Philips 1200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine, Classic Milk Frother, 2 Coffee Varieties, Intuitive Touch Display, 100% Ceramic Grinder, AquaClean Filter, Aroma Seal, Black (EP1220/04)

The media could not be loaded. We were replacing a KRUPS machine that was making great coffee until it finally died, so some of this review will reference the KRUPS.When you first get this machine the first 5-10 cups are going to be very weak but eventually the machine will calibrate and you’ll figure out your favorite options, grind density.The good:- easily removable water tank (easier than krups) it slides out forward so don’t have to move the machine ever- makes a variety of coffee sizes and grind types.There is a knob inside the coffee bean area with 12 grind settings.- aroma seal top for the coffee beans holder plus it works with ground coffee too if you get those on accident.- milk steamer is very strong and easy to clean - this design is better than Krups. The steamer can be stopped when you want to so milk doesn’t overflow.- the coffee is really good once you get used to the settings - though not as good as Krups…The OK- startup is a bit lengthy - the first part of the video - the machine shuts down after about 10-15 minutes fully.- it cleans every time so that small amount of water after startup always gets dumped, don’t put your cup there and leave cause you might forget to dump it :)Overall it’s a very good mid range full service machine, easy to clean and maintain and the water tank doesn’t have small areas that will grow mold - this was a problem on the Krups.Hope this helps! Overall I probably would have gotten a Krups because I was used to it but since it’s not sold in the US anymore this one is a very good replacement.

This is a great machine for easy lattes and coffee. I bought this machine with the hopes to make lattes, and it has exceeded my expectation. The grinder is really solid and makes a very good tasting espresso. It was easy to set up using the videos from Philips. I was pleased it fits under my upper cabinets with room to place a milk pitcher or cup on top of the machine. It’s very convenient that the water carafe is accessed through the front of the machine (not the top). The machine is not too loud either. I was concerned about waking up family in the morning but it hasn’t seemed to disturb anyone. The settings are very easy to adjust and it notifies you when it’s out of water. I have had issues with the milk frother. It’s a bit of a defect on the manufacturing. If the silver part of the frother is pushed on too tightly it will block the small air hole. It has to be loosely attached for it to get good airflow for the milk. I thought I had a defective machine, but then after messing around with it I figured out the problem. Be sure to rinse the milk frother after every use to prevent milk blockage (I also run hot water through after using the steam wand to make sure it is clear). It’s very easy to clean out the water tray and old grounds. I will add you must have the machine on when you dump the grounds or the machine will not recognize you’ve emptied it. It is recommended to rinse the inside of the machine weekly. The first time I did it I had some issue getting it back together, but I think with time it will get easier. I would 100% recommend this machine to anyone wanting an easy latte or coffee at home. I’ve found that it tastes better than going to a cafe as I can make it according to my liking. There are many videos on YouTube to help with milk frothing and making specialty drinks.

Bought one of these for traveling and two as gifts at Christmas. This fits in my large suitcase for taking to VRBOs. We stay on Whibey Island in a rural area and it's nice to have quality coffee. In some ways, I like the functionality better than my Jura E8. The steam wand works great and the removable insides make cleaning a breeze. Will see how many trips it can take in a suitcase before it breaks. But, successful after one round-trip so for. Those given as gifts have been well received. Once the Jura dies, I may not spend at that level again as this works so well.

"We should get an espresso machine" said my wife. "I like espresso.""Me too!" I replied. "Let's buy one!"This seemed like an easy proposition. But down the rabbit hole I went, and I soon realized that I was on the verge of becoming a "coffee guy" - one of those people who has Very Strong Opinions about pressurized portafilters and very expensive and clever conical burr grinders. The kind of guy who speaks in hushed tones about steam pressure and cream and uses the word "extraction" a lot.Since no one in my family want to spend every morning waiting an hour for me to tweak grind settings or calibrate the pre-infusion temperatures, and everyone agreed that I do not need another obsessive hobby, we started looking at automatic machines. We quickly decided that pod-based machines were right out for a variety of reasons, and similarly decided that one of those touch-screen possibly-self-aware machines were just going to be way way way out of our price range, we settled on the 1200. I checked reviews and videos and so forth, and we decided it was a good place to land.We couldn't be happier.Okay, okay, it probably doesn't make the absolute *best* espresso in the world. I'm sure somewhere, some geriatric italian barista is crossing himself and spitting every time I press a button on this thing. And it's loud. When it grinds, boy howdy you hear it grinding, and when it steams, you hear steaming and clunking and all manner of mechanical noises. I expected that, but it's still loud. The buttons lack a bit in terms of haptic feedback - until something actually happens I'm never entirely sure I've pressed one, so I always have that half second of "oh no, did I break it?" until i hear a pump spring to life. And it's big - this isn't a "stick it on the shelf and hide it away" kind of machine. It dwarfs my pressure cooker. And while the grinder does a fine job, you don't get access to it independently - you have only limited options for dosing (the 3-setting "aroma" control) or grind size (there's a knob inside the grinder itself) and the only time you see the grounds is in the "spent grounds" bin. I understand there's a way to fiddle with the temperature that involves opening panels and flipping switches; I have not tried it and I probably will not.But those minor quibbles aside, it pulls a very respectable shot of espresso; I've already had a better flat white after a day of randomly poking at buttons than I have at my local mermaid-themed coffee shop, and even a straight shot of espresso was pleasant, well-flavored, and full-bodied. The milk steamer is acceptable - nothing to write home about, but it gets the job done and I've even managed to make some incredibly rudimentary latte art. It's easy to clean, and the AquaClean filter makes that part even nicer. Once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy to use too - shove a cup underneath and press play and you're basically 80% of the way there. It's easy enough that everyone in my family can stumble into the kitchen and spit out a cuppa without thinking about it. It even makes plain coffee, which is great for the family members who just wants a cup of something hot and black and none of this continental nonsense. (I suspect the "coffee" is more akin to an americano, but I haven't been able to verify that.)Time will tell if this thing holds up, but I have high hopes and good experience so far. It works better than the bargain espresso machines I see everywhere, seems to have a pretty good grind dialed in at the factory, and while it's a bit on the pricy side it's still a lot cheaper than the others in its category (and only marginally more expensive than a plain machine) and you don't need to buy a fancy grinder to go with it. And shipping was ludicrously fast.