5500 Series Bean to Cup Coffee Machine, LatteGo, 20 Hot/Iced Drinks

I’ve been extremely pleased with this Philips 5400 Series coffee machine. It offers a great range of coffee options, and once dialled in, it produces excellent coffee at the touch of a button. One thing I’d mention to new owners is that, like several other reviewers have noted, the first few cups were not particularly impressive. The machine needs a little time to settle in, and the grinder seems to improve after some use. I’d recommend using a less expensive coffee bean initially while you run a number of coffees through the machine and adjust the settings to your taste. Once everything was properly set up, the quality of the coffee improved significantly. The variety of drinks available is fantastic, and it’s easy to customise strength and volume preferences. A feature I particularly love is the LatteGo milk system. It’s simple to use, easy to clean, and I really appreciate that the milk container can go straight into the fridge when not in use. Such a small thing, but it makes daily use much more convenient and reduces waste. Overall, this is a well-designed bean-to-cup machine that delivers great coffee and has become a much-loved part of my daily routine. Highly recommended, especially if you’re willing to be a little patient during the initial setup period.

We purchased a bean-to-cup machine due to the ongoing expense of our Nespresso pod machine. When I discovered we were spending nearly £1000 a year on pods, the large upfront cost of a bean-to-cup machine seemed worthwhile, considering the much cheaper per-cup price. I did some calculations and deduced that we would break even in the first year of owning this machine, so we decided to buy it. When comparing this machine to our previous Nespresso machine, two key points stand out. This machine produces vastly superior coffee (once you've dialed it in correctly - I'll discuss that further on) but it requires more maintenance. Regular TLC is necessary to keep it in good shape, but it's entirely manageable and, in my opinion, worth it for the superior coffee. Initially, I was a bit underwhelmed after making the first few cups of coffee with this machine. The coffee tasted somewhat watery, but it still surpassed the Nespresso machine. However, it wasn't matching the standard I'd expect from a good coffee shop, which I was somewhat expecting given the price. As a novice, I knew nothing about dialing in grinder settings. Once I tweaked these settings, the coffee quality transformed from just okay to fantastic. I gradually adjusted the grinder until I found a setting that tasted best (3 with my current beans), which made a significant difference. Be prepared to experiment with this (please note, you can only change the setting while it's grinding, which can be a bit irksome). I considered a few other well-reviewed bean-to-cup machines, but what attracted me to the Philips was its simplicity. We appreciated the convenience of a pod machine, so a bean-to-cup that offered a similar setup was ideal for us. This machine is incredibly easy to use and allows you to customize each coffee. You can adjust the strength, add less or more water, and save your preferences to a profile, so each family member can have their own preferred settings. I love this feature. My wife and I primarily enjoy straight-up coffee, so we weren't concerned about some reviews noting the mediocre performance of the milk frother. If you're interested in making milky coffees, it should suffice. A proper steam wand might yield better results, but learning to use it requires an extra investment of time and energy. There are cheaper Philips machines with a steam wand instead of the latte-go, so that could be an option if you prefer that. We chose this particular model (5400) because it was on sale, but I expect the other models in the range to produce equally good coffee, albeit without some of the additional features. There are a few things I don't particularly like. The 'latte-go' milk holder feels somewhat cheap, and I fear a fall onto a hard floor could end it's life quite quickly. There's also a piece of plastic that slots into the drip tray and acts as the machine's front fascia, which scratches easily. The machine rinses itself when turned on and off, which can lead to stale coffee water contaminating your clean cup if you forget about it. Also, the machine doesn't recognize when the coffee grounds container has been emptied while the machine is off. It can be slightly annoying, but it's manageable once you're aware. Lastly, be sure to keep an eye on the water tank, as the machine doesn't recognize when the water level is too low to make the selected drink. This isn't a major issue as the machine will prompt you to refill the tank and let you continue with your drink, but it can be inconvenient if you've set your coffee to brew and left the room for a few minutes. Cleaning the machine is fairly straightforward. Every week, access the side panel found behind the water tank, remove the 'group set' or 'group head' (which is the core part of the machine and has group in it's name), and rinse it under the tap to remove any coffee grounds. Let it air dry overnight. Be sure to heed the instructions that warn against using a cloth or anything that might leave fibers in the mechanisms. You'll also need to clean the now empty area from which you removed the group set, as coffee grounds find their way everywhere. A slightly more challenging task is lubricating the group set/head. I've seen varying advice, even from Philips, on how often this should be done - it ranges from once a month, to once every 500 coffees, to once every four months if you drink 1-5 cups a day (more frequently if you consume more). I chose the once every four months option. It was a bit tricky due to the difficulty in seeing how much lubricant I was applying to the black plastic, but I think I managed. I haven't had to descale the machine yet, so I can't comment on that process, but I will update my review if it proves to be troublesome. Despite some minor flaws, I can't justify deducting a star because the machine excels in all the important areas. The profiles and customization options are easy to use; the main challenge is figuring out the best settings for you. My final piece of advice is to invest in a decent bag of coffee beans. We tried some cheap ones, and the coffee was horribly bitter. If this is your first machine of this type, you might blame the machine instead of the beans. But if you choose to buy this machine, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

We love it. We all have our own profile set. I’m blue of course. Once you select your profile it remembers how you like your coffee and makes you the perfect cup every time. Not complicated to use at all. Milk attachment is great we put in be fridge when not in use comes off really easily. Water and coffee waste all easily accessible from the front of the machine. This replaced our old Krupps qutro foette and is a better machine. 10/10

Fabulous coffee machine. Yes it is on the expensive side, but it does make a great coffee with a lot of options. Personal profiles are great as you can tweak them to your individual taste. Internals are easy to get out to clean but it's not easy to actually clean them well as the coffee grounds stick to the greased parts, so unless you clean the grease off at the same time and regrease.. This can be a chore and time consuming. All in all, I love it.

I submitted an Amazon return request last week but did not receive any response from the seller. Today, the return option appears again, but as I have already discarded the original packaging, I am unable to proceed with a return. After using this machine, I have unfortunately lost interest in home coffee preparation. It seems that making quality coffee at home is inherently complicated and time-consuming with this machine. This model is priced at £369. For an automatic coffee machine, the price is reasonable to high, though it includes a manual frothing system. The milk froth tube ejects under pressure, requiring me to hold it during frothing, which is slightly inconvenient. Some practical observations: It produces one to two cups of espresso at a time, but each shot is too small, too weak . To achieve a sufficiently strong coffee, I needed to make four shots with minimal water and over three portions of beans, yet the coffee was still not as concentrated as expected. The milk froth quality is very good. Setup was straightforward. Noise levels are noticeable but acceptable. Cold coffee is served warm, which is typical for most machines. Automatic cleaning at start-up and shutdown is an excellent feature. The bean hopper holds 250 grams. However, adjusting the grind fineness is fiddly, and may be difficult for elderly users. Overall, the machine performs adequately, and I purchased it mainly for the next-day delivery, as De’Longhi machines were unavailable due to a bank holiday in England. I expected more from Philips, but the experience was underwhelming. Would I repurchase or recommend Philips coffee machines? Unfortunately, no. Nevertheless, I am rating this machine 1 star due to its decent performance and useful features. Many people say, coffee was not hot enough. sometime I notice its very hot, sometime just fine, may be its subjective, and what we are making or may be waiting too long. not bad I think. dripping tray is very good, and it reminds you to empty it. Overall This machine is Very easy to use. no mess in kitchen- like other similar machines. but coffee is not strong enough, I have tried all kind of freshly roasted beans- no better results. I bought it for an espresso but its too small shots and too diluted. Total time waste.

​Six Months On: An Honest Review ​The Setup: Skip the Manual Out of the box, it’s beautifully packaged, but the instruction booklet is a bit of a labyrinth. Save yourself the headache: skip the booklet entirely and scan the QR code. The video walkthrough is excellent and guides you through the tedious parts—initial setup, the water hardness test, the cleaning cycle, and installing the water filter. ​The First Brew: Don’t Panic! Once the setup is done, operation is remarkably smooth. You fill the beans, select your coffee type, strength, and water volume. It saves your preferences automatically and allows up to four user profiles. When you press start, it bursts into life with various whirs and grinds, though thankfully it isn’t loud enough to wake the dead. ​However, full disclosure: my very first cup was a total letdown. It tasted incredibly weak, and immediate buyer's remorse hit me right in the stomach. At this price point, I expected liquid gold. But don't scroll away just yet! This machine is highly adjustable—from the grinder settings to the brew strength. It takes some serious fiddling, swapping beans, and testing to find your sweet spot, but trust me, you will get there. As for temperature? It’s perfect out of the box, though you can adjust it if you prefer your coffee lava-hot. ​The Dark Side: A Mouldy Surprise Now for the bad news. After six months of use, I decided to do a deep clean and opened the hatch behind the water container. To my absolute horror, I discovered a lovely little colony of mould growing at the bottom. I might have missed a step in the cleaning manual, but it’s a vital design quirk to keep in mind. It’s easy enough to wipe away, but routine deep cleaning is non-negotiable. ​The Verdict ​The Math: We’ve put this machine through its paces, churning out roughly 3,000 coffees already. ​Maintenance: Filters last about 4–6 months and are dirt cheap to replace. ​Buying Advice: Never pay full price. It goes on sale constantly, so wait for a discount. ​Ultimately, if you’re willing to put in the time to dial in your perfect brew and don't mind a bit of regular maintenance, it delivers great coffee and excellent long-term value.

I have been really enjoying the daily use of my Philips 5500 Bean to Cup machine. Two months in, still loving using this every day and maintenance so far has been minimal. The machine will let you know when it is time to empty the grounds, or the drip tray, or add more water. The container at the top seems reasonably air-tight to me, the beans smell fresh a couple of weeks after adding them. There is a bypass chute which is very handy if you want to use pre-ground coffee e.g. Someone may want some decaff, or a different type of coffee than the beans that are in the machine. I have enjoyed a hot coffee every time without having to worry about pre-heating the cup or the milk. The ability to fine-tune how much coffee is used, how much water or milk is added really allows a bespoke preference for anyone using this machine. There are 4 user profiles that can be saved for each of the 20 drink types. Very handy if there is more than one main coffee drinker using this. A 5th profile for guest users which allows for different people to drop by and have their own taste. The milk jug is great, enough for perhaps two milky drinks. It is small enough to be kept in the fridge if there is any left and because of the way milk gets sucked through, there is hardly any risk of spilling the milk. The machine comes with one AquaClean filter already provided. This slots into the bottom of the water jug. Very easy to install that and it says it may be around 5000 cups later before that needs changing. This helps keep the water fresh and clean, so no need to change the water daily. One small downside is that the machine asks to add more water even if there is visibly a reasonable amount left in the jug. A tiny quibble for an otherwise excellent machine.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Excellent bean-to-cup coffee maker with great customisation options I’m extremely happy with my new Philips bean-to-cup coffee maker. The setup process was very straightforward, with clear instructions, and I had it up and running quickly. Day-to-day maintenance is also easy, as the machine is simple to clean and doesn’t feel like a chore to look after. I’ve now tried most of the different coffee options available and have been impressed with the quality and consistency of each drink. The coffee tastes fresh and well-balanced, and it’s great being able to enjoy café-style drinks at home. One of the standout features for me is the level of customisation — you can adjust both the strength and the amount of milk for different coffee types, which means everyone in the household can tailor their drink to their own preferences. The machine feels well made and thoughtfully designed, with an intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate. The milk system works very well, producing smooth and creamy milk, and it’s convenient to adjust quantities depending on whether you want a stronger coffee or a milkier drink. Overall, this is a reliable, high-quality bean-to-cup coffee machine that delivers great results with minimal effort. It offers excellent flexibility, is easy to maintain, and consistently produces great-tasting coffee. I would happily recommend it to anyone considering a Philips bean-to coffee machine

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I never had a bean to cup machine before so was slightly reluctant to order one - this one was reduced, has good reviews and is a good brand. I managed to put in the beans in the slot for filter coffee (not even sure why that is an option?) and thought I broke my machine before I started using it... anyway, had to clean it out top to bottom many times to get rid of coffee beans, smashed and oily and it was very messy. Totally my fault, however, the instructions were just pictures (similar to IKEA) and I obviously missed something :) I am now acquainted with my machine and the coffee taste is great, if using the right beans, I tried a few different brands and the more expensive ones seem to have a better coffee aroma to me.

Ho aspettato un mese per fare una recensione e probabilemte avrei potuto aspettare un po di piu, ma mi sento gia in grado di dire che la macchinetta per me e ottima, e spieghero il perche, parto dicendo che ho effettuato il passagio da Delonghi Autentica. Appunto conoscendo gia macchinette di questo tipo sapevo che i primi 100 o piu caffe sarebbero stati acqua piu o meno..., bisogna fare i settaggi e poi i macinatori in ceramica sono nuovi e cosi via e normale quindi non bisogna spaventarsi se i prima caffe sembrano letteralmente acqua sporca e non scherzo..., e normalissimo! Comunque si comincia a settare in fretta e con i suoi parametri di fabbrica non e malaccio , ma a me il caffe piace cremoso... , quindi per "avventurarsi" nei settaggi piu accurati che purtroppo non sono inclusi nella scatola perche Philips per ragione ecologiche taglia sui manuali..., ma chiamando cmq l`Assistenza vi diranno, oppure su google , oppure vi diro io qui... , e facile scoprire che girando la rotellina posizionata appunto nella vasca raccoglitrice x i chicci di caffe (NOTA BENE Giratela solo quando la macina e in fuinzione, quindi quando premete l`avvio del caffe e sentite il rumore delle macine partire e vedete appunto i chicchi muoversi perche vengono appunto riscucchiati e macinati, allora li SPINGETE GIU la rotella e girate) girate verso il numero 1 per una macinatura piu fine che portera a una caffe piu denso / cremoso oppure verso il numero 12 che al contrario portera a una macinatura piu grossa e un caffe meno cremoso. A questo poi ovviamente potete aggiungere nel vostro profilo la quantita di caffe che volete nel vostro espresso quindi auemtnato quello si puo ottenere un caffe molto vicino a quello del bar gia dopo 1 meso e utilizzando chicchi di marche neanche esagerate , io uso Caffe Europa comprato qui su Amazon, ma sicuro so trova di meglio... Potete scegliere la quantita di caffe e non solo! anche quanto alto lo volete e la temperatura ! Piu caldo ovviamente meglio viene, insomma non vi lamentate se il caffe vi viene acquoso perche avete collegato la macchinetta e cliccato espresso ..., e normale, BISOGNA settarla! E ci vuole tempo. NOTA : Aggiungo una nota molto e ripeto MOLTO importante qui , sulla rotellina da girare, perche in molti fanno questo errore, la rotellina va girata di 1 numero / scatto alla volta NON DI PIU , e vanno fatti almeno 4 caffe x scatto / numero, prima di dare un altro giro altrimenti e come se non lo aveste fatto, bisogna dare un minimo di tempo alle macine di adattarsi al nuovo settaggio prima di dargliene uno nuovo... per questo dico io CI VUOLE tempo e pazienza!! Se doveste sbagliare il settaggio so che ce una procedura di RESET ma la conosco per le Delonghi e non so se e la stessa quindi non mi sento di condividerla , consiglierei di chiamare la Philips. Passiamo alle altre bevande ! Ahime ! E estate ho provato solo il capuccino che E FANTASTICO MAMMA MIA ! lo beviamo tutti alla mattina, il montalatte e WOWOW fenomenale si lava in 10 secondi e fa una montatura da bar , e ho provato l`ice coffee che dove dire non ho capito bene io se dovevo metterlo io dentro uno shake e sbatterlo perche mi ha semplicemente detto di metter ghiaccio in un bicchiere e ci ha versato poi lui il caffe! Mah. Il caffe macchiato e anche lui da 10 e lode ! Per ora ho provato solo questo ma cmq per me gia basta da dare 5 stelle, E facilissima da usare intuitiva bella e elegante, il contenitore dell acqua accessibile da fronte e cosi comodo... dopo anni di macchinette che avevano accesso da dietro e impazzivo / rovesciavo acqua dappertutto ! Il cassettino dei fondi si pulisce facilemnte, dal lato del rumore per me e piu silenziosa di quella che avevo prima quindi meglio pure li cmq e sempre una macchina da caffe... quando macina , macina ! La consiglio di sicuro, per me e il Top! Basta che abbiate pazienza... e voglia di sistemarla a vostro piacimento. Aggiornamento dopo un paio di mesi che la uso, vi aggiungo il video per far vedere da inizio caffè a fine caffè, come viene il caffè con questa macchinetta Come potete vedere il caffè è denso è cremoso e io sono sempre più contento di questa macchinetta!

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