For many people, the day doesn’t truly kick off until that initial sip of coffee in the morning. Visiting the local coffee shop is a regular indulgence, but the rising cost of a flat white, now exceeding £4, has prompted a search for cost-effective home alternatives that match the quality of cafe-bought coffee.
Having relied on a Nespresso pod machine for convenience, the desire for a bean-to-cup espresso machine lingered, especially with prior experience working at Starbucks during student days. Eager to enhance the coffee experience, a trial of the Philips Barista Brew Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine was undertaken, sparking an honest review.
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Usually priced at around £530, the Philips Barista Brew Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine is currently discounted to £399.99 at various retailers like Amazon, Currys, and Philips’ official website. This makes it a more budget-friendly option compared to its popular competitor, the Sage Barista machine, priced at around £530.
Upon initial inspection, the machine impresses with its sleek design and includes professional accessories such as a milk jug, calibrated tamper, portafilter, and four filter baskets. While setup is straightforward, beginners to these machines are advised to carefully read the instructions and watch instructional videos, despite any prior gadget familiarity.
This bean-to-cup coffee maker offers espresso and americano settings, a milk frother, and a calibrated tamper for a complete coffee experience.
Delivering café-quality coffees, ease of use post-setup, stylish appearance, efficient cleaning, excellent milk frothing, and the benefits of the calibrated tamper are standout features of this machine.
However, some drawbacks include the machine’s noise during grinding, a slightly messy process, and a learning curve for inexperienced users of bean-to-cup machines.
The operational steps involve filling the water tank, adding beans, selecting grind size and measure, tamping the coffee, inserting the portafilter, and choosing the desired coffee type. The