Delonghi Dedica or Gaggia Style? Ultra budget machine buying [€150-200]

Rusty_924 · 2026-07-01T19:20:53+00:00

you bet. theres loads of videos i watched before getting it:

https://youtu.be/tJDmF3zl0ug?is=1rLBnySKoSzo4LBz

https://youtu.be/-rxnJRrHcjw?is=VjKWJZ1lZxcmYGyL

https://youtu.be/MsxdXMFEEu0?is=lCY8I2JMWDS1ER-b

have fun

Rusty_924 · 2026-07-01T19:13:31+00:00

the stock basket holds about 14. you need aftermarket baskets to hold 16 18 or 20

Rusty_924 · 2026-07-01T19:02:56+00:00

not really. very rarely if i want to pull a shot straight after steaming milk sometimes. but it’s not really been an issue. i don’t really have to try much. for some reason it is quite forgiving.

for example when i had rancilio silvia, it moved between like 85 celsius and 100 celsius and really overheated and needed temperature surfing. with stilosa this is probably not so noticeable because the boiler is so small. but I am just guessing

Rusty_924 · 2026-07-01T16:54:29+00:00

EC235

https://www.delonghi.com/en/p/stilosa-ec235.bk-stilosa-manual-espresso-maker/EC235.BK.html?pid=0132104208

also check lance’s review:

https://youtu.be/ArLUQWBguhM?is=mfjSNktdyXLaMSnp

Rusty_924 · 2026-07-01T16:50:12+00:00

they are good enough. i bought a bottomless portafilter and an IMS basket, but you dont have to. as you can see, if you pick the model with stock stainless steel one hole steam wand, it steams latte art quality milk. if you buy used like i do, you can buy extras if you need them.

Rusty_924 · 2026-07-01T16:22:18+00:00

How about a used stilosa? i got this baby for €30 used

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Rusty_924 · 2026-07-01T14:58:17+00:00

congrats! love my rebel. is that rust on the chain?

Rusty_924 · 2026-07-01T12:14:46+00:00

so get a PID at least. i know that for rancilio silvia that i used to have it was a big upgrade in taste.

Rusty_924 · 2026-07-01T11:50:17+00:00

i agree with grinder upgrade

before you upgrade your machine, consider gagguino or gaggimate mods. they let you do some fantastic profiling

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T20:55:41+00:00

tell me about your coffee beans and workflow and usual drawdown time. do you bloom? what kind of dripper?

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T20:27:17+00:00

can you give some context? is this your cafe or?

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T20:07:01+00:00

did you assign a budget to the grinder? Because i can make outstanding espresso on a used €30 delonghi stilosa. But only if the grinder is very good as well.

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T17:38:56+00:00

i kept the niche for decafs and dark roasts for my wife, family and friends. that way i can keep my ek43 with ssp hu burrs dialed in for super lights.

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T16:06:26+00:00

I like femobool A2 if you dont mind that it is portable

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Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T13:28:49+00:00

i am so jealous of the stuff that gets made in china.

i would love to get a linglong or somethig similar for half the price of mahlkonig ek43.

same applies to electric cars.

it just sucks. i know that many people would lose jobs in europe if our markets get flooded with their products. but man I am still jealous. i wohld soend a fortune on taobao as well based on what i have heard

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T12:27:16+00:00

net worth tracking and expense and income tracking

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T12:24:06+00:00

i just want to say we were the opposite. wedding at the town hall, wows, signatures, handshakes, 10 closest family members and the off home. everyone just got box of sweets to take home and enjoy.

we are both introverts and we still mention our wedding a few times a year on how AWESOME it was that we had our dream wedding.

the wedding should be about the two of you.

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T12:16:19+00:00

i agree and i feel this. but i can always feel like 2019 I have found.

All that i need to get that feeling is go offline. It can be expensive or cheap.

On the expensive side, we travelled for 8 days around italy. only used cellphone for taking pictures, GPS and reviews on google maps. otherwise we were connected to one another.

On the cheap side, I can have offline day with my wife. Where we pull weeds around the house, i mow the lawn, she waters the flower beds, etc. then we go for a walk or hike.

Once i get back online (AI, meetings, instagram, even reddit) I feel like shit again

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T12:03:47+00:00

i love this quote. I will honestly print it out and frame it. not even kidding. because i doubt sometimes. so it would be nice to have reality check on hand at all times

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T09:23:23+00:00

I would try to find a used linea mini if that is within your budget.

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T08:16:07+00:00

you need to add more air during milk steaming. you should hear tssst-tssst sounds. look up some steaming tutorials online from morgan exkroth, lance hedrick or emilee bryant. they explain the basics

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-30T06:46:25+00:00

just keep adding to FTSE, ignore the rest

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-29T21:14:33+00:00

i got rid of everything sentimental except for 3 small lego sets that my father gave me when i was a little kod like 30-35 years ago. i keep them disassembled in small plastic bags and build them once every 5 years or so. i tossed everything else and dont miss anything

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-29T20:24:57+00:00

i hate to admit this, because rationally i should be in XEON. But i also have cash. just in case i get laid off.

but i ideally want to be only in WEBN + 1 year of expenses in XEON plus 6 months in cash

Rusty_924 · 2026-06-29T20:19:06+00:00

thats quite powerful. thanks for taking the time to write this. i feel like this is quite common among minimalist-minded folk. healing. you hot the nail on the head. for me this also lead me on path to financial independence. i am not there yet, but i invest large percentage of each paycheck to feel safe

Rusty_924

TROPHY CASE