Philips 5400 Series EP5447/94 Espresso Machine with LatteGo: specs and fit

The Philips 5400 (model EP5447/94) is a fully automatic, bean-to-cup espresso machine. You fill the hopper with whole beans and the tank with water, and the machine grinds, brews and, for milk drinks, froths at the touch of a button. It is aimed at people who want café-style drinks at home without learning manual espresso technique.

What "fully automatic" means

A super-automatic machine combines a grinder, a brew unit and a milk system in one body. Instead of tamping coffee into a portafilter, you pick a drink on the display and the machine does the rest. Philips lists 12 fresh-bean coffee varieties, including espresso, coffee, cappuccino and latte macchiato.

The trade-off is that you have less hands-on control than with a manual machine, though the settings below let you adjust quite a lot.

How LatteGo handles milk

Many automatic machines draw milk up through tubes, which then need rinsing. LatteGo takes a different approach. Philips says it mixes milk and air at high speed in a round frothing chamber, then adds a splash-free layer of froth to the cup. The system has two parts and no tubes.

Philips says it can be cleaned in as little as 15 seconds, and that the LatteGo drip tray and the coffee ground container can go in the dishwasher. In practice, fewer parts and no tubing generally mean less to clean after each milk drink.

Adjusting strength, volume and grind

The "coffee customizer" lets you change three things: intensity, coffee length and milk length. An extra-shot function adds more flavour, which Philips says comes without added bitterness.

The grinders are ceramic and adjustable in 12 steps, from very fine to coarse. Ceramic burrs are hard-wearing and tend to run cooler than some metal ones. Philips says they are good for at least 20,000 cups. As a rule, a finer grind gives a stronger, more concentrated cup, and a coarser grind a lighter one, so it is worth changing the setting one step at a time.

Temperature and aroma

Philips' Aroma Extract system keeps brewing water between 90 and 98°C while regulating the water flow rate. That range is typical of good espresso brewing, since water that is too cool tastes sour and water that is too hot can taste bitter.

Size and weight

The machine measures about 15 x 10 x 17 inches (roughly 38 x 25 x 43 cm) and weighs 18.6 lb (about 8.4 kg). That is a fairly compact footprint for a machine with a built-in grinder, but it still needs a dedicated spot on the counter with room above to fill the bean hopper and water tank.

Who it suits

It suits households that drink several milk-based coffees a day, people who prefer to press a button, and anyone who wants to use fresh beans without a separate grinder. It is less suited to people who enjoy fine-tuning every variable of an espresso shot.

What to check before you buy

• Counter space: measure width, depth and the height needed to refill the tank and hopper.
• Condition: this listing is for a renewed unit, so check what the seller states about condition, accessories and warranty.
• Beans: use whole beans suited to automatic machines, and check the manual on very oily or flavoured beans.
• Water: check the manual on descaling and any filter, since hard water affects upkeep.
• Cleaning routine: the machine has parts that need regular rinsing and emptying, such as the drip tray and grounds container.
• Milk options: check the manual for which milks the frothing system is designed for.

The short version

• A fully automatic bean-to-cup machine with 12 listed coffee varieties.
• LatteGo milk system with two parts and no tubes; dishwasher-safe tray and grounds container.
• Ceramic grinders with 12 steps; Philips rates them for at least 20,000 cups.
• Customizable intensity, coffee length and milk length, plus an extra-shot function.
• About 18.6 lb and roughly 15 x 10 x 17 inches.

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