De'Longhi Dedica Style or Sage Bambino?

Our verdict

Today the difference is €131.27: the De'Longhi Dedica Style costs €131, the Sage Bambino €262.27.

The Dedica Style and the Bambino are both slim portafilter machines with no grinder and a steam wand you work yourself. With either you need a separate grinder or pre-ground coffee. The Dedica is 14.9 cm wide, the Bambino 19.5 cm; in height and depth they differ by a centimetre at most.

The Bambino has a 54 mm portafilter, a 1.4 litre water tank against 1.1 litres on the Dedica, a stainless steel housing and ThermoJet heating, which Sage builds to reach temperature in a few seconds. The Dedica has a thermoblock and at 4.22 kg weighs a little less than the Bambino (4.95 kg). It comes in four colours: metal, black, red and white. The Bambino in two.

Upkeep is simple on both: the machine tells you when it needs descaling. On the Bambino you also replace the water filter every 3 months. Both carry a 2 year warranty.

Our verdict: if you want to try brewing espresso yourself for as little as possible, or every centimetre of worktop counts, the Dedica is a reasonable start. If you expect to take it seriously, choose the Bambino: the larger tank means refilling less often, and the separate Sage tamper in our accessories fits its 54 mm portafilter. With either, budget for a grinder.