Customer Ratings & Reviews

I love this machine! Makes the best coffee! Definitely saves me money on daily coffee runs.

Philips 1200 is an everyday fully automatic espresso machine with milk frother that makes quality coffee. The entire packaging was well done and uses all cardboard instead of Styrofoam. Make enough room on your kitchen countertop for this not so compact machine. The setup was straight forward and there are instructions included. The unit comes with a water tank, removable brew group. There is also a drip tray that will catch any overflows from brewing or cleaning. One thing you want to order ahead is the water filter that goes in the tank. This will clean and purify water which helps in extending the duration between descaling. The machine will indicate via a light when it is time to change the filter. It would have been nice if the filter was included. You use the touch control panel to make your drink selection, how strong you want your coffee, and the quantity. You also have the option to select hot water or use the milk frother attachment. This machine can make pretty much all kinds of coffee drinks like latte, cappuccino, americano, etc. The ceramic grinder has a knob that can be adjusted to grind your coffee from coarse to ultra fine powder. The grinder is rated to last at least 20,000 cups. All the parts are dishwasher safe, which means convenient cleaning. When you use it for the first time, it is recommended that the machine takes a few cups of use to perfect the accurate blend of the beans. I have been using espresso machines for a while now, so I am used to the noise it makes. But some might feel it a bit louder when brewing their drinks. This is a fairly good entry level espresso machine that one can use every day to make tasty and fancy coffee drinks quickly.

To make coffee, heat water and pass it through a filter with some ground coffee beans. Sounds simple, but there are many nuances involved to get great coffee. Once you get them done, inconsistencies in the machine like I found seem to make it frustratingly impossible until things adjust and work themselves out. First, good hot clean water is essential. The water reservoir holds a Phillips ‘AquaClean’ water filter to help supply clean filtered water. Unfortunately, this filter that the directions recommend installing does not come with the machine. Seriously, not even a small sample filter. Fortunately, it will work without the filter, but you will see a red LED warning light next to the touchpad alerting you to install a filter until you do. If you have good clean filtered water at your sink or fridge available, then you can probably ignore it and skip the costly filters. A bit of electrical tape over the filter LED will hide the warning and everyone’s questions If you are unsure if you need a filter, buy a filter and try it out to see if you notice a difference or not. Take it in and out a few times to see. Second, good coffee. There are 12 bean grind settings available to choose from to fine tune the taste. The coffee bean hopper holds a bit more than a half-pound of coffee beans, which is convenient without leaving too many beans in the open to go stale. The coffee bean grinder is a bit loud, but most are. Fresh ground beans are worth several seconds of noise. Unless it wakes a sleeping baby. Nothing is worth that. Fortunately, you can also use pre-ground coffee. Also useful if someone likes different coffee, or decaf. There is a milk frothing nozzle for steaming milk if you want to try your hand at a latte. Either in a new cup/small pitcher, or in your coffee cup before brewing coffee into it. Use a large cup and pay attention to the quantity of milk and coffee. The frother works really well. Assembly is not bad once you are familiar with the parts. Allow yourself 15-40 minutes for unboxing, rinsing, and setup. The documentation is minimal and small, leaving you wanting more. Phillips has some good videos on the web site and YouTube showing how to assemble, use and maintain the machine. It’s worth looking at these before you buy it, or at least before you unbox it to get familiar with it. Setup will go much faster and surer. The first few cups were all over the place and I was concerned. I researched it and there is an adjustment period until the grinder self-adjusts. After several cups, the coffee was drinkable. After a dozen cups, the coffee is now good and remains consistent. You may want to avoid using the expensive beans during this initial break-in as some may go down the drain. The machine seems slow to use. It sounds very busy. When you power it on, the machine comes, heats water and flushes the system/pipes with fresh water into the drain pan to ensure all is cleaned out. The control panel lights up and you are ready to brew, choose your coffee, strength and size, then go. The coffee beans grind and the actual brewing begins. When done, the coffee ground ejects into a container behind the front cover that comes out with the drain pan. You can brew several cups before it fills up. Subsequent cups skip the initial flush unless you leave it for 15 minutes or so at which point it does a last flush of water to clean the system and powers down to save energy. It is great for 1-2 people to get a cup of coffee in the morning or evening. It is also nice for something special, like expresso and lattes. It’s not so great with a several people over for desert and coffee. It’s just too slow to brew several cups for a group. So, you’ll want to keep the drip pot on hand if you entertain groups much. While the coffee taste is good I believe my GE Café drip coffee machine makes a better tasting cup of coffee. I do grind my beans in a separate coffee grinder with it. Maybe it will continue to improve as time rolls on. For use by a single person or a couple looking for a sporadic cup of fresh coffee, or even just to have the ability of different coffee drinks, it’s well worth it. Much better than the Pod Coffee makers. If you brew for more people than this on a regular basis, be prepared to devote some counter space to this as it’s not easy to put away in a cabinet.

Very frustrating purchase. After 3 days I had to return it. First, after reading the instructions, I realized that the function Aquaclean is available only if you purchase a filter. Nowhere it says that the filter is NOT included. Then, I wasn’t able to make 1 single good expresso after spending 3 days trying, reading, adjusting settings, changing the ground... The coffee is very watering and no crema. I was expecting an easier process to make good coffee. After spending $500 I would expect to make a decent expresso but this is not the case.

Takes too much time to get one cup of coffee made.

it takes a long time to start, blinks forever, its noisy and the coffee does not taste good. its hard to operate.

It makes marginal drinks and it constantly has a warning for the water container not fully seated.

My obsession with coffee has grown over the past few years, fueled by working from home at strange hours during the lockdown. I've been in the market for a while for a good starter espresso machine and am really happy with this one. Fist off, it's an attractive machine. It takes up little counter space and fits nicely under a cabinet with plenty of room to open the bean hopper on top. There's also a small, non-heated pad on which to store a couple cups or a frothing pitcher. The sizable water tank is on the right side but pulls out straight from the front. This is great because you can set this near another appliance and don't need to move it to refill the water. Since espresso is usually small in portion size the water tank lasts a long time between refills. It should be noted there is no included water filter. Since coffee in general is affected by water quality I use filtered water from my fridge and would recommend doing so. This is also the first time I've used whole beans to make coffee and it couldn't be simpler. Just fill the top with your espresso of choice and the machine does the rest. The lid on the hopper has a nice rubber gasket to keep the beans fresh and dry, too! I noticed it even shakes the beans gently to make sure they flow into the grinder smoothly. In the front of the hopper is an opening in which you can put a scoop of ground coffee if you want to switch to something else or just make a cup of coffee rather than espresso. I tend to drink iced coffee, so I haven't tried that yet. On the front is a series of buttons, each with 1-3 small lights. Pressing the espresso button, for instance, selects between a single or double shot. The size button toggles between three different levels. The LEDs are a little small and kind of cheap looking for such a nice machine. One neat feature is that the drink dispenser slides up and down to accommodate different size cups. I much prefer this over what most machines do where you have to flip down a platform for smaller cups or pull out part of the platform for larger cups. There are dual nozzles so you can make a single or dual cups in one shot. To make espresso just put the cup under the dispenser, press the espresso button and hit the start button. The machine does the rest, grinding the beans, tamping down the espresso internally and brewing. The resulting drink is outstanding. I've never been a fan of expresso from the pod type machines because it just tastes like burned coffee to me. This, on the other hand, has a rich flavor that I really enjoy. The machine produces an attractive looking espresso with that nice light brown top layer and looks like something you would get from a coffee bar. My wife, who is not a coffee drinker, has been requesting lattes from me, so that should say something! This is my first foray into steaming milk and while it takes some practice I'm starting to get better at it, It should be noted that there is no included frothing pitcher, which you will need. I got an inexpensive stainless steel one and it works well. The first few tries my milk came out foamy, but I'm starting to the get hand of angling the pitcher just right to create some rotation and get that nice, creamy micro-bubble texture. Watch a few online videos and you'll get the hang of it in no time. There are other machines that use a container of milk to automatically froth, but I actually prefer to do it this way since it gives me more control over the finished product. It's simple enough to just pour a little milk into a pitcher. The milk wand pops on and off easily for quick cleaning. I give it a good rinse in the sink immediately after using it and pop it right back on, easy peasy. That's pretty much all the maintenance needed, other than dumping out the drip tray and internal bin where the machine drops the used espresso. There's a way to get into the internal brew system for further cleaning by taking out the tank and opening the side, but I don't force doing that much. I couldn't be happier with this as a first espresso maker and its dead-simple operation. I look forward to getting better at my barista abilities and trying out all kinds of new espresso drinks!

Makes a weak expresso and the cake coming out is watery and soft.

This is a game-changing coffee & espresso machine! I am a person who loves coffee and espresso, and I appreciate and will pay more for a better brew. This Philips 1200 machine has completely changed my coffee habits. The machine seems very well made, looks great, and makes one of the best cups of coffee I've ever had, and likely the best I've had at home. First of all, the machine looks great. Mostly black with some chrome accents, it looks modern and stout. It has a hopper on top to store the whole beans. The hopper seals up to keep the beans fresh. The beans drop down from there into a ceramic grinder, which grinds the beans as you need them. This means every cup is brewed from freshly ground coffee beans. The machine will brew espresso or coffee automatically. From there, you can easily make any drink you want. For lattes and cappuccinos, use the attached frother and add any flavoring or syrups. For my go-to, an Americano, use the "Hot Water" feature on the machine to add hot water to your espresso. There are three different brew strengths, so if you like iced coffee, you can brew strong coffee and pour it over ice. There are also three different brew sizes which are each relative to the brew you selected. For example, the smallest size espresso will be much less volume than the smallest coffee. There is also an opening on top for pre-ground coffee. This is great if you want a blend that is different from the beans in the hopper. I use the pre-ground option for decaf. The brew is amazing. It can make ordinary coffee beans taste good. The Philips 1200 puts a nice, thick crema on top of espresso shots. There is even a bit of crema on regular coffee brews! When you use high quality beans, it is tough to beat! I prefer my coffee to most any coffee shop now. Everything is not fully automatic; there is some maintenance to do. The drip tray and grounds cup need to be emptied every eight brews or so. The brew group needs to be cleaned out every couple weeks and lubricated every other month or as needed. You can buy the lubricant from Philips, or most any food-grade lubricant will work in my experience. The little maintenance is worth the fine brew. I would absolutely recommend this to any coffee snob like myself or anyone who appreciates a quality, fresh brew.

AVOID AVOID AVOID. On INITIAL set up this machine catastrophically failed. The water reservoir completely emptied on the bottom side of the machine. The water then flowed on the counter top to our dishwasher causing error codes galore due to moisture issues. If you want a headache and to involve your home insurance...buy this product!

Highlights: Pros: Simple setup Not silent, but is quieter than I expected Makes a great espresso, espresso drink or coffee Easy to use, easy to clean Cons: For the price the aqua clean filter should be included Fairly large unit Tight squeeze putting aqua clean filter in, might be worse getting out I might be consuming too much caffeine now Full Review: Typical unboxing, lots of cardboard and parts packaged separately. No damage, nothing missing, unboxing and setup was straight forward with no problems. The instruction booklet isn’t the greatest but the info you need is there. I think the text directions are better than the photos. I knew ahead of time that this model did not include the water filter, so I ordered that in advance, but for the price you pay for these machines, it should be included. Keep in mind, you might think, ‘I have a water softener, I don't need the filter’ but, there is a good chance your cold kitchen faucet is plumbed with non-softened water, and likely the spout you’ll be filling the philips machine from. I don't have large hands, but it’s still a tight fit trying to get your hand (holding the filter) down to the bottom of the skinny reservoir. It might be worse yet when it’s time to change the filter and have to grab it and pull it back out. The instructions say to run 5 coffees to allow the machine to adjust. I probably went a little overboard. I ran 2 full water reservoirs through with just hot water, then proceeded to make around 15 various espresso and coffee’s before I actually drank one. Boy did the house smell wonderful after brewing all those ‘adjusting/seasoning’ cups. Having read and watched other reviews, I was expecting a loud machine, and was pleasantly surprised that it really is not that loud. As long as the bedroom door is shut, no need to worry about waking my wife when I brew my early cup. I like the style and looks of the machine, just wish it was a little smaller. Taste of everything I’ve brewed from it so far has been great. The espresso shots seem a little cold. I haven’t bothered changing the brew temp per the directions because everything else is hot. My quick fix is just dispense some hot water into my shot glass and let it sit for a moment, dump it out and then brew the shot. Then the temp is fine. I think the cold cup just sucks the heat out of the small shot quickly. Conclusion: I’m not a big coffee drinker. I prefer quality over quantity and my old ‘K’ machine was due for an upgrade. This superautomatic espresso machine replaces and exceeds the old coffee maker in almost every aspect. The biggest downside is the physical size, filter not included and I might be drinking too much caffeine now. I would deduct ½ a star due to my ‘cons’ but since that’s not an option I’ll round up and give a full 5 stars.

Installation was easy. Literally just remove some tape and then walk through the initial start up process. I found their 7 min video online on how to install and use super helpful in walking you through it. There are a lot of options, but their overview is well thought out including the water hardness testing and initial setup. In a nutshell it brews (great) espresso, coffee, and cappuccino as well as hot water - but let’s face it we’re here for the coffee! The auto grind works well and auto dispenses into the hopper, it is a little loud, but not too bad. You can set your strength and size (3 levels of each) and also set your heat preference as a setup option. Both the coffee and espresso taste excellent and having “coffee house coffee” at home is great! I like the option to add pre-ground coffee if you want something one off different like a milder or flavored blend / decaf etc. The frother steam arm is very easy to remove and clean. They also have an option to add an “aqua clean filter” that you install into the water chamber that supposedly lets you brew like 5000 cups without descaling – it is sold separately, but I’m definitely going to add that to keep maintenance down. It tells you if it’s out of water, need to empty the grinds, etc. The brew unit is behind a door behind the water chamber, but it is easy to pull out and pretty easy to clean. Overall the unit is compact for all that it does and it fits well on our counter and looks great as an appliance. It’s not inexpensive, but I’m happy to move away from a pod machine (felt wasteful) and should also save money in the long run not buying pods and less trips to the coffee house!

In the space of fully automatic machines, I think that Philips is one of the best options to enjoy the coffee-making science without any cumbersome steps that any alternative option model could have. As basic as it can get, by including water in the reservoir, including the coffee beans, and pushing the button. I am a coffee lover, so the taste is important to me, and the right combination: of water and coffee could make the difference between a tasty beverage and some acid drink. With Philips machine, the right water at the right temperature should traverse in the form of steam the just ground coffee beans all is decided by the pushing of a button. To be clear, only two buttons once the machine is on because you have to decide between espresso and regular. About the machine, there are a couple of elements that are important to describe: 1.-The espresso option is exactly what espresso should taste. But be aware that you can combine three options for the quantity of water and quantity of coffee. 2.- The machine includes a grinder to transform your beans in the ground size needed and is also absolutely customizable. The grinding size is an additional element in the taste and caffeine level that goes into your coffee cup. Additionally, the machine includes also a separate reservoir in case you have already ground coffee at home. 3.- The machine auto turns off if is not being used. 4.- This model includes also an option for hot water for your infusions. 5.- If you are also looking for frothed milk, you also have that option. This machine has not a container for your milk. You will prepare it using steam in your cup 6.- The water reservoir, is easy to access and fill and will have enough water for 10 to 15 cups (depending on the size of each cup). 7.- The coffee reservoir is big enough for a full pound of coffee beans. The reservoir when closed keeps the coffee bean from oxidating. The ground reservoir seems a bit smaller. Be aware that one of my favorite options is the self-cleaning process each time you turn on the machine. Because of that, be sure that your cup is not in the machine right after turning it on, only after this self-cleaning process is done. For a deeper cleaning, other alternatives are optional by pushing the right option. Finally, the Philips 1200 series doesn’t include a water filter to decal the water. Be aware that while is not compulsory to prepare the water, all instructions suggest that is something to have. The alternative is more regular cleaning of your machine. I am not sure how I feel about not including this filter also for this model if they are so insistent on its benefits. From a noise perspective, be also aware that the turning on process requires warming the water, activating the grinder, and cleaning the pipes and could be somehow noisy in comparison with a regular brewing machine but not terrible and I haven’t received any complaints at home. I love it!

The Philips - 1200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with frothing capability is an excellent appliance to have in your kitchen. It is easy to setup out of the box. Comes with everything you need to use the espresso machine to generate some of the most amazing hot flavored drinks I've tasted. I particularly love to use the froth feature to make hot chocolate. This espresso machine has some really nice features, such as pre-designated functions to make espresso & coffee in single or dual quantities. This espresso machine is of premium quality with an impressive design that compliments a variety of kitchen designs and colors choices. This appliance is easy to maintain, easy to clean and to operate. The coffee grinder does a great job of preparing the beans for brewing. The coffee and espresso always come out at the perfect temperature for drinking. As someone that usually gets coffee from a coffee shop, I have now become a person that loves a good home brew thanks to this Philips - 1200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine. It really is that good. I highly recommend this Espresso Machine! It will help brighten your morning, or be there for that mid-day pick-me-up when you need it.

Didn't work. Was not easy to set up. And kept resetting. This was a gift for a friend in Mexico. They had to drive 4hrs to cross the border to exchange it for another one.

In the years I have spent as a product reviewer, I have developed a palate for espressos and the machines that can produce a good cup of one. I have always enjoyed coffee, but it was not until I received my first home espresso maker that my passion for the bold sophisticated taste and aroma really came to life. Not to imply that I am a sommelier, just that I am a guy who thoroughly enjoys drinking a good espresso. I was excited for the opportunity to test out Philips 1200 Series fully automatic espresso machine with milk frother. I wanted a unit that I could have in my office to share with my coworkers or to help bridge those long hour days. The cubic space requirement from the 1200 would allow me to place it on my credenza without having a monstrous device hanging out. Whether on a cabinet or credenza, the Philips 1200 is a savvy sleek unit that screams distinguished. The button interface is user friendly and quite intuitive. That said, though, this Philips 1200 Series Espresso Machine is not, I repeat is not, super easy to use, to set up, or even to maintain. I would not recommend this espresso maker to anyone who minds being meticulous. If you do not mind being meticulous, the 1200 will produce a wonderful espresso. The ceramic grinder is nifty, and through trial and error, adjusting it will make and produce a superior grind that delivers well. The prep time and clean up are something that the user must factor into their schedule. The milk frother is honestly my favorite part of this machine. It is easy to use and clean up after. I rated this machine a four star, though, because I would have liked to see two additions. First, I read in other reviews prior to receiving it that the 1200 did not come with a filter, so I ordered one in advance, just more money on top of this. I am not sure if it will run without the brand specific filter, I will assess that in the weeks to come. Then the level of attention that I must dote upon this machine before, during, and after use put it out of contention for me to use in my office. I believe this is a wonderful device; it just needs to be for the right user in the right setting.

Do not buy, it broke after 1 month of use!!! What a waste of money...

I received the Philips 1200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with Milk Frother in Black, the black case makes it look rather sleek and modern, with the hi-tec buttons on the front panel. It has a 60 cup brewing capacity, touchscreen control panel, sturdy heavy duty plastic construction, Ceramic grinding with up to 12 settings, flexible brewing capabilities ( ground and beans) Frothing capabilities. It easily makes delicious coffee drinks from fresh beans, exactly the way you like it with a touch of a button. The Classic Milk Frother dispenses steam, allowing you to prepare silky smooth milk froth for your cappuccino or latte macchiato - with only two parts, it is also easy to clean. The taste and aroma of coffee from fresh beans is just one touch away, the intuitive touch display allows you to easily select your favorite coffee. The Aroma Extract system intelligently strikes the optimum balance between brewing temperature and aroma extraction by keeping the water temperature between 194 and 208°F, while regulating the water flow rate, so you can enjoy delicious coffees. The brew group is the heart of every fully automatic coffee machine, and should be cleaned regularly - the removable brew group allows you to clean it thoroughly just by rinsing it under the tap. Overall, whether you like to drink espresso, macchiato, or just plain old coffee, this coffee maker will brew them all to perfection. The taste and aroma are consistently excellent, no matter the chosen drink.

Setup was relatively quick since this isn't my first espresso machine. You pick a setting based on what you want, espresso, coffee, hot water or steam for frothing. The coffee I made with beans and ground coffee both tasted very good. The taste and flavor was consistent with each cup I made. The size of this machine is just right. It's not too big, so it can fit nicely into whatever free space you have. One thing I did not like was that the machine was very noisy, this can be a problem when there is other people in the house who are still asleep. No filter or forth cup was included, but I worked around that with no problem. The instructions state that the machine should be cleaned weekly. Cleaning this machine is easy and I am also a neat freak so that is not a problem either. The quality of the coffee and espressos that this machine produces eliminates the need for me to purchase coffee outside of my house. I will invest in good quality coffee to use in this machine. I am very happy with this machine and I am giving it 5 stars.