Philips 1200 vs 2200: the cheapest Philips super-automatics compared

Philips 1200 vs 2200 at a glance

Head to head

The better result in each row is marked, based on four weeks with each machine and the manufacturer specs. Rows where they are identical have no winner.

The tally is not my verdict, but in this matchup most of the differences point to the 2200.

Where they sit in the Philips range

These are the two entry points to Philips’ fully automatic✕Fully automatic (bean-to-cup)A machine that grinds, doses, tamps, brews and ejects the used coffee on its own. You press a button and it does the whole job inside the machine. range. Both grind fresh beans, brew espresso or coffee at one touch and use a manual frother for milk.

Above them sit the Philips 2300 Series and the Philips 3200 Series, which add more drinks and, on the 3200, the LatteGo one-touch milk system. If you want cappuccinos at one touch, that is where to look.

Between the 1200 and 2200, the coffee side is almost identical. The real differences are the frother, the water filter in the box and the bean hopper lid.

Our tip: Decide whether you want one-touch milk before choosing between these two, because if you do, neither is the right machine and the 3200 is the next step.

Design, size and build

These two are built on the same body. Both measure about 9.7 inches wide, 14.6 inches tall and 17 inches deep, and both weigh about 16.5 lb.

From the front, you would struggle to tell them apart. Both have a black front with a touch panel, height-adjustable spouts that fit cups from about 3.3 to 5.7 inches, and a frother on the side.

The 1200’s bean hopper has a sealed, tinted lid that keeps light and air away from your beans. The 2200’s is a standard lid.

The 2200 shares the 1200’s compact body and simple touch panel.

Both are light enough to slide forward for cleaning and narrow enough for small kitchens. They are mostly plastic, but neither flexed or creaked during my month with each.

Our tip: Leave a little room on the right for the frother, because you need space to hold a jug under it.

Setup and AquaClean

Setup took me about ten minutes on each: rinse the parts, fill the tank and hopper, set the water hardness and run a first rinse.

The 2200 comes with an AquaClean✕AquaClean filterPhilips’ water filter cartridge. It softens and cleans the water, so the machine needs descaling far less often. filter in the box. With it fitted and activated, Philips says the machine can go a very long time between descales, and it never asked me to descale during my test.

On the 1200, the filter is sold separately. You can run the machine without it, but you will descale more often, especially with hard water.

Our tip: Buy and fit an AquaClean filter from day one if you choose the 1200, because it saves far more descaling time than it takes to install.

Touch panel and settings

Both use a simple touch panel with icons for espresso and coffee, a strength button, a size button and an x2 button for doubles.

The 1200’s panel remembers your strength and cup size, which made my usual coffee a single tap. The 2200 offers three strength and three size levels with the same idea.

Neither has a screen or profiles. That keeps them simple, but it means everyone shares the same settings.

The 1200’s touch panel is clear and remembers your strength and size.

Grinder and dose

Both use ceramic burrs✕Ceramic burrsGrinding parts made of ceramic instead of steel. They stay cooler, run quieter and keep a sharp edge for many years. with 12 settings, adjusted with a dial inside the bean hopper.

The dose is small on both. On the 2200, I measured about 6.0 to 7.1 grams per espresso across the strength levels, which is less than many fully automatics use.

That small dose is the main reason the espresso on both tastes closer to a lungo than a short, syrupy shot.

Coffee dose per espresso

Measured on the 2200 with my kitchen scale. The 1200 felt very similar.

Our tip: Turn the grind dial only while the grinder is running, and move one notch at a time, so beans never jam between the ceramic burrs.

Espresso quality

With the same medium-dark blend on the finest grind and strongest setting, both made smooth, easy-drinking espresso. Neither made a thick, syrupy shot.

The 2200’s espresso was slightly fuller and hotter. I measured it at about 154 to 158°F in the cup, with a light, even crema.

The 1200’s espresso was smooth and clean too, but a touch lighter in body. With the smallest cup size, both tasted noticeably stronger.

The 2200’s espresso is smooth and hot, if lighter than a café shot.

My espresso ratings

My single-review scores out of 10.

Coffee and big mugs

Both machines are at their best with a cup of coffee. The 2200’s long coffee came out at about 162°F with a nice crema on top, and the 1200’s was just as smooth.

Neither has a dedicated americano✕AmericanoEspresso topped up with hot water. Because the water is added afterwards instead of being pushed through the coffee, it keeps more sweetness and less bitterness. button, but you can make one by brewing an espresso and adding hot water from the frother.

For a strong big mug, I used the x2 button on coffee, which brews twice. It gave a fuller cup than a single large coffee.

Both machines fit tall mugs and make a smooth, easy cup of coffee.

Milk frothing

This is the biggest difference between the two, and the main reason I recommend the 2200.

Philips 1200: Panarello frother

The 1200 uses a Panarello✕Panarello frotherA steam wand with a sleeve that sucks in air automatically. It makes big, fluffy foam with little skill, but it cannot make the fine microfoam baristas use for latte art.-style frother. You hold a jug of milk under it, and the sleeve pulls in air to make big, fluffy cappuccino foam.

It is easy, but it only makes airy foam. Lattes and flat whites, which need silky milk, were not really possible.

Philips 2200: sleeve on or off

The 2200’s frother has a removable sleeve. With the sleeve on, it works like the 1200 and makes big, foamy cappuccinos.

With the sleeve off, the bare steam tip can make glossy microfoam✕MicrofoamMilk foam with bubbles so small you can barely see them. It feels silky and glossy, which is what a good flat white or latte needs.. It took me a few days of practice, but by week two I was pouring simple latte art.

With the sleeve off, the 2200’s steam tip can make glossy microfoam.

Milk, my ratings

My scores out of 10 for texture, temperature and versatility.

Our tip: Purge the steam tip for a second before and after every jug on both machines, because it clears water and stops milk drying inside.

Hot water and tea

Both dispense hot water from the frother. On the 2200, it came out at about 183°F at the top of the cup, which suits green, white and most herbal teas.

For strong black tea, it is a little cool. A kettle will still do a better job for that.

Cleaning and upkeep

Both have a removable brew group✕Brew groupThe part inside a super-automatic that compresses the ground coffee, holds it while water passes through and then ejects the used puck. that slides out from the side. I rinsed it under the tap once a week on each.

Daily cleaning is quick on both: empty the drip tray and grounds container, which holds about 12 pucks, and wipe the frother.

The 2200’s AquaClean filter is the real difference over time. With it, descaling becomes rare. Without one on the 1200, expect descaling prompts more often.

My daily hands-on cleaning time

With one milk drink a day, not counting automatic rinses.

Daily cleaning on both is a two-minute job.

Noise

Both are fairly quiet for fully automatics, thanks to their ceramic grinders. The grind is short and soft, followed by a gentle whir from the brew group.

The frothers are the loudest part of both, with a hiss while steaming.

How loud each felt, my ranking

Relative loudness from side-by-side use. Shorter bars are quieter.

Water, beans and long-term care

Both have a 61 oz water tank at the front and a 9.7 oz bean hopper. With two coffee drinkers, I refilled the tank about every three days on each.

The 1200’s sealed, tinted hopper lid is a small but real advantage if you buy beans in bulk, because it keeps light and air away. On the 2200, I kept only a few days of beans in the hopper.

Both prefer fresh, medium to medium-dark beans. Very oily beans can stick in the grinder, so avoid them on both.

Drinks per full water tank, rough maths

The same on both. Allowing for rinse water.

Our tip: Store spare beans in an airtight container and keep the hopper only part full, especially on the 2200 with its standard lid.

Mistakes to avoid on both

A month with each taught me a few lessons that apply to both machines.

Using the default espresso size. With a 6 to 7 gram dose, the default size tasted thin. The smallest size was much better.

Steaming warm milk. Milk that had been out of the fridge foamed with big, loose bubbles on both frothers. Cold milk was far better.

Skipping the filter on the 1200. Without AquaClean, the descaling prompt came around sooner. Fitting a filter is worth it.

Leaving the 2200’s sleeve on for lattes. With the sleeve on, you only get airy foam. Take it off for silky latte milk.

Small habits like the smallest espresso size made a big difference on both.

A typical morning on each

This was my real weekday routine in week three, making a coffee for me and a milk drink for my partner.

On the 1200, I tapped coffee with my saved strength and size, then made a cappuccino by brewing an espresso and frothing milk with the Panarello. About four minutes in all, including a quick wipe of the frother.

On the 2200, the coffee was the same single tap. For the milk drink, I took the sleeve off and steamed a small jug of milk for a latte. It took about a minute longer while I was learning, and about the same time once I had the hang of it.

Both routines were short and calm. The 2200 simply gave me a better milk drink for the same effort.

Time per morning, two drinks

Including frothing and a quick wipe. The gap closed once I learned to steam.

The 1200’s routine is about as simple as fresh-bean coffee gets.

Are these the right first machine for you?

Both of these are often bought as a first step up from pods or a drip coffee maker, and they are good at that job.

Compared with pods, you get fresh-ground beans, far less packaging waste and a cup that tastes noticeably fresher. Compared with a drip machine, you get espresso and the option of real milk drinks.

What you do not get is one-touch milk or a big drink menu. If those matter, it is worth looking one step up the range before you buy, because the jump from these to a LatteGo machine is the one that changes daily life most.

For a first bean-to-cup machine, I would choose the 2200 almost every time. It costs you nothing in simplicity, and it leaves room to grow into proper milk drinks.

Our tip: Give yourself a week before judging either machine, because the first few days are spent finding your favorite strength, size and grind.

Small extras worth having

Neither machine needs much, but three small things made life easier during my test.

A 12-ounce stainless milk jug made steaming much easier than using a mug, especially on the 2200 with its sleeve off. A small brush helped keep the coffee chute clean, and an airtight container kept spare beans fresh.

On the 1200, an AquaClean filter is the one extra I would buy on day one. It is the difference between descaling every few weeks with hard water and barely thinking about it.

Still torn between the two?

Ask yourself one question: will anyone in your home ever want a latte or flat white with silky milk? If the answer is yes, even occasionally, buy the 2200. Its frother is the only meaningful upgrade between these two, and it is a big one.

If every cup in your house is black coffee or espresso, the two machines are close to identical in daily use. In that case, the 1200’s sealed hopper is a nice touch, and you can add an AquaClean filter yourself.

It is also worth thinking a year ahead. Many people who buy an entry-level machine for black coffee end up curious about milk drinks once they have fresh espresso on tap. The 2200 leaves that door open; the 1200 mostly closes it.

Finally, consider water. In a hard-water area, having AquaClean in the box from day one means the 2200 will ask for far less maintenance over its life, and that alone tips the balance for many households.

Either way, these are honest, simple machines. They make a smooth cup with fresh beans at one touch and ask for very little in return.

One last practical point: because the two machines share the same body, spouts and brew group, accessories and spare parts like the brew group grease, drip tray and filters work the same way on both. Whatever you choose, the ownership routine will feel identical.

That also makes the decision refreshingly simple. You are not choosing between two different machines so much as choosing whether you want the better frother and the filter in the box. For most homes, that is an easy yes.

If you are buying as a gift, the 2200 is also the safer choice. It covers black coffee as well as the 1200 does, and it gives the person receiving it room to explore lattes, flat whites and simple latte art without buying a second machine later.

Four weeks with each: my diary notes

These are the notes I kept as each Philips settled into my routine.

Philips 1200 Series

Week 1: Set up in ten minutes, and the touch panel needed no explanation.

Week 2: I switched to the smallest espresso size, which helped a lot.

Week 3: Cappuccinos with the Panarello were fun at weekends, but I missed proper latte milk.

Week 4: A simple, pleasant black coffee machine.

Philips 2200 Series

Week 1: Fitted the included AquaClean and forgot about descaling.

Week 2: Took the sleeve off and started learning to steam.

Week 3: Poured my first rough heart in a latte.

Week 4: The better all-rounder, especially for milk drinks.

By week four, the 2200 was making lattes I was genuinely proud of.

Real-life scenarios

These are the situations where one machine clearly pulled ahead during my testing.

For black coffee drinkers, the 1200 is a simple and pleasant machine.

My scorecard

These are my own scores out of 10, from my single reviews of each machine, plus versatility because it decides this matchup.

Philips 2200 Series

Philips 1200 Series

Overall, I rate the 2200 7.9 and the 1200 7.6. The coffee is almost the same; the 2200 wins on milk and the filter in the box.

Which one should you buy?

For most people, the 2200. It makes the same smooth coffee as the 1200, plus silky latte milk with the sleeve off, and the AquaClean filter is included. For the wider picture beyond this matchup, see my guide to the best Philips espresso machines.

The 1200 makes sense if you drink black coffee and value its sealed hopper. If you want one-touch cappuccinos, skip both and look at my Philips 2200 vs 3200 comparison, which covers the Philips 3200 Series with LatteGo. My Philips 2200 vs 2300 comparison covers the newer step up.

For most first-time buyers, the 2200 is the better entry-level Philips.

Philips 1200 vs 2200 specifications

From manufacturer specifications and my own testing.

How I tested and compared them

Michael Reynolds here. I used each machine as my everyday coffee maker for four weeks, making espresso, coffee, americanos, cappuccinos and lattes, and kept notes every week.

I weighed doses, measured espresso, coffee and hot water temperatures with a probe thermometer, tried every strength and size, and steamed whole, semi-skimmed and oat milk on both frothers.

I rinsed both brew groups weekly, ran the AquaClean setup and compared my notes with Philips’ specifications and owner documentation.

• Coffee: dose, crema, body and temperature.
• Milk: foam texture and versatility.
• Workflow: touch panel and daily routine.
• Ownership: noise, cleaning, water care and footprint.