Patience does pay off. If you’ve been waiting for a deal to finally buy that Philips espresso machine you’ve been eyeing now might be the time.
Philips has slashed prices on some of its move beloved models. Look for significant savings across the board, including the following deals:
- Philips 1200 Automatic Espresso Machine $329 sale (normally $499)
- Philips 3200 Automatic Espresso Machine $549 sale (normally $799)
- Philips 4300 Automatic Espresso Machine $785 (normally $899)
In terms of value in the semi-automatic espresso machine market we at Stark Insider believe Philips is among the best. Jura is still our #1 favorite, but you’ll need to pay a premium. Meantime, Philips offers an espresso shot that’s very close to the Jura at a fraction of the cost. We believe most buyers will appreciate the savings and approve of the flavor.
Go Pod-less
All of these Philips machines use regular bags of coffee beans. That means you can ditch the costly pods. Instead, you can choose your favorite bean profile (light, medium, dark, decaf, etc.) and enjoy a freshly ground cup on-demand in the morning. The difference between freshly ground coffee and a pod is definitely noticeable. Further, you can support your local roasters and buy direct if you have the opportunity.
Also, all of them will enable you to brew a shot of espresso at the touch of a button. And that can be customized to personal taste. So if you want a shorter or taller drink you can easily adjust that with a button press. In addition you can adjust the strength as well.
Philips 1200 vs. 3200 vs. 4300 Espresso Machines
Now let’s take a brief look at the key differences among these popular models. There’s plenty of helpful online reviews you can Google to read, but here we’re just pointing out why you might buy one model over the other and highlight features that might help you make a decision.
Philips 1200
The 1200 is the entry level model with basic functionality. However, it might just surprise you how much it’s capable of — and it could just be enough machine for what you need each morning
You can brew two drink types: espresso and coffee. The latter is a longer drink that is suitable if you want more than just a quick shot of espresso. With Philips’ “My Coffee Choices” you can dial-in the size of the drink in addition to its strength. There’s also a hot water button that is perfect for tea drinkers.
For milk-based drinks you’ll use the steam wand. And this is a key differentiator between the 1200 and other machines that feature the LatteGo automatic frother. With the 1200 you’ll need to manually froth/steam to produce Lattes and Cappuccinos and Cortados and any milk-based drink. This can be fun for those who like to be hands-on. Those who value convenience and time may want to consider stepping up.
At $329 the Philips 1200 is an impressive deal, and one of the best — if not the best — option for those who want a great cup of espresso or coffee at the touch of a button, without breaking the bank.
Best for:
- Espresso and coffee drinkers
- Budget shoppers
- Those who don’t mind manually frothing milk
Philips 3200
The Philips 3200 offers more drink variety over the 1200. Additions include: Cappuccino, Americano and Latte Macchiato. In addition, there’s an option for iced coffee which could be ideal if you live in a hot climate and/or enjoy refreshing caffeination during the summer.
Another key difference with the 3200 is the option for the LatteGo automated milk system. If you enjoy milk-based drinks this could the right choice as the machine will froth the milk exactly to taste automatically without any manual intervention required. Quite handy indeed when you’re in a rush.
Just like the other Philips models this one also features the AquaClean filtration cartridges so you’ll get clean, purified water every time.
As far as all-in-one espresso machines go, the Philips 3200 is hard to beat at this price point.
Best for:
- Fans of milk-based drinks like Cappuccinos and Latte Macchiatos
- Iced coffee
- Drink variety
Philips 4300
Now we’re at the top of the Philips espresso machine line-up with the feature-packed 4300. What do you get for a few hundred dollars more?
Well, as you might expect you get even more drink variety than the 3200. That includes the following additions:
- Ristretto
- Café au Lait
- Caffé crema
In total there are 8 drink choices. So there should be something for the whole family.
Another difference is in the interface. The 4300 has touch-based buttons like the 1200 and 3200, but it also features a small LCD display. This is handy for managing settings and customizing drinks. It also has modern graphical representations of each espresso variety which is a classy touch.
Further, with the 4300 you can also customize the amount of milk used in any given drink.
Best for:
- Those who want the most amount of espresso-drink choices
- Personalizing milk quantity
- Top of the line user interface
Philips 1200, 3200, 4300: Recommendations
It’s hard to go wrong here. There’s a reason why Philips routinely tops best espresso machine lists and recommendations: they offer tremendous bang for the buck. Compared to pod-based systems like Nespresso, Keurig and others, you can save significantly by buying cost effective bags of beans instead of expensive (and proprietary) pods. Plus: choice is near infinite!
For a basic espresso and coffee machine the affordable Philips 1200 is the one to get. The brewing mechanism is essentially the same as the pricier models, so expect the same quality shot. Sure, there’s fewer drink varieties. But it does the job well, and delivers excellent drinks.
If you drink a lot of milk-based drinks there’s a case to be made for the LatteGo system found on the 3200 and 4300. The removable carafe is convenient. Store it in the fridge when not in use and easily attach it to the machine when you want a Latte or Cappuccino. Pretty easy stuff.
All told, we highly recommend these Philips models. Splurge for a Jura if you want the ultimate luxury experience when it comes to espresso. Know that, however, the Philips option is the stellar pick for price-value shoppers.
