Customer Ratings & Reviews

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.

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.

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

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.

Living “at times a coffee shop exists”, one stoplight town, getting a decent cup of coffee can be a challenge. Combine that with working remotely, and the options become even fewer. After the closing of one iteration of the local coffee shop, i decided to commit the $ to a next level coffee maker. I am not a barista. Never even want to be. There are fancier machines on the market for $$$. I have worked in a office where they exist. It was breaking down on a quarterly basis. My Phillips has performed admirably for 2.5 years. Not only does it make a very decent espresso (and, yes, the steamer does a good foam), it also makes a great cup of coffee. Just need hot water for tea? It can do that for you, as well. Ok, of course things are not all roses and sunshine. I dont know what cup they think people use, on the maximum cup size, it will only fill a cafe size cup half full for coffee or tea. Support by the manufacturer is abysmal. When my foamer stopped foaming, when I finally got a response, their answer was to have me ship off the whole unit. At my expense, of course. After one more deep search online a reddit post saved me. The plastic instert on the foaming attachment had been knocked out of place by dropping it too many times. Pushed it back in place with a chopstick and it wss back in business. I joke that I pass my favorite cafe and coffee shop on mu commute to the office, but now that I have moved my desk to another room, it no longer is. :)

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.

My morning routine centers around three(3) cups of coffee. I can't leave the house without them. I normally use ground coffee for the convenience, but admit I love a fresh brew from whole beans. The Phillips 1200 gives me the choice of either. A fairly large top hopper accepts my choice of whole beans. The grind selector in the hopper (left side) lets me choose the perfect size grind. The settings goes from 1 to 12, fine to coarse. My other option os for pre ground. There is a seperate small lid located on the top front center of the lid to add a scoop of ground coffee. Pressing the aroma (strength ) button for 3 seconds activates the pre ground coffee function, deactivating foir this cup, the whole bean grinding function. It really works great. So where does the spent grounds go? They are nicely and neatly dropped into the built in cup which is part of the "spill tray". I found the dispenser can be slid up or down so splashing is eliminated while dispensing the brewed coffee. With these choices of whole bean or ground, I have the ability to make any coffee flavor I want, even decaf. The milk frother works well with the steam function. I made fresh tea with the frother set to hot water. The perfect temperature for coffee or tea. The water reservoir hold enough for 12 cups. Removable for washing or filling, sliding neatly on the right side of the unit. I think it looks sharp on my counter. No need for the POD machine, so the 1200's size is of less concern when fighting for counter space. Loving my caffeine fix morning or one at night. Here is where I love not needing to brew a large pot that sits and gets wasted. And no exorbitant coffee shop prices.

This review is for the Philips 1200 series espresso machine. My first thought when thinking about an espresso machine has never been Philips. I didn’t even know they made them. I have had over a dozen other espresso makers over the years and never once recall seeing one made by Philips when shopping. So I was thinking they would be behind or lacking in some areas. And boy was I wrong! First off this machine has the fastest warm up time of any I’ve had. So you get your fix sooner. Second it is very user friendly. Me or my wife never had to look in the owners manual to figure anything out. All the buttons/controls are straightforward. It frothed milk very well. I was a little surprise it didn’t come with a stainless steel frother. But I already have a few so no big deal for me. And this is the first machine I can fully break down to clean. (See photos). Love that it has a sealed bin for your whole beans. So just full it and forget about it for a few days. Always getting fresh ground beans every time. Just like any other unit it took us both a few days to find our magical settings for our coffee and espresso‘s. But now that we have all is good.

I purchased the Philips 1200 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with Milk Frother from Best Buy, and I have been absolutely loving it! The one-touch operation makes it super easy to use, and the espresso quality is fantastic—rich, flavorful, and with a perfect crema on top. The milk frother works beautifully for cappuccinos and lattes, and the machine is impressively quiet and efficient. The intuitive controls and adjustable settings allow for customization, making it great for both espresso enthusiasts and casual coffee drinkers. Cleaning is also hassle-free, thanks to the removable brewing unit. The only minor downside is that it did not come with the AquaClean Original Calc and Water Filter, which I had to purchase separately. However, that’s a small inconvenience for an otherwise excellent machine. Overall, this is a high-quality, reliable espresso maker that delivers café-style coffee at home. Highly recommend!

If you don't want to read the rest then I'll tell you right here...Yes it's a great machine, it's a great first time automatic machine and I would 1000% recommend it. So it's a "YES, go and buy one" from me if you are looking into buying an automatic machine and this is your price range. It's a decent size machine but there's still enough room in front of it, on the countertop to work. Meaning you have enough space to handle everything you need to do to make your coffee & you don't need to work off to the side. Width is less than a 4 slice toaster, which is phenomenal for an automatic in my opinion. Ergonomically this makes sense that you want to be in front of the machine with cups and so forth...not off to the side or on another countertop entirely. So the size is great for what this machine is capable of. The dispenser slides up and down to accommodate different sized cups...I personally, found this to be amazing and REALLY useful! It feels solid and not even close to like it going to break. The machine allows you to access 3 different fluid volumes for each of its functions. i.e. short shot .5 oz, reg shot, 1oz, long shot 2oz. It does the same for coffee brewing allowing you to pick how much water goes through your grinds kind of like the way a "kcup" machine lets you choose your "cup size" but it feels more “refined.” There's also a way to program your MAX level drink so you can run the machine with the programming steps and get the exact water volume you want for the function you are programming. I have had no need to program this function as the presets work for what I need and probably most users needs to be honest. You can also pick your water temp by programming. So for people who like really hot coffee, this machine should be able to keep up with you. You can also pick the brew strength for each...so if you like weak espresso but dont want 2 ozs then you can pull a weak .5 oz shot...not sure why you'd do that, but you can, same for coffee. Also, the machine comes with a water hardness test strip and you can set the machine to your water hardness. That’s a really nice feature addition to the unit. This machine relies on whole beans being FRESHLY GROUND and IMMEDIATELY brewed but...if you have ground coffee, you can override the grinder and use your pre ground coffee, 1 tbsp and 1 drink selection at a time. I did this for a few days until I had time to stop by and pick up some whole bean and it worked surprisingly well and was easy to access through the machine controls. The machine also "allows" you to buy a water filter to use in the water bin if you're into that sort of thing. It doesn't come with one...which at this price, I feel it should, but I've been running it without the filter and I’ve been perfectly happy so far. Speaking of that...the machine is "smart" and it tells you when your filter needs to be replaced and when you need to descale...it also tells you when you are out of water and when your grind bin and water tray need to be emptied. The great thing is, if you run out of water halfway through a brew....when you put more water in and slide it back it...IT FINISHES THE BREW THAT IT WAS DOING and doesn't just quit or force you to make a new one. That is awesome! The water bin has made me press on it a few times here and there...with the machine telling me it was out of water or thinking the reservoir was removed when it was in actuality full and inserted. No big deal, I just pressed on the front of the bin to "seat" it and the machine comes back to life. This may be annoying for some but its such a little tiny annoyance that at this price point I'm willing to deal with it. It’s actually a LOT more quiet than I thought it would be and the grinder works great. I've seen reviews of people having problems with coffee temp and grinder adjustments and I feel those negatives written are mainly user error and improper user expectations being placed on the unit. This is not a $3000+++ machine and shouldn't be treated like one or compared to one. READ the Manual and you should be fine. Speaking of the manual, I wish they listed the water output for each drink for each level. I had to stand there with a measuring cup and pull one of every option drink selection and drink level option to figure out what the water volume was going to be for each setting. It should be written down and given to the customer somewhere because I shouldn't have had to literally stand there for over an hour and run the machine 3x through every drink selection to figure out what volume was being delivered with my selection and then either memorize it or write it down myself. That is something the manufacturer SHOULD’VE SUPPLIED to me! That is a huge miss to have not provided that information in the manual or even a sticker on the unit behind the water reservoir or something. Only way I was able to reference ounces when I was speaking on the machine earlier in the review...was because I stood there, made my selection, picked "one dot" ran it, measured and then did the same for "2 dots" and "3 dots" for every drink/Hot Water selection. Especially annoying!!! Two more quirks. First, there is a sticker on the top of the machine when you unbox it, letting you know that they "do their best" to clean the machine but it was tested with real coffee in the factory and that if you find dirt/coffee in your NEW MACHINE to REST ASSURED your unit IS NEW and it's only there because of the testing. I'm unsure how I feel about this. I'm not a fan of having some random coffee run through a machine costing hundreds of dollars to the person buying it. Although I do appreciate that the unit was verified as working and "properly adjusted" before leaving the factory. Also...because of this...how would you know if you did get an actual USED UNIT? Like I said...in one way I hate this practice and sticker and in another I appreciate it so I can't give a firm stance one way or the other but be aware that running the unit with "actual coffee" is part of the manufacturing, testing and set up procedures in the factory. NOTE: My machine was CLEAN and I did not find any evidence of coffee inside...but I did find fingerprints of grease spooged on it in 2 spots where grease doesn't belong and that needed to be wiped up quickly. No big deal. Second quirk is the machine does this automatic rinse thing when it shuts down, thereby expelling water into the drip tray...this tends to both use the water in the reservoir faster and fill the tray pretty quick when you turn the machine on and off, even only twice a day. I find myself constantly emptying this tray and its tedious. It also does a quick spurt upon startup, to prime itself so make sure your cup isn't under the spout until the machine startup process is complete...unless you want that spurt of rinse water in your drink, then by all means, go for it. This procedure also uses water and fills the tray. I have found the tray get full pretty quickly, even only power cycling the machine 2 times a day. Now...the grinder is relatively quiet, I was surprised actually and expected to hear a cement truck on my countertop and it's nothing like that at all. It's consistent with filling to proper amounts from brew to brew and to be honest is SO NICE to have access to if you appreciate fresh coffee. It 1000% taste different than my exact same beans being ground ahead of time and run through my manual machine. It taste so much better being fresh! Per the manual "the grinder does not need adjustment until you brew xxxxx cups of coffee" and per me "IT DOES NOT NEED ADJUSTMENT UNTIL YOU NEED TO ADJUST IT." Mine works perfectly out of the box for espresso and drip and I don't know why people are buying this and reviewing and complaining it's hard to adjust or its not adjusted properly. Just stop it already...that machine is ran at the factory with real coffee and calibrated to work out of the box!!! That was the case for me and my machine. If you grind it too fine, some machines won't even have to strength to pump it past those fine grinds...so all you're doing is prematurely wearing out your machine. If you want to make espresso with basically powdered coffee then you shouldn't be shopping for a machine anywhere close to this price level! And this machine shouldn't be compared to a commercial machine you use at work either. This is an entry level, HOME USE, fully automatic at a specific price point and it does a WONDERFULLY BEAUTIFUL JOB if your not the type of person that buys a Honda and expects the performance of a Ferrari out of it. Been using it for going on a few weeks now, minimum twice a day and I am over the moon about having it. You can choose a standby time in 15 minute intervals up to an hour, so you can walk out the door and forget to turn it off and it will rinse itself and turn off so it's not on all day for nothing. Or if you know you're going to be back for another one in a half hour, and that is your routine then you don't have to start the machine up from cold and wait for it...it's just ready to go for your refill by setting the stand by time for longer. This machine and it's features are very moldable to its user. It's VERY user friendly and all the intimidation I had about getting into an automatic is null and void. It is very easy to use and clean...and refill...and rinse off. I would buy one of these in a heartbeat, knowing what I know now. I really love it and I really love not having to stand there and manually go through all the steps to get my morning fix anymore. It LOOKS GREAT in the kitchen....fancy-ish. I have gotten a few comments from people thinking I spent a small fortune on a fancy machine so it has good "presence." I do not get the amount of crema that I normally get out of my manual machine, and this might be why people are trying to adjust the grinder but in spite of getting less crema, I get fresher tasting espresso so its a trade off I am more than willing to make.

Works great for what i need. Coffee tastes great. Easy to use.

The Philips 1200 coffee machine is an excellent choice for coffee lovers. Its compact and easy-to-use design provides a practical experience. The quality of the coffee is exceptional, with an intense flavor and pleasant aroma, thanks to its efficient heating system. In addition, cleaning is simple, which makes it ideal for everyday use. I recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable machine with great value for money.

Good deal got on sale making good coffee easy to use

Had a Nespresso vertuo and found it to expensive. Bought the Philips coffee machine very easy to operate, great coffee and saves $

This thing is incredible. I've made espresso the old fashioned way before; never again, unless there's no other choice. Been drinking french press for years, with fresh roasted beans, and never thought I'd change, but noticed how much money I was spending on barista drinks each month, and realized I was bored with french press. This machine has made me love coffee at home, again.

I've never owned an espresso machine or an automatic one at that. I love that we don't have to make drip coffee, it saves us time and also saves us coffee beans as it only grinds what we need. Every cup is fresh and this machine works flawlessly every item. All we need to do is dump the used beans every couple of days and we are set. I should have bought this a long time ago.