), but should nevertheless find that this grinder removes harshness while still yielding full-bodied flavor. There is also less grounds sludge in the cup. Even the most coarse setting on the Capresso produced plenty of sludge. The sludge is an objection that many have against French press. This grinder could change their minds.The grinder has 18 grind settings, 6 each for Fine (1-6), Medium (7-12), and Coarse (13-18). It also has three “Strength” settings, which determines how heavy a grind goes into each cup. Thus a Light strength will produce fewer grams of coffee grounds, while the Medium and Full settings will grind more grams per cup. This allows fine-tuning for individual tastes, and is particularly important for proper timing of espresso shots. My boyfriend found he found he could go down to level 14 (a finer coarse setting) for French press, but that 13 produced too much sludge.My boyfriend has a lower-end semi-automatic DeLonghi espresso machine (EC 155). The Dedica has an attachment that accommodates the portafilters from DeLonghi espresso machines so that you can grind directly into the portafilter. This is a nice feature. However, the grinder automatically adjusts to grind only one cup of grounds with the attachment in place. Thus, if you are making a double shot, you will have to grind one cup, wait a second or two, and press the grind button a second time to fill the portafilter. However, the Strength setting still works with the portafilter attachment in place, so you can fine-tune how many grams of grounds per shot.Although the EC 155 claims to have a 15-bar pump, it nevertheless seems to be a weak pump. With too fine a grind, or too much pressure tamping the grounds, the machine takes too long to pull a shot. The Dedica grinder allows the fine-tuning necessary to pull a properly-timed shot, while extracting more flavor from the grounds. Although the DeLonghi EC 155 still won’t make as rich and full-bodied a coffee as something like a Gaggia or a professional-level machine, it is a notable improvement. As with the French press, there is also less sludge from the grounds when making espresso.A concern with a fancy machine like this, that has digital settings for most of its functions, is how robust the circuitry and buttons will prove over the long haul. My boyfriend had an initial reservation that the cost of a grinder like the Dedica was for all the bells and whistles, rather than for a better grinder. Indeed, being only a few weeks old, he hopes for the best in terms of the circuitry longevity.My boyfriend will be getting a hand-me-down Baby Gaggia from a good friend who has upgraded to a fairly high-end espresso machine. He suspects the Gaggia portafilter will be too large to work with the Dedica attachment. In the meantime, he has been making more espresso than before, and enjoying the DeLonghi EC 155 more than ever.Most people think about upgrading coffee machines while relegating a good grinder to a lower tier. For those wondering whether the Dedica grinder delivers a better cup of coffee at a semi-premium price, the answer is yes. Upgrading the grinder will have the benefit of appearing to upgrade one’s espresso machine at the same time. The better burr grinders heat the grounds less when grinding, and yield more even grounds size with less sludge. The Dedica delivers on both counts. My boyfriend doesn’t have enough experience with his friend’s even pricier Rancilio grinder to offer direct comparison, but he does note the Dedica is a well worthwhile upgrade over the crowded $80-$100 segment of burr grinders, and certainly worth the price premium.Perhaps I can post a follow-up in a year to see how the machine holds up. I am thinking of buying a Dedica myself because I enjoy playing with the settings and the ease of use with all those digital bells and whistles! After all, my boyfriend has been telling me those blade grinders, while better than nothing, leave much to be desired. I would merely be taking his advice...
