Philips 3200 vs 5400 has sparked a debate since they belong to very different price ranges with highly similar features. But after testing these espresso makers, Philips 3200 is my chosen winner.
The winner Philips 3200 is a simpler model since it is not integrated with quick one-touch milk-based recipes, so users have to handle the milk foam manually. But, in exchange, its operation is much more stable, and the quality of the drinks is far more consistent than Philips 5400. And the manual milk system is excellent for users with specific requirements for their coffees.
As for Philips 5400, despite having more convenient one-touch recipes, it doesn’t have descaling or cleaning alerts, which help a lot when it comes to cleaning. The grinder also is very noisy from my experience. You can check my verdict now.
Philips 3200 vs 5400: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2023-03-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Philips 3200 vs 5400: Differences
Philips 3200 wins 3-1 against Philips 5400 thanks to its stable operation and espresso quality. 5400 has more convenient features, but I don’t find the actual functionality worth the extra money, and they aren’t as smooth as I expect them to be either. Don’t miss the details below.
Coffee flavor: Philips 3200
+Grinder
Texture-wise, Philips 3200 and Philips 5400 are excellent at their job. Judging from the used pucks’ quality, I can tell that the grinders can deliver very even ground. These machines use the same ceramic burr grinder design, and they have 12 settings for final texture.
As a coffee lover who prefers a strong and slightly bitter cup, I suggest you set the grinders at 8-9 to get finer ground. The finer the ground, the more robust the flavor. But, if you prefer mellow and smooth shots of espresso, I think it’s ideal to set the grinders at around level 5-6.
But, there is a catch here. Philips 3200’s grinder is much quieter than Philips 5400’s. If you don’t enjoy listening to a loud crumbling sound every morning, you know which is better.
+Dosing + tamping
The design of Philips 3200 and Philips 5400 is more or less the same, so they both can dose and tamp without the manual intervention of users. Judging from the crema quality, I think Philips 3200 tamps more tightly, but not too tight.
Why? The crema layers made by Philips 3200 is visibly thicker than those of Philips 5400, and they add a heavier and creamier texture to the entire shot of espresso. With 5400, I can get crema as well, but the texture and thickness are noticeably not as impressive.
+Heating system
Philips 3200 and Philips 5400 have a decent temperature performance, ideal for drinking right away without getting burned. And it’s possible to adjust the heat level to our liking as well. These models use a single boiler for both brewing and frothing, so it’s normal that the temperature doesn’t reach the hot and steaming point.
Given that 3200 is much cheaper to purchase and has overall better performance, including temperature performance, I think it’s worth getting this product line more.
Milk System: Tie
In terms of milk system, I have nothing to complain about Philips 3200 and 5400.
With Philips 3200, I enjoy its steam wand since it gives me more control over the final texture, and it’s able to froth microfoam as well. Such a powerful steam wand is not very common in espresso machines in this price range.
When I purchased this model, I didn’t have many expectations. But, to my surprise, it can deliver dry foam for cappuccino and latte art. For the quality of steamed and frothed milk that I get with this machine, I think its value greatly surpasses its price tag.
As for Philips 5400, this machine is equipped with a LatteGo milk system, a milk carafe that can be attached to the device, and froth milk. Dry and airy foam is not a difficult task with this system. So you can get high-quality microfoam automatically. However, it has been more challenging to get steamed milk with this one, given that I don’t have as much control over the system.
Utilities: Philips 5400
In terms of utilities or additional features, Philips 5400 wins completely. It has many more one-touch beverages than Philips 3200, including cappuccino, latte macchiato, flat White, café au Lait, etc.
If you are wondering what kind of recipes these espresso machines share, you can expect to brew beverages with one touch like espresso, americano, coffee, hot water for tea, espresso lungo.
Also, Philips 5400 has various profiles for different users, 4 to be specific. This feature allows users with distinctive taste to establish a personal profile that saves changes that they have made to each beverage without affecting the experience of others. For me, this is very convenient for couples, families and small offices.
On the other hand, a convenient aspect that both Philips 3200 and Philips 5400 boasts of is that they work perfectly fine with preground coffee. We don’t always have whole roasted beans available, so knowing that these devices have bypass dosers for preground is assuring.
Cleaning & Maintain: Philips 3200
Since the design of Philips 3200 and Philips 5400 is very similar, there isn’t any difference in their cleaning cycles either. Both are equipped with a rinsing process that helps clean the milk and brew path briefly after each brew and complete washing cycles for weekly and monthly maintenance.
Since the brew groups are removable, I can clean it thoroughly every week to ensure that the espresso quality is as authentic as possible. But, if you don’t like washing the parts manually and frequently, you can opt for cleaning tablets or solutions, which help rinse the entire machine from grinder to dispenser automatically.
The difference lies in the alarms that tell users when to clean the products. With Philips 3200, I can directly see the descale and cleaning alert on the screen, while with Philips 5400, there isn’t any alert related to machine maintenance.
Philips 3200 vs 5400: Similarities
There are 2 aspects that Philips 3200 and 5400 share that I want to highlight: the one-touch americano and the touchscreen display. Check how these features assist my brewing experience below.
One-touch americano
If you are a fan of americano like me, Philips 3200 and 5400 have the one-touch function for this refreshing beverage. They measure the right coffee to water ratio to deliver the most balanced and smooth cups.
After many attempts of brewing and testing to see if one machine holds the higher ground in making americano, I have concluded that both do a phenomenal job at it. The flavor is rich and slightly bitter, so I usually add a bit of sugar to further enhance the taste and aroma.
Touchscreen display
If you are already used to the touchscreen control, Philips 3200 and 5400 are equipped with an ideal interface for you. You can select beverages and customize them with a touch of the screen. As for me, I’m definitely more used to the modern interface instead of buttons.
Quick Rundown of Philips 3200
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of espresso extracted will vary depending on the grind size and amount and reprogramming may be needed when the size and amount are adjusted
- Enjoy 4 coffees at your fingertips, makes espresso, hot water, coffee, Americano, Espresso Lungo. The classic milk frother allows you to create a silky smooth cappuccino or latte macchiato with ease
- Intuitive touch display, frequency: 60 hertz
- Adjust aroma strength and quantity
- 12-step grinder adjustment
Last update on 2023-03-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown of Philips 5400
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References:
- Philips 3200: https://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/EP3221_44/series-3200-fully-automatic-espresso-machines
- Philips 5400: https://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/EP5447_94/philips-5400-series-fully-automatic-espresso-machines
I am a passionate coffee drinker. Since I left my job as a barista a few years back in 2012, I’ve been sharing my expertise on coffee and buying the best coffee equipment online. That’s how Wild Boar Coffee came to life.
I write about everything coffee-related under the sun. Where to buy the freshest coffee beans from? How to test coffee beans based on texture, aroma, and acidity?
I know all this from scratch – all thanks to my years and years of experience as a barista. So I’ve gotten real up-close-and-personal with coffee beans and different brewing techniques.