Customer Ratings & Reviews

This machine is easy to use and operate. It makes good coffee and expresso. Are only dislike is that it is loud when turning and off. We enjoy and use multiple times everyday.

Perfect gift for a coffee enthusiast, you have good price. Nice options and the best, you got very nice cup of coffee with ease. There is a downside that the use of grounded coffee option not always work and you can do very light coffee with that. It is an awesome option that you can do two cups at the same time ! I love it and for me my everyday coffee is a must and with this machine I got what I need, I do not need the fancy 18 varieties or coffee presentation. Just expresso and Americano is more than enough. One thing you need to keep in mind that you will be cleaning that tray quite often and pouring water to the tank with almost the same frequency.

I really like it I had one prior to this and my main complaint with the old one was how often you had to run the water to clean it and that was manual. This one does it automatically every time it turns on. Yes it makes it take longer in the morning, but for longevity purposes it makes it very nice. I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5 only because I haven’t had it for more than a couple of months.

I LOVE DRINKING COFFEE OF THIS QUALITY EVERY MORNING!!! The aroma the beans give off in the kitchen is the perfect air freshener; obviously, this is due to the excellent ceramic grinder. The temperature of both the expresso and the Americano is OPTIMAL.

Purchased it almost 6 months ago, I can say I’m waiting the mornings to get my coffee. The aroma spreads to the whole house and it’s absolutely delicious!!! For me the only downside would be water filters, it needs to be constantly replaced, I know it’s for a better coffee quality, but it also depends on how busy you’d be

This bad boy right here has made me love getting up in the mornings! I love making myself lattes and shots of espresso. Super easy to set up and use. My only complaint could possibly be that it didn’t come with shot glasses or a steaming pitcher but $20 on Amazon can fix that.

Makes a very good latte, and just a plane good cup of coffee. It’s pretty easy to use and easy to clean.

This machine is exactly what we were looking for. I wanted it for the hot water for my tea assortment and my husband loves his daily cup of coffee or expresso shot when he needs a pick me up. It's easy to use and to clean. We highly recommend it.

Makes the best espresso. I use it daily for ice lattes.

As an avid coffee drinker, it’s harder to get a good cup of coffee than one might think. Whether you go for the gentle smooth, almost silky cup of joe from Dunkin Donuts, or the specialty blends of the flavorful roasts of a Starbucks brand, it’s important to start ones morning off with a cup that motivates you to check the emails you left unread from the day before. So, when I was notified that the "Philips 1200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with Milk Frother" was on its way, I ran out and stocked up on a new supply of flavored creamers, milk, and grounded coffee, as I was preparing to sample everything this machine could do to make a holistic thorough review. First, I’ll start with the pros. It’s a seamless addition to the stainless steel and black kitchen supplies I already own. It fits right into a nice snug space on my countertop. There is still room between the top of the machine and under the cabinets that allows me to insert the coffee beans and ground coffee as desired. I actually have kitchen appliances now that do not fit under that space, so this is a win in my book. The clean flat icons that light up when in operation makes the machine also easy to read, and less overwhelming to operate, similar to some new appliances when taking them straight out of the box. However, I was pleasantly surprised that after a quick flip through the instruction manual, and a 60 second YouTube video to ensure I was using the frother correctly, I was good to go and had my first espresso in hand. Now, the actual result of the quality of my brew has been different depending on the drink I am making. When brewing coffee, I made a few cups with whole coffee beans and then a few cups with ground coffee. The ground coffee actually gave me a bolder taste. This was surprising, as I assumed the beans would be stronger. However, the espressos tasted like that of my local coffee shop. I feel the milk frother makes all the difference. It's a great step up from the my Keurig, and was pretty consistent with every cup I made. Also, looking at the market price for this machine compared to others on the market, it's actually rather affordable for its features. I have friends with espresso machines who have expressed spending more money for theirs, and the Philips 1200-Series working just as well or superior in some areas. Regarding the cons, I’ll say that the machine is very loud. I didn’t expect that when operating the frother. I literally would have to either shout over the machine to my family in the living room, or just repeat myself once it was finished frothing. In the mornings, I tend to close the bedroom door before brewing a cup to not wake my Wife, or just wait until the afternoon to avoid making so much noise early in the morning. Personally, it’s not a deal breaker but definitely caught me off guard when first operating the machine. I am also not used to a machine requiring so much maintenance. The instructions spoke about cleaning the machine weekly and cleaning the steam wand after every use. I usually get a cup of coffee on the go, so adding some time for maintenance within my regimen will take some getting used to. Another area I was a little confused by was that it did not come with a cup for the frother. I used a cup from another machine I own, which actually comes with a cup. It actually makes me wonder if this was just a miss during fulfillment, but I don’t see a cup in advertisements, or images, so I am assuming this machine does not come with a cup. Not a huge strike against the machine, but a bit of an inconvenience. Overall, I think it’s all worth it. It will be a great addition to your at-home coffee corner with some noted adjustments. You'll need to play with the grinding settings to ensure your cups of coffee or espresso are resulting in a robust flavorful brew. You may also need to invest in a few espresso cups and a cup for milk frothing. With this Philips 1200 Series espresso machine, you can save some money on your daily coffee run and give the Baristas a break. Since I now have my own machine, I’m very intrigued to see what other coffee based drinks I can stir up in my very own kitchen. For the convenience (and for my wallet), I can say my Mondays just got better! 3.5/5

I bought this unit for my wife as a Christmas gift and the day after we try to set it up and get to a point in the instructions to set up the aquaclean filter. No where in the manual does it say that it needs to be purchased separately, on the box ect. Furthermore it shows the component in the manual (manual is extremely confusing) like it comes with the unit but we didn’t see it anywhere. The first instruction shows you what to do first before you ever run the unit and the instructions didn’t match the function of the machine. Then the aquaclean button starts flashing. The next step is to set up the aquaclean filter and again this is no where to be found. I then call Philips support and they tell me it does not come with the unit and has to be purchased separately or the unit will not function. I told them that no where does it say that or was it mentioned by the Best Buy rep when purchased. Philips support tech says “it says it on the Philips website”. I told her that I didn’t purchase it online but in a Best Buy store. She then apologized about the inconvenience. They offered to send me a courtesy filter for free however very very frustrating! So, this review is a non operational review but more-so a buyer beware review for awareness going into your purchase.

Not originally espresso just water coffe. ....

Nice ittle Espresso Machine with one flaw... I'll get to that later. This is my second experience with a Phillips Espresso Machine. A few years ago I recieved a great Phillips Saeco high end machine. It's been a very nice, reliable well used machine. This Phillips is essentially the little sibling to that and I expect to get the same number of years of service from this. In the box you'll find the machine, the drip tray with float, catch system and manuals. Here-in lies the problem... The manual says after you put everything together and before you use the machine, you need to install the "Philips/Saeco AquaClean Filter". That would be fine, but there is no Philips/Saeco AquaClean Filter in the box. I understand that most companies produce manuals that support 2, 3 or 4 models whithin a "family" of products. And in this case, the manual seems to support tyhe 1200, 2200 and 3200 models. I am not sure, but I am assuming that perhas the 2200 and 3200 MIGHT include the filter. BUt it's frusturating that the part list included the filter. End of the day, this isn't a deal breaker; the machine can be used without the filter but the filter helps with the need to descale. OK, once I realized there was no filter, I continued setup. Not much to do there. Ws up and running within 3 or 4 minutes from opening the box. Use is simple. It has 4 basic functions; Espresso, Coffe, Hot Water and Steam. Next it give you three sgtrength settins, three fill levels and options to descale and set filter. Pretty simple. The Steam option allows you to manually froth milk or cream. End of the day, it does what it's supposed to do and it does it well. Would be an easy 5 Star rating were it not for the Philips/Saeco AquaClean Filter situation. I would suggest that a simple edit of the manual to say that the filter was NOT included would go a LONG way in brand ambassadorship.

Thursday, April 6, 2023 Philips Model number EP1220/04 Fully automatic coffee/espresso machine, w/ milk frothing nozzle From grinding your whole beans from the stored hopper on top, and using a water reservoir of filtered water stored on the right side, to disposing of the spent grounds, and serving up you freshly brewed coffee or espresso: this is an all purpose machine that handles it all. And grinding the beans is optional; you can use ground coffee if you wanted to brew a solitary cup of decaf and had a bag of ground decaf for just these occasions; that is easily accomplished. Personally, I seldom add milk to my coffee drinks, so the lack of an insulated milk storage reservoir is not missed. Philips does make upgraded machines with an insulated “LatteGo”, at a higher price point. For me if I wished a latte I can froth the milk in a separate small pitcher using the built in steam nozzle. The initial set-up from unboxing to first cup took a bit of time, perhaps 45 minutes. I went slowly, reviewing the enclosed instructions, watching on-line videos of steps that were not overly clear, preparing the water filtering module, loading in some whole beans, and figuring out the function of the multiple selection buttons. The Philips water filters, that sit in the bottom of the water tank reservoir are NOT included in the purchase, but I had ordered a 2-pack in advance. I think it will be a very worthwhile accessory for both flavor enhancement and removing minerals from the tap water to lessen the need for periodic descaling, which happens to all electric coffee makers. It only took about 5 minutes to add the filter in the water reservoir to the setup, and it will need replacement infrequently, perhaps every 6 months. 

 There is a signal on the control panel when descaling is called for, and a periodicity of the filter changes will vary with your water hardness. They even include a packaged “test strip” to assess your water hardness, but having municipal water supply at our house, I looked up our water hardness in the city water report, available online. Your town, if you get city water, not from a personal well, will likely have this for review on line. My first cup of coffee made with the Philips EP 1224 was decidedly weak and flavorless; light tan water. This was profoundly disappointing, and I turned to the “troubleshooting” area of the owner’s manual, which addressed this. It suggested that the Philips needs to self adjust the grind process for the first few cups (3-5 cups brewed) to reach full robustness. The strength of the brew is adjustable on the control panel as well, but they suggested to first let the machine do its own calibration. And indeed, they were right! Cup #3 was drinkable, cup #5 was very tasty, and cup #7 (brewed as an espresso, using LaVazza Italian espresso roast beans) was an eye-opener. The espresso beans and the water filter inserts (2 pack) were both ordered from Amazon, but Philips has an on-line accessory order section as well. They did include in the box an advertising flyer for a separate coffee bean delivery service, with a free bag offer as your first order. I will definitely give them a try; free coffee! is this a great country, or what? Registration of your purchase was very easy as well, using photoregister.com service: taking a snap of the enclosed card that came in the bundle, and sending it via text from your smartphone. Once I accomplished that, I was given a free extension of my warranty from Philips, again no charge. The product arrived extremely well packaged with careful packing, using completely recyclable materials; no styrofoam at all. Cardboard accordion fold for shock absorption and LDPE recyclable plastic for product dust protection. This is in distinct contrast to the Breville counter top oven I recently purchased which had massive blocks of un-recycleable #6 polystyrene. However, I researched the City of Concord (NH) general services site, and it seems that in my town, they now take all plastics, coded #1 - #7. So styrofoam must have moved into the able to be recycled category recently. The spent coffee grounds are discarded into an easily accessible container for periodic emptying. No paper filters to deal with, and no significant sediment or grounds make it into the brewed coffee or espresso. As the grounds accumulate, there is some liquid that separates out, and is easily poured down the kitchen drain. And then the separated grounds easily tap out of the container into the countertop compost bin for restoring the waste into garden soil. At the start up of the machine prior to brewing, the lights cycle through the different touch selections, while it is warming up. At the end of this cycle, which takes under a minute, the dispensing spouts get a brief flush with 2 tablespoons (I measured it) of hot water, to clean the passageway. I placed my coffee mug under the spouts to catch that first bit, and discard it, but there is a tray (which is integral with the spent grounds receptacle mentioned above) that will easily accommodate this small bit of water. Similarly, after the you have finished your coffee making and the machine sits for a while, perhaps 10 minutes, it goes through an automatic shut-down cycle, making a bit of noise, and again flushing out the dispensing nozzles with a small amount of warm water, to clear the nozzles of any coffee residue that would gum up if left present for hours between uses of the coffee maker. Again, this is captured and stored in the easily serviced drip tray, until you need to empty the grounds and discard water accumulated. The built in water reservoir is easy to remove and refill at the sink. I use a Britta filter pitcher sitting on the kitchen counter to pre-filter the water, which is easy to incorporate into the process. This is in addition to the in-tank water filter that you can buy from Philips or Amazon. That double filtering might be overkill, but delaying the chore of descaling is probably worth the effort. The Philips water tank holds 1.8 liters, so needs to be re-filled periodically, which an indicator light on the console will inform you of, depending on how many coffee drinkers you share your machine with. In summary, I think this is a consolidation of my former ritual of morning coffee creation. I would weigh out the beans, get a filter, grind the beans (using a Fellow Ode coffee mill), empty into the drip cone of my Mokamaster brewer. I would then fill the reservoir with appropriate amount of water for the weight of beans ground, and flip the switch on the machine. In about 5-7 minutes, I would have a day’s supply of coffee, brewed into a thermal carafe, which would stay warm and drinkable for hours. At most, hours later, a quick merry-go-round in the microwave for 45 seconds would return it to piping hot. How is the Philips better? Rather than a complex morning ritual, the process is simple and takes just a few touches of the buttons on the control panel. It measures and grinds the appropriate quantity of coffee, and the exact volume of right temperature water. A single touch to awaken the machine: push a button, wait about a minute, then decide: coffee or espresso? One serving or two? How strong a brew? How hot a finished brew do you want?
 Each choice is entered with a quick touch of the appropriate button. Then hit the brew button, and your drink is ready in a few seconds. The Philips clean up occurs after about 5 to 7 servings have brewed: empty the wet spent grounds, and refill the water reservoir. Unlike making a big carafe all at once, I don’t have a thermal container with the day’s supply, but also I only have the amount I wanted. Usually after a mug or two, I would have about half of the amount brewed that AM as "leftovers", that I pour into a mason jar to save for iced coffee later in the day, or save it up for microwaving the next morning. The left over from the day prior actually is not bad, in that it has been in a closed jar, airtight lid, and under refrigeration. The Philips machine is not tiny, but total counter space is probably less than my coffee mill, automatic drip brewer, canister of beans, half full carafe, etc. The Philips brewer weighs around 7.5 kg (16 lbs) empty of water. It will hold 9.7 oz of beans in the storage hopper. This storage hopper is actually sealed off from the atmosphere, with a silicone gasket around the rim of the cover. This lessens continuous oxygen exposure, which is the enemy of roasted coffee beans. And with the Philips, rather than only coffee, I now have the options of an espresso or espresso based beverage (latte, macchiato, cappuccino, Americano, etc.). Much easier and in the long run cheaper than the $5/cup excursion to Starbucks, or buying a dedicated Nespresso machine (which also brings their capsules into the equation and expense). Even high quality coffee beans are much cheaper than Nespresso capsules or Keurig pods. To their credit, Nespresso and associates have a re-cycleable container that stays out of the waste stream and the grounds are composted. Keurig should take note! What remains for me to explore is the world of espresso drinks. I know my wife, who does not drink coffee ever, would partake in a cappuccino on occasion. And to offer to dinner guests the option of an after dinner warm beverage would be bordering on elegant. I think the Philips series of machines offer exactly the blend of diversity in choice, ease of preparation, and the ability to delay the clean up until the next day if desired. Even at the low end of their selection of espresso machines, the EP 1224 is a fully automatic and capable machine. Upgrades include a few more option buttons (nothing critical). and the LatteGo thermal milk holder to store milk for a series of frothed beverages.

The Philips 1200 Automatic Expresso Machine is a worthwhile addition to even the most sophisticated kitchens. It is a very attractive unit, elegantly styled in glossy black and matte black elements. The unit takes coffee beans and grinds them, then brews traditional coffee or classic espresso and, using the milk frother, can create cappuccino and lattes, all in three strengths and three sizes. Philips Automatic Espresso machines are manufactured by Philips Saeco which is a unit of Koninklijke Philips N.V. , a $20 billion Dutch electronics, lighting and medical products company founded in 1891. Among its best-known consumer products are Norelco grooming devices, Sonicare oral health products, Magnavox & Philips audio and video products, Philips kitchen appliances and personal healthcare. Saeco, based in Bologna, Italy developed the first completely automatic espresso machines in 1985 and became a unit of Philips in 2009. Here is a summary of the key features of this superb device: • Philips 1200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine (Model: EP1220/04) • Produces coffee, espresso, hot water, steam on demand • Thermal flavor extraction technology brews at a precise temperature • Electronic touch controls with LEDs for all settings • 15 bars of pressure for coffee/espresso extraction • 61 ounce removable water reservoir with auto-metering • AquaClean water filter can be added to water reservoir (not included) • Three individual cup brew sizes for coffee and for espresso • Three brew strengths for both coffee and espresso • Ceramic burr-type bean grinder with 12 fineness settings, 20,000 cup capacity • 10 ounce coffee bean storage capacity on top of unit • Aroma seal bean cover to maintain coffee freshness • Can also use pre-ground coffee (poured into separate flap in bean storage area) • Cup warming tray area on top of machine • Twin coffee dispensers adjustable in height from 3.4” to 5.8” above drip tray • Milk frother with easily-cleaned, removable two piece pannarello • Adjustable water hardness setting • Adjustable water temperature setting- • Automatic descaling mode and cleaning-needed warning light • Drip tray with water level sensor is easily removed for cleaning • Waste container holds grounds from at least 12 servings, easy to empty • Removable brew group for easy cleaning • Color: Glossy Black and Matte Black, chrome highlights • Includes full instructions and trouble-shooting guide • 1400 watt heating unit • Cord length: 40 inches • Dimensions: 14.6 inch height, 16.5 inch depth, 9.0 inch width • Weight: 16 pounds • Two year warranty on parts and labor When you unbox the Philips 1200 Automatic Espresso Machine you should be very impressed by the elegant design and the quality of construction. It is a beautiful combination of glossy black and matte black surfaces, accented by chrome dispensers and features a full, but very intuitive control panel on the upper part of the front, angled slightly upward for maximum legibility. Below the control panel, on the left side of the coffee dispensers, is a classic pannarello for steam and hot water. On the right side is the slide-out 61 ounce water reservoir. Below the dispensers is a large drip tray which easily slides out for cleaning. It holds a massive 24 ounces before it must be emptied. In the center of the drip tray is a compartment for holding used coffee grounds after brewing. That container will hold the grounds for more than a dozen large cups of coffee and it is easily emptied and cleaned. Note: Although the instructions suggest that the removable plastic parts are dishwasher-safe, do not take a chance! The high temperatures of most dishwashers can easily damage or warp these parts and replacement would be very costly. A quick rinse and some light had-washing is all that is required! To start using the espresso machine, you simply fill the water reservoir and add coffee beans to the top tray. The unit will hold 10 ounces of coffee beans and has a nice, sealing top which protects the freshness of the beans. There is also a flip-up section to allow you to add ground coffee to prepare your drinks. A nice option if you have a preference for pre-ground coffee! Next, just press the on/off button and wait. The unit will go through a cleaning cycle and run some hot water through the lines. This takes about 60 seconds and then you can select your drink type (espresso, coffee or hot water. Once you make your selection, you can adjust the strength and quantity of your drink by pressing two adjacent controls. Then press the start button to activate the process. You will hear beans being ground in the ceramic grinder and the brew group will extract the maximum flavor from those grounds using 15 bars of steam pressure from the boiler. The liquid is dispensed through twin nozzles into a single larger cup or a pair of smaller cups. The nozzles can be raised or lowered to match the height of your cup – a handy feature if you use tall travel containers for your coffee. How good is this super automatic espresso machine? I have a good perspective to judge it since I previously owned a classic Saeco Magic Comfort Super Automatic Espresso Machine that I purchased for over $1,600 about twenty years ago. It was widely regarded as one of the finest automatic espresso machines ever made. (See photo) As I noted above, Saeco was acquired by Philips in 2009 and its designs form the basis for all of the Philips Automatic Espresso Machines. This Philips model 1200 is clearly a direct descendant of my great Saeco machine. It has all of its features as well as the same general layout of parts. But the new Philips 1200 has been improved in many important ways. First, the unit is more compact and takes up less counter space. It fits nicely under kitchen cabinets and the access to the bean storage is much better. The water tank arrangement is far better. One issue with automatic espresso machines is the need to refill the water reservoir frequently. The news Philips design provides a much larger reservoir and it is much more accessible for refilling it. The controls are much more intuitive and provide more flexibility in customizing the drink produced. The drip tray and the waste grounds receptacle are far better. When you use an espresso machine frequently you really appreciate every design element which enables easier maintenance. This Philips 1200 certainly gets an A+ in all of these seemingly mundane, but vitally important areas. The quality of an espresso machine really comes down to taste of the drinks produced, consistency of output and ease of use. I give this Philips 1200 the highest marks in all of these areas. The espresso always has the thick, rich crema you expect from a good coffee house and the aroma is superb. The machine has outstanding consistency in quality, so you can expect the same fine result each time. The steam from the pannarello is strong and hot, which facilitates quickly making properly steamed milk for cappuccinos and other lattes. It is flexible, so you can put your milk container next to the coffee machine, rather than on the drip tray. But keep in mind the old computer saying: GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out)! The quality and taste of the beans you use will be the biggest determinant in the quality of your coffee drinks. If you are not happy with the taste of your coffee or espresso, try another brand of beans or experiment with various roasts until you find one that suits your taste. The problem of bad tasting coffee/espresso will almost certainly be traced to the beans, not the fault of this fine machine! There are only a few negatives I can note about this device. First, the water reservoir is designed to accommodate an AquaClean water filter but none is included. These cost about $35 for a pair (or you can buy a generic equivalent for about $17/pair) and its omission is hard to understand. If you trust your water source you really don’t need the filter, but it’s a small price to pay for peace of mind. Second, the instructions, while pretty thorough could certainly benefit from a nicely illustrated quick start guide. I urge you to go to the Philips website and view the videos available there (and on YouTube) which demonstrate the correct operation and maintenance of the device. Finally, while the machine does have a space designated as a cup warmer, it is really not very efficient. If you like warm cups, better to just run them under hot water for a few seconds. But these are relatively minor issues. When you add up the superb aesthetics, the delicious taste of the coffee and espresso produced and the fine design and technology features of this appliance, the Philips 1200 Automatic Espresso Maker has certainly earned a full five stars and my strong recommendation.

UNIQUE FEATURES Espresso Mode / Coffee Mode / Hot Water Mode Milk Frother Tons of Adjustability INITIAL THOUGHTS My parents had a basic drip coffee maker for my entire childhood and the only thing required of that machine was determining how many scoops of coffee to put in. After getting out on my own, I treated myself to the big-name pod-style coffee maker. The simplicity of the machine is absolutely on point. Pick your flavor of coffee (the variety seems nearly endless), put in your pod, pick the ounces of water you want to brew & press a button. I’ve had a pod-style coffee maker for years now and like the system so much, I even got a pod-style coffee machine from its competitor’s more boutique-style brand. This is amazing. How could coffee get any better? Why are all these so-called coffee snobs really interested in anything but a machine like this? FEATURES The Philips 1200 has the bases covered for folks looking for a good-tasting coffee and espresso maker without too many extra bells and whistles. It lacks the Americano and Latte 2 Go functions of its higher end siblings but has all the other boxes checked. The machine is very customizable, ensuring that with a little trial and error, you will be able to get a perfect cup of joe. Adjustments are available for nearly every brewing parameter, including: grind size, grind amount, cup size (aka strength), water hardness, water temperature, etc. My favorite feature is the ability to switch between pre-ground coffee and whole bean coffee. I’ve never had the ability to brew whole bean coffee and the difference between it and pre-ground are amazing! USE I will admit that I wasn’t expecting this machine to be as hard and as complicated to learn how to make a decent cup of coffee. I read the manual and while Philips tried their best to simplify it, there isn’t a lot of “schooling” or recommendations to a new owner on how to make a decent cup of coffee, other than they set the grind level from the factory to make “the perfect cup” of coffee. So, give it a few tries to let the machine get used to the brewing method. It sorely needed it. I didn’t attempt anything fancy or creative for my initial introduction to machine. I just wanted to try plain, black coffee. I picked a whole bean coffee from a coffee house that got a bunch of good reviews and off I went. What a terrible first experience with a machine. My first half-dozen or so cups of regular coffee were terrible! Some cups were so weak they were almost clear. Some were so strong, they were undrinkable. I was not impressed. The machine’s consistency was all over the place. Having convinced myself that I got a bum unit, I turned to the interwebs to see what others were saying and look at how to start an RMA. After a little YouTubing and some searching, I didn’t give up and tried the coffee maker again and again. Consistency after a dozen or so attempts eventually started to improve. The machine got to where I could brew 10 – 12 ounces of coffee and make it consistent from cup to cup. Same thing with espresso. After numerous failed attempts, not only did I get my technique down, but so did the machine. While I’m not a huge fan of espresso, I don’t hate it either. But those first few cups were horrendous. Much like the coffee, the machine and I came to an understanding and we both “learned” what was needed to make a good cup. NEGATIVES The machine is loud. The ceramic grinder makes quite a bit of noise crushing beans before a brew cycle. The brew group needs to be removed and cleaned on a regular basis, which is a huge departure from my pod style machine that requires absolutely zero maintenance. Lastly, the machine self-cleans when it turns on and right before it shuts off. This spits some water out of the brew nozzles and after a dozen or so cups of coffee, fills up the reservoir requiring frequent removal and rinsing. The manual suggests, but doesn’t require, that you use a Philips water filter in the reservoir to help reduce impurities, dirt, and minerals. I tried the machine with and without the filter and haven’t noticed any change in flavor. However, I use only distilled water in my machines to prevent potential future issues. That little Philips filter is expensive (approx. $20) and is NOT included with the machine. Luckily, it does last for up to 5000 cups of coffee, based on your water hardness levels. But, I find it an unnecessary addition. CONCLUSIONS What this machine won’t make, is those fancy, fru-fru drinks that seem to be all the rage at the “on every street corner” coffee shops. This is a machine that makes coffee and espressos. It doesn’t even natively make an Americano (though it can be done by using the espresso feature and the hot water feature). I never thought anything of it, but there really is a learning curve on how to make a good cup of coffee. There are so many factors that affect the end-product, that you must commit to a lot of trial and error to get it right. If you are willing to take a little time and experimentation, the Philips 1200 will reward you with an excellent cup of coffee. This machine can make a cup that is rich and smooth. As good as any purchased coffee and much, much better than ANY coffee I’ve ever tried in my pod-style coffee maker. So much so, that when I’m running late for work and use a pod-style coffee in the morning, I now find them nearly undrinkable. This product is well worth the effort to learn how to use it and will turn you into a coffee snob before you realize it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

First and foremost, watch the videos, it'll make things a lot easier! It took me some time to figure out that the filter wasn't included in the box AND is required to operate the coffee maker. The manual didn't really make this obvious for me, at least not from what I can tell, so I took to the internet. Turns out other buyers discovered this as well. I was a little disappointed by this, and I don't want to sound pejorative, but this was kind of a bad choice in my opinion. Even a half or quarter capacity filter would have been a better choice. I went ahead and purchased a filter, and my initial annoyance immediately went away. This thing is AWESOME! More on that later! The manual is kind of basic, but adequate. When you're first doing everything, it can feel kind of overwhelming and seems like the manual isn't providing enough detail, especially if you're detail oriented like myself. But if you pay attention, the manual does try and get you to go online and watch the videos which is what I did, and it changed the entire experience from feeling anxious to really simplifying the entire process. SERIOUSLY watch the videos, it's way simpler than the manual makes it seem. After setting up everything I made a cappuccino, and it was epic! It basically changed how I make coffee. It's so dang good! Little bit of syrup, frothy milk, and (hand kissing emoji) poifect! It's easy to use, easy to clean, and easy to overdo it on the coffee intake. Bought some premium coffee beans to taste the difference and it's so much smoother than my other coffee machine! I really like the fact you can change your default settings, really personalizing the experience. Turns out I like my coffee a little stronger than the default setting and it was easy to do! I also really appreciate the "aroma" seal thing it has going for the beans. It's been a few days now and the beans seems as oily fresh as it did when I opened the bag, in fact the beans that were left in the bag seem less fresh oddly enough. All in all, this thing is great, it's changed my morning coffee ritual to a much more convenient one AND taste great. Simply wake up, press coffee or expresso and away we go! Highly recommended

The Philips 1200 Series Espresso Machine is a great entry level coffee machine for individuals interested in something other than single serve coffee makers. The machine setup is pretty much plug and brew with only a small amount of setup required. The instructions provided are very through and I would suggest reading completely prior to use. The manufacture website referenced in the manual is also a great resource for the product as it contains videos on using as well as maintenance. One thing to advise is the 1200 series does not come pre-packaged with a AquaClean filter cartridge, so that may be something you would like to purchase with the machine. Once setup the machine will cycle up and you are ready to brew your first cup of espresso. You will need to brew 5-10 cups of espresso to season the machine upon initial setup. Brewing espresso and coffee is as simple as the touch of a button. You can select from a single cup of espresso, or coffee or you can brew two espressos at a time or two coffees at a time (you have to swap in a different cup in between). Once you have selected you beverage to brew you can adjust the strength and cup size, which is remembered for future brews. The machine will grind the beans and brew your chosen beverage type in only a few minutes. For those who like a latte the attached milk frother is easy to use and simple to clean. The entire machine is actually easy to clan the drip tray and grounds bin are dishwasher safe and nicely designed for ease of use. The internals are also easy to access and disassemble quickly for easy clean up. The one thing that I would have preferred would have been a more sturdy material used for the water reservoir as it is a little too flexible when transporting from the machine to the sink and back. Overall this is a great entry level espresso machine.

If you are looking to stop spending at your local coffee shop and step your at home coffee options, this is a good machine to do it with. I enjoy a home brewed cup of coffee. I work from home and like to be able to have premium offerings. This espresso machine makes automation of your coffee really easy. Initial setup of the machine is straight forward. I do wish at this price point that it included the water filter but it isn't that big of a deal since you can purchase separately. The choice of having whole beans ground down for you to your liking OR using pre-ground coffee is a good option to have. Although, you should always grind your own beans to enhance that freshness in your cup. For me, the pros far outweigh the cons. It looks good standing on your countertop. It does take up a decent amount of space so just be prepared. I like the ability of creating a regular black cup of coffee OR espresso shots. The milk frother is decent, although it seems to spew some water when using it instead of straight up steam. It creates a lot of big bubbles that I can't seem to manage to a smaller size. Small bubbles are crucial for your latte art creations. The ability to control your grind size, your water temps, and your grind amount/strength is also a great feature to have. A downside for me that is somewhat subjective is that it seems to be pretty loud when grinding and brewing. If you don't want to spend more money on a more labor intensive, full on espresso machine, Philips has done really good with automating the process for you with the 1200 series.

Nothing like a fresh ground and brewed coffee in your own house to your own liking. From grind density, aroma and water amount, you can fine tune the fresh ground coffee to find your perfect cup. Or, if you don’t have any whole beans, you can throw a scoop already ground in there instead. It is recommended to brew at least 5 cups on initial setup, but it may take you a couple more tries to get it where you are looking. However, every single cup in the process has been amazing as nothing beats the aroma from fresh ground and brewed coffee. It does take a little bit for the machine to get to the point of brewing and don’t leave your cup on the tray during the process unless you want the little spurt of water it uses to clean the path. But, once it is good to go, just make your selection and hit play. If you select x2 cups, it literally brews two cups, grinding and all. Not like some machines that just push more water through the same set of beans. Every cup comes out with a little froth look to it. But, with some milk in a different cup, you can use the steam to make your own fresh layer of creamy froth. The one thing that I wish could be adjusted is where you get hot water from. As it is, the hot water comes out from the froth line and keeps running till you stop it. If there was an option to make it in the normal cup position it would be even better. Speaking of the coffee spout, it is adjustable, but does not give a whole lot of space if you are trying to fill a tall travel cup. Overall, this has made coffee even more enjoyable. It does require a little more maintenance than your average coffee pot, but worth it to have that fresh cup in a few button touches. Once you have the settings where you prefer them you have a perfect cup in a couple minutes.