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Philips 3200 LatteGo vs DeLonghi Magnifica Evo with LatteCrema

Philips 3200 or DeLonghi Magnifica Evo? Here’s Your Guide

DeLonghi Espresso and Coffee Machines, Philips & DeLonghi Comparisons, Super-Automatics $700 to $1000 Jun 07, 2023

The Philips 3200 and DeLonghi Magnifica Evo (which I find to be one of the best affordable super automatics) are two popular models sold at the same price point and offer plenty of features designed for convenience and performance.

Since each coffee machine has its two variations: classic wand or built-in milk frother, I will cover each type of machine in a separate section.

The table of contents should help you find what you’re looking for easily.

Philips or DeLonghi? Which Is the Better Pick?

Before you get into the comprehensive comparison of these coffee machines, I will give you a quick summary of which machine is best.

DeLonghi Magnifica Evo is my favorite out of the two. Whether it’s the classic frother version or the LatteCrema version. It performs especially well with milk-based coffee drinks. It’s a new machine in comparison to Philips. It has a better design and it’s your best pick if you value flexibility, ease of use, and nice design.

Philips 3200 is great at offering additional customization settings. So if you prefer to tinker with your coffee recipes, you’ll love it. But it doesn’t have a way to memorize these customizations, which I don’t like. Philips coffee machines are usually preferred as a budget-friendly pick.

The Automatic Milk Frother Versions

The built-in automatic frother versions of the Philips and DeLonghi share the same features as the classic milk frother models in terms of design, grinder, and how you adjust the coffee machine’s settings.

The difference is in how milk-based coffee drinks are prepared and the preset coffee recipes.

Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine - LatteGo Milk Frother & Iced Coffee, 5 Coffee Varieties, Intuitive Touch Display, Black, (EP3241/74)
Best Pick
De'Longhi Magnifica Evo with LatteCrema System, Fully Automatic Machine Bean to Cup Espresso Cappuccino and Iced Coffee Maker, Colored Touch Display,Black, Silver
Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine - LatteGo Milk Frother & Iced Coffee, 5 Coffee Varieties, Intuitive Touch Display, Black, (EP3241/74)
De'Longhi Magnifica Evo with LatteCrema System, Fully Automatic Machine Bean to Cup Espresso Cappuccino and Iced Coffee Maker, Colored Touch Display,Black, Silver
Drink Presets
5 + hot water
5 + hot water
Iced Coffee
Strength Settings
Temperature Settings
Built-in automatic frother
Grinder Settings
12
13
Bypass Chute
Control Panel
Touch Buttons
Colored Icon + Touch Buttons
Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine - LatteGo Milk Frother & Iced Coffee, 5 Coffee Varieties, Intuitive Touch Display, Black, (EP3241/74)
Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine - LatteGo Milk Frother & Iced Coffee, 5 Coffee Varieties, Intuitive Touch Display, Black, (EP3241/74)
Drink Presets
5 + hot water
Iced Coffee
Strength Settings
Temperature Settings
Built-in automatic frother
Grinder Settings
12
Bypass Chute
Control Panel
Touch Buttons
Best Pick
De'Longhi Magnifica Evo with LatteCrema System, Fully Automatic Machine Bean to Cup Espresso Cappuccino and Iced Coffee Maker, Colored Touch Display,Black, Silver
De'Longhi Magnifica Evo with LatteCrema System, Fully Automatic Machine Bean to Cup Espresso Cappuccino and Iced Coffee Maker, Colored Touch Display,Black, Silver
Drink Presets
5 + hot water
Iced Coffee
Strength Settings
Temperature Settings
Built-in automatic frother
Grinder Settings
13
Bypass Chute
Control Panel
Colored Icon + Touch Buttons

Let me start with the most important one… the milk frother.

Philips LatteGo Compared To DeLonghi LatteCrema

Both of these built-in milk frothers perform in a similar way: they create a jet of air to heat and froth milk and dispense it directly into your cup.

Philips 3200 or DeLonghi Magnifica Evo? Here's Your Guide

LatteGo has a unique design that is without an internal plastic tube. It is made up of two parts: the jug, and the dispensing spout. This makes it extremely easy to clean.

Philips 3200 or DeLonghi Magnifica Evo? Here's Your Guide
parts of the LatteCrema milk system

LatteCrema has four parts that you have to take apart for hand washing. While it is not difficult to clean, the LatteGo is definitely easier to clean and maintain.

When it comes to capacity, both of these milk systems are designed for a maximum of 8 oz of milk servings, which is enough for a tall latte.

      Adjustable Foam LevelMilk Froth OnlyCold FrothDetachableDishwasher Safe
      Philips LatteGoYesNoNoYesYes
      DeLonghi LatteCremaNoNoNoYesYes

      If you ever want to froth milk only without coffee, none of these models have a preset for this. On the Philips 3200 there’s a workaround to dispense milk only. You can use the same workaround on the DeLonghi, too.

      Philips 3200 has an adjustable froth level, while LatteCrema does not. Also, none of them can make cold froth, either.

      If you want the milk system that is easier to clean, then LatteGo is the winner.

      Coffee Drink Presets

      Philips 3200 LatteGoDeLonghi Magnifica Evo LatteCrema
      Espresso, Coffee, Americano, Cappuccino, LatteEspresso, Coffee, Latte, Cappuccino, Over Ice

      Both of these machines offer the same preset recipes: Espresso, Coffee, Over Ice, Cappuccino and Latte.

      Also both of them prepare the beverages in a similar way. For milk-based drinks, they will dispense the hot milk/froth, then add the espresso.

      For coffee, it is simply a longer shot of espresso (no added hot water) and it can be as large as 8 oz.

      How Iced Coffee Works in DeLonghi or Philips

      For Iced Coffee, what these coffee machines do is brew at a lower temperature and they brew for a longer time so your coffee is bolder, this way, your iced coffee does not taste diluted when the ice starts melting. You’ll place a cup full of ice so the machine brews over it.

      Overall, when it comes to presets, you are getting the same experience from both models, so it’s a tie! But the difference lies in how you customize your drinks, so keep reading…

      Control Panel

      Philips vs DeLonghi

      Both Philips and DeLonghi machines have intuitive touch buttons that are easy to read and follow.

      However, I believe DeLonghi Magnifica Evo uses much nicer looking buttons with colored icons for each recipe. It almost looks like it’s a touch screen but it’s not, it’s simply colored icons.

      I took the photo below when I tried the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo, I found these icons especially helpful for anyone who is not sure of the names of each coffee drink, which I know can be quite confusing to some people.

      DeLonghi Magnifica Evo control panel
      Real life view of the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo Control Panel

      Winner = DeLonghi Magnifica Evo

      The Classic Frother Versions

      Generally speaking, you’ll find that differences are in the coffee presets in each coffee machine. While both Philips and DeLonghi offer similar features, you’ll find that, in some features, one brand performs better than the other.

      Control Panel and Coffee Presets

      Philips 3200 or DeLonghi Magnifica Evo? Here's Your Guide

      The classic frother version of the Philips 3200 and DeLonghi Magnifica Evo have presets for espresso and coffee only.

      Unlike the LatteGo and LatteCrema built-in frother versions, these won’t include milk drink presets, but instead, you’ll find a ‘steam’ button which you’ll use to manually froth the milk.

      Philips 3200 PresetsDeLonghi Magnifica Evo Presets
      Espresso, Lungo, Coffee, AmericanoEspresso, Coffee, Long, Americano, Over Ice

      Coffee Drink presets are similar in both Philips 3200 and DeLonghi Magnifica Evo: Espresso, Americano, Lungo.

      But the Magnifica Evo has an additional option: Over Ice, which brews coffee at a lower temperature (not cold, just a lower temperature that won’t melt ice immediately).

      The Philips 3200 has its own version of this, which is called Philips 3200 with Iced Coffee.

      The winner in this round is again, DeLonghi Magnifica Evo for including the Iced coffee selection.

      The Steam Wands

      Philips 3200 or DeLonghi Magnifica Evo? Here's Your Guide

      Both Philips and DeLonghi use a Panarello-style steam wand for their classic steam wand machines. This kind of steam wand helps you create thick frothy milk without much work on your part. However, if you’re expecting micro-foam or silky milk, this isn’t the best kind of frother for the job.

      The steam wand milk frothers work the same way on both machines. Press the Steam button to get it started and press it again to stop. It’s that simple.

      Which One Of The Classic Versions To Pick?

      When it comes to the classic milk frother version of Philips 3200 and DeLonghi Magnifica Evo, they are almost identical.

      I would pick DeLonghi Magnifica Evo for two reasons:

      • It has the Over Ice option – as opposed to buying a dedicated Philips 3200 version that has the Iced coffee feature.
      • It has a nicer design, the control panel looks modern and almost like a display touch screen (it’s colored touch icons).

      But I would also advise you to look at the price of each machine at the time of purchase. If there’s a huge difference in price, go with the cheaper option, you’ll get the same coffee quality from both machines.

      And if you’re not an iced coffee drinker, the Philips 3200 classic milk frother version (without the Iced coffee selection) will be the lowest in terms of price.

      Common Features in Both Models

      Coffee Customization Settings

      Both coffee machines have similar settings:

      • 3 adjustable coffee strength
      • 3 adjustable temperature settings

      You also have the option of adjusting the coffee volume, but this feature works differently in each coffee machine.

      Philips 3200 Volume Settings

      For espresso, coffee, and iced coffee, Philips 3200 has 1x or 2x indicators, which actually increase the amount of coffee grounds used to brew the coffee.

      Then, you also have the volume selector which gives you the option of adding more water but in volumes pre-set by Philips. (more on Philips 3200 Drink Sizes here)

      For a Cappuccino or Latte, you can’t adjust whether you want a single or double shot of espresso in them. But you can adjust the volume (adds water to your current espresso shot) or froth (uses more milk).

      My advice is to always add a shot of espresso instead of adjusting the volume of the espresso.

      What if you want an extra shot of espresso? You’ll pretty much just press the espresso button after your latte or cappuccino is ready so it adds an extra shot. If you want a larger cup of latte, for example, as in double the size, you can prepare the same single recipe twice.

      Magnifica Evo Volume Settings

      DeLonghi Magnifica Evo does not have a volume selector like the Philips 3200, instead, you can reprogram the volume of each drink as you like by pressing the recipe button and holding it until you reach your desired volume. This will reprogram the recipes and save the new set volumes.

      Temperature Settings

      Both Philips and DeLonghi coffee machines offer three-step temperature settings. None of them has a dedicated button for temperature control, instead, you need to change the temperature via the machine’s settings.

      Winner = DeLonghi Magnifica Evo for flexibility and memory function. But if you prefer more customizations despite being slightly more complicated, go for the Philips 3200.

      Built-in Grinders

      Both Philips 3200 and DeLonghi Magnifica Evo use conical burr grinders that offer precise grind sizes.

      Philips’ coffee machine has 12 adjustable grind settings while DeLonghi’s has 13 settings. An additional adjustable step wouldn’t make all that difference, to be honest. So this isn’t a winning factor.

      Both also have bypass dosers that allow you to use pre-ground coffee. Many people use this for an occasional change of the current beans they have in the hopper.

      When using the bypass doser, you will simply add a scoop of coffee for a single brew. It’s not a hopper that can hold a certain amount of coffee ground, but only one serving of coffee ground.

      Conical Burr Materials

      Philips 3200 uses a ceramic conical burr grinder, while DeLonghi Magnifica Evo uses steel burrs.

      The material difference won’t make a difference in terms of coffee taste. But longevity-wise, ceramic burrs last longer.

      That said, I honestly don’t think the specifics or technicality of the grinders in super-automatic coffee machines makes a lot of difference. They eventually all work in a similar manner and provide the same coffee quality.

      It’s a tie between the two models for grinder settings.

      Between DeLonghi Magnifica Evo LatteCrema and Philips 3200 LatteGo, Which Should You Buy?

      Philips 3200 or DeLonghi Magnifica Evo? Here's Your Guide

      It really depends on what you are looking for. The Philips 3200 LatteGo is a great machine if you want fast and consistent results with the ability to customize some settings, but it doesn’t have any memory functions nor gives you the freedom of reprogramming your recipes.

      The DeLonghi Magnifica Evo LatteCrema offers more flexibility in terms of adjusting drink volumes as well as memorizing customized recipes.

      And all these extra features don’t even come at a large price tag, both Philips 3200 LatteGo and DeLonghi Magnifica Evo are sold at around the same price (at retail price – discounts or offers might change that).

      Personally, I prefer the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo to Philips 3200 for two reasons:

      • The overall nicer, modern design,
      • And the flexibility of customization and memory function.
      • Extended two-year warranty (total 3 years) if you register your machine on DeLonghi’s website.

      Related Comparisons

      How To Pick Between Philips 3200 or DeLonghi Magnifica Evo

      Now that I have compared each variation of the Philips 3200 and DeLonghi Magnifica Evo, here’s a guideline on how to choose between DeLonghi or Philips models.

      These two coffee machines have a lot in common, they are direct competitors fighting head-to-head. So start your decision with these tips:

      Classic Milk Frother or Built-In Frother

      If you mainly drink espresso or coffee without milk, then a milk frother is not a priority. You’ll be more than okay with the classic wand which requires you to froth the milk manually.

      But if you like your cappuccinos and lattes on a daily basis, having an automatic milk frother like LatteCrema or LatteGo will make a lot of difference to your experience.

      Iced Coffee Option

      If you enjoy iced coffee, both Philips and DeLonghi offer an option to help you make a delicious over-ice coffee drink.

      DeLonghi has Over-Ice as a default in its coffee machine, but Philips offers an entirely different model that specifically has the Iced coffee option, which you’ll most likely have to pay extra for.

      Choosing Between DeLonghi and Philips as Brands

      Each of these brands has a reputation in the coffee machine world. When it comes to Philips 3200 and DeLonghi Magnifica Evo as coffee machines, you get quality coffee and similar drink presets with either model. So if you’re getting equally same coffee from either machine, how do you pick?

      Look at the price and design.

      When To Pick Philips 3200

      If you want a budget-friendly price, and customization settings (coffee strength, volume and froth levels), Philips is the best pick. But on the downside, the design of the machine is a little outdated in comparison to DeLonghi.

      When to Pick DeLonghi Magnifica Evo

      Price-wise, DeLonghi Magnifica Evo is either priced similarly or slightly over Philips 3200. But what you get is:

      • A modern design and a much nicer-looking control panel.
      • Iced coffee option.
      • Memory function (on the LatteCrema version).

      What you don’t get is coffee strength or froth-level options.

      Overall, I advise that you compare the prices of each model and check for deals at the time of purchase.