Customers enjoy the Philips 4400 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine for its convenience, user-friendly interface, and ability to make a variety of customizable drinks. They particularly appreciate the LatteGo milk frother, which is easy to clean and produces great foam. While some users find the machine to be a bit noisy, many are impressed with its quiet operation compared to other models.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 92 reviews
Cons mentioned:
Noise level
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
So glad we picked this one!
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Love this new espresso machine. I will say that it was not as quiet as I had hoped. But I really have nothing to compare it to so it may in fact be quieter than other machines. But I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fully automatic option. Great value for money.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Lattego milk frother
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Love my philips always a big smile
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Love love this only thing to make it a 5 star is milk frothing container tip if it was closer to cup so it doesn't splash all over occasionally other then that its perfect
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Lattego milk frother
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Goodbye coffee shops!
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Amazing automatic multi drink coffee machine. Makes drinks in 2 minutes. Flavor is prefect just majlke sure you buy good quality beans. Have not stepped into a coffee shop since i night this.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Best coffee ever
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great Super Automatic Coffee Machine
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
We love this coffee machine, been waiting a couple of years to buy it. Best coffee ever and no bitter after taste.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Poor Sensors
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Posted . Owned for 5 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Philips 4400 makes decent eapresso drinks. I like the that it makes cold drinks too. However, the main issues are the sensors which are very annoying. A message pops up saying to add water even though the tank is full. The problem is, the machine will NOT warm up until I pull the tank out, wait for the message to clear, then push the tank in, and then it’ll start warming up. Wastes too much time. Same with the coffee grinds. It says to empty even though it is empty. Again, I have to pull the tray out and wait for the message to clear wasting time.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Lattego milk frother
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Very good option
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
It’s excellent option for lover Coffe , this machine is so good , fast and easy
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Convenience
Cons mentioned:
Price, Taste
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Buon Caffe’
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Highlights:
Pros:
One button convenience
Easy cleanup
minimal/easy maintenance
2 user profiles to save your preferences
Cons:
taste/presentation not quite the same as ‘hand made’
Expensive (or not?)
Stainless tray scratches easy with ceramic/porcelain cups
asty sticker on bean lid
Full Review:
I was never a coffee snob or connoisseur. Didn’t drink much coffee until about a year and a half ago when I got a Philips 1200 to replace the ‘pod’ machine I was using. The Philips 1200 turned me into a couple espressos a day person. The new Philips 4400 is a replacement for my 1200. I like milk based drinks on occasion but I wanted the convenience of not steaming the milk myself. The LatteGo seemed like a good option.
So the Philips 4400 LatteGo showed up double boxed, with no damage. It was packed well, with foam wrap on anything that could get scratched. It was easy to unbox with a cardboard ‘sleeve’ with handles that wrapped around the whole machine and allowed me to lift it all out of the box easily. Make sure you check all areas of the packing materials and unpack all of the parts and pieces that are hidden amongst the cardboard. Setup was pretty basic and I didn’t really need any instructions since I already had the 1200. There is a quick setup sheet with pictures showing you how to do the setup and there are videos available on Philips website. When you get to the point of plugging in and turning on the machine, the display will step you through the rest of the instructions. There are a few ‘features/advertisement/instruction/information’ stickers stuck on the machine in various spots. All of them but one removed easily like a temporary sticker should. The sticker on the bean hopper cover.. OMG, come on Philips, did you use superglue? You can’t remove it nicely. It took me 15 minutes and goo-gone to get rid of it, and now I have a scuffed up lid.
Buy yourself a cheap bag of beans, pull up a chair to your counter, and prepare to break-in/calibrate the machine and make your house smell wonderful. My wife came home from work, walked in the door and said “your new coffee machine must be here”. Philips warns you it may take some time for the machine to calibrate itself, just heed these instructions and let it do its thing. I don't recall my 1200 taking quite so many drinks to settle in, but the 4400 did take some time. The first drinks will be watery, don't even bother tasting them, just keep making double espresso shots and dumping them down the drain until they start looking normal. Pull the discarded puck bin and monitor what the pucks look like. They will be like soup at first but after around 40 pulls on my machine they started firming up making a good shot. It’s also recommended to not adjust the grinder at first either. When the machine is pulling good shots and the pucks firm up it’s time to get rid of the cheap beans, put in your favorite beans (just not oily beans) and enjoy a good espresso drink.
A couple notes comparing the 1200 and 4400.
The 4400 is advertised as having “Quick Start”. With both units OFF and sitting for a few hours ‘cold’, when turned on, it took both almost identical times to warm up, rinse and be ready to make a drink (about 1 minute). I did a single espresso shot on both, hit start at the same time and both finished about the same time (about 45 seconds later). I didn't see any improvement on startup time with the newer model.
Philips claims 40% quieter with ‘Silent Brew Technology’. This was very easily noticeable the first shot I pulled, the bean grinding of the 4400 is way quieter than the 1200. The rest of the noises are about the same volume level (brew group movements, pumps, milk steaming etc). I have a couple photos attached. The first ‘bump’ in the graphs is the bean grinding process, you can see the 4400 is quieter by around 5dB. (only the lower graph is relevant, the upper numbers are the instant I took the screenshot). You can also see the brew group movements and other sounds are about the same in both machines.
One thing I learned from the 1200, is to buy one of the absorbent rubber coffee mats and set the Philips machine on it. Without the matt the vibrations from the machine reverberated through my counters and made it louder. The matt will help quiet it down more yet.
When I got my 1200, the AquaClean filter was not included, so I had to go out and purchase it separately. The 4400 has a filter included, thank you Philips.
Now that my 4400 has started settling in with calibration, the drinks are tasty. I am loving the convenience of the LatteGo. It’s as simple as putting milk in the container and pressing the button for the drink you want. Cleanup is as easy as a quick rinse in the sink, or if I have milk left and plan on another drink in the near future, I put the LatteGo back into the fridge. No more wiping down the wand, trying to keep milk from burning/drying/stickin to it. Sometimes just to add a little flavor I’ll put a little torani syrup, or ghirardelli sauce in my cup before I start the brew. I know overall I’m sacrificing a little quality and presentation for the convenience of a bean to cup superautomatic, but I’ll take the convenience any day. Compared to the 1200, the Philips 4400 allows you to fine tune your drink to your taste with more aroma, water and milk levels. I’m still working on finding my sweetspots, but the good news is I just keep using the same profile and the machine will remember my settings.
I should deduct a star for the stupid sticker on the bean lid, but overall
I’m loving the Philips 4400 LatteGo, it’s used every single day, 5 stars from me.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Philips 4400
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Posted . Owned for 7 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Очень хорошая кофе машина, рекомендую, я доволен!!!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Customizable drinks, Easy to use, Lattego milk frother
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best Coffe Maker, i love it
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I'm in love with how Easy, Fast and Delicious my morning coffe became with Phillips 4400.
This is a fully automatic coffe maker/ espresso machine and has the best milk frother i ever encountered! Seriously the milk gets so foamy all the time with virtually no work at all and the container it cannot be easier to clean or store back in the fridge in case you didn't use all the milk.
The machine does it all and i love it! It's faster than i expected and does it all quietly too(not completely silent).
The 12 drink type selection it's super welcomed, i walked thru all of them and they all came out as described! I love the fact that each drink is easily customizable and after finding your perfect tune for your coffe you can save the way you like it in different profiles for the next time, to save some very valuable morning time!
So far my favorite drink is Latte Macchiato with an extra shot of espresso!
Now the ease of setting this thing up it's amazing! You can just plug it in and follow the instructions on the colored display that walks you to every little step or scan the QR code and follow the video and at the end you can enjoy a truly fully automatic made coffe out of this super slim and stylish Philips 4400!
I have been enjoying every moment spent with this machine and coffe i made so far! It's Fantastic
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Philips
Posted .
Hi,
Thank you for sharing your feedback, and we're very sorry to hear about your experience with our Philips Espresso Machine. Your utmost satisfaction is extremely important to us and we'd like to learn more about this issue to resolve it.
At your earliest convenience, please get in touch with us to speak with a Consumer Care Representative. Be sure to reference this review & have your [PHILIPS or SAECO] product handy so that we can better assist you.
833-737-1212 Monday - Friday 9:00 AM -6:00 PM EST Excluding Major Holidays
We look forward to hearing from you.
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Decent Machine but weak coffee
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I like the Philips 4400 coffee machine overall, but it does have a few issues. My biggest issue is I do feel the coffee is a little watered down compared to another automatic machine I use. I have tried multiple setting and have the coffee all the way up and it’s ok but still watered down. The other thing I don’t like is as part of the setup you are asked to get an app, but it doesn’t actually do anything with the machine. It doesn’t connect to it and at least for me didn’t give any useful information. Last issue is the instructions manual is lacking. Its mostly just warning and not really any trouble shooting or how to change the coffee strength. The quick start guide is good but it’s not a full manual.
It’s not all bad thought, and there are a lot of things I do like. The setup is simple, and you get brewing pretty fast. The water tank holds a good amount of water, my other machine I’m refilling after a few coffees and this last way longer. I also like all the options for coffee and the fact that the setting saves, and you can have two profiles. I also like the lattego, just add milk and it auto adds it to the coffee. The machine is quite when it grinds and even when you first turn it on it doesn’t take long to get ready and start brewing a cup.
The fact that it’s automatic is great, and if you don’t have one, I recommend getting one rather than brewing or using pods. For me the biggest downside is I feel the coffee is very water down even on the highest settings, which is the biggest issue if you like a strong cup of coffee.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Cons mentioned:
Noise level
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great All In One Coffee Machine
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I have had the pleasure to use this coffee machine for approximately the last 3 weeks and I am pleasantly surprised. Overall is has enough customization features and over 10 coffee drinks to choose.
BUILD/DESIGN
The build quality feels very substantial, it doesn't feel cheap or flimsy even though it is made of plastic. The footprint is fairly small, approximately 10 inches wide, 18 inches deep and 15 inches tall. The water reservoir slides into the machine so it is not added space and the water filter is internal to the water reservoir. The milk frothing cup, attaches and detaches in one smooth motion which allows you to keep any unused milk in the refrigerator effortlessly and bring it back out when needed. The cup clearance is about 5.5 inches, I wish it would have a taller clearance for travel mugs.
COFFEE
It takes whole beans and ground coffee via a bypass chute. The brew, dependent on the beans and strength selected, has brewed a smooth cup of coffee with very low acidity and a nice layer of crema which shows the brew unit has extracted all the oils from the coffee to produce a flavorful cup. The grind setting can be adjusted for your personal taste and coffee selected. It is not good to use extra dark roast beans because most are so oily they stick and gum up the brew group/unit.
BREW UNIT-MAINTENANCE
THE BIG BONUS UNLIKE MOST MACHINES IS YOU CAN CLEAN THE BREW GROUP/UNIT-IT IS DETACHABLE. I had to write that in caps because every other machine i have had to painstakingly remove screws and take the machine apart to clean the brew unit. This unit ALLOWS you to effortlessly remove the brew unit and rinse it and clean off all the grime every week. Every 2 months you are to use a cleaning pill to remove the oil residue- This is AWESOME it lets me clean it frequently and ensure there is no moss or fungus, believe me it grows in the brew units that are not cleaned. This unit ensure you will have a clean and great cup of coffee.
PRO
coffee customization
iced coffee option
BREW UNIT CAN BE CLEANED EASILY
CON
cost of filter
it's still a little noisy
spout clearance won't fit travel mugs
OVERALL
It is a great machine which does more than any one coffee nerd needs, A-/B+
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Customizable drinks
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
High-quality machine for enjoyable daily drinks
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Verdict. The Philips 4400 Automatic Espresso Machine is a high-quality machine that makes hot and cold coffee drinks, including milk-based espresso drinks. This machine produces decent espresso that gets better over time, but of course you will not get the complexity of flavors and mouthfeel that you would get from a high-end grinder and manual machine. Among the best features, it starts up incredibly fast, all drinks are highly customizable, operation is easy and intuitive, and drinks are good! This machine will make most people very happy.
Experience. I own several coffee machines, including one fully manual espresso machine, a semi-automatic espresso machine, and several fully-automatic machines. Coffee is a passion in our home; we spend a lot of time brewing, drinking, and experimenting with different coffees, brewing methods, and machines. My expectations for coffee machines are certainly higher and I am more obsessive about coffee than most people.
Must read tips: (1) Fresh coffee: the most important variable in brewing good coffee is high-quality freshly-roasted coffee. You will not get good espresso or coffee with cheap, dark roast, and/or stale coffee. I recommend buying quality fresh beans from a local roaster. Fresh coffee will have a “roasted on” date, instead of a “use before” date. Ideally, consume your fresh coffee between about 6 days after roasting to about 21 days after roasting. (2) Type of beans: I recommend buying medium roast because they are not oily and have distinct flavors you can notice. I recommend avoiding dark roast because oily beans won’t slide as easily into the burrs and they will create more residue in your grinder. You should definitely avoid light roast beans because they are probably too hard for the grinder in this machine and could damage the burrs or the motor. (3) Drink ratios: for a proper espresso on this machine, use the highest dose (coffee bean icon) and the lowest yield (cup icon) - dose is how much coffee goes into the grinder and yield is how much liquid espresso you get. For a great latte or latte macchiato, first make an espresso shot, then press the latte button so you get a second shot (highest dose and lowest yield), and add 270ml of milk. For a great cappuccino, select highest dose, lowest yield, and 150ml for the milk.
Initial impressions. The machine is not heavy. It’s the perfect size for any kitchen. Included in the box are: a milk jug, a water filter, a coffee scooper, some lube for gear maintenance, and manuals. The water reservoir is made of flexible plastic that should prevent from cracking if bumped against something.
Setup. Getting this machine up and running took just a few minutes. Fill the water, start the machine, answer questions about the water filter, then the machine will absorb water, and it’s ready to start brewing. Getting a good espresso will take a bit more time. The initial shots are very watery… not enjoyable to drink. I made a dozen espressos in a row, as noted in the manual, and finally shots began to look darker with nice crema. The machine seems to self-calibrate after a while.
Grinder. The ceramic grinder is working well on my medium roast beans. Grinding is quieter than other fully-automatic machines we have, and it’s quite fast. Unfortunately, some coffee remains in the grinder chute after grinding (you can see it through the ground coffee chute), so whenever you use the machine again (next day or a week later), the first gram of coffee may have been sitting there a while. Not that big of a deal. While the manual noted to avoid changing the grinder setting, I did adjust the grinder to grind finer by two settings. As noted in the instructions, I adjusted the grinder while it was grinding. I did so to get my flow to look a little more like smooth mouse tails (see photo).
Design. Overall, this machine is really well-designed: intuitive controls, nice bright control panel with colorful icons, and lots of convenient features. The milk jug uses several parts that can be disassembled for easy cleaning. The machine automatically rinses the brew spout when turned off. In general the machine was designed for minimal maintenance: rinse the tray daily, dump the grounds daily (so mold doesn’t grow), rinse the brew group weekly, lube every couple of months, change the water filter every few months (the machine will tell you), and descale every few months, depending on water hardness levels. The “Clean” button hosts all these cleaning options, making the process really easy - well done on that!
Machine operation. The button layout is easy to understand and the colors are great. Initially, I didn’t think the screen would add much to the brewing experience, but I really love it now; it’s a very nice upgrade from the 3200. Profiles are a nice touch too. Customization of drinks save automatically to the profile in use once the press button is pressed. Customization is also much easier than on the 3200… this is by far the best improvement. After that, operation is essentially “two touch” (press the drink you want and then press the brew button).
Espresso. For best results, I recommend brewing at the highest dose (how much coffee goes into the grinder) and lowest yield (amount of liquid that comes out). From my estimation, this is close to a 1:2 ratio (ideal for medium roast), with a yield of 30g. While the crema is great, shots are just decent, without much acidity, but also without complexity and or strong flavor. Definitely better than any pod machine, but not on the same level as a manual machine. The 2x function allows for easy double espresso brewing (the machine will brew two espressos in a row), but 2x cannot be saved as the default for the espresso drink.
Things I love:
- This machine looks great: nice color combo, good-looking screen, vibrant colors on the control panel
- It doesn’t make drinks like a fully manual 9-bar espresso machines, but it makes very enjoyable drinks
- Very intuitive controls
- Highly customizable drinks: control dose, yield, and milk ratios (not foam level)
- It can dispense hot water only (great for tea) and foam milk only (wonderful for hot chocolate)
- The machine seems to adapt brewing over time. The espresso is getting better without adjustment of the grind setting; that’s really interesting
- This machine can grind whole beans or process ground coffee
- The 2x espresso option is very convenient (brews two shots in a row). However, 2x does not get saved as the default
- The milk jug comes apart in several pieces, allowing for easy cleaning. Makes foam without a hard-to-clean tube
- The bean hopper cover has a slight tint and has a seal, both helping to keep beans fresh
- Handles helped to pull the machine out of the box for easier unpacking… thank you!
- Easy maintenance, mostly done my the machine (daily rinse); just need to keep up with some rinsing, lubing, and water filters
- Great size for any counter
Things I don’t love:
- As expected, this does not produce exquisite espresso and beautiful micro foam (like manual machines). However, for the convenience, the tradeoff will be worth it for most people. If you are used to the quality of manual machine, you will be need to manage your expectations. In all, drinks are enjoyable!
- Terrible sticker on the bean tray lid… Took over 20 min to peel it off. Really frustrating!
- Ratios for the milk drinks need to be customized to get the best out of this machine. Someone without experience may go through trial and error before achieving the best drinks. Thankfully, the machine allows for ample adjustments so you can get to great drinks. See tips above
- A lid with a seal for the milk jug would be better to keep the milk fresh while in the fridge
- Beans fall into the screw hole of the grinder cover, and stay there forever
- No easy way to remove leftover beans because of the grinder cover. I have to just grind through the beans if I want to swap out beans
Overall, the Philips 4400 is a convenient, intuitive, good-looking and capable machine that can make decent espresso and good milk-based drinks. We are actually very happy with this machine, primarily because of the very fast startup, two-touch operation, and enjoyable drinks that it prepares. This is not a cheap machine, but the value is definitely there for us; if you buy quality freshly-roasted coffee, it will make better drinks than big brand coffee shops, giving more enjoyment and saving you money after less than a year. And it’s way better than a pod machine. I highly recommend it!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
My new morning friend
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Well done Philips, well done. I own a couple of other manual machines so I was really looking forward to having it all done for me for those early mornings..
Not to overlook the packaging, there were handles to assist lifting the machine out of the box, I appreciate I didn't have to go into full wrecking crew mode to extract the machine. Everything you need is in the box and the setup is easy with the HomeID App.
Don't be distraught with the lack of a paper owner's manual, download the HomeID App. I am somewhat experienced with making coffee, but the app is wealth of information about how to customize your machine to your liking. It may take a few dozen brew trials to get it perfect.
The Philips 4400 is an easy-to-use machine, love the profile options so once I get it dialed in all I have to do is push a button for my cappuccino and boom, it is ready. You can customize the grind size, grind amount, milk amount and total output. I actually liked experimenting with what I thought was my perfect cup of coffee.
You can make several different types of drinks; I especially like the hot water and milk option for hot cocoa seeing how fall is right around the corner.
Quality of manufacture seems to be on par with what I expect from Philips products. They have made this unit easy to clean, maintain and use. However, I wish the water reservoir had a level window you could see from the front. My machine is placed in a corner so I can't see the water level until I need to add, no big deal though. This will also tell you when you need to empty the catch tray, by way of a red pop-up button and the grind chamber by way of the LED readout.
One other CON, that I really thought was going to be nice is the LatteGo. It does take away the manual foaming of milk, but it isn't really convenient after the fact to store any leftover milk. It barely sites upright in the fridge and does not have the ability to self-seal when detached from the machine. Not a big deal so the tradeoff is not having to froth the milk manually, but the cleanup and storage is a little more. The LatteGo works perfectly though.
I like that the dispenser head is adjustable so I can use a larger mug when I want to. It is kind of tight getting the mug aligned with the LatteGo so the milk goes into the cup and doesn't spill over the side, but that is a one-time only mistake. I still can't fit my favorite travel mug under it though...
For your basic coffee, unless you use espresso beans you will have to either use pre ground, yes there is an option for that or replace the beans in the grind hopper. I appreciate the grind hopper does appear to seal well so it will help to keep your beans fresh.
In short, read the HomeID app recommendations and don't be afraid to experiment for your perfect cup of coffee.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Fast flavorful coffee drinks
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Overall, the Phillips EP4447/90 (4400 series) Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with Milk Frother could easily be the only coffee machine you’d need for you, for your family and even for hosting a party/gathering. You could pair it with other regular coffee machine that have more capacity to serve on all occasions, but in terms of coffee flavor alone, this one outshines other similar devices, add to that the multiple drink options and the fully automatic process (except for the manual part of feeding the beans, cleaning, etc.), and you have a winning device.
The Phillips 4400 series is easy to operate and to configure, thanks to the bright display and buttons on the front panel. You can adjust the settings for the different drinks and save them under different “profiles”. There are three profiles to use: guest, blue and yellow. Once you change a setting, it is automatically saved on the active profile, which comes in very handy when setting up the best combinations of coffee, water and milk/foam for your taste and needs. Two attributes to highlight are that the device is fast and silent enough to not bother you or others much. You can choose to brew one or two cups at a time, and even if choosing to brew just one cup, this machine is fast enough that you or your family or your guests don’t have to wait much to enjoy a great cup of their favorite coffee drink.
For my personal preferences, I mostly brew regular coffee and espresso for my everyday needs, followed by cappuccino a few times a week. I have my personal profile set so that regular coffee comes in strong (not like americano, which usually has a watery taste), so I really love it. You can adjust the settings to make it lighter if needed, but the point I am trying to make is that it feels like I am having real coffee. When brewing espresso, this machine seems to extract, most, if not all, of the flavor from the coffee beans, just a great experience. The cappuccino has been the only drink I’ve brewed in which the milk Frother is used, and it’s been a delight. I might experience with other drinks in the coming weeks, but these three suit my needs perfectly. The versatility of this machine comes in handy when other family members and friends that come over get their preferred coffee drink as close as what they’d like to, the machine is easy to adjust. Even if some drink came too strong, it can still be fixed; for example, a cappuccino came too strong, you can fix that by adding a little more milk/foam at a press of few buttons. Also, if the taste is too weak then you can select an extra shot (choosing “More Drinks” option in the front panel.) for a more intense flavor. Note though, and it is also stated in the manual and online, it gets some time to perform the calibration for the best coffee flavor results, you just need a little patience.
I would have given this machine a 5/5 but there are some little nuances that prevent it to have a perfect score, these are not cons per-se but they just get a little in the way of a whole experience; for example, when extracting the bottom tray you have to be careful not to spill any water, the water container doesn’t easily slide in as it brushes against the drip tray, the water filter once became detached when adding water, the cover of the bottom tray feels like it doesn’t fit perfectly, the floater on the drip tray had to be replaced as it originally came twisted (I contacted customer support and got a replacement for it.) These and a couple of other little things make it feel that some details were lost in the design and manufacture of this otherwise wonderful machine.
- Pros: relatively silent, very fast, multiple drinks, settings can be saved, attached Frother, easy to operate/select drinks, overall versatile.
- Cons: narrow water receptable, some parts feel a little flimsy.
>> Assembly and cleaning before first use
This espresso machine is easy to assemble, with most parts fitting into place without needing to look at the user manual. However, follow the user manual that comes in the package for guidance on how to prepare the unit for first use, which includes to clean/rinse the coffee machine, soak and add the water filter to the tank, use the water hardness test strip to adjust the water hardness level. The manual is also very useful as it gives you instructions for proper cleaning and maintenance of the unit, as well as a general view on how to use the machine.
Overall, the device feels sturdy and well made, but with some caveats. My unit came with a twisted (defective) bottom floater (the so-called drip tray full indicator) and it didn’t properly fit in the drip tray (bottom tray) preventing the drip tray cover to be closed correctly. So, I reached support, and I was glad and grateful that they were able to provide me with a replacement piece, which at last fitted perfectly. In addition to the faulty part, I feel that some of the components didn’t seem to fit or be adjusted perfectly. Here are some examples. The dip tray cover feels like it is misplaced when it is not, so I tend to double check each time I clean the dip tray that indeed its cover is in place. The water tank rubs against the bottom parts a little too much for my taste. At least once, the water filter came off when adding water (despite following very carefully the instructions on the manual on how to add the water filter) so now each time I refill the water tank, I automatically check if the water filter is in its place. The latter reminds me of one of the things I’d say is difficult which is placing the filter inside the water tank, good luck if you have big hands as the tank is very narrow. As I mentioned earlier, these are some of the little things that get in the way of this espresso machine reaching a perfect score.
>> Calibration
As noted in online references, there is the need to do a few (up to 20 it is stated) brews for the algorithm to calibrate the coffee brewing process. In my case, it did take less than 20 brews (or perhaps close to it) to start getting the right coffee. The first few brews were not good at all, in fact, besides the watery coffee drink, the coffee grounds were soaked in water and almost seemed like disintegrating, so I was not sure if I got a faulty machine. It was not until several tries that I started getting great espresso and regular coffee flavors, and at that point the coffee grounds seemed compact enough to give the impression that enough force/pressure was being applied. You can also adjust the grinder settings to get stronger coffee, but reading the manual, it is advised to do so after a hundred or so brews.
I have mostly been using medium roasted beans and I assume the calibration went fine as the coffee comes out very tasty. I have also used dark roasted coffee beans, and I also feel that the results were great, especially for espresso. Like other similar espresso machines, it is not recommended to use caramelized or flavored coffee beans. Now, some say not use dark roasted oily beans on the espresso machines, but this machine handles those just fine.
There is also the option to use already pre-ground coffee, let’s say if there is someone who’d want decaffeinated coffee or some other style to whatever is in the bean tray already.
>> Espresso/ Regular Coffee
Espresso and regular coffee are my drinks of choice, and I like them strong, so, at its highest-level setting, this machine produces strong, rich and tasty coffee, and I’d say it extracts most of the flavor out of the coffee beans. The coffee comes out hot and foamy, I always like that extra layer of foam on top of the coffee cup.
>> LatteGo / Milk System
I love the LatteGo feature as you don’t need to be holding the milk container while the Frother does its job. Make sure when using the LatteGo system to check the cup position as milk could be poured outside the cup.
I was surprised that the milk that comes out is very foamy, when I used other manual Frothers, I don’t usually get too much foam, well, the milk is hot, but not too much foam. In this case, this device does a much better work than others, it produces foamy milk froth almost immediately.
One thing though, at least when brewing cappuccino, since the milk/foam goes in first and next the coffee (not the two at the same time), you’d still need to manually stir the end result a little to mix all properly. Nevertheless, the foam and resulting drink comes out very foamy and with great taste.
>> Some other notes
- The Frother and the milk container don’t “click” when assembled as the manual suggest, mine needs an extra push for one to “slide” into the other to be secured (no click).
- A few times the “Add water” message appeared despite the fact that there was still enough water, pulling the water tank and placing it back would do the trick for the message to go. Note that until you get rid of the message, you cannot brew anything.
- It comes with a water hardness test strip with 4 levels, which according to the Phillips website is not available anymore.
- There is always some milk left in the milk container after using “all” of it. So, always be careful to clean it.
- If not manually cleaned, the auto-clean function automatically kicks in before the machine is shut down, which is nice but also tells you that you need to regularly check the drip tray and clean it.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Perks You Up!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Philips 4400 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with LatteGo Milk Frother is also know as a super automatic espresso machine. Why? Because it does everything for you, From grinding the beans into a puck and then making whatever type of coffee you desire from a simple espresso extraction to a macchiato and everything in between at the push of a few buttons!
The Philips 4400 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with LatteGo Milk Frother is a really stylish and compact fully automatic espresso machine. It looks good on any counter. It has profile settings for multiple people use and saves their settings and drink selections. You can dial in the coarseness and fineness of the beans. The finer the richer the flavor. It makes a puck and then ejects it into a bin when done brewing and then it is ready to go again. It is like a set it and forget barista in your house. It's so convenient to make various types of coffees at your finger tip. Setup and use was very easy, with the onscreen instructions.
Not only does it do whole beans. It also has chute for pre ground coffee. So easy to use. Pour beans in hopper, push a few buttons and voila! And the milk frother can be detached and put in the fridge when not in use with your milk.
The Philips 4400 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with LatteGo Milk Frother will be the center of attention when you have guests over and serve them after dinner espressos. Your guests will be so jealous! To be honest, I can't think of anything not to like about it. It comes with everything needed to get started....except a sample of coffee beans. But understandable, you don't know how long the beans will be sitting in the box. My favorite drink to make is Vietnamese Iced Coffee with it.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Like having a personal barista in your kitchen!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I’ve been a K Cup user at home for many years and have always been happy with it. For higher-end coffee I would venture out to the local Starbucks or coffee house. That has all changed since receiving my Philips 4400 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with LatteGo Milk Frother. Now I’m able to enjoy top-shelf espresso and coffee drinks at home…with a push of a button!
Setup:
When initially opening the box, my first impression was, “this could take a bit of work to figure out and set up!”. Although initially hesitant, it was quite simple to setup and use with just a little guidance from the included manual, online resources (HomeID app) and practice. In the box is the brewer unit, a hardness test strip, ground coffee spoon, a water filter and maintenance items. All you need to be up and brewing are beans or ground coffee, milk and appropriate glasses!
Once all parts are unboxed and the HomeID app has been downloaded, simply start the setup walkthrough on the app. to prepare the machine. There are videos and pictures to guide through the process. Essentially the steps are checking your water hardness with the included indicator strip, set the machine hardness, prime the included water filter and add it to the tank, fill the water tank, remove the cover on the bean tray, add beans, adjust the grind size (optional) and replace the cover and assemble the LatteGo milk frother…which snaps together in a second. Those are the major steps. The machine had a sticker on it indicating that beans had been run through as part of the QA process, but it also goes through a cleaning of the system on startup so there are no concerns about machine cleanliness. Now the fun begins!
Usage:
Unlike other coffee and espresso machines/presses, the Philips 4400 series automatically makes an array of cold and hot coffee drinks with the push of a button. There are seven preset drink selector buttons on the control panel, along with hot water, profiles, clean and settings. Once a drink option is selected, the display provides guidance as to what is needed for the blend and the strength and amount of coffee and milk are adjustable at this point. The dispenser height is adjustable depending on the style of drink selected and milk will froth automatically if part of the selected drink. It’s that simple!
For the Profiles, there are two set up out of the box, Yellow and Blue, and additional profiles can be added. A cool feature is that any specialty drink that is selected will be automatically added to your profile for later use without having to create it again. I really enjoyed this feature as Café Latte, which is my favorite coffee drink, is not on the main page for preset drinks, but is added to my profile for easy access.
This is an impressive machine that is built with quality and looks great at the same time. The color option I have is Black/Silver, so there is just enough stainless to tie into our other kitchen appliances. Also to note, although it’s a fully automated machine, it is also very customizable in terms of grind size, strength of drinks, setting up profiles, etc.
The coffee output is in line with or even better than the specialty coffees I’ve been buying over the years. I’m a bit regretful that I hadn’t moved to a system like the Philips 4400 sooner. I’ve only tried two different beans so far but can say without a doubt the coffee drinks will rival any of the fancy coffee shops and in the long run will be much more cost effective as well.
HomeID app:
This is a great app, it’s a bit different than the standard app that typically controls the associated product. For this machine, the app is a guide for set up and usage and also has a number of articles about brewing coffee, selecting beans, grind size, etc. It’s been a wealth of information about coffee, assorted drink recipes and brewing as well as providing information about the machine itself.
Clean Up & Maintenance:
The system automatically cleans the grinds out after each use and also runs water through the system when powered down. The grinds and water are caught in the catch tray for easy clean up. There is a float in the water tray to indicate when it needs to be emptied. For the grinds, pull out the catch tray and remove the collection bin and clean out the grinds. There is also a clean function that can be run from main panel on the machine. For maintenance, the “brew group” needs to be cleaned weekly, deep cleaned monthly and lubricated every 2 months. All of these steps are outlined in the HomeID app.
Pros:
- Solid build of the machine and accessories – this system should last for many years to come.
- Perfect for home or office use based on the solid build and ease of use.
- Ability to set up and update different user profiles
- So easy to use, just select a drink and hit the button!
- Easy to Clean – removable spill tray and grind container are cleaned in minutes
- No longer filling the landfill with K cup containers
- Looks great with the black and silver colorway, matches existing appliances.
Cons:
- So far the only issue I’ve had is the factory sticker on the bean tray cover will not come off!
Overall the Philips 4400 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with LatteGo Milk Frother is an incredible machine for producing “fancy” coffee drinks or the perfect Cup of Joe. It’s overall ease of use, preset drinks and programmability make it a great choice for home use by coffee lovers or a small office environment that needs a coffee upgrade. The taste of fresh coffee drinks every morning is definitely worth the purchase!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use, Lattego milk frother
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Philips 4400 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I’m absolutely in love with this espresso machine. It’s so easy to use—simply add water to the container and place the whole beans on top. Choose your desired coffee or espresso size and strength, and you’ll be in coffee heaven. The controls are all conveniently located on the front panel, making it effortless to operate. The machine is made entirely of plastic, which makes cleaning a breeze. The build quality is top-notch, and the housing is incredibly durable. You can set three different water temperatures for a super-hot coffee experience and adjust the water hardness for optimal descaling intervals. I can’t imagine starting my day without it—I’m truly hooked!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use
Cons mentioned:
Taste
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Decent espresso taste
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
It’s easy and convenient to use. Does not taste as good as a manual machine, but the purpose of this machine is ease of use. Build quality is nothing special, lots of thin plastic. For something so expensive the build quality should be more premium. Also a little bit of a pain to clean out the brew group.
I would recommend this to a friend
Cons mentioned:
Noise level
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Money saver on coffee
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Cool one touch drink making. Easy to clean and use. Not sure why machine promotes being quiet because it seems kinda loud so somewhat incongruent messaging. Saves lots of money on morning coffee !
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Lattego milk frother
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Good Machine But What About The Pucks?
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This machine is very nice, and I love how the LCD screen gives you a clear indicate of the "status" of machine, even walking you step by step on how to resolve an alarm like "adding water" - you get a literal visual on how to do it. Onw thing I don't like, and I could be wrong, but I have made over 50 espresso shots with this machine is that no matter what coffee beam I am using, I don't get "pucks" but rather wet slop of grounds in the brew chamber. I have an open ticket with Philips support, but I need to catch them one day when I am not busy at work. Aside from this, the machine is very quiet, the LatteGo mike container is easy to clean in the dishwasher, and the milk never actually touches the machine! This machine can make 12 different beverage options, and I like that warm up time is about 30 seconds from power on to "ready to brew". All in all, I am content but I will follow up with Philips Support to find out why I am not getting the "pucks" I am expecting.