Philips (2200) Series Espresso Machine with Milk Frother Reviews

Bought this for my wife after her Saeco finally bit the dust. This machine outperforms it in every sense. It's east to clean and the water tank is easy to refill, as it pulls out from the front. Espresso tastes as it should, just as coffee does. The instruction manual provides all of the information needed to adjust flavor, amount and hotness. The only negative I can think of is that the machine sprays water out of the drink dispenser spout (in order to clean out any coffee/Espresso that may be left from the previous brew) and it requires you to empty the drip tray once the button pops up. More annoying than anything.

My morning cup is very important to me. I like a cappuccino wit 2 espresso shots. This machine really delivers. it even has a double shot option. With frothed milk, bean to cup it takes about 5 minutes and tastes great. If you are looking for a machine that will make a regular cup of coffee, this is not for you. I accidentally hit the coffee option a couple of days ago, it was basically a weak / watery espresso.

I am a big fan of Latte. I have used a Keurig and a Nespresso Espresso Maker for many years. I was not satisfied with the quality of the coffee Latte I made by these machines, but I used to think the main reason it tasted not as good as those I bought from coffee shops is because the quality of my coffee capsules and milks was not good enough. Until recently I read some articles and realized I can try a better coffee machine. I did some analysis and decided to buy this Philp 2200 Espresso machine. This morning I received this machine. It is easy to install. I could not wait to try a cup of Latte. Although I used the same ground coffee and milk which I bought from Costco, it produced a diferrent Latte. It tasted so yummy! Just as good as those from the a barista shops! Now I can enjoy high quality Lattes everyday. I am so glad I bought this machine.

I looked at all of the machines and I liked this one the best. The flavors good and it's easy to set up. I like making a full cup of coffee followed in the same cup with the coffee an espresso.

I've been using this Philips 2200 now for a few weeks. The espresso is very good and could not be easier to make - or keep clean. Having moved up from a very manual espresso unit that I had for years, it is so nice to be able to very quickly get a pour of fresh espresso anytime without the mess! So far my only concern is with heat. The espresso straight out of the spout measures barely hot enough and by the time the drink is prepared, it's not as hot as I like. The instructions state to not modify the temperature or grind settings until you have brewed 150+ cups. I'm nearly there. I will say that the coffee has improved overall after a couple of weeks. Seems it really does have to be worn in a bit before it's perfect. The "warming plate" on top also never gets even slightly warm. If you need that feature, I don't think this really has that. Even leaving it on for a very long time, making multiple espressos, it still is never even warm. The grinder holds plenty of coffee and seems to grind well. The little puck of used grinds drops neatly into the bin to empty later. I have read many places that oily beans should not be used, so it 'forced' me to go and try some really good locally roasted fresh coffee beans. What a difference it makes with coffee beans that were roasted only a day ago. So far there have been no issues with beans of any type. Perhaps related to the heat, or the new coffee beans I have been trying, the coffee isn't overly strong. With my manual machine, I made each pour really strong. I have not yet adjusted the grind setting, will try that in a couple of weeks. You'll see some comments on this machine regarding the amount of water it uses - it will go through a lot, and you'll have to empty the drip bin every so often. It runs a little water through to rinse at various times - again goes back to how easy it is to use and keep clean - but yes, you'll add water frequently. I had debated on getting the 3200 with the frothing cup attachment. This 2200 unit froths the milk very well, consistent each time, and is so easy to clean. I'm glad that I didn't go for the extra expense of the model with the frothing attachment. Overall I'm very happy with this machine!

The machine is in a constant rinse cycle. It may rinse 5+ times before it produces one cup of coffee.

Hi About 2 weeks into it; REALLY loud coffee maker!! The grinder is so loud my cats run from the room every time I turn the machine on. Coffee tastes ok-seems to run through water really fast... Was an ok price but still pricey for what I got. I didnt want to spend the $$$ again for an inwall machine but I kind of wish I did.

nothing is better than a cup of coffee wake you up. This automatic coffee maker really save a lot of time and money

To begin with, this is a "Super Automatic" Espresso Machine. You literally press a button, it grinds the espresso beans, and makes an incredible espresso, that's it people! I drink two or three espresso's a day, that doesn't include serving guests, and with the prices of Nespresso Capsules being $10 on average for a sleeve of 10, that is over $700 a year in capsules just for myself!!! Even if you have one espresso a day that is $365 a year, Do the math!!! It also makes a much better espresso than Nespresso machines. You simply cannot beat a fresh grind, period! I have had espresso from machines that cost over $3,000 and this one produces an espresso equally as good. This is the one to get. If your not sure what beans to buy, I highly recommend buying a 2.2 bag of Lavazza Super Creama to start with as it is a very good and smooth espresso, not bitter or sour at all. And at $20 for 2.2 lbs, that will last you a while! You are talking about spending a couple hundred on beans a year vs close to a thousand in annual cost for Nespresso Pods. So even if you are weary about spending $511 up front for the initial investment on this machine, just do the math. Again, the quality of the espresso this machine puts out, blows away Nespresso by a long shot! You cannot beat freshly ground beans. And no stupid waste/recycling on spent Nespresso Capsules. I could go on providing additional context on the capabilities of the Philips 2200 but you can read the description here on Amazon, On Philips Website, and watch reviews on YouTube for that. Bottom line is, if you want a superior cup of espresso, if you want to save thousands of dollars over the years avoiding proprietary pods/capsules, and you want espresso at the push of a button, GET THIS MACHINE! The initial investment pays for itself in the first year. I promise, you will not regret it...

We are using it everyday. It is not good to make cappuccino but others are ok

Super easy to use and clean the machine. If you want an sinple machine to make caffee style drinks like lattes, mochas, american then this is the machine to get. The only thing that is not worth it is the coffee brewing. It just makes a lungo so its bitter.

This has quickly become the favorite part of my morning routine! This is my first super-automatic coffee and espresso machine. I had a Nespresso Vertuo and really enjoyed the Intenso and Stormio flavored coffees and Diavolito espresso shots. I decided to make the switch for environmental and money-saving purposes. The Nespresso machine was cheaper, but each vertuo pod cost ~$1, and at the volume of coffee I drink (2-3 cups per day) it made me regretfully scale back my coffee enjoyment experiences. Compared to a $15 per pound whole bean bag of coffee which has made over 40 servings of espressos/ coffees... you definitely save money in the long-run with the Philips 2200. Environmentally, while Nespresso does recycle via UPS, I can't help but think of the additional carbon fumes required to produce the pods, ship the pods back, recycle the pods, etc. With the Philips, you're only throwing away used grounds (and a bag at the end of 40+ servings). In regards to taste, I used Peet's French Roast Organic beans and adjusted the factory grind settings one notch down (for a slightly finer grind) and after about 5 or so cups, this machine was producing a dark, roasty, smoky, coffee and espresso with a beautiful crema, and a taste that certainly expedited my consumption of that first pound of coffee. Again, this is my first super-auto espresso machine, and I'm not a barista; but this machine is very pragmatic economically and environmentally.

We have had the machine for around a month now and have had zero issues. It takes probably a bag of coffee to dial in grinder and machine settings, but after that it has been smooth sailing. It makes a great shot of espresso and the mixed drinks are amazing. Our only problem is we’re burning through espresso beans because we’re using it so much...

I've had this less than a month, but so far I'm in love! It sure beats having to manually press espresso and clean out the filter all the time. This works great with whole beans. It does not work great with ground beans... no option and only one scoop at a time. Still, I am happy.

Total scam. Bought this on Amazon but unboxed just outside the return period. Dead on arrival. Did the right thing and contacted Philips for warranty repair service. They refuse to help, and seem annoyed I even contacted them. Then went through multiple hoops to tell me why the warranty was “void” including eventually saying Amazon was not a real retailer! Just a total sham and lost a lot of money. Will attempt to sort this out through Amazon. Don’t count on your warranty!

Broke after six weeks. Then my wife fixed it so it’s on probation now

Was working well and now its broken after 10 months. I have a jura as well that's lasted 3 years with no problem. Do not recommend!

I bought this through Amazon for my sister as a gift as we have a Saeco with similar features. They set it up and after one cup it not longer functioned. That was terribly embarrassing since we bought it as a gift. I sent her a gift receipt and Amazon has been giving her the run around for the past week. Again, very disappointed. Particularly given how much I spend through Amazon every year. I am supposed to get a credit and I am still waiting. TIck Tock, Tick Tock. We will buy the replacement elsewhere.

Makes espresso that tastes as good to me as my local specialty coffee shops. Took off one star because the steamer is slow, and the "coffee" setting makes a slightly weak cup. But it is very consistent, which is more than I can say of the coffee shops. If it lasts for more than a few years the convenience and cost savings will make it a worthwhile purchase.

Not as good as the previous model I purchased 3 years ago. The new unit shuts down way too soon and the waste container is less than half the size of the old one. The crema is not quite as thick either. However, the new unit is about $200 less expensive.

Big water recipient and excellent coffee

The plus side is that we have gotten rid of all our other coffee makers including the Keurig. It has a large water reservoir. It’s easy to clean. The only negative I can think of is that it is loud. Very loud. But I don’t have anything to compare it to that’s of the same equivalent so it might be standard for these types of machines. Regardless, I will deal with the loudness because it makes an excellent cup of coffee. It also saves me a lot of money because I don’t need to run to Starbucks anymore for a good coffee.

I have been owning several coffee makers, this is the best so far. 1. size is compact 2. easy to clean 3, blending power is so good 4. it has some advanced features than others in same price range

Nice machine but the coffee/espresso wasn’t nearly hot enough. I returned and bought the 3200 where there is a temperature selection option.

I was a barista as a student and now I wanted to

This replaces a machine we bought 17 years ago. Very satisfied. Hope it lasts as long as the last one.

Do not buy this machine or any in this line that look like this. The container within where ground coffee and water sit are poorly ventilated and result in the formation of mold within the machine - you have to take it apart (it's designed to take apart/clean/replace) but it did this like within the first month despite proper cleaning of the water reservoir, having the water filter in place, and having the ground coffee discarded. Also the input for your own ground coffee does not work well and spills powder all within the machine. Very poor design - do not buy.

It makes an ok coffee drink.

The Philips model is a fraction unrefined when it comes to preparation and setting options. What’s more, it’s somewhat louder and not quite as convincing in terms of beverage results.

Love this little machine. Shots are good and super easy to use.

Easy setup. Beans are sealed in the machine so no need to throw away stale beans after your three-week vacation....

Brewing or frothing - but not at the same time is OK. I expected as much based on the price point.

The frother is the type with the hole in the wand. Good news you won't scald the milk; bad news is that bubble size is on the large side. No bid deal though really.

Clean up and maintenance is better than any other machine at the same price point.

The espresso I get with reasonably good beans with a medium roast has great flavor depth and appropriate crema.

Super happy!

Easy setup. Beans are sealed in the machine so no need to throw away stale beans after your three-week vacation.... Brewing or frothing - but not at the same time is OK. I expected as much based on the price point. The frother is the type with the hole in the wand. Good news you won't scald the milk; bad news is that bubble size is on the large side. No bid deal though really. Clean up and maintenance is better than any other machine at the same price point. The espresso I get with reasonably good beans with a medium roast has great flavor depth and appropriate crema. Super happy!

This product does a lot, but not much of it is great. The grinding is nice and it does it well enough. I do wish the ground disposal was a bit bigger though. The frothed is fine. The operation is not simple but it has a small-ish learning curve. The biggest issue is the espresso was lacking. For the cost of the unit not to mention the noise and time it takes to ‘brew’ I was hoping for something a bit thicker and richer and with better crema. It’s not bad, just not great.

This is one of those instances where familiarity may breed acceptance because out of the box all I felt was contempt. After a few months of use, I have arrived at a point where I consider the 2200 series a reasonably serviceable compromise choice fully automatic espresso machine. It is a notable step up from Nespresso pod slavery but lacks quite a few desirable features found with less costly capsule using machines avid espresso drinkers may want in even at this moderate price point. Some of the features it lacks -most significantly the capability of customizable temperature settings - may be found with the similarly designed and operating 3200 series. For anyone new to automated espresso makers, all of these machines are noisy however I don't find the 2200 series any louder than the nespresso Vertuoline/Creatista/Lattissima (yeah, I have a coffee machine hoarder problem) or the considerably pricier Saeco/Philips models. Overall, I would term the quality of espresso produced as good but not outstanding. I don't know if it is a user problem meaning I haven't fine tuned the machine to the point where I can achieve a great head of crema or if the machine is what it is. Additionally, I am pretty much resigned to using the steam wand since it is a lot easier to use - well, clean - than the aeroccino we have from another set-up. For whatever reasons, it seems the milk foam created with the wand tends to dissipate rather quickly. The 2200 series offers the option of using whole beans (take note to avoid use of oily beans as that could result in malfunction) or pre-ground coffee. In the latter case, the user is somewhat restricted as only one scoop of grounds at a time can be accommodated. For whole beans, the grinder has 12 settings that can be adjusted but only during the grinding process so reaching one's ideal setting is a process of trial and frequent error. The machine has three shot size options for espresso and a two cup option. The footprint of the 2200 series doesn't demand any more counter space than the typical 12 cup coffeemaker and the access points for bean additions, water and depleted grounds containers are all conveniently positioned. This model does require more maintenance than a nespresso type maker although neither the procedures or intervals are all that taxing. But DO IT. I admit I did my typical procrastination about removing and cleaning the 'brew group' for about six weeks and what I found behind it did look like the incubation chamber for the creature from the black lagoon. I didn't share that information with the other member of the household... At start-up and auto power down the machine does enter into a line cleansing/clearing mode so there will be some water outflow that has to be taken into consideration especially when commencing the brewing session as well as taking care to empty the overflow tray on a regular basis if an empty capture cup is not left in position.

The other reviews for this product are mixed, but I'm honestly very happy with it! I used to be a barista, so maybe that's why I'm not bothered by the noise or needing to clean it. The maintenance could be a bit of a pain for some people, but taking care of it is an investment in the machine's longevity. The main reason I'm giving this only four stars is because it isn't possible to use just the steam wand without making some kind of coffee. This makes absolutely no sense to me. Sometimes I just want hot chocolate or a vanilla steamer. The strength of the shots is perfect. It seems like some people have had issues with watery shots, but I imagine they must be choosing the wrong setting for the amount of grounds they've put in? In my experience, it's been on par with the shots I used to pull at the cafe where I worked. The cost of the machine is slightly higher than what I think it's worth. If it were possible to use just the steam wand alone, I think that would bump it up to 5 stars! Something they should definitely think about for future machines.

Great product! I bit pricey, but I love a good cup of coffee.

This machine provides convenience that's very difficult to beat, and the coff quality is quite good as well, especially for the price. Just note that you can adjust both the grind and the temperature to dial in the flavor. Panarello steam wand is... Okay. However, if you pull off the metal part the silicone steam nozzle beneath can act as a standard steam wand for more control over the milk. For the amount of coffee that's gone through it, it's already saving me money.

Easy to use and custom adjust the brew per use. Every normal maintenance item is accessible from the front or the top. Makes good coffee. The top bean holder is shallow and has a loose top. It would be easier if the top had a hinge and the holder were deeper so the beans didn't remain up on the sides. However, this shallow design allows us to fit the machine under our cabinets.

Easy to use and custom adjust the brew per use. Every normal maintenance item is accessible from the front or the top. Makes good coffee. The top bean holder is shallow and has a loose top. It would be easier if the top had a hinge and the holder were deeper so the beans didn't remain up on the sides. However, this shallow design allows us to fit the machine under our cabinets.

This machine works great. I saw these all over Europe and when I got home I finally found it here too. They are great little machines that produce great coffee. Low maintenance and easy cleaning.

I love having this high end, grinder espresso maker. It is fairly easy to operate. The steamer makes awesome foam. It is a pain to have to empty the pucks, but that is expected..and not hard to do. It is fairly straightforward to operate. I will give you a tip. Take off the rubber pads on the bottom. This allows you to easily slide the unit back under the cabinets... but easy to slide out when you need to get to the top to add beans or water. Otherwise, it is a pain to pick up and move. This is a highly recommended unit!

I'm very satisfied with this machine. The first machine I ordered arrived damaged. Amazon quickly replaced it. I'm using this machine to replace an old Jura machine. The Jura made great espresso, but you could never get it totally clean. I like the fact that you can remove the brew group on the Philips machine. The espresso it makes is plenty hot. I have not used the frother yet, so I can't comment on that. Over all, you can't beat it for the price.

I'm very satisfied with this machine. The first machine I ordered arrived damaged. Amazon quickly replaced it. I'm using this machine to replace an old Jura machine. The Jura made great espresso, but you could never get it totally clean. I like the fact that you can remove the brew group on the Philips machine. The espresso it makes is plenty hot. I have not used the frother yet, so I can't comment on that. Over all, you can't beat it for the price.

Works great using every day

I got this machine for Christmas and I've been having so many problems with it. It's almost every time my husband or I make coffee. It's hard to program the ground coffee feature, it brews coffee before we press the start button. Very frustrating! I don't think I've made an espresso without problems. I've wasted so much ground coffee! Thinking about returning it.

Coffee is not hot enough.

If you like WEAK coffee or Espresso, to waste bag after bag (because it dumps out unless the spoon is precisely leveled), and constant error messages with a 10 minute start up process this machine is for you. Worst money EVER spent. Made the weakest espresso ever. I literally had to use a separate coffee machine to add with the frothed milk IN IT'S PLACE! The machine never works properly, with constant errors or issues. BUYER BEWARE!!!

My old Saeco, which was a great machine, finally died on me and I needed a replacement. Decided to go with the Phillips as it had good reviews, but I wish I had bought another Saeco. It's a decent machine and makes good coffee and espresso, but what I really don't like is that the steam stops after 90 seconds. No mater if you are finished frothing or not. 90 seconds is not enough time to get it hot enough, so I have to start the steam process again to finish frothing. I can't find any setting that will let me change this. This is very annoying and the reason for 4 stars.

It does produce a good for the price espresso with good foam. The frother works perfectly well. I have it for two months, so I don't know how it behaves after a year of use. The build quality is good, it doesn't look cheap.

The downsides are:

1. Coffee grounds container is not very convenient. It visually blends with the front panel and I always grab them together, so I have to think twice when trashing the grounds.

2. The ground coffee container is close to the beans container, so it's easy to mix them up. Once I accidentally put beans into the ground coffee container. It was a mess but it survived. I had to clean the brewing mechanism manually.

3. It takes about a minute to turn on, and it takes time to get ready for a drink.

4. The buttons are like sensors and they take about one full second to react to touch. So you need to put your finger and wait for a second or two to make it get it.

It does produce a good for the price espresso with good foam. The frother works perfectly well. I have it for two months, so I don't know how it behaves after a year of use. The build quality is good, it doesn't look cheap. The downsides are: 1. Coffee grounds container is not very convenient. It visually blends with the front panel and I always grab them together, so I have to think twice when trashing the grounds. 2. The ground coffee container is close to the beans container, so it's easy to mix them up. Once I accidentally put beans into the ground coffee container. It was a mess but it survived. I had to clean the brewing mechanism manually. 3. It takes about a minute to turn on, and it takes time to get ready for a drink. 4. The buttons are like sensors and they take about one full second to react to touch. So you need to put your finger and wait for a second or two to make it get it. 1.

I really love this Coffee maker, its probably one of the top 10 favorite things I've gotten on Amazon. But not in the top 5. I've wanted a fully automatic machine for a long time and was excited to get this one. I happened to have 3 pounds of ground espresso that I wanted to use, and this unit has the option of using ground espresso. You just measure out a tablespoon and drop it in the hatch on the top before you start. This proved to be a bit more annoying than I expected, because the grounds stick to the sides of the pipe. Also, you have to wait a fairly long time between cups or you end up dropping the espresso onto the mechanism before the "cup" comes back for it to fall into. (this is because the machine makes two movements to return it). Now, i don't know why you would want to use pre-ground espresso or coffee but since I happened to have some I did, and I wasn't very happy. i don't blame the machine because I think most people wouldn't use that feature. The grinder works well and the beans fed easily. Cleanup was pretty easy, and a tube of grease was included. You can adjust the strength with a knob but the instructions recommend waiting 30 days to do this, as the machine is "calibrating itself". It does take a few minutes to make each cup. It comes with a built in water filter, which does have to be changed. But water quality is the most important start when making coffee. I feel it runs out of water too quickly. I wish the reservoir was larger. Also the unit "clears its pipes" when it is first turned on and then again right before auto shutoff, which makes water spill into the tray. I just don't really like that, so I keep a small glass under the spout and throw it out. You have to remove and dispose of the grounds and excess water on a regular basis. It does make cute little pucks out of the espresso grounds. Overall I really love it. I think its a bit quirky but that works for me.

To start off, I've had this coffee maker for quite a bit of time. Me and my family have been using this daily since we got it about a month and a half ago. We've had no major issues with the products, only a few minor ones. I've never had a coffee maker with a frother attachment before and I have to say I love it. Especially when making hot chocolate, you literally just hold it there for about 30-45 seconds and you have steaming hot frothy chocolate. Disassembling and cleaning that part is incredibly easy as it is just a rubber attachment that can pull off. The few nitpicky issues I have are the "buttons" are hit or miss. They're more capacitive touch sensors than a physical button which isn't very good because there's no physical feedback or sound. The other is that the amount of coffee coming out is very small. The "2 cups" mode fills 1 mug for me. I'm not sure if it's meant for smaller cups but it doesn't go higher than maybe 8-12 oz of coffee. Cleaning is relatively easy. Couple button presses for auto cleaning, then emptying and cleaning the medium size water container and you're basically done. It auto spits water out before each cup of coffee you make as well (For anyone wondering why your machine does that) to make sure it isn't getting any leftovers in your new cup. I love the auto grinder. It holds more beans than it shows and it can also take powder through the same spot. Keep in mind that the machine comes with an INCREDIBLY hefty manual. Thing is like a history book. It's very intimidating, however there are quite a lot of really helpful videos on Phillips youtube channel.

Great machine, makes great espresso and coffee. The frother wand needs to be adjusted to make good foam. After watching a video on YouTube, you can take a pen and push down on the top witch lets more steam in , it works perfectly now. After years of using a typical espresso machine and having to slam the old coffee grounds in to the trash and then clean off coffee grounds from the grinder on my breville, I’m just sick of cleaning up the mess. This machine has no mess besides a few drops of milk from the frother, I’ll take that any day over cleaning up coffee grounds on a white counter top. If you like quality espresso and coffee at your fingertips with no mess, you will love this machine. Very easy system to clean. To me it makes the other machines look like a joke. And don’t be fooled by other reviews that say it doesn’t make quality foam. It makes fantastic foam in seconds and an easy to clean frother. Watch a video and learn how to make foam before saying this machine doesn’t make it right.

Great machine, makes great espresso and coffee. The frother wand needs to be adjusted to make good foam. After watching a video on YouTube, you can take a pen and push down on the top witch lets more steam in , it works perfectly now. After years of using a typical espresso machine and having to slam the old coffee grounds in to the trash and then clean off coffee grounds from the grinder on my breville, I’m just sick of cleaning up the mess. This machine has no mess besides a few drops of milk from the frother, I’ll take that any day over cleaning up coffee grounds on a white counter top. If you like quality espresso and coffee at your fingertips with no mess, you will love this machine. Very easy system to clean. To me it makes the other machines look like a joke. And don’t be fooled by other reviews that say it doesn’t make quality foam. It makes fantastic foam in seconds and an easy to clean frother. Watch a video and learn how to make foam before saying this machine doesn’t make it right.

This is my first espresso machine so I don’t have much to compare it with. But I was surprised how loud this machine is. I’m used to the sound now, but at first I thought I did something wrong or it was broken. So other than the loudness this is a great machine. It makes delicious espresso. The milk frothier is amazing and works well. I do wish the water reservoir held more water.

I've been using this machine for a couple of weeks now and I really like it. I've used commercial super automatics and smaller traditional home espresso machines and grinders in the past but this was the first super automatic I've bought to use at home. I feel like it's incredibly versatile for the variety of drinks it's capable of making and I really like the built in grinder, it saves me a lot of counter space. I've seen a few reviews here complaining about the quality of espresso this machine produces but I think it looks and tastes great. After adjusting the dosing and amount of water used in the shots as well as experimenting with the grind size and water hardness I was able to produce a consistently delicious espresso shot with distinct heart, body, and crema. That being said there are a few things keeping me from giving it 5 stars. According to the manual you can only adjust the grind settings while the machine is grinding, and then after that you have to brew it 2-3 times to get those results. Getting a consistently dense microfoam with the panarello style steam wand was a chore at first and took some practice, luckily there are some youtube videos out there to help you get the technique down. The espresso machine grease that it comes with was a little concerning. It says something along the lines of being harmful to sea creatures and not to get any down the sink, but you're supposed to wash the parts the grease goes on every two months so how do you get around that? Overall I do think this is a good machine and a great value and would still recommend it.

I've been using this machine for a couple of weeks now and I really like it. I've used commercial super automatics and smaller traditional home espresso machines and grinders in the past but this was the first super automatic I've bought to use at home. I feel like it's incredibly versatile for the variety of drinks it's capable of making and I really like the built in grinder, it saves me a lot of counter space. I've seen a few reviews here complaining about the quality of espresso this machine produces but I think it looks and tastes great. After adjusting the dosing and amount of water used in the shots as well as experimenting with the grind size and water hardness I was able to produce a consistently delicious espresso shot with distinct heart, body, and crema. That being said there are a few things keeping me from giving it 5 stars. According to the manual you can only adjust the grind settings while the machine is grinding, and then after that you have to brew it 2-3 times to get those results. Getting a consistently dense microfoam with the panarello style steam wand was a chore at first and took some practice, luckily there are some youtube videos out there to help you get the technique down. The espresso machine grease that it comes with was a little concerning. It says something along the lines of being harmful to sea creatures and not to get any down the sink, but you're supposed to wash the parts the grease goes on every two months so how do you get around that? Overall I do think this is a good machine and a great value and would still recommend it.

This is a very awesome machine. A little less featured than it's slightly bigger brother but awesome nonetheless. Some more about this coffee maker. Pros: * Completely automatic. From whole bean to espresso. No having to grind your own beans or pull shots, this unit will do it all and provide a great cup of espresso to boot. * Great cup of espresso with a very nice crema. Espresso is very personal and part of that is finding the right bean, grind consistency and strength. To be honest we are still playing with finding the right bean ourselves but are loving the journey. * Steam wand. No need to have a separate frother/steamer, the Philips includes a steam wand that also doubles as a hot water spout. * Double cup option. 1 or 2 shots with an extra press of the button. Each shot ground separately. * Options. Buttons: Select espresso or lungo coffee. Intensity 1,2,or 3 and water level 1,2,or 3. Hot water and steam are separate buttons depending if you want to steam milk or make an americano. Manual adjust grind coarseness in bean hopper. * Option to use pre-ground beans. * Includes Aqua Clean water filter to help with coffee flavor and reduce time between descaling procedures. (Originally didn't think this was included, nice to see it was.) * Reasonably compact. It's not small but it isn't much bigger than our regular 12 cup brewer. * Good sized bean hopper and water reservoir. The look on the small size but they easily hold enough to get through 2 coffees or espresso for 2 people before needing to be refilled. * Coffee grounds bin and drip tray are dishwasher safe. Cons: * The instructions really suck. Seriously, this is the biggest drawback of the machine, they quite literally very terrible. Luckily there are videos on the web and on the Philips site to help with this. * Self cleaning at start and power off. Self cleaning is good but the fact that is washes through the grinder and outlets into the drip tray is kind of a pain. * We've gotten random grounds bin full errors a couple of times. Very easy to check and reset though and oddly enough this used to happen on the commercial grade Starbuck grind and brew machine we had at my old office. Maybe it's just an issue with these "super-automatic" machines? * No temperature setting. This units bigger brother has one and is the only feature that this one doesn't have that I really wish it did have. Makes me really consider thinking that the upgrade is the way to go here. * No steam wand temp cutoff. Our Nespresso Creatista has an automatic cutoff for the steam by reading the milk temperature via a sensor built into the drip tray. With this machine you need to use an old-school milk thermometer to get it right. We do miss the auto functionality on the Nespresso and wish this machine had that feature. * Cleaning the grinder unit is pretty straightforward but you do need to pull it out and do it on a regular basis. The includes rinsing it out about once a week and fully greasing the mechanism in regular intervals depending on use. Summary. This is a good machine that pretty much does all you need it to do and we are debating getting rid of our Nespresso machine and going straight to this machine. Wish the instructions were better and definitely consider the feature differences between this machine and the step-up unit. Note: This machine comes pre-tested with grounds making it seems like it is a refurb or a return. The instructions specifically state that that is from the factory and that the machine is indeed brand new.

We drink a ton of coffee in our house and have long used a Technivorm Moccamaster along with a Capresso 565 grinder, two machines that cost about the same combined as this Philips unit. For now we are putting the Moccamaster in storage; the Philips unit makes better coffee. There are significant tradeoffs, however, and the bulk of this review is really about what it means to give up the old trusty Moccamaster. Before going further I should note that the there was a mix up in the supply warehouse and we were actually given the sister model with the integrated frother (EP3221/44). We actually don't care for the integrated frother as it is a bit more fiddly (and more complex to clean) than the steam tube. The guts of the two machines appear to be the same. Of the two, I'd lean toward the simpler, less expensive machine. The major theme of this review is that this machine really isn't about convenience. Yes, you've got everything in one compact unit, and when it is ready to go all you have to do is hit a button or two. But getting to that point requires a lot of machine tending. Before you punch in your coffee you've got to wake the unit and let it run through a start-up routine (that runs hot water through the unit). We end up waking the machine six or seven times a day (I usually wake the unit, then go something else, then come back and make my cup). The water container is not that large; we end up filling it two to three times a day. The used-grinds basket needs to be dumped twice a day. The liquid tray that extends underneath the pour spouts and the brew unit needs to be dumped once a day. We reload the bean hopper every one to three days. And then there is the brew unit that needs to be cleaned weekly. I let this job go for two weeks and, wow, there was a ton of grind-crud. Cleaning the brew unit is not difficult, but it's not great either because there are lots of greasy moving parts that need to remain greasy. I haven't figured out how to clean it without my fingers getting greasy, too. The brew unit is a mechanical marvel, but there's no way to keep the grinds from eventually working their way everywhere. While our Moccamaster has pumped out hundreds of gallons (thousands maybe?) of coffee over the years and I've had to deal with an occasional stuck relay, there's no way the Philips is going to last a long time without groaning and wheezing its way toward repair and replacement. It has too many moving parts and too much plastic. But it makes a great cup of coffee. For the amount of trouble that we are going to make a better cup, I am tempted to go all in with a manual or semi-manual espresso machine. It is going to last longer and, frankly, be about the same or less amount of work. You can also go with a Keurig, but you end up with a lot of packaging waste. As to the specifics of the machine: -Set up was not difficult but it does require a careful read of the instructions so that you can get the proper settings dialed in. The buttons on the control panel do double duty; they are labeled for the various drinks they make, but they can also adjust the temperature, etc. I regard the setup process as only okay in terms of user-friendliness. -The machine is noisy. You've got the grinder (noisy on any machine) and then the pump/water heater. The latter makes a not-so-reassuring noise that suggests the machine is struggling to push the water through the grinds. -We are finding that drink size is infrequently inconsistent even with the same settings. -Using the pre-ground port is useful (e.g. for decaf) but its often confusing to use. More than a few cups have been wasted putting the grinds in at the wrong time (in relation to the wake-up routine, etc.). -The unit triggered a thrown circuit breaker, though we don't yet know why. It was the only device on the circuit, and this is modern, up-to-code circuit. One last thought. I would not place this in an office setting. This may look like the kind of fully-automatic espresso machines that are used in hotels and offices, but it really isn't make for that kind of traffic. You'll kill the machine and have angry users.

I was looking for a machine to replace my 8yo Saeco and this kept coming up! It went on sale and thought I would give it a try. The flavor of coffee is ok, but if you are an espresso lover, the crema is crappy! And yes I did dial down the grinder to the finest setting. The crema is nothing like the pictures show or the videos (notice in Philips video they cut out the end of the coffee brew and replace with 2 totally 'styled' espressos with great crema) I love all the features of the machine and it was a great price at $399, but the crema doesnt cut it!

I would like to start off this review by stating I am an everyday espresso drinker and I have experience with an espresso machine. This review will involve a lot of comparison to a standard espresso machine and not a coffee maker. My espresso machine I am comparing this to is a standard 15 bar De'Longhi, nothing fancy, retails for under $150. I ordered this machine because I liked the idea of no longer having to pull a shot, clean my basket out, then pull another shot, then clean my basket out again. This machine is quick and simple. I walk into the kitchen, turn it on, hit the buttons to make my selections, and hit the start button. It pours out my espresso and I turn it off and I’m done. It does not require any immediate clean up. I have noticed no “messy” grinds unlike my actual machine. There is no reason operating this machine should take anyone 5-10 minutes unless you desire to empty the grinds each time at the exact time you use it, neither of which is required. This machine is no louder than a standard espresso machine. It actually a little quieter than my DeLonghi machine. It is however louder than a coffee maker which is to be expected with any machine brewing espresso. I make espresso everyday around 5 am and this machine has not woken up my husband. Once you get past setting this machine up and learning how it works it is very simple and would be a great machine for anyone without experience with espresso makers, but do know that maintaining an espresso machine requires more attention than a simple coffee maker. If you are looking to mostly brew coffee than this machine may not be for you. A standard espresso machine is going to require daily cleanup after each shot you make. This machine does not but as others have mentioned requires that can be time consuming. The coffee bean holder on top is convenient and holds more beans that it looks like it would, however it doesn't hold as much as a standard bag comes with so you would still need a separate container for those. The water tank is a decent size so you don't have to refill it every other day. I did not use the milk frother as I am a cold coffee only person. The Major Cons: The buttons are difficult to push at times. They are not real buttons that push in but instead sense your touch which unfortunately can be unreliable at times. When turning on and off the machine does spit out a bit of water. The drainage piece where your cup sits can collect this or you can put a cup down. Do not put your cup under this you plan to use until after the machine has turned on and always remove your cup you used to brew when you are finished before shutting off the machine or extra unwanted water will end up in your cup. I agree with another review about the broken up instructions. They provide some instructions but then direct you to another page further into the manual to read more. This caused me to have to flip flop back and forth between pages which was annoying and frustrating. The instructions regarding the grinder were somewhat vague but stated you are only supposed to adjust the grind setting while the grinder is running. The grinder only runs when you brew, you cannot run the grinder independently. You cannot regrind beans that were ground on a courser setting to achieve a finer ground. So this means in order to achieve the setting you want you must waste your beans by brewing on a setting that you don’t want. It states it can take several brews for you to notice the grind change. As another reviewer stated the grinder comes set in the middle on a 5/6. I can understand the reasoning for this because if you’re brewing coffee you can adjust it easily to a coarser setting or finer if you are brewing espresso but being this is marketed as an espresso machine it should really start on the finest setting. The pre-ground coffee setting is a hassle to use. You have to hold down the bean icon for 3 seconds in just the right spot for it to work. Grinds get stuck in the spout you pour into because condensation builds up and therefore again wastes your beans. It says to only use one level scoop and you are unable to adjust the strength setting when using the pre-ground option so it’s difficult to achieve a stronger brew. I wasted almost an entire 16 oz. bag of espresso beans trying to adjust the grinder and machine settings to achieve a good tasting brew unfortunately I was unsuccessful. After using this machine for a week I gave up and went back to my previous espresso machine. This machine brewed extremely bitter tasting espresso and despite my attempts to adjust the settings it wasn’t for me. My husband now uses it for coffee and he is pleased with it. Overall, this is not an espresso machine that brews coffee, it is a coffee maker that also brews espresso. The general idea of the machine is great but not enough focus was put into making it a good espresso machine.

I'll start by saying this might be my best order so far. I was pretty contempt with using the Russel Hobbs we got a few moths back (until it started steaming out the water outside the cup due to a manufacturing error). As soon as I saw this I knew I had to try it. This thing can do almost everything a pro barista can and you don't have to pay 5+$ per order.

So far we've tried the espresso, cappuccino, latte and obviously plain ole coffee and we love how all of them turned out. There seems to be much more flavor in there. We are using some beans we got in Savannah just for this little guy and the taste is much more intense than the Starbucks ground we use to buy at Wally World.

Another really useful feature is the milk frother. Add about half an inch of half&half or regular milk to your empty mug, press the steam button and keep it under the frother spout until you're happy with what you see. Then add a few shots of espresso and you've got your cappuccino. Replace the espresso with coffee and you get a latte. This is awesome! You can even teach it how much to fill your favorite mug if it's bigger or smaller than the regular sizes this fills.

I found these very useful to get used to playing with the espresso machine.

Installation video and how to use + Cleaning the thing, which is very easy to do for such a complicated machine can be found with an easy search online. There's also the instruction manual inside somewhere, I did not use it.

There's a lot more to talk about with this little guy but in my opinion the best thing about it is the amount of in depth personalization it allows, starting with the coffee aroma strength, size and ending with how big or small you want your coffee grounds to be. It will be almost impossible to not find the right setting for everyone.

I hope it will last a long time. It does use a fair amount of plastic for most of its bits but they seem to be well built. I don't think it's made for industrial use but it should survive a few good years in a regular household as long as you take good care of it. I did appreciate the build quality, everything seems to be very nicely polished and assembled.

Overall we absolutely love this and will definitely recommend it to our friends&family. Do yourself a favor and watch the manufacturer's videos online so you won't have any issues setting it up.

I'll start by saying this might be my best order so far. I was pretty contempt with using the Russel Hobbs we got a few moths back (until it started steaming out the water outside the cup due to a manufacturing error). As soon as I saw this I knew I had to try it. This thing can do almost everything a pro barista can and you don't have to pay 5+$ per order. So far we've tried the espresso, cappuccino, latte and obviously plain ole coffee and we love how all of them turned out. There seems to be much more flavor in there. We are using some beans we got in Savannah just for this little guy and the taste is much more intense than the Starbucks ground we use to buy at Wally World. Another really useful feature is the milk frother. Add about half an inch of half&half or regular milk to your empty mug, press the steam button and keep it under the frother spout until you're happy with what you see. Then add a few shots of espresso and you've got your cappuccino. Replace the espresso with coffee and you get a latte. This is awesome! You can even teach it how much to fill your favorite mug if it's bigger or smaller than the regular sizes this fills. I found these very useful to get used to playing with the espresso machine. Installation video and how to use + Cleaning the thing, which is very easy to do for such a complicated machine can be found with an easy search online. There's also the instruction manual inside somewhere, I did not use it. There's a lot more to talk about with this little guy but in my opinion the best thing about it is the amount of in depth personalization it allows, starting with the coffee aroma strength, size and ending with how big or small you want your coffee grounds to be. It will be almost impossible to not find the right setting for everyone. I hope it will last a long time. It does use a fair amount of plastic for most of its bits but they seem to be well built. I don't think it's made for industrial use but it should survive a few good years in a regular household as long as you take good care of it. I did appreciate the build quality, everything seems to be very nicely polished and assembled. Overall we absolutely love this and will definitely recommend it to our friends&family. Do yourself a favor and watch the manufacturer's videos online so you won't have any issues setting it up.

So after getting this machine I have a new theory that everyone and anyone who drinks coffee and loves coffee everyday needs one of these! Makes the best, most fresh coffee or espresso you will ever have without going to a cafe. It is a computer with detailed settings to perfect your cup of coffee, even down to testing the hardness of your water to improve coffee flavor. This basically requires you to push a button,if you want your milk or creamer frothed then there's one small step. Basically it's the best, easiest machine to use. MAKE SURE YOU READ THE DIRECTIONS FIRST!! The top of the device can hold about 10 oz of beans, depending on how much coffee you drink you only need to fill it every few days maybe even a week. The water reservoir makes approximately 8 small cups of coffee and probably about 12 cups of espresso. Also, espresso and coffee tastes completely different even when made from the same Bean. It is how it's extracted which makes it espresso or coffee but if you're not sure what to buy you can just buy one type of Bean. I did read online that if you mix your drink with milk or creamer it is best to have a dark roast. This coffee will be stronger then you are used to, we are both using it on the least strong option. This machine has the capacity to store beans for use and also use coffee grounds without interfering with one another. The cleanup is so easy, and the drain has a flotation device that warned you when it has too much water. It has a few lights that will go on if water is low, used coffee grounds are full or even if a bean is stuck somewhere. Everytime I've had a problem im able to remedy it in less than 1 minute. In my opinion this machine isn't too loud, of course it will be louder than a pot Brewing but it'll also be much more incredible coffee. I would say from turning it on to having a hot cup of coffee takes less than 1 minute, if you want frothed milk with your drink add 20 seconds. We have went out and bought some coffee syrups, sprinkles and flavors to bring the coffee shop feel to us, it makes for a very fun and delicious cup of coffee. It is not mentioned in the item description but it does come with the Aqua Clean water filter needed. A small amount of water is dispersed one turning on and off the machine, this cleans the spout. You will get the hang of this but it is best not to put your cup there until is ready to start brewing or else you'll have a small amount of water in your cup. I think I'm done talkin about how amazing this machine is and hope I have convinced you that you need one!!

I admit it. I had let the big box intimidate me. It wasn’t just the size of the Philips 2200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine w/ Milk Frother that seemed overwhelming. This thing wasn’t cheap, either. And I hadn’t even learned how to pronounce the names of the drinks at Starbucks yet. But once I got up the nerve to take the machine out of the box, everything just flowed. There are good instructions in the manual, and the process is fairly intuitive. There’s a hopper on the top of the machine into which you can put whole beans to be ground. A knob inside the hopper allows you to adjust the final coarseness of your beans. If you prefer to start with already-ground coffee, you may feed it into the metal inset of the hopper. In front of the hopper, still on top of the machine, is a cup warmer, big enough for two mugs. I have not found this area to be very warm. On the right side of the machine, there is a rectangular, clear-sided panel that pulls forward and can be pulled all the way out. This is where the water is contained. A test kit is provided to check the hardness of your water. Your first water filter is also included. It slips down over the intake valve in the water tank. The front tray slides in and out. It doubles as a drip catcher, and inside, catches the used grounds. Each time you turn the machine on from the OFF status it will circulate a little water to rinse things out. Be sure to have a cup ready to catch this water which you will discard. If you desire frothed milk, start by putting the desired amount of milk in your cup. All the pictures show the frothing (steam) nozzle on the left, down in the cup, while the cup sits on the drip pan, but it doesn’t work this way because there is no vertical adjustment for the frother. The steam nozzle only angles to the left, so it is necessary to lift your cup under the angled nozzle and hold it below the level of the milk. Be careful not to block the tiny hole at the top of the frother. This is where the air is acquired to make the steam. One press of the on/off button starts the frothing (since you pressed steam on the panel earlier). If you let it go the full allotted time, it will froth for 90 seconds. You can stop it anytime before the 90 seconds is up by pressing the on/off button again, but do not extend the time beyond 90 seconds. It is important to clean the steam nozzle each day that it is used. The manufacturer stresses that you should wait until it is completely cooled before removing it from the machine and cleaning all the steamer’s parts. What about internal reservoir? I’m glad you asked. Some un-named pod machines became well known for their gross factor because their internal reservoirs couldn’t be cleaned. Everything on the Philips 2200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine w/ Milk Frother is completely accessible. When you remove the water tank, the internal works are just behind that. They can be easily removed for cleaning. The manual tells which parts are dishwasher-safe. The panel gives you choices of type of drink, size of drink, strength of drink, temperature of drink. You can make variations of all of these, with your favorite unique drink. Pros: Unique drinks Panel retains last setting Easy cleaning/care Ultra fresh taste Cons: LOUD, even if not grinding This is a must-have for coffee-lovers! Even if you don't LOVE coffee, but just like it, this is worth it. Don't let the big box scare you!

Wow I'm really impressed!

From the moment we unpacked this to making the bypass espresso shot I just made I've been floored by the great design of this little and inexpensive machine.

When we opened the box we were surprised to find handles that made it really easy to lift the unit out of all the packing material. That's a design bonus that you usually don't see, not even on most high end appliances.

We unpacked the device and found a very well organized setup. We followed the instructions to assemble the machine, fill the reservoir, rinse the machine, test water hardness, set the machine for water hardness, install the water filter, fill the reservoir back up, add beans, and get to the espresso making. The instructions could not have been more simple. Zero frustration. It was even kind of fun.

Pause here to note that this DID come with the water filtration add-on. A review on another site told me to expect that would not be included and that I'd have to pay extra. This is a great bonus. The water filter means we won't have to descale the machine for almost 5000 cups.

We made our first espresso and like any first run through it was a pretty poor shot. Watery, low extraction, it would have tasted awful. We checked the inner ground box and sure enough there was no puck, just a mess of grounds. So we ran it again - still using default settings for espresso, and the 2nd shot was pretty great. Lots of crema (your beans will impact this), nice extraction, we got about 1.5oz of liquid. There was a nicely formed puck in the ground box. 2 shots and we were already in business. I'm really liking this machine.

We did more tests to see what the different settings did to change the outcome of the drink. The coffee setting on long will give you about 6oz. 5oz for medium and 4oz for short. Espresso is 2, 1.5, and 1oz respectively. The aroma function dials the amount of beans up and down but that's tougher to measure.

The coffee - It's not as good as the swiss style coffee I got from my Solis Master (my first superauto from 11-12 years ago), but it's OK. From this machine we both prefer what we're getting from the espresso settings. Again this will depend on the beans you are using so don't assume this won't make good coffee - we're personally using espresso beans.

Next up we tested the steam wand. This is a cheater wand (my technical term) where it infuses the milk with air by way of a little airhole in the wand. It make the milk froth really quickly and you don't need any barista skills. Because it froths quickly you'll be less likely to scald the milk. The thing you need to know about this kind of steam wand is that it won't make proper latte microfoam. It makes what i call soapfoam. The bubbles are larger and don't hold up as long. Nobody is going to be making latte art with this. It's pretty much what you get from the automated machines at the place with the mermaid on the logo. A true barista would turn their nose up at this but for how well it works, how little effort, how fast - I'm totally OK with this kind of foam, especially if I'm making it at 6:45 before a 7AM meeting.

Keep in mind this is a single boiler espresso maker, so you can't brew and steam at the same time. I prefer to steam after brewing because I want the foam as fresh as possible, but my guy prefers to steam first and then brew, he wants the espresso to be fresh. It all works either way.

It was pretty late and we both wanted to make more drinks but I couldn't tolerate much more caffeine so we tested the bypass function with preground decaf coffee. There's a little scoop provided and you can only use that much to make a bypass shot. There's no adjusting the strength or length of the shot. Well I tried and it made a great short shot of espresso, very drinkable and yummy. A nice way to end the night.

We've had this set up for a week now and it's been great. He's been making lots of espresso. I'm a fan of changing the beans up with decaf and (gasp) flavored beans, so I've been rocking it with that bypass espresso mode. Like multiple times a day. And steaming multiple times a day. I love this little machine!

Power - the machine shuts itself off after maybe 45 mins of not using it. I'm not sure how long but I have to keep turning it on. That's ok. Please know that this machine will rinse itself when it wakes up and when it shuts off. So you need to have a vessel there to catch the water, or plan on emptying the drip tray 2x a day.

Cleanup - listen. There's a reason why every espresso maker has a wet rag next to it. You are constantly cleaning. If you use the steam wand you gotta wipe it off immediately and either flush it with hot water from the machine or take it to the sink. EVERY TIME. This is true for all machines with a steam function. You have to clean up the milk. You have to empty the grind box every 6 drinks or so. If you don't the machine won't run. You have to empty the drip tray every day. And finally if you let this thing set for more than a day without use - like on vacation - you MUST remove the grind box and drip tray, rinse it well, and set them to dry. Don't put them back in the machine. If you do you're going to have a nasty furry science experiment when you get home. This is not unique to this machine. It's true for all the superautos.

Pro - easy setup. No prior knowledge of espresso making needed. Very few adjustments to dial in. The descaler unit is amazing! Compact - will fit under most cabinets. Steam wand is really powerful and fast. PRICE. Seriously try to find a less expensive and equally functional superauto. You can't. Doesn't exist.

Neutral - the operation is very simplistic. I wouldn't call it elegant but it is functional. You'll either totally love this (we do) or you'll not like it.

Con - only one boiler so you can only perform one function at a time - it's barely a con though. This is the reason why the price is so affordable.

Bottom line - this is a fantastic little machine for a single person or couple who want tasty espresso drinks for way less than the price of local chains, need the flexibility of a bypass function, don't have a ton of counter space, and don't want to become experts in espresso in order to have that at home.

Wow I'm really impressed! From the moment we unpacked this to making the bypass espresso shot I just made I've been floored by the great design of this little and inexpensive machine. When we opened the box we were surprised to find handles that made it really easy to lift the unit out of all the packing material. That's a design bonus that you usually don't see, not even on most high end appliances. We unpacked the device and found a very well organized setup. We followed the instructions to assemble the machine, fill the reservoir, rinse the machine, test water hardness, set the machine for water hardness, install the water filter, fill the reservoir back up, add beans, and get to the espresso making. The instructions could not have been more simple. Zero frustration. It was even kind of fun. Pause here to note that this DID come with the water filtration add-on. A review on another site told me to expect that would not be included and that I'd have to pay extra. This is a great bonus. The water filter means we won't have to descale the machine for almost 5000 cups. We made our first espresso and like any first run through it was a pretty poor shot. Watery, low extraction, it would have tasted awful. We checked the inner ground box and sure enough there was no puck, just a mess of grounds. So we ran it again - still using default settings for espresso, and the 2nd shot was pretty great. Lots of crema (your beans will impact this), nice extraction, we got about 1.5oz of liquid. There was a nicely formed puck in the ground box. 2 shots and we were already in business. I'm really liking this machine. We did more tests to see what the different settings did to change the outcome of the drink. The coffee setting on long will give you about 6oz. 5oz for medium and 4oz for short. Espresso is 2, 1.5, and 1oz respectively. The aroma function dials the amount of beans up and down but that's tougher to measure. The coffee - It's not as good as the swiss style coffee I got from my Solis Master (my first superauto from 11-12 years ago), but it's OK. From this machine we both prefer what we're getting from the espresso settings. Again this will depend on the beans you are using so don't assume this won't make good coffee - we're personally using espresso beans. Next up we tested the steam wand. This is a cheater wand (my technical term) where it infuses the milk with air by way of a little airhole in the wand. It make the milk froth really quickly and you don't need any barista skills. Because it froths quickly you'll be less likely to scald the milk. The thing you need to know about this kind of steam wand is that it won't make proper latte microfoam. It makes what i call soapfoam. The bubbles are larger and don't hold up as long. Nobody is going to be making latte art with this. It's pretty much what you get from the automated machines at the place with the mermaid on the logo. A true barista would turn their nose up at this but for how well it works, how little effort, how fast - I'm totally OK with this kind of foam, especially if I'm making it at 6:45 before a 7AM meeting. Keep in mind this is a single boiler espresso maker, so you can't brew and steam at the same time. I prefer to steam after brewing because I want the foam as fresh as possible, but my guy prefers to steam first and then brew, he wants the espresso to be fresh. It all works either way. It was pretty late and we both wanted to make more drinks but I couldn't tolerate much more caffeine so we tested the bypass function with preground decaf coffee. There's a little scoop provided and you can only use that much to make a bypass shot. There's no adjusting the strength or length of the shot. Well I tried and it made a great short shot of espresso, very drinkable and yummy. A nice way to end the night. We've had this set up for a week now and it's been great. He's been making lots of espresso. I'm a fan of changing the beans up with decaf and (gasp) flavored beans, so I've been rocking it with that bypass espresso mode. Like multiple times a day. And steaming multiple times a day. I love this little machine! Power - the machine shuts itself off after maybe 45 mins of not using it. I'm not sure how long but I have to keep turning it on. That's ok. Please know that this machine will rinse itself when it wakes up and when it shuts off. So you need to have a vessel there to catch the water, or plan on emptying the drip tray 2x a day. Cleanup - listen. There's a reason why every espresso maker has a wet rag next to it. You are constantly cleaning. If you use the steam wand you gotta wipe it off immediately and either flush it with hot water from the machine or take it to the sink. EVERY TIME. This is true for all machines with a steam function. You have to clean up the milk. You have to empty the grind box every 6 drinks or so. If you don't the machine won't run. You have to empty the drip tray every day. And finally if you let this thing set for more than a day without use - like on vacation - you MUST remove the grind box and drip tray, rinse it well, and set them to dry. Don't put them back in the machine. If you do you're going to have a nasty furry science experiment when you get home. This is not unique to this machine. It's true for all the superautos. Pro - easy setup. No prior knowledge of espresso making needed. Very few adjustments to dial in. The descaler unit is amazing! Compact - will fit under most cabinets. Steam wand is really powerful and fast. PRICE. Seriously try to find a less expensive and equally functional superauto. You can't. Doesn't exist. Neutral - the operation is very simplistic. I wouldn't call it elegant but it is functional. You'll either totally love this (we do) or you'll not like it. Con - only one boiler so you can only perform one function at a time - it's barely a con though. This is the reason why the price is so affordable. Bottom line - this is a fantastic little machine for a single person or couple who want tasty espresso drinks for way less than the price of local chains, need the flexibility of a bypass function, don't have a ton of counter space, and don't want to become experts in espresso in order to have that at home.

Read and follow setup instructions it will be time well spent, takes about 45 minutes: this is not a plug and machine. I should know I made my 1st iced and it turned out great. Pros: 1. A good drink I you follow the instructions 2. You and either use grounds or beans to make you drinks (holds enough beans to at least do 12 drinks) 3. Good steamer for frothing 4. After you setup every thing in at a touch button 5. Every thing is included to do maintenance. Cons: 1. Setup it takes about 45 minutes 2. The brew box has to have maintenance done, grease is included. 3. Water filter has to be readied. My final comment, this machine with a few tries you can coffee drinks just as good as the local coffee houses for pennies not dollars.

Your browser does not support HTML5 video.  The unit was easy enough to assemble. It comes with a water filter and hard water tester. This really heats up the water, which does a take a few minutes. The selection of types of coffees is easy enough, but the start button always needs to be hit after the selection. The bean feed was easy, but not sure on the ground feeder as I couldn't figure out that part. The machine over all is good, but its all plastic and some parts (water tank, tray) seem to be made of cheaper plastic. It does make a great espresso and the frothier (once heated) really does well.

This is my initial review for the Philips 2200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine w/ Milk Frother, and I'll continue updating it as I use it.

At $549, the Philips 2200 Series has a lot to prove.

To start with, I have to give kudos to Philips for thinking about how you might actually get this machine out of the box and including a plastic 'sling' under it, so once the box is open, you can pull on the sling and lift the coffee machine out of the packaging. Nice touch Philips!

Unpacking the machine, it's a nice, sleek design, with a relatively small footprint, making it great for a designated coffee area. The fit and finish of the materials is top notch, the water tank slides in and out easily and the water drip tray/grounds catcher also slide in and out without any issue.

The motion of the adjustable dispensing spout is both pleasing, but incredibly useful as well. Makes switching out cup/mug sizes for different quantities of coffee really, really easy.

The 2200 touts '3 different drinks at the touch of a button' and they aren't wrong. Setting up the machine was fairly simple, although the diagram instructions to start the initial clean cycle appeared to miss a step. Once clean, the machine was ready to use. The instructions do say that the machine you receive HAS been tested through an actual brewing cycle and you may find residue in the machine. So don't be alarmed! Good to know that each machine is tested prior to leaving the factory. The machine also comes with 'aqua clean' technology, a filter that is placed in the water jug, you need to run this cycle as well before brewing your first cup.

My wife is the coffee lover in the family, she loves her espresso's and Coffeys. She was really excited to use the Milk Frother due to its ease of use. First off, we tested with pre-ground coffee. Open up the clear hatch on top and put in one (and one only) scoop of pre-ground coffee. Fill up the milk frother with the desired amount of milk (260ml max). We chose to use only whole milk through the frother. The frother made fantastic frothed milk each and every time. It never scorched or burned it, and made the exact quantity required at the press of a button. However, you CANNOT make just a mug of frothed milk, it HAS to be made in conjunction with a selection of coffee. We tried to make a frothed hot chocolate and that was not easy at all. We had to froth the milk on a coffee selection and turn off the machine when the milk was done, before the coffee cycle activated. Would be nice if you could froth milk separately.

With the coffee modes, you can choose strength, temperature, the coarseness of the grind and the amount of coffee in the cup. You can choose between pre-ground coffee (putting a scoop in the clear lid receptacle on the top), or placing beans in the hopper on top and grinding your own. The hopper holds a whole 12oz bag of beans, and has 12 grind options, via a black knob inside the grinder hopper.

You can choose Espresso, Coffee and Hot Water. The first 2 allow you to change the quantity of coffee made by pressing the button a second time.

The machine heats up the water quickly, and also heats up the milk quickly as well. Whichever setting you choose, we've found that the coffee comes out almost perfect every time! My wife has tried several different versions of the same coffee, be it with frothed milk, without, different strengths etc and she's enjoyed them all. She has an 'everyday' ground coffee she uses and also more expensive bean that she uses at the weekend. Both have performed exceptionally in this machine.

We did note that we had a warning light at one stage, the container for the grounds overfilled and spilled into the mechanism inside. The whole 'engine' of the unit comes out to be cleaned. When putting it back in after cleaning, none of the settings would work. We took it apart again, and found out (after digging through the instructions) that it needed to have the lubricant (supplied with the instructions) re-applied to it. Once we did that, the unit ran flawlessly again. They recommend with frequent use, that the main 'engine' should be lubricated monthly.

The frother container can be stored in the refrigerator full of milk ready for the next use. The frother also works well if you leave it attached to the machine and make a second cup of coffee say 30 mins later, without any clogging or issues at all. One of the best features of the frother is actually cleaning it! It's an absolute breeze to clean. So simple! It doesn't have any tubes or pipes, just a groove that is pressed against a silicone diaphragm. This is genius! So easy to clean! Works like a charm every time.

You do have to remember to clean the drip tray frequently, and also empty the grounds out regularly. There is a little red nub that pops up out of the tray to alert you when it's full. The tray removes very easily and is easy to clean and replace.

A noteworthy observation, this machine is pretty loud when brewing coffee and grinding beans. It is NOT one that you would want to use at 5:30 am making your first cup of the day, if you don't want to wake up the family. It also doesn't have a timer to turn it on or automatically make coffee for you in the morning.

As I mentioned at the beginning, this is not a cheap machine, but feel that the price is justified with the ease of use, and the 'coffee house' quality of the drinks that it produces.

This machine is so simple to use, and produces more satisfying cups of coffee, that it's replaced the Keurig that used to be on the counter. Ease of use and the ability to clean it so simply is a win win for the machine. When the machine automatically turns off, it does a cleaning cycle as well, meaning that the next time you turn it on, it's ready to go, ready for your next great cup of coffee.

We love this machine, our only request would be that we'd love to be able to froth milk on it's own for hot chocolates and the like. Aside from that, it makes fantastic coffee, every time!

This is my initial review for the Philips 2200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine w/ Milk Frother, and I'll continue updating it as I use it. At $549, the Philips 2200 Series has a lot to prove. To start with, I have to give kudos to Philips for thinking about how you might actually get this machine out of the box and including a plastic 'sling' under it, so once the box is open, you can pull on the sling and lift the coffee machine out of the packaging. Nice touch Philips! Unpacking the machine, it's a nice, sleek design, with a relatively small footprint, making it great for a designated coffee area. The fit and finish of the materials is top notch, the water tank slides in and out easily and the water drip tray/grounds catcher also slide in and out without any issue. The motion of the adjustable dispensing spout is both pleasing, but incredibly useful as well. Makes switching out cup/mug sizes for different quantities of coffee really, really easy. The 2200 touts '3 different drinks at the touch of a button' and they aren't wrong. Setting up the machine was fairly simple, although the diagram instructions to start the initial clean cycle appeared to miss a step. Once clean, the machine was ready to use. The instructions do say that the machine you receive HAS been tested through an actual brewing cycle and you may find residue in the machine. So don't be alarmed! Good to know that each machine is tested prior to leaving the factory. The machine also comes with 'aqua clean' technology, a filter that is placed in the water jug, you need to run this cycle as well before brewing your first cup. My wife is the coffee lover in the family, she loves her espresso's and Coffeys. She was really excited to use the Milk Frother due to its ease of use. First off, we tested with pre-ground coffee. Open up the clear hatch on top and put in one (and one only) scoop of pre-ground coffee. Fill up the milk frother with the desired amount of milk (260ml max). We chose to use only whole milk through the frother. The frother made fantastic frothed milk each and every time. It never scorched or burned it, and made the exact quantity required at the press of a button. However, you CANNOT make just a mug of frothed milk, it HAS to be made in conjunction with a selection of coffee. We tried to make a frothed hot chocolate and that was not easy at all. We had to froth the milk on a coffee selection and turn off the machine when the milk was done, before the coffee cycle activated. Would be nice if you could froth milk separately. With the coffee modes, you can choose strength, temperature, the coarseness of the grind and the amount of coffee in the cup. You can choose between pre-ground coffee (putting a scoop in the clear lid receptacle on the top), or placing beans in the hopper on top and grinding your own. The hopper holds a whole 12oz bag of beans, and has 12 grind options, via a black knob inside the grinder hopper. You can choose Espresso, Coffee and Hot Water. The first 2 allow you to change the quantity of coffee made by pressing the button a second time. The machine heats up the water quickly, and also heats up the milk quickly as well. Whichever setting you choose, we've found that the coffee comes out almost perfect every time! My wife has tried several different versions of the same coffee, be it with frothed milk, without, different strengths etc and she's enjoyed them all. She has an 'everyday' ground coffee she uses and also more expensive bean that she uses at the weekend. Both have performed exceptionally in this machine. We did note that we had a warning light at one stage, the container for the grounds overfilled and spilled into the mechanism inside. The whole 'engine' of the unit comes out to be cleaned. When putting it back in after cleaning, none of the settings would work. We took it apart again, and found out (after digging through the instructions) that it needed to have the lubricant (supplied with the instructions) re-applied to it. Once we did that, the unit ran flawlessly again. They recommend with frequent use, that the main 'engine' should be lubricated monthly. The frother container can be stored in the refrigerator full of milk ready for the next use. The frother also works well if you leave it attached to the machine and make a second cup of coffee say 30 mins later, without any clogging or issues at all. One of the best features of the frother is actually cleaning it! It's an absolute breeze to clean. So simple! It doesn't have any tubes or pipes, just a groove that is pressed against a silicone diaphragm. This is genius! So easy to clean! Works like a charm every time. You do have to remember to clean the drip tray frequently, and also empty the grounds out regularly. There is a little red nub that pops up out of the tray to alert you when it's full. The tray removes very easily and is easy to clean and replace. A noteworthy observation, this machine is pretty loud when brewing coffee and grinding beans. It is NOT one that you would want to use at 5:30 am making your first cup of the day, if you don't want to wake up the family. It also doesn't have a timer to turn it on or automatically make coffee for you in the morning. As I mentioned at the beginning, this is not a cheap machine, but feel that the price is justified with the ease of use, and the 'coffee house' quality of the drinks that it produces. This machine is so simple to use, and produces more satisfying cups of coffee, that it's replaced the Keurig that used to be on the counter. Ease of use and the ability to clean it so simply is a win win for the machine. When the machine automatically turns off, it does a cleaning cycle as well, meaning that the next time you turn it on, it's ready to go, ready for your next great cup of coffee. We love this machine, our only request would be that we'd love to be able to froth milk on it's own for hot chocolates and the like. Aside from that, it makes fantastic coffee, every time!

I've used manual espresso machines before which require you to grind your own beans, tamp down the grind, and then do a pull yourself then clean out the cup/grounds each time you make one small portion and this is a dramatically easier experience for an equally good result. The quality of the coffee you get from the machine is dramatically affected by the type of beans, but I didn't find that even less optimal types of beans were an issue. In terms of the things I liked: 1. I don't have to grind the beans myself. I just fill the hopper on top and set the grind using the dial inside. Once the grind level is set, it stays there until you manually change it. 2. I can make multiple cups of coffee or espresso without emptying out the grinds. There is a warning light to let you know when you need to empty them, but I could make 6-8 individual cups before this was an issue. I empty it out once at the end of the day and that's it. 3. The settings allow me to select strength, portion size, and type very easily. I liked how easy it was to vary these things based on my mood without having to manually adjust the water supply or amount of coffee. The machine did this for me. 4. The coffee this products is less acidic by far than a drip coffee maker. I was having serious issues with acid reflux and heartburn after my morning coffee that vanished after I started using this. 5. The crema on the coffee is excellent. 6. The steam function is amazing and produces a thick, full foam even with non-dairy milk (I used almond milk). 7. This is very easy to clean as all of the parts come out for quick rinsing/cleaning. 8. It's relatively fast. The word "relatively" is important. If you compare it to having to manually grind, tamp, and pull your own shots, it's much quicker, but it's not instant. Each cup/shot takes about a minute to process if the machine is already on. Double shots/cups take longer. 9. Set up wasn't difficult and the manual is very clear and good at taking you through step by step. 10. It uses far less coffee per cup than a conventional drip coffee maker with superior tasting results. 11. The steam pipe is very easy to put on and take off so it's super easy to clean with a quick rinse from the tap and you don't have to clean it with a rag and feel it's not clean enough. The things I didn't like: 1. Water tends to fool to a fair extent in the tray because it purges the pipes after you turn it on and it turns itself off after awhile so there's no avoiding this water. 2. If you remove the tray for cleaning before you remove the mechanism inside for rinsing, clumps of coffee grounds will fall into the bottom of the machine. This is something that isn't covered in the manual, but is important if you don't want to clean coffee out of the bottom of the machine. 3. It's very noisy. The machine vibrates beans down into the grinder and the grinder itself is noisy. 4. The milk steamer takes awhile to get hot and, while you wait, steam either shoots out moisture into the air/tray or you have the cold pipe bubbling up in your milk. Once it gets going, it does a great job, but it is hard to know when it's a good time to get started. 5. The water tank registers as low even with a decent amount of water in it because it gauges by the water level relative to the filter. Also, you have to use the filtering system or you get an error message. I'd like the option not to use a filter if I choose not to. For on-the-fly coffee/espresso, I couldn't be happier with this machine. While it would be nice if it was a bit quieter, I think it's impossible to reduce the noise given all of the operations it performs.

Want a perfect cup of coffee at home? This machine is fantastic! I have an older Gaggia Titanium that I've used for a decade (that's a similar system to this machine) so I've used this type of machine thousands of times over the years. By comparison, this machine is quieter, faster, smaller, and more efficient than my older machine. It quite frankly makes a perfect espresso, cup of coffee, or latte if that's your thing. The frother even does a fine job making a cappuccino which is harder than one might think. This is an expensive machine, but if you think about the $3-$4 dollars you spend every day on coffee from your local coffee shop, it does pay for itself in no time at all, and you have the choice of what types of beans you may want to use. I think you want to use a medium roast, as the darker roasts tend to be a bit oilier and more "burned" but once again, it's your choice. You also have the option of using the bypass to use pre-ground beans but I seldom use that function unless I'm making a decaf. Overall, this is an incredibly nice machine that will allow you to make shop-quality coffee in your own home. If you like coffee, you won't be displeased.

We are very happy with the machine, I like cappuccinos and my husband like espresso. Easy to use with grounds or beans. The steamer is super fast and I get lots and lots of froth. At first, I had a good amount of milk, but it makes it froth very quickly and I had to remove it more than half. Great option to make the coffee darker or lighter. Easy to fill with water because the tank is removable. Easy to clean because the the tray that holds any excess or grounds, comes off in one piece. Great addition to our kitchen; we have several espresso machines but we like that this one has the option for beans or grounds in the same machine. No other attachments needed, just put coffee and use. Fully automatic is correct, you just push the buttons.

Update after over a month of use: The cleaning and maintenance isn't that bad. It's fairly simple to do. After using it in the early hours of the morning almost every day since getting it I can say it is a little too loud for me but I deal with it. I sometimes worry if my neighbors can hear it too because I'm in an apartment, no complaints yet though. The grinder has been working wonderfully and I love not having to deal with grinding my own beans. The one thing I wish this unit had was a personalized cup setting. I like full aroma and full size coffees with an espresso at 2/3 bar size and full aroma. If I could set the machine to make this in one go it would be great.

I also added a picture of a full espresso shot in a miocaro glass.

***************** Original Review

First impression after opening the box is that whoever designed this was pretty smart. There is a loop of plastic that goes under the entire machine in the box and has handles at the top. This lets you very easily pull the machine out of the box in a controlled way and ensures you don't break anything. What a great idea. More things should do this.

When you first plug the unit in and turn it on it will go through an initial setup and push heated water through all the tubes to clear them out. So be sure to have it loaded with some water before plugging it in. From that point on every time you turn it on it will do the same thing but only through the coffee lines, not the steamer. You have to wait for this action to happen and it will take roughly 20-30 seconds for the machine to boot up and be ready for use. It clears out the lines with boiling water each time which is nice. Then once you are finished using it it has a shutdown procedure where it does the same thing. This makes sure the lines and tips stay pretty clean and the coffee doesn't start clogging them up too bad. Really nice feature.

The instructions provided with the unit are interesting. They are broken down into 2 sections, one small section that has pictures explaining what to do and one larger section that is text. I am not a huge fan of this because when using the picture side you often need more explanation so have to flip over to the text pages. When you use the text only it isn't as bad but you do sometimes want to see a picture of what you are looking for. Not the best idea, would have preferred it to have both on one page. Not a huge deal but it would be nice to see an improvement here.

The milk frother works pretty well. You have to get used to the timing as it seems like it isn't going to work because it takes time to heat up and doesn't really tell you it is doing anything. Once you turn the steam option on after about 10-15 seconds the steam will start so have your cup in there ready. While it is steaming move the cup around but try and keep the end of the frother at around surface level of the milk. If you put it in too deep the milk just heats up fast and you don't get a lot of froth which is no good. Don't forget to clean it afterwards but first give it a few minutes to cool off.

The quality of espresso this machine produces will depend on the bean you put in and what your grind settings on the machine are. Usually for espresso you want a lighter roasted bean and a very fine grind but this machine is set to about a medium grind(5 out of 12 on their grinder scale, lower is finer). You can change this inside the bean hopper but the instructions are very clear about only doing this while the machine is grinding and only one click at a time. It might take you brewing 2-3 cups to get the setting where you want it because of this. I think a better way to do this would be to grind your own on the side as fine as you want it and then put it in the "grind your own" chute on the machine. That way you can get a really strong espresso when you want it without adjusting the grinder in the machine because it is such a pain. Honestly though even on the default settings with a darker roast as you can see in my pictures this still makes a pretty decent espresso that both me and my wife were happy with. It also makes really good coffee too but I figure the main point of this machine is the espresso.

Maintenance... is not something I usually think of when I think coffee maker. With this unit it is something you need to think about or else you will probably end up with an expensive paperweight for the kitchen. If the machine is used during the week then you need to remove what they call the brew group which is the inner workings of the coffee maker and rinse it off and put it back in. Then every month you need to do a more detailed clean on the brew group by using some coffee oil remover tablet that is NOT included, nope not even a single one. I have a picture of the brew group uploaded here in case you need it. I will not get into specifics of how to do it here because there is a wonderful Youtube video on the subject, just search "Philips Series 1200 & 2200 Automatic Coffee Machines - How to Clean and Maintain" and watch it. If you are thinking of buying this coffee maker make sure you are okay with this bit of maintenance as well!

My impression of doing the maintenance so far is it isn't horrible but is definitely much more extensive than your average coffee maker. I looked over the insides of the brew group and from the factory it is greased very well with some very nice grease, much better than what is included with the machine imo. Look inside your machine when it is still new so you can see how well they lubricated it but in case you missed that opportunity check out the Youtube video I mentioned. The manual says to grease it every 2 months but just go by eye and grease when needed. Be sure to avoid the areas you see coffee on or you might end up with some contaminated drinks. If this happens don't worry too much as the included grease is food safe. Always use a food safe grease around things like this. Do not think you can save money and use any old grease you have laying around you might actually harm someone.

I'm going to use a whole paragraph for this on it's own. The bottle of grease I got from them says on it "Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects. Avoid release to the environment." it also says the container of grease must be disposed of at a hazardous waste collection point.... When you rinse the brew group off what is the expected result? You will inevitably wash some of this grease down the drain. This seems almost negligent if it is that bad to wash down the drain since you have to rinse this thing every week. I am going to have to find a better grease than they provide.

Here are some links that will help with maintenance when you need it - I know most of these say Saeco brand but check Philips website and even some of these products, Philips is Saeco's parent brand so they are very related. There may be better options for these filters later on as it seems like Philips is only just now starting to release these machines under their own name so better support should hopefully follow:

Coffee Oil Remover Tablets - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0079V0F4O

Grease(possibly the same kind mentioned above) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N5GVFLQ

AquaClean Filter - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001J7XUE6

Overall it is a pretty good coffee and espresso maker. It is easy to use and produces some really good drinks with the included milk frother. I am happy with this machine but the maintenance is kind of a pain. That is pretty much the biggest con it has. For this to be 5 stars I think I would have to see a much better maintenance schedule and just generally easier and less messy maintenance. That grease can get everywhere once it gets on your hand.

This expensive machine does make beautiful, coffee-store quality espresso and latte from fresh ground beans, but it’s not a quick, or quiet, proposition. This isn’t the kind of thing you’re going to want to be doing at 6 AM before work while the rest of the house is sleeping, that’s for sure. Set up takes about 30 minutes, opening everything, getting it put together, testing the water hardness, putting in the filter, doing an initial rinse and figuring out how everything works. (Philips does have videos on YouTube if you get stuck, FYI.) Each cup of coffee is probably ~5-10 min of set-up, waiting and clean-up, adding an extra couple of minutes if you use the milk frother, which works well but is a bit of a pain in the butt to clean. That's fine on a weekend morning, but not what I'm looking for on a weekday morning when I'm trying to get the kids, and myself, out the door. All in all, this isn’t a set it and forget type machine, but, to be fair, it’s not really supposed to be either. My biggest, personal gripe is with the messy grinding and frothing elements, both of which tend to splatter surrounding areas with grounds and hot milk, and are also really difficult to completely clean after use. It takes as long to clean up as it does to drink a cup of coffee which, for me, is kind of a dealbreaker. But, while it’s super pricey, it’s still a fraction of the cost of the really high-end espresso makers, so if you’re a coffee junkie who has been jonesing for one of those multi-thousand dollar models, this really might be right up your alley, and absolutely does make a great cup of joe. But, if you’re the type who visits Starbucks only at an airport and drinks coffee every now and then, or simply to wake up, this is probably overly cumbersome. We have/have had Nespresso and Keurig pod brewers with their own milk frothing systems and both were much easier to use, with results that were 90% as good as this much more complicated maker, delivered in about 1/4 of the time, with far easier clean-up. For us, that’s a better option, but if you’re a coffee connoisseur, willing to take the time and put up with the maintenance, don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this machine.