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Philips EP2220/10 (2200 series) review

Philips offers several models with milk frothing nozzle. From a purely visual and technical point of view, the models are very similar. The same ceramic grinder and brewing unit are built in everywhere. There are only differences in the beverage selection and the control panel . The top seller is our test device from the 2200 series , because it offers a good value for money. Here you get 2 drinks at the touch of a button (espresso and coffee).

With the 3200 series you can prepare 4drinks at the touch of a button – Americano and Lungo are added. Our 2220 also prepares an Americano – but in 2 steps. The Lungo is a stretched (80 ml) espresso – basically a small coffee. You can also program this with the 2200 device. So the extra charge is only worth it if you drink Americano often and want to prepare it at the touch of a button.

The 4300 series model prepares 5 drinks at the touch of a button – coffee, espresso, americano, coffee crema and ristretto. The frothing nozzle allows you to prepare hot milk as well as milk foam. Aroma and beverage quantity can be adjusted in 5 levels instead of 3. You can also create 2 individual profiles with your settings. Here again everything at a glance:

Prices (CET) Product prices and availability are as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. The price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase apply to the purchase of this product.

With a width of 25 cm, the Philips EP2220/10 (2200 series) is not the narrowest bean to cup coffee machine we have tested. But it has one advantage: the water tank can be easily pulled out to the front. Thus, this model is still space-saving and also looks higher quality than we expected for this low price due to the matte plastic.

Milk frothing nozzle

You can prepare the milk foam in the Philips EP2220/10 yourself using the milk foam nozzle. This sounds more difficult than it is. In fact, it’s pretty easy. The milk frothing nozzle is on the left side and can also be turned outwards. This makes it easy to reach even for large milk jugs or cups.

In total, the system consists of only 2 parts – a steel tube and a silicone adapter. This way you can clean the milk nozzle very easily.

Milk nozzle can be disassembled and easily cleaned

For a cappuccino, measure out 100 ml of milk. Then press the button for steam and then “Start”. Now the bean to cup coffee machine heats up. Meanwhile, dip the nozzle into the milk. After a short hiss, frothing begins.

froth the milk is very simple

As soon as the volume of the milk has approximately doubled (after about 30 seconds), stop the process by pressing the button. Then you prepare an espresso on the machine – and you have your cappuccino.

afterwards we prepare an espresso

We measured an average of 59 decibels during frothing. This is already very quiet compared to other bean to cup coffee machines. Overall, we are positively surprised by the milk system, especially the really good milk foam. We succeeded in making it right on the first try.

Bean compartment

On top of the bean to cup coffee machine is the large bean compartment, with space for up to 275 g of beans. With it you can prepare about 25-35 drinks. Depending on how strong you drink your coffee or espresso. Since the beans are sometimes “lying around” here for a few days, the aroma must be well protected. Therefore, the lid is darkened and sealed airtight by a rubber. Thus, the beans are protected from air and light and the aroma is well preserved.

large bean compartment with darkened lid

The beans slide well in the direction of the grinder. Sometimes, however, a few individual beans do get stuck in their path. You’ll have to help with that, too. Unfortunately, there is no indication when the bean compartment is empty. However, there is a separate compartment for coffee powder. Ideal if someone in the household wants to drink decaffeinated coffee, for example.

Bean compartment is easy to fill

Grinder

The Philips EP2220/10 features a ceramic disc grinder. This is said to be able to perform up to 20,000 grinding operations. If you prepare 5 cups every day, the grinder will last just under 11 years. If you include vacation or work time, it will probably last even longer.

You can set the grinder setting in 12 levels. We like that very much. For espresso you need a very fine grinder setting, for coffee a medium fine. With so many levels, you have plenty of opportunities to experiment. You can adjust the grinder setting at the top of the bean compartment. Gently push in the control knob and then turn it. This is somewhat easier with other grinders. On level 2, the grinder setting is even and fine. That’s the way we want to look at it.

the grinder can be adjusted over 12 levels

We measured an average of 71.1 dB during the grinding process. Compared to other bean to cup coffee machines, it’s a mid-range rear. However, it is quite normal in the price range around 300 Euros.

Water tank

The water tank is really well done in the Philips 2200 series. It fits 1.8 liters of water and the opening is very large. It is placed on the right side and can easily be pulled out to the front. So you don’t need any other space besides the bean to cup coffee machine. When the tank is empty, a red LED lights up on the display.

the water tank can be pulled out & filled at the side

Qualitatively, the tank makes a good impression on us. It is made of thicker plastic and fits snugly with the case. Only in the dishwasher, unfortunately, he may not.

In the lower part of the tank is also a connection for water filters. The less limescale that gets into the pipes, the less often you need to descale and the longer the bean to cup coffee machine will last. The first filter is delivered directly to you for testing. Alternatively, you can use a table water filter, for example – that’s how we do it.

You should definitely adjust the hardness of your water on the bean to cup coffee machine. Only then can it remind you in time to descale. How to do this we explain here.

Coffee spout

You can adjust the height of the Philips EP2220’s coffee spouts from approx. 8-14 cm. Thanks to the two openings, you can also prepare two espressos or coffee at the same time. In terms of quality, the coffee spouts make a good impression. It has a solid build, is easy to adjust in height and wobbles only minimally. A large latte macchiato glass fits easily under here.

a latte macchiato glass fits well under it

The distance to the small espresso cup is somewhat large. Occasionally, a drop of water splashes off the surface.

too much space is at the espresso glass

Drip tray & coffee grounds container

The collection trays for coffee grounds and rinsing water can simply be pulled out to the front. They are made of a sturdy plastic. The cup tray is also made of plastic – in most other bean to cup coffee machines it is made of stainless steel. This grille can’t quite keep up with that in terms of quality.

Cup trays and collection trays

When the coffee grounds tray is full, a red LED lights up in the display. The coffee grounds tray holds 12 pucks – so you don’t have to empty it until you’ve had 12 drinks. This is quite a lot compared to other bean to cup coffee machines.

Coffee grounds tray for coffee pucks

You can also put the two trays and the cup tray in the dishwasher for cleaning. However, the orifice plate in front of the coffee grounds tray must not come with. Or you can rinse everything by hand once a week.

brewing unit

Behind the water tank, you can access the brewing unit via a service hat ch.

behind the water tank is the service flap

The brewing unit can be removed with the push of a button. This is important so that you can clean it. We will show you the best way to clean it and how much coffee powder collects here later in the section on cleaning.

Brewing unit can be removed for cleaning

The brewing unit is mainly made of thick plastic. Only some clamps and the bottom of the stamp are stainless steel. The quality is okay and corresponds to the price range. In any case, the coffee pucks are well pressed and usually end up in one piece in the container. Some are still a little damp. But overall, the brewing unit does a good job.

brewing unit

Control panel

The Philips EP2220/10 is really easy to use – that’s why it comes without an LCD display. It doesn’t need more than a few clearly labeled buttons. The control panel is slightly slanted and therefore easy to read from above. The buttons are large and respond to light pressure – even with wet fingers.

Control panel with large keys

First, select your drink on the left – espresso or coffee. To the right of the button with the bean, you can then adjust the aroma in 3 levels. Right next to it, via the button with the cup, you can set the beverage quantity in 3 levels. On the far right on the round “Start” button the reference is started. You don’t need a manual to understand this. This works intuitively, even if you do not know the device.

For milk foam, press the “Steam” button with the cloud and then “Start”. Then dip the nozzle into the milk and after a few seconds you’re ready to go. To be on the safe side, however, we first took a look at the instructions. Hot steam is not to be trifled with. But it’s really easy and the instructions explain everything step-by-step. You can prepare hot water for tea via the “Hot Water” button.

The three icons one below the other on the right side light up in case of “error messages”. They flash as soon as the water tank is empty, the coffee grounds tray is full or the brewing unit or drip trays have not been inserted correctly. There is also a button to start the descaling program and to activate the water filter.

After switching on, it takes almost exactly one minute until you can prepare the first drink. Because first, bean to cup coffee machines perform a rinse cycle and preheat the system. And so it is with the Philips EP2220/10. But then you can prepare several drinks directly one after the other. A further flushing process is only carried out when the unit is switched off. The standby time, i.e. how long the bean to cup coffee machine remains ready for use, can be set in 4 levels.

Mild espresso

First we prepare a mild espresso – for those who don’t like it quite so strong. To do this, we press the Espresso button and have three levels to choose from for aroma and beverage quantity. By the way, if you press the Espresso button twice, you can prepare two espressos at the same time.

You can set the aroma to mild – normal – high. At each level, a little more coffee powder is used, making your espresso stronger. For beverage quantity, depending on the levels, more water is pressed through the selected amount of coffee powder. Unfortunately, there is no exact ml specification. But we have measured for you – this is how much espresso you get at the levels: 30 – 40 – 70 ml.

For the mild espresso, we set the aroma to level 1 and the beverage quantity to level 2. We expect a fairly mild espresso with a light beige crema.

The draw takes a total of only 48 seconds. For the temperature, we measure about 70 degrees. In the picture you can see the light crema – it is even a bit lighter than expected. In terms of taste, of course, this has little to do with classic espresso, but that was to be expected with these settings.

mild espresso with light crema

Strong espresso

Now we come to the classic, intense espresso. Let’s see if the Philips EP2220 has it. We set the aroma to level 3, thereby using as much coffee powder as possible. For espresso, we recommend the grinder setting levels 1 to 3 (out of 12). Because it takes fine coffee powder to make a strong espresso. We have set level 2.

For the beverage quantity, we go to level 1, which is around 30 ml. So this time we use more coffee powder and less water. This makes the espresso much stronger. We expect a brown crema and intense aroma. This is what we have received:

strong espresso with dark crema

The crema layer is definitely thicker and also darker. But not as nice hazelnut-brown as we had hoped. Taste-wise, this is much more intense and closer to the classic espresso. Overall, the espresso is good, but not very good. A bit of intensity is still missing for the top rating – some bean to cup coffee machines have managed that better. The temperature is again around 70 degrees. By the way, you will taste the most flavors at 60-65°C.

Coffee

Let’s move on to the absolute classic – coffee. We press the coffee button and again have 3 levels each to choose from for the aroma and beverage quantity. If you press the coffee button twice, you can also activate the double cup option and prepare two cups at the same time.

For our test, we set the aroma to level 2 and the beverage quantity to level 3. Because we want a big cup of coffee. But here, too, exact ml specifications for the individual levels are missing. We have measured again for you: 100 – 120 – 200 ml. So we set 200 ml and our cup should be exactly full.

For a large cup, the preparation takes a good minute. With two cups, it’s just under 2:30 minutes. The coffee has a temperature of 80°C and a fine layer of crema.

We were pleasantly surprised by the crema and the appearance. And the taste is also good – intense and aromatic. But also a little bitter.

beautiful crema

For those who don’t like the bitterness, we recommend an Americano. We especially like to drink it. We’ll show you how to prepare it with the Philips 2220 in a moment.

Cappuccino

Next, let’s look at the No. 1 milk foam classic – the cappuccino. The fine, creamy milk foam is particularly important here. We’re excited to see how well we can get it to work with the Philips EP2220’s automatic nozzle. Supposedly, we just need to dip the nozzle lightly into the milk and then wait 30-35 seconds. Let’s see if it works that easily.

The classic cappuccino recipe uses 100-120 ml of milk (foam) and 40 ml of espresso. The ratio is therefore 2.5-3 to 1, but remember that milk doubles in volume when frothing. So for the mentioned recipe you need at least a 250 ml cup. Our glass is smaller, so we measure just under 90 ml of milk and will then prepare a small 30 ml espresso (beverage quantity level 1). This corresponds exactly to the ratio of 3 to 1. To make the cappuccino really aromatic, we set the coffee strength to level 2.

We froth the milk directly in the glass and not in a milk jug. Thus, the glass is also heated at the same time and the cappuccino reaches the ideal 70°C.

Froth milk in glass

It also makes more sense to foam the milk first and then prepare the espresso. The bean to cup coffee machine must first be preheated for 30 seconds before frothing. If you prepare the espresso first, it would cool down in the meantime. We froth our 90 ml of milk for about 30 seconds. You really just have to hold the cup still and wait – very simple. Afterwards we prepare an espresso.

The milk foam really surprised us. We didn’t expect it to be this creamy, fine and even with a regular milk frother. This milk foam can definitely keep up with that of many automatic milk systems.

The temperature was also ideal at 68-70°C. The entire cappuccino ended up with a temperature of 73°C – which is exactly how we like to see it. Many vending machines barely manage 60°C. That’s also the great thing about a milk frother: the longer you froth, the hotter the milk foam becomes. With a fully automatic bean to cup coffee machine, you often cannot influence the temperature at all. In terms of taste, the cappuccino is pleasantly intense and very convincing overall thanks to the creamy milk foam.

Latte Macchiato

For those of you who like it particularly mild, latte macchiato is the best choice. Here, even more milk (foam) is added to the same amount of espresso. The ratio is 4-5 to 1. This means that up to 150 ml of milk can be added to 30 ml of espresso. In addition, there is also more milk foam here than with the cappuccino.

Froth milk

We have a really big glass and therefore measure 150 ml of milk. We then set the espresso to aroma level 2 and for the beverage quantity also to level 2, i.e. 40 ml. So we stay a little below the 4 to 1 ratio, simply so that our glass doesn’t overflow either.

Here, too, we froth the milk directly in the glass. This also keeps the glass nice and warm and the latte macchiato reaches at least 65°C. Here, models with automatic milk system often have the problem that they only just pack so 60 ° C. This is different here because you can froth as long as you want and are very flexible with the milk foam.

the latte macchiato comes to 65 °C

The temperature was exactly at 65°C. Taste-wise, it is already quite mild with light espresso flavors. Personally, we would set the aroma to the highest levels in the future or even prepare a double espresso. But that is of course a matter of taste.

Again, the milk foam turned out really well. We are really excited about that. It also holds loosely to a spoon turned down. The bubbles are very uniform and fine. Over time, the typical 3 layers settle. Warm milk at the bottom, espresso in the middle and fine milk foam at the top.

3 typical layers

Americano

In our opinion, the better alternative to regular coffee. The Americano stands for clear flavors and less bitterness. Therefore, it is particularly digestible. For every one part of espresso, there are two parts of water – for example, 70 ml of espresso and 140 ml of water.

With regular coffee, all the water is forced through the coffee puck. The extraction is therefore relatively long. And especially during long brewing processes, more bitter substances are dissolved. In the Americano, an espresso is prepared and then blended with hot water. However, the water is no longer pressed through the coffee puck but flows directly into the cup.

We set the espresso at aroma and beverage quantity levels 3 respectively. So a lot of coffee powder and quite a lot of water is used. We get 70 ml of strong espresso. Then we remove the milk nozzle and place the glass under the outlet for hot water. Now we press the button for hot water (Hot Water) and set the quantity to level 2.

Hot water for Americano

Now the bean to cup coffee machine dispenses 140 ml of hot water. This is the perfect ratio for Americano – to 70 ml of espresso, 140 ml of water. So that it does not splash so you can also lift the cup. With the Philips 3200 series, you get an Americano at the touch of a button. The hot water then comes out of the coffee spout automatically. It’s worth it if you drink Americano often.

in terms of strength, the Americano corresponds to a coffee

In terms of taste, the Americano really convinced us. Really aromatic and at the same time not bitter at all. A typical Ameriano also has hardly any crema. Visually, the classic coffee is more beautiful, but in terms of taste, the Americano is clearly ahead. At 77°C, the temperature is also just right.

Now we will explain in detail which settings you can make with the Philips EP2220/10. This allows you to customize the drinks to your taste. The device remembers your settings for each drink. However, profiles for different people cannot be created.

Customize drinks

You can set the beverage quantity for espresso and coffee in 3 levels each. The espresso then has 30 – 40 and 70 ml depending on the levels. For coffee, it is 100 – 120 and 200 ml. Level 3 you can reprogram for each drink and adjust to your wishes. We will explain how to do this in the next point.

You can also set the coffee strength in 3 levels. For a cup of espresso, level 3 uses significantly more coffee powder than level 1. The higher the level, the more beans are ground. Here we would like 5 or more levels even better, so that we can get closer to the individually desired taste. Therefore, there are not the full points in the test

Coffee strength and beverage quantity can be adjusted in 3 levels each

The grinder setting also has a great influence on the taste. With 12 levels, the Philips 2200 series has a lot to offer here. Many bean to cup coffee machines have only 3 or 5 levels. For this model, we recommend levels 1-3 for espresso. For coffee, it may be a little coarser – we have achieved the best results at levels 4-5. We will explain why we recommend these levels in the preparation section of the respective beverage.

Adjust grinder setting over 12 levels

You are particularly flexible when it comes to milk foam. You can determine not only the quantity but also the temperature. And that’s very good, because one criticism we often hear: “The milk foam is not warm enough”. Here you can froth as long as you want and thus influence the temperature yourself. One small drawback, however, is that the cappuccino may not always taste the same. If you use different amounts of milk, or if you foam for longer or shorter periods of time, the taste will of course change somewhat.

Reprogram beverage quantity

You can reprogram the highest levels of beverage quantity. Once changed, you will alwaysget the same beverage quantity set by you on level 3. Just because it’s the highest level doesn’t necessarily mean the cup will be full. You can also program a lot that is actually between levels 1 and 2. You can program the espresso to 35 ml, for example. If you want to do it very precisely, it is best to place a kitchen scale underneath.

Here’s how:

1. Press and hold for 3 seconds the button of the drink you want to program.
2. Now level 3 and the start button are flashing.
3. Now press “Start” and the bean to cup coffee machine will start brewing normally.
4. The start button lights up continuously and the draw begins.
5. The start button starts flashing again.
6. Presses the start button again to end the cover.
7. Exactly this amount is now stored under level 3.

Adapt drinks to cup

It is also relatively easy to adapt a cappuccino, for example, exactly to a 250 ml cup. Milk approximately doubles in volume when froth is applied. So we measure out 100 ml of milk and froth it up. After frothing, the volume of the milk is then a good 200 ml. Then prepare another espresso with 40 ml (level 2) and the cup is perfectly full. Includes light milk foam hood.

So with a little practice you are quite flexible here. Admittedly, with other bean to cup coffee machines you can do all this at the touch of a button. Without having to measure or froth it yourself. However, these models also cost (significantly) more. However, the results are pretty good here as well.

If you want to enjoy good espresso and coffee for a long time, you can’t avoid regular cleaning. Cleaning the milk system, brewing unit and drip trays is particularly important. All in all, you can plan about 15-20 minutes per week for cleaning and maintenance of the Philips EP2220/10.

In addition, you should descale your bean to cup coffee machine every 1-3 months. How often you should descale depends on your water hardness and whether you use a water filter. The
Decalcification
takes about 30 minutes and the effective effort for you is 5-10 minutes.

We have provided you with an overview of the
most important cleaning agents
and care products. When it comes to descaler, we always rely on the original during the warranty.

Clean milk nozzle

You should clean the milk frothing nozzle daily. Fortunately, this is really easy with the Philips EP2220/10. The best way to do it is to first wipe it with a damp cloth, then place an empty cup under it andpress the “Steam” button. Now the nozzle is thoroughly cleaned with hot steam.

Cleaning the milk nozzle with steam

Once a day, you should remove the milk frothing nozzle to rinse it. It consists of only two parts – a metal tube and a silicone adapter. Rinse both thoroughly. Once a week you can also clean the two parts in
milk system cleaner*
to remove any residual milk fat. You can also put the nozzle in the dishwasher. Unfortunately, there is no reminder about the cleaning. All in all, cleaning is very easy and with a little practice can be done in a minute a day.

Thoroughly rinse both individual parts of the nozzle

Drip tray & coffee grounds container

The coffee grounds tray holds 12 pucks. When the coffee grounds tray is full, a red LED lights up in the display. The drip tray has a red float to show you when it is full. In comparison with other
bean to cup coffee machines in the test, the containers
, the containers have a normal size.

To empty them, you can simply pull out the two containers to the front.

full coffee grounds tray and full drip tray

According to the instructions, you should rinse the containers 1x per week. You can also put them in the dishwasher with you to save some more washing up.

Rinse the container weekly or put it in the dishwasher

With other models, coffee residues often end up in the water bowl – we hardly saw that here. The pucks are cleanly pressed and relatively dry.

The water bowl has a few nooks and crannies and is not as easy to rinse as other models, so we usually put it in the dishwasher.

If you clean the containers in the dishwasher, the effort is at most 2 minutes per week. If you rinse them by hand at around 5 minutes.

Cleaning the brewing unit

The brewing unit of the Philips EP2220/10 can be removed in just a few steps. Simply switch off the bean to cup coffee machine, remove the water tank and then open the service door. Then push the push switch to the right and pull it straight out. For detailed tips take a look at our
Cleaning Video
video.

After a week of about 30 pulls, we found some coffee residue on the brewing unit. We had during our
bean to cup coffee machine tests
somewhat cleaner and more heavily soiled brewing units.

Coffee residues settle in the brewing unit over time

According to the brewing unit
instructions
rinse it once a week with clean water. Since there are a few corners that are a bit harder to reach, we recommend you use a cleaning brush.

Rinse brewing unit weekly with clean water

Please do not use detergent, otherwise you will remove the important grease. Then the brewing unit squeaks or jams in the worst case. There is some grease on the brewing unit from the factory. In our opinion, this is already a bit too much. Just like the

Philips LatteGo 3200

. How and when to grease the brewing unit is explained in the next section.

Overall, Philips brewing units require a bit more cleaning and maintenance than other manufacturers. We estimate the effort to be about 10 minutes per week.

Philips EP2220/10 descale

How often you need to descale depends on whether you use a water filter and how calcareous your water is. With soft water you need to decalcify after about 3 months, with very calcareous water every month.

It is important that you set the water hardness on the bean to cup coffee machine. Therefore, a test strip is also included in the scope of delivery.

If you use water filters throughout, you only need to descale after 5,000 cups, according to Philips. Even with 10 cups a day, descaling would then only be due after well over a year. We have brought you each the original and a cheap alternative of the
Descaler & Water Filter
picked out.

The program for descaling takes about 30 minutes, while the effective effort for you is more like 5-10 minutes. Unfortunately there is no display which shows the steps, so you need the manual. The best way to do this is to watch our video.

You still have a question yourself or tips for other users about this device? Then feel free to leave us a comment.