Purchased to replace my DeLonghi. What you should know…

•Great cup of coffee, cappuccino,etc.
•Does not make as large of a cup as other makers. But if you select the 2 cup option you can get a similar size.
•Grinder setting can take time; only adjust while grinding and only one notch at a time. Add to that it can take 3-8 cups to actually see the difference in the grind.
•So much easier to clean than the DeLonghi! My other maker always ended up with drips underneath, this unit was designed very well - pull out the tray with pucks and water waste.
•One thing to be aware of - I had to return the initial maker because it would not form a puck. Instead it formed mud (actually it looked like diarrhea) and made a terrible cup of coffee (tasted like the grounds looked!). •Don’t be afraid to take a chance on returning for a unit that will form the puck. My next unit works perfectly!
•No grounds in the coffee! This was a major problem in older models that ground and spit into a basket instead of making a puck.
•Like most models, if you are going to occasionally use ground coffee it will get messy. You are putting grounds into a shaft that also vents steam. Still, worthwhile if you have someone over that needs decaf or a super dark variety.
•Would love to see if they ever change the design to allow a sealable and changeable coffee hopper that would allow you to easily switch to a different bean. But I can see that this would still require making one or two cups to clear beans already primed for the grinder.

Pro: Love the machine and the coffee. The milk attachment works well and is easy to clean.
Con: Every month, the machine indicates we need to descale and states if we don't use the Philips descaler, it will void the warranty. We probably average 100 cups of coffee per month but we only use filtered water, so every month seems excessive. I've been buying the Philips descaler online @ $10 each, which sems like just another way that Philips creates recurring revenue. IMO, it's expensive and inconvenient having to descale each month.
Wish it had a timer to automatically turn on each morning.

I LOVE this machine! It takes my coffee experience to the next level. Quickly grinds fresh beans for my daily Americano. (Small drawback-makes office Flavia coffees taste like nicely flavored water.) And when I am feeling a little extra, it quickly heats up and froths the milk in less than 30 seconds. Pro tip- add a shot of cognac at night or hazelnut syrup into the milk when you have to drive to the office.

I highly recommend as I can quickly enjoy a cappuccino, expresso, Americano, macchiato, and other drinks with very little effort. A 10 oz ceramic or double-walled, steel mug is the height limit. Or just brew two large cups of coffee as needed for your 20 oz travel mug. Definitely worth it.

Don't forget to empty the water catch tray regularly. The machine self-cleans after each use, which ensures a fresh cup every use.

I purchased it open box during the holidays for a significant discount. It wasn't even used. Someone missed out on a terrific experience!!

1 Month EDIT ******
After using this machine for about a month, I am happy to say that the water tank issue is no longer a thing. Not sure if it just needed a couple weeks for the filter to completely soak in the water but now I am able to make about 5 to 6 cups of coffee before I have to fill it up. before only half of the water would be used in the tank and I would be having to fill it and now it is almost empty as it should be when I need to fill it. Very happy that that has changed so if you were having this issue and you just bought it, just give it a little bit of time and it should work itself out.
*******
I’m going to start with the positive on this machine.
First off I bought this machine as a present for my fiancé for Christmas. We were using a Keurig k pod system for years and wanted something to upgrade to. I will start by saying the look of this espresso machine is beautiful. No complaints on all the way it looks so sleek and modern and the touchscreen makes it even better. Love the design. When it comes to the espresso. I think it tastes fabulous. I am definitely not a coffee connoisseur so there might be espresso snobs that may say the opposite because they may be used to having a top-of-the-line cup of espresso, but I am very happy with the taste.
Now for the negative..
I’d probably say the most annoying thing about this machine would be how often you have to fill the water container. I did see this issue in the reviews when I was looking to purchase it, but didn’t quite get exactly how often you have to do it. You have to fill the water tank every 3 cups that you make which I think is a bit over the top. The second issue I have with this machine is that yes it has profiles, which is great, but they are not the kind of profiles that will save your coffee by just a touch of the button. You have to actually go to each individual coffee drink that you want and the adjustments will be saved from the last time you did it. That isn’t as big of a deal to me as the water is. Other than those two things, this is a great machine and a hell of an upgrade from our Keurig coffee drip machine. Overall, I am happy with this machine, but like I said, there are a couple of things to consider when buying it.

I don’t know why we waited. I was struggling with those Keurig machines over and over so far been a couple of months no problems is a variety of settings. You can do double espresso, espresso I like doing an espresso then cappuccino on top but this is a game changer and I actually think I’m spending less money on coffee because it extracts it in my view at a higher concentration there’s options to have it heat up the water prior to making the coffee, which is a good idea it rinses and heats the water up real quick than a way you go. I actually saw a bigger version of this somewhere overseas and decided to take a gamble and I’m glad we did.

I have another popular espresso machine. It still works great, but the grinder can be loud and the process of making any type of coffee leaves a mess to clean up after.
I decided to look into a fully automatic espresso machine. After much research I decided on this Philips 4400 series machine. The features looked good and seemed to do every type of coffee me and my wife like. It also seemed to be easy to use and would not have to do much clean up after making my coffee. My only concern was if it was going to be able to make a strong enough espresso or coffee Latte.
Once I received the machine I set it up by following the instructions on both paper and on the screen. It was very easy to setup. I put some of my favorite coffee beans and started making espressos as that is the basis for just about all the other drinks you make. At first the espressos came out watered down. I made some changes to the settings and adjusted the grinding from 6 to 2. That made a huge difference. By the way, when adjusting the grinder, you have to do it while you're making an espresso and only turn the nob once at a time. After getting the espresso to the right strength, I saved it to my profile. From there I tried ice coffee Latte and a hot coffee Latte. They both came out perfect and the frothy milk is fantastic. If you look at my photos. You can see how good the coffees came out with the frothy milk on top. Cleaning was a breeze too. I have the machine set to clean and warm at the beginning when I turn it on. It will drop some water when it does that, so I put a cup so that it doesn't fill the tray as quickly. When shutting off the machine, it will clean its self and will drop some water as well, so I leave a cup after as well. This really is an impressive machine with easy clean up. If you're able to get it on prime day or other time that has a discount, it becomes even more worth it.
The only thing, I can think of that would make this machine even better, is if the outside was made completely of steel. I think it would give it that prime look and feel. On the other hand, the way it looks now, still looks nice and it's very light to move around.
If you're considering a fully automatic espresso machine, I highly recommend this one.

It's fine. Drinks are small, 9oz is actually 7oz, but you can compensate using "2x" to double it. Profiles aren't worth it because it doesn't save "2x" so you have to hit buttons just as many times (profile, profile, drink, 2x vs. drink, up, up, 2x). Wish they had actual 12oz or 16oz, but max is 9, so you'd have to make multiple drinks. Really like the design generally, ease of use, and ease of cleaning.

So it makes great coffee but it took awhile because the bean filter thing to allow the beans through was to tight and wouldn’t allow the beans through so we had to loosen it. Also it keeps cancelling our drinks on us every now and again. For this much money I wish it didn’t have so many issues so far. Hopefully we have fixed it and won’t have to deal with those issues anymore.

Using this machine for over 6 months now, and loving it! Got it after a major disappointment that i experienced with $2k espresso machine from a very fancy European brand. This one is durable and keeps making shot after shot without any hiccups. It offers all kinds of coffee beverage options and it makes them perfectly. There are also a lot of options to control how strong you want your coffee and how much of it. It also frothers milk nicely creating an almost barista grade creamy texture to milk. The only spare part is water filter that lasts for 4 months even with active use.

Our family consumes a lot of coffee and this machine is basically in the center of our household. LOL

So, to start we are coming from another super automated - Miele 6120 - which don't get me wrong we loved, made excellent coffee. Paid $2,600 for it. We had that machine for about 5 years and was about 2 years before we started having some minor issues with it. The grinder would often get packed with grounds, not work, waste coffee and would have to do our best to get some apparatus up there to clean it out, then our milk frother would have issues and not always pull the milk. We'd have to hold the container at an angle to get it to work at all. Both of these stopped working all together around 1.5 years ago and we have been limping along since just using the bypass port to put caffeinated ground coffee in to make shots, and also had a regular coffee pot on the counter to make decaf. We do a combo to cut down on caffeine. Been avoiding the issue of a new machine due to the high cost, but finally wanted a good cup of coffee again so started looking and found this machine.

I watched and read a lot of reviews before deciding to buy a machine. We bought our Miele from a local coffee machine store because we wanted to try them out, test coffee in person, etc. that was our first super automated machine so was important to do an in person visit. Now that we have a general idea of what to expect I felt better about buying online. AND that same local store, Seattle Coffee Gear, did a review of their top 3 super automated machines recently and this was #2! So that was enough for me to trust it based on that alone. (#1 was the Jura10 which is like $4,000-no thanks, #3 was the 3200 Phillips so they rate these machines highly - they had a bonus option of the Saeco Xelsis which is an upper end Phillips model for $2,000 didn't see enough difference to spend $1,000 more than the 4300)

This machine was $1,700 less than the Miele and really does just about everything it did for much less. biggest comparisons:

1. You can't do a one touch double drink if its milk based on the 4300. The Miele would allow you to do two milk drinks with a button touch. Not a huge deal but something different. You can do one touch double "coffee only" drinks on the 4300, so espresso shots, coffee or americano. Would be great if they added the option to do a double on milk based drinks., like cappuccino or Cafe au Lait.

2. I love the milk container and frothing on the 4300. No tubes to deal with, super easy to just pop on and off and makes great hot milk and nice thick foam. Easy to take apart and clean too. Miele had a tube you had to insert into a wand and container that was a separate piece. The tube would do a cleaning cycle but was always a little grossed out that you couldn't get in there and clean it...things tend to grow in warm wet situations. This one has a much more simple design that's easy to use and clean.

3. Love the front loading water tank and fact you can filter the water directly from the tank. The Miele had a side loading water tank so always had to pull the machine out from under the cabinet to remove and replace. I would say size of the tank, with the filter, is maybe a little less volume but most of these have about the same size tank on them, makes both of our morning coffees just fine without refilling. Our Miele didn't have a filter so would have to descale often. This claims with the filter you can make 5,000 shots before descaling is needed so that's a bonus - and filtered water always makes coffee taste better so think this is pretty cool feature.

4. I love having a more user friendly screen and button process with the 4300. I know Miele's thing is not to worry so much about the technology interface and more on the quality of the machine/coffee. Which don't get me wrong that machine, when new, made an amazing espresso shot, which is ultimately why we chose it over a machine that had better screen and easy programming. Miele takes some knowledge to use, not as user friendly. But very happy with the screen, preprogrammed drink options and ease of use on the 4300. I know a guest could basically walk up to this machine with minimal help and make whatever they want. On the Miele we would just do it as it was too hard to explain the process.

5. 4300 doesn't alert you when the drip tray is full, you have to watch the manual red float to pop up. Miele would prompt you to empty the drip tray and waste container. Again, not a huge deal. It doesn't seem to waste as much water into the drip tray as the Miele so seems we need to empty that less anyway.

6. The Miele was a substantial machine, heavy weight, metal parts, felt well made-and is. The 4300 is lighter and pretty much all of it is made of plastic. Which is fine, it still looks really nice but can certainly feel the difference in materials. That said the 4300 seems to work great, so as long as it lasts and makes good coffee I could care less. Its also not as deep as our Miele so fits really nice tucked back under the cabinets. I really prefer the overall look of the 4300 its a very nice looking machine in our kitchen. Miele is pretty plain, not a lot of bells and whistles as far as the look goes.

After doing research on the 4300 made me realize that a big downside to Miele machine is the lack of instruction you get. I think our machine would have lasted a lot longer had we known a few things, big one being to use beans made for a super automated machine - aka non oily! I always thought oily beans were the best, signifying freshness, but that's not the case. In these types of machines you want a dry bean so the oils don't gum up in the grinder-I am sure now that's why we had so many problems with our grinder over time. Also learned in my recent research that Arabica beans tend to be more oily so having a Robusta bean(or combo) is better for the machine as they are less oily and also less bitter. Robusta bean makes a smooth yummy crema shot. I started buying Lavazza beans for this machine, which are said to be made for a super automated machine, and they are yummy! Miele instruction manual is very simple and vague. We literally had to call them to try and learn how to operate the machine as the buttons and touch screen aren't exactly easy and user friendly(and even they couldn't help us!) - once you get the hang of it was fine, but zero instructions on profiles, saving drinks, etc. The 4300 has tons of online videos to show you how to use it. there are a lot of moving parts in these machines so if I could say anything - LEARN all the best practices to protect your investment, clean it, maintain it and use the correct products in it. We hope to get many years of use out of this machine and learning from some mistakes with the Miele we hope to not repeat with this one.

Many reviews and videos stated you need to run many shots through this machine for it to acclimate to a proper tasting shot. Seemed a tad odd but I took that advice. I did adjust the grinder right off the bat vs waiting as Phillips instructed, found quite a few people that did this to avoid weaker coffee with a larger grind and having to reacclimate all over again. My grinder is set to 3. I spent $7 on some coffee beans from the grocery store to essentially waste in the machine to run multiple shots through it. I got some from the self dispensing things so I could see that they were dry. This allowed me to run probably 40+ shots through it first night we got it. I have read it takes 150, but doing that the first night allowed our morning coffee the next day to taste great. I have read complaints about it making weak coffee, but you have to follow the recommendations. Again, I would immediately adjust grinder down to between 2-4 (only move one spot at a time when its running, don't adjust grinder when its stopped can damage it)(didn't know this on our Miele as they never told us that) why wait to acclimate to the factory grinder setting then have to do it again 150 shots later, just do that to start so you get a smaller grind more appropriate for an espresso shot. And I highly recommend buying a bag of DRY beans to just pull shots to waste as soon as you get it. I could definitely tell from shot #1 to shot #40 that the color, thickness and crema all got better. So be patient and do this to help your first actual drinking cup of coffee turn out good. You can't plug it in run a weak coffee and then blame the machine, do what is recommended.(and then leave a bad review because you didn't follow the process) I am sure as we continue to use this that the shots will get better and better. We have had it a few days now and can tell its acclimating and getting better. Wasting a pound+ of beans is worth it. I now have our good Lavazza beans in it and the coffee is delicious! This machine makes a great coffee!

Only cons so far...it has given prompts to fill water when its still full, or almost full - so we pull out push back in and its fine. Also same thing for emptying the grounds container. Has prompted me to empty with 2 pucks in it. Again, I pull out the tray and push back and continue on. Minor annoyance and its only happened a couple times, not like every use.

Other than that I give this machine 5 stars, it makes great coffee! It's not loud (despite many saying it is) yes its louder than running coffee pot, but you are talking about a machine that is grinding beans, making milk froth, lots moving parts inside, etc...its going to make noise, but quieter than the Miele. The display is great, profile settings are super easy to navigate. 8 preset coffee drinks to choose from which is more than enough to cover what we need and you of course can do milk and shots separate if you want to make something not pre programmed. Love the milk container, makes great thick foam, love how easy it is to attach and fill and clean. So far, absolutely love it, very happy with our purchase and that it was only $900 compared to $2,600 for basically same features was a huge win!

I did buy a separate grinder, sitting to the right of the machine in the photo to have fresh ground Lavazza decaf to use in the bypass port. Again we do a combo of regular coffee and decaf so this is a perfect set up to have everything we need. Maybe next super automated we will get one that has more than one bean hopper so regular and decaf all in the one machine...but this current set up works perfect.

Anyway, for the price point and what you get compared to machine we paid 2x more for, I highly recommend the 4300. Works great, looks great and lots of nice features at a reasonable price point for a super automated machine. If anything changes I will update my review, but for now not missing the Miele and loving this new machine!

I have had the unit for 5 months now and I can honestly say this is best coffee maker experience I have ever had, after being disappointed in 8 different Keurig models I decided to pay a little extra and give this unit a try. I should probably give this 5 stars but there is only one thing I wish it did and that pertains to the water level and size of container. container size seems to be too small as I feel i'm constantly filling it (might be because the coffee is so darn good! LOL). It would also be nice if it anticipated the water level when making a cup as it doesn't finish the cup and says "Add Water" and if you don't do it in a certain time frame it will not continue the brew but just put a full cup on top of that one.
item seems very well built and I hope it lasts for the price I paid.

All in all I highly recommend this unit as I have tried all of the brews myself and and for guests and have gotten nothing but compliments. the brews easy to make and are "fantastic".

Overall I have been happy with the product since I purchased it. I have dialed in my profile of drink types and look forward to my morning routine. Here are a few notes I have.

PROS
Size: Size is acceptable considering what it does and it sits nicely on the counter
Drink Selection: For my needs the selection and options are great and it does what I need it to do
Frothing: It comes with the attachment to froth milk which is nice, works well
Speed: Able to get up to temp and have drink ready in a relatively short time for my needs, about 3 minutes from start up to drink.
Water Filter: Very nice to have this option, however, not sure how it would impact the coffee.

Not going to rate the coffee itself as that is subjective and can be related to the type of grounds or beans you use. I have had no issue with flavoring for my taste.
It does put out some noise but nothing that is too much and I don't have any other machines to compare it with to know if it is too loud. But you will hear it in an apartment of small house.
I have not done a full cleaning yet, but the weekly cleaning is normal for most coffee machines and is not a deal breaker for me.

CONS
Water Tank Part I: Would prefer to have the water tank and overall package a little wider to hold more water, the filter takes up a good amount of space and I am adding water regularly.
Water Tank Part II: I find it frustrating that the unit DOES NOT know it is low on water before it begins brewing to allow you to fill the tank first. I will actually start brewing then stop to say it needs more water. This is a bad design in my opinion. Not a deal break, just annoying.
Water Tank Part III: This unit does a rinse cycle that wastes alot of water, I understand the purpose but maybe consider an option that does not do a rinse at startup and shut down.
Water Tank Part IV: I did not want the base to collect water so I put cup under the spout before and after shutdown and STILL the thing collect water in the tray somehow and not all in the cup. You will have to empty out more than you realize

Had the PHILIPS 4300 LatteGo for a little over week now. First impression: I love this thing! I have coffee every day. Usually an Americano or Latte. In addition to the coffee beans in the hopper, I also love the flexibility of the ground coffee bypass chute. I keep some decaf beans on hand and grind as needed and just scoop it in and brew a drink when wanted.

I did a ton of research and almost bought another brand a few times while trying to decide. Ultimately, this PHILIPS machine had the right features for me. And cleaning it is pretty simple (very important for daily use).

It's certainly an investment, but I drink coffee every day and my wife and I love being able to easily add frothed milk to chai or hot chocolate as well.

Initial Set-up:
It was a breeze. You're prompted through each step on the screen. You do a water hardness test with a paper strip held under your faucet a few seconds and then set that based on the result. You install the water filter. The machine calibrates and rinses itself out. Brew some initially weak espresso (yeah, I know - just dump it). That's about it. Oh, on recommendation I also bumped the temperature up to high.

How's the coffee and features?
While you do have the pre-programmed buttons for all the usual drinks from Coffee and Espresso to Lattes and Cappuccinos (and they all work great), you really could dial in your preferences and make almost any style espresso drink and even do the shots and froth separately - so keep that in mind if you're real particular.

I was warned (and please keep in mind) that the system calibrates and starts to make better coffee over time. For me, it's been over a week and leaving the grind setting at the factory default (as recommended at first), I'm just now starting to get the espresso pucks instead of a more watery coffee ground consistency in the grounds container. So, I believe patience is key here - leave the grind setting alone for a bit (I know, I know). Maybe stick to the milk-based drinks that can be more forgiving until things start balancing out.

I can honestly say things have improved quickly and a regular espresso shot is pretty good now. I stuck with Lavazza Super Crema Espresso Whole Bean Coffee - since it's widely recommended for superautomatic espresso machines (no dark roast, oily beans whatsoever - unless you want to make the machine an expensive paper weight). I'll venture out and try other brands and types of coffee soon, but just went with what I knew would work OK to get started.

Maintenance and cleaning:
Daily:
Empty drip tray of water as needed (a red indicator button will pop up when it's time to empty). I recommend keeping a cup under the spout between use to catch any water flushed during rinse cycles. The machine flushes itself once when turned on and when turned off. There's also a rinse cycle you manually run after making a milk-based drink to clear the LatteGo container (you just push a button and it does the work). You'll also be prompted to empty the coffee grounds container as that fills up - maybe every few days depending on use. Oh, and obviously wash the LatteGo container after use or refrigerate with remaining milk (I love that this milk system has no tubes to clean).

Weekly:
Take the brew group out and rinse well under warm water to clear any coffee grounds, then let air dry completely (no soap, no towels - there's water proof grease on parts that needs to stay on and fibers can be left behind). Wipe the inside compartment with a damp cloth. The PHILIPS website and YouTube videos are your friend for understanding the cleaning process - just search on the model number. Also read the short manual - understand the machine and taking care of it is pretty darn easy.

Semi-Monthly:
The machine will tell you when it's time to descale every few months - which is really just running a solution through the unit. Occasionally you'll also put some food grade lubricant on the moving parts of the brew group. Also the water filter will need periodic replacing to keep the water tasting good and the system running smooth - again, the machine will let you know when it's time.

Overall, I'm super-happy with this machine. Having lot's of fun and love the flexibility in the drinks it makes. It'll pay for itself very quickly with no over-priced coffee shop trips. So far so good. Cheers!

It makes good coffee and expresso. Not as good as a dedicated high pressure expresso machine. One complaint is that even with the strength and volume settings set to max it makes less coffee then a kurig. So I have to run it twice everytime to get a decent amount.
Another complaint is it uses a large amount of beans and doesn't seem to get all of potential out of the grounds. So it's rather waist full. As an experiment I took some of the grounds and put then into a reusable filter for a kurig and made a good tasting cup of coffee.
The frothing feature basically works but could do a much better job!
And forget about using preground coffee in this! The coffee comes out very weak.
Still undecided if we'll keep this. It's an expensive machine and I'm disappointed in it for the cost of it.
If your ok with small amounts of coffee It's probably good for you.
And the coffee it does make is pretty good. But it will cost you a lot in beans. I don't recommend this machine if you buy top level beans. Get a dedicated high pressure machine for that use case.
I also won't be getting ride of my kurig, it's surprisingly almost as good . Of course I have the same brand and rost beans and k cups. For this comparison, apples to apples.
You .ay find it good for you, since coffee is subjective to the individual.

I love this machine and never go to a coffee shop anymore unless I'm traveling. It is simple to use and is able to make a perfect espresso, latte, etc. every time. The only downsides are that (1) it is a bit loud and (2) you need to stir your cappuccino because it puts the milk in before the espresso.

Several reviews mention that the manual is useless, and Phillips must have listened as I found the manual that came with my machine is very detailed and clear (see attached photo). The manual also clearly states NOT to adjust the grinder until you have brewed ~100 cups, or 1 month of use. Follow this recommendation and you won't be disappointed. I've used it about 3 weeks now and get espresso with a decent crema and great flavor using the default settings. All that said, you don't have to wait long to get a good tasting drink. The machine makes acceptable brews right from the start and they just get better as the machine beaks in. It also takes several brews to get firm pucks of grounds rather than sludge in the waste container.

It is worth noting that the manual states not to use caramelized or flavored coffee beans. I also noticed that oily beans, while they seem to work fine, don't flow as nicely into the grinder as dryer beans like Lavazza.

As other reviews mention, the machine does do automatic rinses just after turning on and again just before shutting down. Put an empty cup under the dispenser to collect these rinses and you won't have to empty the tray as often.

While pricey, it will pay for itself in less than 6 months, assuming you get a latte or other fancy drink from a coffe shop every day. Definitely worth the money for the convenience of a top quality coffee drink any time of day without leaving your home.

---- UPDATE
After using this machine for some time, I have to admit, I have changed my mind somewhat, and therefore upgrading to 5 stars. Overall, this is a fantastic machine, despite a few design issues.
Under no circumstances consider buying this machine without the LatteGo feature. It's a huge boost, especially for guests who don't know how to make steamed milk manually. Also, you can just snap of the entire assembly and put it in the fridge with remaining milk. They really should offer a separate assembly for manual steaming, though.

With respect to espresso quality and crema: always set to max espresso strength and max temperature, this will ensure a decent espresso quality.

At least on this model, it is actually very easy to first make an espresso, and then make steamed milk, to pour a cappuccino in the correct way. It will take 10-15 seconds longer, but well. Alternatively, simply stir with a spoon after making an incorrectly poured cappucino. Without doing this the product is really not drinkable, unless you wanted an espresso with foam on the top. Note that after stirring or with semi-manual correct order pouring, the steamed milk is actually quite decent, perhaps even close to perfect.

Philips should consider offering an automatic espresso followed by milk pouring option (might consume slightly more electricity), and there should be more options to customize strength, temperature, and most importantly brew time, to make this a perfect machine, but overall this is not bad at all.

---- ORIGINAL REVIEW
I have used a De'Longhi ESAM 3300 for the past 12 years until the grinder got stuck (with no repairs in the interim). I'm not even remotely a coffee expert, but that's what I have used to make my morning cappuccino for years.

My first impression after an afternoon of use is that this is an an impressive feat of engineering and it looks great in the kitchen, and makes a large variety of coffee drinks in a manner that most will be happy about.

However, particularly compared to my old and trusty De'Longhi, this is a very flimsy construction, that also seems to be prone to dropping of parts. I managed to drop the loosely fitted milk lid twice on the floor in the first two hours and also spilled milk several times, which are events that literally never would happen with my old machine. Also, rely annoying that top lid for opening to pour in bins is just loose with no pivotable attachment. Just really inconvenient compared to the De'Longhi, as you have to put it aside instead of just flipping it open.

More importantly, there are at least three serious design flaws in this machine, which pretty much means it cannot make serious/proper coffee drinks:

1) It always pours the steamed milk first. You can literally not make a cappuccino this way (it will actually taste and feel completely different) and the only imperfect remedy is to stir the drink with a tea spoon after the machine has finished (or engage in a time consuming and non-supported manual work around). I really do not understand what they were thinking. Did the engineers not study the art of coffee making or consult with notable Baristas? Of course they did, but they apparently did not take it seriously.

2) the brew time is about 8 seconds which is about 2.5-3 times too short. I suspect this has something to do with making and pouring the milk foam first and it may be energy efficient to reuse the same steam pressure, but you can't make a proper espresso like this.

Finally, 3) the LatteGo steamed milk is not of good quality; it does not create a velvety micro foam, but instead it seems to be a courser foam that then partially solidifies in the bottom. The result is not impressive, and as noted it will be necessary to stir the drink after preparation to make it tolerable.

I understand that most families will enjoy this machine and not be concerned with any of this. However, look elsewhere if you enjoy a proper cappuccino... I will likely keep it, since it allows everyone in the household and guests to make their favorite coffee drink with the press of a button, and most will likely believe it tastes great.

Perhaps Philips can do a software/firmware update to fix the incorrect order of milk pouring at least?

This is a one-week in review. Bottom Line Up Front. This is a great machine and probably one of my best buys over the last few years. However, some caveats need to be kept in mind.

First the Pros
+ Easy to Use: it is a fill-it-up and push-the-button after you get past the break-in.
+ Easy to Clean, especially the milk system and anything the coffee touches
+ Filters keep the water system clean

Things to keep in mind
+ The first few cups should just be tossed. When you get the machine, I recommend setting it to a larger-than-normal grind setting and running about ten double-shot expresso. Once this is done, it is very consistent
+ Unless you are motivated, get the milk frothing system; it saves time and will make life easier. If you skip this, you will spend your coffee time frothing milk.
+ There is more than normal coffee maker maintenance: This is true for all similar machines. If you have the frother, you need to clean it after every use because it touches milk. When buying any similar machines, learn how to maintain them before purchasing.
+ Nonfat and nut/soy-based milk will not froth because of physics. Whole milk works the best, but 2% will froth too.
+ These machines use a lot of water, so the drip tray needs frequent emptying, also watch the water level.

Cons,
+ This system makes only small cups, if you are used to Starbucks sizes, you may have to push the same button a few times. My morning coffee is usually two lattes and an Expresso shot in the same cup.
+ Much of the instructions (empty grounds try, fill water, etc.) are done by counter and timer; therefore are unreliable. I have gotten a few messages about emptying the grounds just after emptying the container. Same with the water level so keep a close eye on both.
+ The Grinder, You get a better and stronger coffee with a larger ground size. Logically this should be the opposite. This is probably because the smaller grounds take longer to grind, so less gets into the system before starting the brew because of the timing of the grinder. If you want a fine grind, add it to the grind hopper manually.

These cons are probably there for every super-automatic machine, so none should knock this one out of consideration—just things to keep in mind when looking.

I do like the machine. Once you get past a break-in period, it is very consistent. My choice was because there were no tubes in the milk system, and I could understand the maintenance of the machine. This was a major point for me as the milk system must be cleaned daily, and the brew group needs regular cleaning to make fresh-tasting coffee.

One improvement should be additional sensors, Weight of grounds, water level, used ground container, etc., but this would push the machine's price beyond its current price point.

I am not a coffee snob and have always been a pretty simple coffee drinker - either making drip coffee at home in a Mr Coffee pot with milk or creamer (never cared for Keurig coffee pods at all), or the buying the occasional latte or cappuccino.

I researched for a long time between some of the different machines and their trim levels, but ultimately decided to take the plunge and purchase a Philips 4300 as a nice Christmas gift for my boyfriend and I since we work from home and I had several Amazon gift cards.

This is honestly a pretty simple machine to use and maintain, and you will easily become accustomed to it well within the first week of having it.

Definitely watch some YouTube videos to help clear up any confusion, but basically when you first get the machine:

- Do not use oily beans (that usually means dark roast) or flavored beans. I got a bag of medium roast Lavazza from World Market and it’s been great. Check the Seattle Coffee Company website for recommendations on approved “super auto” beans

- Follow the recommended cleaning schedule in the documentation that comes with the machine. If you’re spending this much money on something, you definitely want to properly take care of it. You will need to buy the brew group cleaning tablets separately (about $8 and should last about a year for one pack). YouTube videos also help with any cleaning questions. Part of this cleaning schedule also means using the quick rinse setting anytime you make a drink with the LatteGo attachment to rinse out the tube (super easy and takes less than 30 seconds)

- Expect to brew ~5-6 pulls of espresso and dump them before your coffee starts to taste okay and your grounds start to properly solidify

- Make sure to register your product with Philips. Just follow the directions on the paper that comes with your purchase. Again, if you’re spending this much money, take the 5 minutes to register your product just in case. It comes with a 2 year warranty.

And really that’s about it. We have a little dedicated cup that’s used for catching all of the water during the different rinsing cycles, so maybe keep one close because it’ll be used a lot.

The machine is a little loud, but it’s really not bad and brews pretty quickly. It also does go through water pretty quickly, but also not a big deal.

For me personally the toughest part was figuring out how strong to set my preference on the brew strength for my drinks, and figuring out what ounce liquid vs foam settings to use for each drink. I do wish there was an option to make a double latte or double cafe au lait for when I want to make a travel size mug to go, but it’s easy enough to make one serving then pour it into a travel mug and repeat with a second serving. For coffee, this double serving feature already exists and is pretty nice.

The lines on the LatteGo attachment that tell you what amount of milk to use are difficult to see, and you will probably end up pouring extra milk back into its original container the first couple of times, but eventually you’ll figure out exactly how much you need for your drinks.

Overall we are so happy with the purchase (it’s a luxury good we would usually never spend on)! It’s definitely made our work from home environment a little cozier and fancier :)

6 Month Edit: Still going strong! I love this thing. I can't remember the last time I bought a latte from a store (except maybe during travel). It's definitely going to pay for itself in the next couple months. This thing sparks so much joy in my life! My only small complaint is that the milk froth option only goes up to making a 12 oz latte. The carafe holds enough to make a 16 oz, but you have to run 2 separate milk froths to get there. It's a very small thing but for the future it would be nice. Also for some reason it doesn't "remember" that I usually do 2 espresso shots, so I have to select that each time. Basically my biggest complaints are software complaints ha. The machine itself works so well. It is easy to clean, easy to maintain, and our water is fairly hard but I haven't had to change the water filter yet even though I use it everyday.
Still great! I'll try to update at a year 😊

Original Review:
I have spent actual years of my life trying to find the cheapest way to make espresso lattes at home. I started simple with an aeropress, a moka pot, upgraded to a cheap espresso maker, bought a grinder, etc, etc. And yet I still found myself buying coffee at coffee shops. I personally didn't have the patience to find the exact right grind and the exact right tamp to get a store quality espresso.

I finally caved and bought this 4300 series latte maker. This thing is going to save me so much money over the next year. I've only had it about a week but I've already used it every day and it's perfect.

It's SO easy to use. Set up is a breeze. It basically works right out of the box. It comes with a water filter which was nice. Once you get the beans in there, it takes 2-5 shots to "load" the mechanisms and actually put out a shot of espresso and not just water. I did need to adjust the grind to a finer grind (setting 3) to get a good crema. If you adjust it after beans are in, make sure you do it WHILE the grinder is working (you'll have to brew a shot to do this) and be ready to work quickly. I guess if you do it while it's off and there are beans in there you can damage the grinder. I would make sure to read the instructions all the way through, and get familiar with the machine. Once you do, the whole process is a breeze.

Once you have your settings dialed in, making a latte is as easy as put a cup underneath, press a button, and go. It takes approximately 1-2 min for a latte. It grinds beans fresh for every shot. If you set everything to the largest settings, you get about a 12 oz latte.

Cleaning and maintinence is super easy. The machine steps you through most of it. It tells you the steps to take to install the water filter, tells you when to empty the waste grounds contatiner, gives you multiple cleaning settings. I rinse out the lattego container twice and it takes less than a minute. I feel like this machine is so well thought out and it feels pretty well put together.

Overall I have very little to complain about. Once I dialed in my settings, I found the coffee I get out is as yummy as any latte from a coffee shop. My biggest complaints are:
- You only get about a 12 oz coffee automatically, if you want a 16 oz or 20 oz, you'll have to do multiple milk froths and espresso runs
- The machine is rather loud. It's not a deal breaker for me by any means, but in the morning it can be a little jarring and it always spooks our cats.
- Adjusting the grind setting is a bit of a hastle. You have to do it while the machine is running and while it does that , the grind setter wants to move in the opposite direction of which direction you're trying to go so you have to have a pretty decent grip on it. Luckily you should only really have to do this once.
- The latteGo carafe leaves about a cm of milk on the bottom even if you've put the right amount in. If you dump and clean it out every time, you'd end up wasting a decent amount of milk.
-I've heard people have a hard time using the pre-ground coffee slot and I haven't tried it. But it does get pretty steamy each time it runs which I imagine would make it rather hard to clean.

Some tips and tricks I've learned since using this machine:
- This thing likes to rinse itself out a lot. (Which is good) but it's a little more hastle to clean out the water catcher on the bottom. I just keep an old coffee cup nearby and let it rinse into that and dump it out every time. It's a lot less cumbersome to clean out.
- If you have leftover milk in the latteGo, I do 2-3 automatic rinses to get milk out of the milk tube and then put the whole container in the fridge for the next day. It cleans out the frothing mechanism enough that milk doesn't go bad in there and you don't have to waste the little bit of milk in there.
- A lot of regular espresso beans might be too oily for super-automatic espresso machines. Apparently that oil will eventually gunk up the grinder, so it's recommended to buy medium roast beans. You can google some beans that are safe for the machine and find the best ones for you. I like the lavazza brand.
- If you're like me and enjoy a flavored latte, invest in some syrups with the pumps. It really really completes the whole "barista at home" thing I was going for. Even better if you can get a tiered holder for all of them!
- If you want to be a little extra, get yourself some disposable coffee cups with lids. They're definitely worse for the environment but if you're drinking everyday it can get a little cumbersome making sure you always have a clean travel cup. Or just invest in a bunch of dishwasher safe travel cups!

This thing is pricey for sure. But I've definitely spent a long time and a lot of money before this to try to replicate what it can do and it is so worth just spending the money on it. It sparks a little bit of joy for me every time I use it and gives me the quality coffee I want everytime. It is easy to use and maintain. It also makes making multiple lattes a breeze if you are a multi-cup household. As long as it doesn't die within a year- it'll be so so worth it!

I got this item Feb 2 2022.
Since then there have been several issues. First, it has a sensor problem. Whenever we made just a couple of coffee coffees, the sensor says, " empty the ground", so we pulled out the ground container to empty, there were very small tiny gained coffee, since we just at most a couple of coffee made!
Second, on top of this machine, there is a container where we supposedly put into coffee bean. Eventhough there is pretty amount of coffee, the sensor say, "add coffee and start again almost every other day, I had to get through this uncomfortable situation takes place!

So we called customer service and explained what happened. However, the customer service people are not professionally work at all! Yesterday, I called and explained this but at the end of the conversation, the call center person hung off the phone before I hung off the phone. What type of manner is that?? And whenever I tried to say something, she
tried to say something as well! If two parties keep saying, who is gonna listen?? The company need to train their employees before they put them in the position!!

It has been years of using. After I put this review, I had chance to send the machine to their office and they fixed it , sent back to me. Now I am using everymoring to make coffees which works fine. There is still issue like empty the ground after a couple of coffee made and I believe it should their eventual goal to improve. Except that part, works well.

(Aside, I have lots of experience with a Jura A9, K-cups, and Nespresso. All are still in service. I enjoy a Kirkland rebranded "House Blend" beans, a Starbucks medium roast. I drink too much coffee!)

I don't like the waste associated with K-cups and Nespresso pods (even when recycling the latter). Just IMHO, want a cup of coffee that just has compostable grounds waste, and enjoy the per-cup expense savings as well as being able to choose my beans.

Compared to the Jura, the water reservoir and waste puck/water tank are huge, and if it does run out of water, it lets you refill mid-brew and not have a low-water result. The milk clean-up is easy; all places milk flows get fully exposed with quick and easy disassembly/reassembly.

The waste water tray is a bit cumbersome and I have often spilled trying to discard (as it comes out the front and back... 1' apart): it has a pour spout in one corner that's meant to keep me from spilling, but I'm clumsy.

The puck refuse section of the waste tray always has water in it so doesn't clean easily (it's more of a spent grounds with water slurry rather than well defined dry pucks). I'm used to a little water with the pucks in the Jura, but mostly dry pucks that are easy to toss.

Being a klutz, I'm surprised I have yet to dump the cap to the milk container into the milk. Maybe its better engineered than it appears.

I don't use sticky beans by any means, but the gravity feed on the grinder needs steeper slopes: I often get into a situation where a large amount of fresh beans collect around the upper rim (so the bin looks full) yet nothing goes into the grinder. I use the same beans with the Jura and have not seen this issue.

Reading other reviews that have called support: the bean hopper not feeding the grinder and the slurry where the pucks are are indicative of too oily a bean for the machine... so I docked my review to a 4-star, as this was never an issue with the Jura.

Each brew (other than milk froth and hot water) has three settings you can alter for the profile. The first two, darkness and water, are constant for all brews, but the third is milk, if applicable, or shots, if milk is not applicable. I was wondering why the instructions didn't describe this menu or the icons in detail, then realized it changes for every brew, so it can't... you just have to figure it out.

So, for example, you can't do a cappuccino with a double espresso shot and low on milk... which is what I like... so I select a milk froth brew followed by a double shot of espresso.

Note also, that "double shots" aren't saved in the profile setting, so I need to alter that every time.

It would be nice if they just showed up to four settings per brew, or just greyed-out the milk content (or whichever option) if not applicable, and save the shot count with the setting.

It would also be nice if they didn't clamp-down the maximum water and milk content for different brews and allow more than four intermediate selections for each (i.e. the max water contents range from 2.7oz for cappuccino to 7oz for coffee... I'd prefer one max and lots of options in-between).

The Philips 4300 Espresso Machine consistently delivers a good to excellent cup of coffee (or espresso, cappuccino, Americano…) and is reliable.

I’ve used my machine daily for six months before writing this review. I wanted to have a very clear idea of its operation and reliability before I wrote anything. Here are the key things to know:

Expect to spend at least a couple of weeks playing around with the numerous settings before you get the coffee precisely to your liking. There are number of different things you can adjust using the front panel. Plus the grinder itself can be adjusted; I’ve currently got mine set at nearly the finest grind.

I haven’t quantified it, but I believe the Philips uses quite a bit more beans to make a given amount of coffee than other methods. I certainly know I’m refilling it with beams frequently. Of course, this might just be because I’m drinking more coffee due to the extreme convenience (one button operation) of the system.

The machine also uses other consumables at a fairly rapid clip – namely the AquaClean filter and descaling tables. Normally, I would write all these off as a scam, designed primarily to contribute to Philips’ bottom line. But the first time I used a coffee oil remover tablet it had an immediate positive impact on the taste of my coffee. And, the machine will nag you endlessly if you don’t change the AquaClean filter, so I think there’s no escaping that.

I clean my machine out quite thoroughly once a week, and lube it. This takes about 20 minutes. I think it’s worth the trouble.

Within a short time after purchasing it, I noticed that the two o-rings on the boiler nozzle had already deteriorated. Others reported having the same problem.

I tried to contact Philips to have these replaced, assumedly under warranty. I got absolutely nowhere with that; and I would say that might be a real weakness in purchasing from Philips. Their service appears to be nonexistent.

However, the one thing I did extract from Philips’ pathetic excuse for a service infrastructure is an “exploded view” drawing of the entire machine which lists the part number for quite literally every single part in the system. This allowed me to track down replacement parts from a third party which set me back all of a couple dollars.

I haven’t had the same problem since I replaced those original o-rings. And, now, I’m thinking that I created this problem with over-aggressive cleaning; namely I was cleaning off the lubricant from these o-rings, which possibly then caused them to rapidly wear out (because this nozzle pushes into a receptacle every time you turn the machine on, so there is frequent motion and wear on them).

When I first started using the machine, I would frequently get the “Empty grounds container” message, even though I had already emptied the container. I thought I might have a faulty sensor, but eventually, I stumbled on to the reason for this in the manual. The machine only knows that you’ve emptied this container if you remove it while the machine is switched on, and you let at least five seconds elapse before you place it back. If you empty the container with the machine off, or do it too quickly, it doesn’t know you’ve done it and won’t reset.

The water reservoir really isn’t large enough. I’m filling it back up all the time. You get used to it.

The beam hopper isn’t really big enough either. You’ll find yourself replenishing that quite frequently. And, the seal on the lid for the bean hopper rapidly becomes loose after use. You might worry that your beans will get stale because of this; but if you drink anywhere near as much coffee as my wife and I do, I can tell you they won’t be in there long enough for that.

The system is quite noisy when grinding. Live with it. It lasts all of about 30 seconds.

I also don’t believe the Philips 4300 is entirely consistent. Either in the quality/taste of the coffee it produces, or even the volume. But, there can be variations in your beans, and maybe your water. So, it’s hard to pin this stuff down. But, bottom line, I always get a good cup of coffee, and frequently a great one. Sometimes it seems like my first sip of a cup, which is full of crema, can be a bit bitter, but then the rest of the cup is fine.

Obviously, the Philips 4300 Espresso Machine is expensive (and I was lucky enough to purchase it when the price briefly dipped to $900). Maybe there’s a payback on it your alternative is Starbucks, or buying prepared coffee anywhere else. But, I’m sure it’s substantially more expensive to use than most other home brew methods, like a French press. But, the convenience factor is very high, and it’s wonderful to be able to wake up, stagger downstairs into my kitchen, press a couple buttons and be served a very good cup of coffee before I’m even entirely conscious. I have no hesitation about recommending the system, and I imagine it’s a relatively good value compared to its competitors.

I have had espresso machines for the past 20 years and consider myself a pretty good barista. So I had set a high bar and expectations for the Philips 4300 Latte Go machine. I have not been disappointed. Kudos to the engineers and designers. They did a great job. The copywriters, not so much. After designing a $900 machine, Philips decided to save a few pennies by issuing a poor operating manual, which addresses the features of several models, not just the 4300. Because of the inadequacy of the booklet, I made several false starts before learning via You Tube how to get the best results. My espresso and cappuccino are now primo. So here are some tips:

First, the AquaFilter. In the initial start up, the booklet instructs you to prepare (shake, immerse) and install the filter. Philips then encourages you to enjoy some coffee. It doesn't tell you to "activate" the filter until several pages later. Activation requires preparation and installation of the filter (which I had already done) and then running a hot water cleaning cycle. Without it the machine will not recognize the filter and give you a percentage countdown (lower left of the screen) of filter life. Easy peasy if Philips had just instructed activation up front.

Next, the most important feature: adjustment of coffee strength and volume. When you select a coffee, the screen shows three vertical lines that are adjustable. In discussing these lines the booklet simply says they can be used to personalize your drink, but it doesn't say what lines do what and how to do it. The left one is aroma. I like my espresso strong, so I jacked it up to the top. The booklet doesn't say what lines 2 and 3 do. Again, You Tube came to the rescue. Line 2 is coffee amount in grams. I put mine up to 3/4 height. The third line depends on your drink. For espresso, it gives the option for a "dopio" or double espresso. For a cap, it lets you adjust the amount of milk froth that is dispensed. My first cap was almost all milk because I thought the third line also adjusted coffee strength. Not so, thanks again YT.

Next, the grinder setting. The booklet says you can adjust the grind from 1 (very fine) to 12 (coarse) to suit your taste. The factory setting was at about 7, which is too coarse for espresso. I knocked it back to 1 for more flavor. It can only be done while you actually grind coffee. While grinding, push the knob down and turn either left (anti clockwise) for finer or right (clockwise) for coarser. The problem is that the booklet doesn't say where the reference point is to turn to. Surprise (Thanks YT)! It is a barely visible score line on the left of the inside of the lip of the frame next to the knob. Really? You guys couldn't have written that expressly with a picture?

Next, the Latte Go cup. It makes great froth. The booklet says not to fill it beyond the max line. The problem is that it doesn't say where that line can be found. It is not on the inside of the cup. It is on the side of the frame exterior (Thanks YT). The further problem is that the markings for macchiato, cap and max are not visible without a flashlight. Why? On a $900 machine, couldn't you guys have made the markings in a contrasting color?

Next, espresso crema. I like my espresso visually appealing and "chewy." Lots of crema. This was my fault, not Philips'. I started out using Lavazza Espresso. The packaging is dark, dark brown so I thought I'd get lots of crema. I failed to notice that it was 100% arabica, which does not yield much crema. I immediately switched to Lavazza Super Crema (light brown packaging---don't ask me why) and problem solved.

As I said, this is a great machine. All the bells and whistles work and the resulting coffee is great. Because of the inadequacies in the booklet, I had to call Philips tech support three times. They were great too! Very knowledgeable and empathetic. Message to the copywriters: Don't assume the consumer knows anything. Just dumb the booklet down to be excrutiatingly explanatory. But for the inadequacies in the operating manual, I'd have given this machine 5 stars across the board. To anyone bothering to read this tome, I hope it helps. Enjoy!

I've been waiting for so long for these to come back into stock so I can purchase one. And so happy I waited.
Machine was packed up so nice. Even nice plastic around the machine, with handles, so it can be easily lifted out of the box.
Set up was as easy as can be. Take time and take off all the tape strips. Don't forget the ones behind the water container. Read the instructions as you set it up. Makes it 100 times easier.
Once turned on, it will guide you through the initial setup. It does come with a water filter that I decided to add to the water tank. I only added it because I knew I would lose that aqua filter if I didn't put it in right away. It's an option you don't have to go with. It also comes with a water testing strip so you can test your water to see how hard or soft it is. It's one of the settings on the machine. I got to that point when I started making 5 cups of coffee to get it primed and ready. I then looked at the "settings" to see what options I had there. After finishing with that, I decided to make myself a nice caramel latte. Sat with my cup of coffee while I read up on more details about the machine. Easy reading. Not really that much more to learn about it.
The latte was fantastic. Since I use a similar machine at our church to make others coffee, I already knew how much syrup to add to my cup and remembered to drizzle caramel on top for a final touch.
My fun will be to experiment with the different coffees and syrups to see if I can come up with tastes that are similar to what I used to pay big money for.
If you're going to order this machine, or one similar, remember to have the flavored syrups, whipped cream, and toppings that are needed with lattes or other fun drinks.
This machine is costly but, it will be saving me much more by me making my own fancier coffees now.
I'm going to love this latte go!