Philips 3200 vs Breville Barista Pro: Which one is better? To my mind, the short answer is the first one.
The Philips 3200 doesn’t deliver the most exquisite-tasting espresso, and its automatic milk frothing system isn’t quite suitable for latte art, but it compensates in other areas. Its lighter weight, ability to fit large cups, and presence of a detachable brew unit for in-depth cleaning make it a winner.
The Breville Barista Pro, on the other hand, can produce delicious, full-bodied espressos. Moreover, with some hands-on experience with its steam wand, you can effortlessly achieve consistently dense foam perfect for cappuccinos and smoothly steamed milk ideal for lattes.
Philips 3200 Vs Breville Barista Pro: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Philips 3200 Vs Breville Barista Pro: Differences
The Philips 3200 wins 3-1 against the Breville Barista Pro, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Keep reading for more valuable information.
Coffee Flavuor
Winner: Breville Barista Pro
Built-in Grinder
Grinding stands as the initial phase, kicking off the bean-to-cup process. Most espresso machines, including the Philips 3200 vs Breville Barista Pro, have a built-in grinder, saving you the hassle and cost of buying a standalone one. The Philips 3200 features a ceramic flat burr grinder, while the Breville Barista Pro sports an integrated steel conical burr grinder.
One major advantage that a ceramic grinder has over a steel one is its ability to remain cool during the grinding process. So it avoids scorching the coffee grounds and ruining their fragile aroma. Consequently, you are rewarded with an espresso with the fullest possible aroma and flavor.
Moreover, the ceramic grinder enjoys a reputation for quiet operation. I found the noise level of the Philips 3200 not annoying at all and quieter than most espresso machines I’ve ever touched. Many people have complained that this one is noisy, which makes me question their definition of the term “quiet.” As for the Barista Pro, if you’re going to use it in the wee hours of the morning, be prepared for a symphony of grumbles and complaints.
Let’s talk about the grind settings on these machines. I don’t remember how many times higher-end models from Jura let me down a bit since they typically only offer about 5-6 settings, and sometimes I find my ideal flavor stuck between two grind sizes. But this issue is non-existent with these machines: the Philips 3200 carries 12 grind settings, and the Breville Barista Pro stands out with its impressive 30 settings, from super fine to coarse grind. There are many settings for you to trial and error to find the right fineness of the grounds for your recipe.
Remember not to switch between grind sizes when the grinder is off. Moreover, Philips recommends refraining from changing the grinder settings during the first 100 to 150 espresso cups. Although my own impatience didn’t lead to any problems, it’s always best to adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
The Barista Pro comes out of the box with a 54 mm stainless steel portafilter and four filter baskets, including pressurized and non-pressurized options for single and double shots.
A non-pressurized basket requires a precise grind size for the water passing through the coffee puck to pull gorgeous and flavorful espresso shots. If the grind size is inaccurate, it can lead to under-extraction or over-extraction of the coffee, resulting in sour or bitter-tasting espresso.
Meanwhile, a pressurized basket can create artificial pressure during extraction, compensating for inconsistencies in grind size. Thanks to that, beginners, even with an unpolished grinding technique, can manage to brew a decent espresso shot. It is also an ideal option to use with pre-ground coffee.
I was so happy to get a robust stainless steel tamper instead of the cheap-feeling plastic one that comes with many Gaggia machines.
Heating System
Both are single-boiler machines, meaning they can brew espresso and prepare milk foam simultaneously. Still, that’s not a bad thing for these machines since they can quickly heat up to the right temperature.
Thermoblock technology allows the Philips 3200 to reach the proper temperature in about 20 seconds, while the Breville Barista Pro’s thermojet heating system can heat up in just 3 seconds and switch between brewing coffee and steaming milk in under 10 seconds. So your espresso doesn’t have enough time to cool down before the milk foam is ready. You can also further reduce heat loss by putting your cups on top of the machine (called a cup warmer) to preheat them.
The Barista Pro, no doubt, heats up very rapidly, but the portafilter needs to be preheated separately for precise espresso extraction. My recommendation is to run a blank shot (a shot without any ground coffee in the portafilter) and wipe the filter basket before grinding.
Brewing System
The pre-infusion process feels like a standard feature in most modern espresso machines, including both the Philips 3200 vs Breville Barista Pro. Why? It is the key to achieving a better-tasting espresso shot.
Pre-infusion involves saturating the coffee grounds with a small amount of hot water before applying full pressure for extraction. It allows the coffee grounds to bloom, reducing the risk of channeling and enhancing the overall quality of the espresso.
It’s worth noting that the Breville Barista Pro allows you to control the length of the pre-infusion stage, while the Philips 3200 doesn’t. So if you are unsatisfied with the factory-set interval, you can step in and fine-tune it to suit your preferences better.
Then, both extract espresso at 15 bars of pressure, while the standard pressure for espresso extraction is just 9 bars. For those unfamiliar, unlike drip coffee makers that rely on gravity, espresso machines use pressure for extraction.
In my testing, the Breville Barista Pro produced rich, aromatic espresso shots bursting with flavor that tasted similar to something you’d get at your local coffee house. On the flip side, the espresso that came out from the Philips 3200 was pretty weak, topped with a really thin crema. I surmise that the crux of the issue lies in the extraction being faster than it should be: it takes only 20 seconds, while espresso shots typically take 30 seconds.
Milk Frothing System
This is the biggest difference between the Philips 3200 vs Breville Barista Pro. The Philips 3200 has a fully automatic milk frother, enabling you to produce milk foam and steamed milk with a simple button press. In contrast, the Breville Barista Pro utilizes a manual steam wand, which necessitates a bit of a learning curve.
As a novice, you might find it hard to resist the allure of brewing a milk-based beverage with just a single touch. But with perseverance, you’ll soon find the steam wand a gem since it gives you greater control over the milk’s texture and temperature. Also, it can help you craft latte art that an automated system never achieves. That said, you will have an extra skill to impress your loved ones and make every coffee moment feel special!
Let’s kick things off with the Philips 3200’s automated frothing milk system (also known as the LatteGo system). It is worth noting that there’s another variant of the Philips 3200 that sports a traditional frothing wand and is slightly more affordable.
The clever LatteGo system comprises three components: a transparent milk pitcher, a black plastic clip, and a top cover for the pitcher. The milk carafe can be refrigerated when not in use and washed under the tap for a deep clean. Before freezing milk, ensure the container is firmly clipped in to avoid a potential mess. The top lid simply rests on the pitcher, and I wish this one had a hinge to secure it.
Making milk foam with the LatteGo system is a breeze: fill the pitcher with milk, clip it to the machine, choose the milk froth quantity, and the machine handles the rest. The milk gets mixed with air at a high velocity in the frothing chamber, and then the machine seamlessly dispenses the milk foam into your cup.
On the flip side, the Breville Barista Pro features a 4-hole steam wand rather than the standard 1-hole one for home espresso machines. It delivers a more even steam distribution and better aeration, resulting in better microfoam milk. The wand has a rubber grip and can rotate freely, simplifying the positioning of the milk pitcher.
Fill the included metal jug with your cold milk, dip the wand in the milk, switch on the steam dial, and you will see the milk spin clockwise. Just keep going until you find the pitcher is too hot to hold. Mastering latte art is not an overnight job, so you’ll need a few attempts and perhaps a few errors, to ultimately get it right.
My test showed that the Philips 3200 produced consistently thick foam that is good for making a nice cappuccino instead of smooth, silky steamed milk for lattes. It is impossible to adjust the foam texture – the only aspect you can tweak is the quantity. Conversely, I found the Breville Barista Pro to excel at both – I could whip up a pretty awesome cappuccino and latte. So, if you aspire to practice your latte art skills, the Breville Barista Pro is, no doubt, your best bet.
Design & Usability
Winner: Philips 3200
Dimensions, Footprint, & Weight
| Philips 3200 | Breville Barista Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 9.7 x 14.6 x 17 inches | 13.5 x 13.9 x 16 inches |
| Weight | 17.7 lbs | 20 lbs |
The Philips 3200 features a simple but classy design with a sleek black casing and attractive chrome accents, giving it a luxurious aesthetic. This one is made mostly of plastic, but it emanates a sense of sturdiness rather than fragility. The entire operation is controlled via a large, non-touch control panel situated on top.
The Breville Barista Pro, on the other hand, appears captivating and robust with an all-metal exterior, but don’t be deceived by its outward appearance – this model is mostly made of plastic as well. Its text-only LCD screen is there just to make navigating the machine easy instead of giving it the modern, science-fiction feel found in some high-end counterparts.
These kitchen appliances have a compact construction and will fit nicely on most kitchen countertops. The only problem is that they are quite heavy, so you might have to flex your muscles and break a sweat to get them perfectly positioned.
Pre-programmed Coffee Options
| Philips 3200 | Breville Barista Pro |
|---|---|
| Espresso Black Coffee Americano Cappuccino Latte Macchiato Hot Water | Espresso Hot Water |
The Philips 3200 facilitates the preparation of several milk-based drinks with one touch, whereas the Barista Pro requires you to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself with its built-in steam wand.
I love their hot water function. Instead of waiting tens of minutes for a traditional kettle to boil, you can quickly get hot water for brewing tea in under one minute. But while the Breville Barista Pro has a separate hot water dispenser, the Philips 3200 requires removing the milk carafe to use this function, which may be slightly bothersome for some.
Regarding customization, the Philips 3200 offers 3 levels of coffee strength, brew temperatures, shot length, and volume of milk