Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine w/ LatteGo, Black, EP3241/54

We've had it for about a month, but it's been a month of lockdown, and it's probably made 400 cups of coffee/espresso/latte/cappuccino between us and our three teenagers-- I didn't exaggerate when I said I used a calculator. There's a reason we decided to invest in such a costly machine in the first place. We upgraded from a $130 espresso machine with a manual foamer to a $180 espresso machine with an automatic foamer. In comparison to this guy, I have a Ninja drip coffee maker. As a result, I'm comfortable writing some preliminary assessments on this. The advantages: br>br>
- After three days of research, the milk foaming system was what pushed us over the edge to choose this one. Because there are no tubes for the milk to travel through, there is nowhere for it to sit and become stale. You can also open everything up once a week or so and thoroughly clean everything- Remove any and all built-up areas (not that there were any). You should also lubricate the pump every two months, according to my husband's calendar. br>Many of those items can be washed in the dishwasher. Pieces for the milk container, overflow, and puck trash can That is wonderful. It has a very fresh feel to it.

- It was initially intimidating, but it's actually quite simple to use. Really- Our 8-year-old cheerfully prepares our coffee. "Could you please make a latte for Mommy?" "Thank you for the two cups of coffee and two cups of foam. " And now that we've shown them how to do it, our younger girls love making just foamed milk to put in tea.

- The coffee, of course. It makes a fantastic latte, which is my preferred beverage, and the espresso, regular cup of coffee, and cappuccino are all excellent. There are three levels of "aroma," "coffee," and "foam" to choose from. As a result, there is a great deal of customization- coffee drinks made with milk br>br>I have to comment on the coffee beans somewhere in a neutral area here related to that- Many people have said that oily beans should not be used, and they are correct. It will be difficult for them to scoot down the hopper. And, in any case, oily beans aren't good beans: ) So, if you're going to spend $800 on a machine, do yourself a favor and avoid oily: coughcoughStarbucks: beans that aren't going to work (and aren't going to taste good). So far, we've tried five different types of beans, some of which have been excellent, some of which have been adequate, and some of which have been average. We enjoy experimenting with different types and will continue to do so until we find *the one* for this machine, so I won't include it in the "cons" list. br>br>The disadvantages:
- The controls- the power button in particular- Pushing them is a little difficult. To turn it on, you must place them in *exactly* the right spot. It's a little bothersome, especially before the first cup of coffee. ironic. Before I discovered the sweet spot, I had a few terrifying OH NO IT'S BROKEN moments.

- The milk container's lid simply rests on top of the milk container. There is no hinge or rubber lip to keep it in place. It falls about once a day onto the kitchen tile floor (because you have to take it out of the fridge to make a cup). It's made of thin plastic, and it'll be busted in no time. It appears to be hinged or more securely seated on there for the price paid.

- The machine automatically shuts off after running out of water at the start. We keep a mug there now to catch the water because it's quite a bit. The drip tray holds a lot of water, but by the time it activates the shutoff to let you know it needs to be emptied, it's completely full, and you're playing a balancing game to get it to the sink without spilling any. So: Don't put your mug in the dishwasher and turn it on. First, wait for the "trash water" to eject, then place your mug in. When you're finished, return the "trash water" mug to the sink to catch the clean-up water. br>br>For the time being, that's all I have. Maybe after a month or two, my opinion will change, but I believe the "cons" are minor, and we're generally pleased with our purchase.

Salem Finley

| Dec 23, 2020

We took a chance on a new model with new technology after 2 months of research and hands-on demonstrations of the top consumer Super Automatic machines, and it turned out to be fantastic. The Breville and the Saeco Pico Barista are two Jira models in the $1000 to $2000 range that we reviewed and put to the test. Despite the fact that we were unable to conduct a hands-on review of the 3200, we felt that the review on Seattle Coffee provided us with sufficient information to make an informed decision. There is some milk cleanup required with the other super automatics. The 3200 does not necessitate any milk cleanup. It's the only super automatic on the market that only requires one touch. We can't say enough good things about the product, the coffee drinks it makes, or the price. There are no tubes, no head cleaners, and no sour milk to deal with.

Kaydence Nicholson

| Dec 07, 2021

UPDATE: The machine broke after two years, exactly when the warranty was about to expire. It's possible that I'll be fine if I issue after 5 years. The machine would be well worth the money, but how long would it take? 2 years? It is not something I would recommend. A couple of our friends were so taken with the machine that they purchased one around the same time we did. Currently, four out of five people are sitting on a flop. That's utter nonsense. . . . WHEN IT WAS PURCHASED: br>br>WHEN IT WAS PURCHASED: br>br>WHEN IT WAS br>Let me begin with what I consider to be the most important selling point - I'm not a morning person, so the fact that I can get Starbucks-style coffee at home by pressing a few buttons makes it worthwhile. If you're thinking about buying the machine, here are a few things I noticed that you might find useful:br>br>BEFORE YOU BUYbr>- Make sure you get the model with the milk frother that works automatically. It's a fantastic product that's well worth the extra money. For me, not having this defeats the purpose of the machine, which is to be fully automated.
- The machine makes a lot of noise. It is not suitable for early risers with kitchens close to their bedrooms or for families who sleep lightly. My new baby thinks it's "white noise," but be aware - The machine makes a lot of noise.
- If you don't want to use whole coffee, the machine can be used with ground coffee, which was one of the reasons we bought it in the first place. Make certain to look for whole beans and a roasting date - The closer it is to the purchase date, the better the taste; if not, it's the same as everything else - You will be better off if your expiration date is extended.
- Tall coffee mugs will not fit in the machine. br>- Using an Auto Frother - Don't throw away unused milk; simply remove it from the machine and store it in the refrigerator until you need it again! br>br>THE POSITIVESbr>- Get the syrups, since I mentioned Starbucks earlier. IT WILL HAVE A STURBUCKS FLAVOR TO IT. I got mine on Amazon, and they're a great addition to the set, as well as a surefire hit when guests come over. br>- Since we're on the subject of Starbucks, the money you spend on the machine should pay for itself if you're a frequent coffee drinker or buyer - Unless you're doing it for social reasons, not going out and buying a coffee and instead making it at home will cost you about 130 coffees to pay off the machine - If you're anything like me, that'll be a few months. (If you're trying to persuade yourself that this is a worthwhile investment, I hope this helps! It was extremely beneficial to me. )
- Have I mentioned how effective it is?
- It appears to be professionally done and free of flaws. Although it is made of plastic, it is of good quality.
- It's simple to clean, and it alerts you when the base is full of water (from self-clean) and when it's time to dump used coffee, which is fantastic - You don't have to clean it after each usebr>br>DISLIKESbr>The only one I found is the loudness mentioned above. Apart from that, a morning timer is something I wish this machine had. At the same time, the machine cleans itself before the first coffee to ensure maximum freshness, so I suppose I can forgive the omission.

Jad Frank

| Jan 12, 2021

First, let me state what I like about this machine: it makes excellent coffee and allows you to customize your preferences in a variety of ways, including: For a super automatic machine, Philips needs to address grind strength, brew strength, whole or ground coffee, temperature, milk amounts, and price point. The areas that Philips needs to address are 1) The machine turns itself off after 10-minutes. For the next cup of coffee, you'll need to go through a 15-minute warm-up process. Philips should either include an automatic shut-off timer or simply allow the user to turn off the machine when they are finished using it. (2) Because the size lever isn't quite high enough to brew into a travel mug, you'll need to make two separate cups to fill one. (3) The machine only makes coffee on a sporadic basis. I wasted several cups of beans because it would grind the beans but not run the water through. br>br>I understand that this is a flagship model, and I chose to buy it regardless, but I am hoping for some design improvements in the near future. Once they improve it a little, this will be an amazing machine.

Ivan Griffith

| Apr 22, 2021