Both of these super-automatic machines grind fresh beans for every cup, brew at the press of a button, and have removable parts that go in the dishwasher. CNN Underscored calls the Philips its favorite super-automatic, and it found the Magnifica Evo's espresso balanced, with real crema. The big difference is milk.
The Magnifica Evo is the coffee drinker's machine. You get one-touch espresso, coffee, Americano, a long coffee and a dedicated iced coffee button, which the Philips doesn't have. Its conical burr grinder has thirteen settings for darker or lighter beans. Milk is where you trade convenience for control: a traditional steam wand that De'Longhi says works with milk alternatives too, so you choose exactly how much foam you want. Someone does have to learn to steam. De'Longhi backs it with a two-year warranty, plus a year more when you register it.
The Philips 3200 is the latte machine. Tap cappuccino or latte macchiato and the LatteGo jug froths the milk and pours it for you. Philips says the jug is two parts with no tubes and rinses clean in as little as fifteen seconds, or goes in the dishwasher. The brew group slides out to rinse under the tap, and with the AquaClean filter it can go up to 5,000 cups without descaling.
What testers found: Tom's Guide called the Philips simple to use and easy to clean, but found its coffee on the weak side and its foam less dense than it could be. CNN found the Magnifica Evo's Americano weaker than expected and its maintenance menus a reason to keep the manual handy. Philips also now lists the 3200 as discontinued on its US site, with the 3300 as the newer model. It's still sold, but that's worth knowing for a machine you'll keep for years.
Our verdict: for most people, get the Magnifica Evo, with more coffee options, the iced coffee button, a current model and a longer warranty. For one-touch lattes with almost no cleanup, the Philips 3200 is the better buy.
