You’re trying to pick between Philips 4300 vs 3200:
- The higher end model is the Philips 4300
- The less expensive option is the Philips 3200
Do you go for the budget-friendly pick (Philips 3200) or splurge on the Philips 4300?
Especially that both machine offer the same quality coffee and design build.
In this post, I will tell you the exact differences between Philips 4300 and Philips 3200 and when to pick each machine.
I will divide this guide into three main sections
- General Differences between Philips 4300 vs 3200 – which includes design and customization differences.
- The Difference between Philips 4300 LatteGo vs 3200 LatteGo
- The Difference Between Philips 4300 vs 3200 – Classic milk frother version.
Then, I’ll get into what these two Philips super automatic espresso machines have in common that you can get in either model you choose.
Overall, the differences between Philips 4300 vs 3200 are in two main things:
- Control panel and how you adjust and operate the machine
- The coffee drink presets
Philips 4300 vs 3200 – Top Differences
| Philips 3200 | Philips 4300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Drink Options (on Classic frother) | Espresso, Lungo, Coffee, Americano | Espresso, coffee, Americano, Caffe Crema, Ristretto |
| LatteGo Drink Options | Espresso, Coffee, Americano, Cappuccino, Latte | Espresso, Coffee, Americano, Cappuccino, Latte, Caffe au Lait, Caffe Crema, Ristretto, Hot Froth |
| Iced Coffee Option | Yes | No |
| Milk Froth Only Option | No | Yes |
| Grinder | Ceramic burr grinder | Ceramic burr grinder |
| Milk Frother | Classic frother or LatteGo | Classic frother or LatteGo |
| Display | Touch buttons | Display screen + touch buttons |
| Adjustable Coffee Strength | Yes | Yes |
| Adjustable Coffee Temperature | Yes | Yes |
| Water Tank Capacity | 60.85 oz | 60.85 oz |
| Bean Hopper Capacity | 9.6 oz | 9.6 oz |
| Auto-Cleaning | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 9.8 x 17 x 14.6 inches | 9.8 x 17 x 14.6 inches |
Control Panel
This is the biggest difference between the Philips 4300 and 3200 model – the control panel.
Philips 4300 uses a digital screen in combination with the touch buttons that allows you to adjust the settings and customize your coffee drink easily.
After selecting your coffee preset, the Philips 4300 display will show you three adjustable settings: Coffee strength, coffee volume and if you’re using the LatteGo version, froth level.
On the other hand, Philips 3200 using touch buttons only. So customization is done through button selections for each option.
Coffee Strength Settings
Philips 4300 has 5 strength settings while Philips 3200 has 3 settings. Philips calls this “Aroma Strength” or AromaExtract.
Coffee Volume Settings
Like strength settings, Philips 4300 also has 5 volume selections to increase/decrease your coffee quantity. Philips 3200 has 3 volume settings.
Philips 4300 vs 3200 – Iced Coffee Option
If you’re a fan of Iced coffee, the only Philips coffee machine with this option is the Philips 3200 + Iced Coffee. Nor Philips 4300 or 3200 have this option.
Instead, Philips made a ‘dedicated’ model that has the Iced coffee option. What this option does is brew stronger coffee (using more coffee grounds) at a lower temperature setting. That way, the coffee will not taste diluted when the ice starts to melt into it.
If you want to make Iced coffee using any other Philips model, you can still do so by manually adjusting your brew setting: use the lowest brew temperature and highest coffee strength to get something close to the Iced coffee option on the Philips 3200 + Iced coffee. But if you drink iced coffee frequently, you’ll love having that option ready at a press of a button.
Philips 4300 My Coffee Choice Profiles
With the Philips 4300, you get to save recipes under 2 profiles. Selecting a user profile will recall saved recipes and presets for said profile.
Philips 3200 does not have a memory function or profiles. So any customization for your coffee has to be done at the time of preparation.
Philips 4300 vs 3200 Model Variations
Philips 4300 is available as a LatteGo model (automatic milk frother) or Philips 4300 with Classic Milk frother.
Philips 3200 is available in three variations: LatteGo, Classic Milk Frother or LatteGo + Iced Coffee, which is the most popular choice.
Philips 4300 LatteGo vs Philips 3200 LatteGo
the difference between Philips 4300 LatteGo vs 3200 LatteGo will be mainly in the drink preset options.
Philips Lattego machines have presets for espresso, coffee and milk based coffee drinks. Since frothing is done automatically, all you have to do is press a latte or cappuccino button and the machine will heat, froth and dispense the milk with the coffee to create your full recipe.
Philips LatteGo Drink Options
| Philips 4300 LatteGo Drink Options | Philips 3200 LatteGo Drink Options |
| Espresso, Coffee, Americano, Cappuccino, Latte, Caffe au Lait, Caffe Crema, Ristretto, Hot Froth | Espresso, Coffee, Americano, Cappuccino, Latte |
What Drinks Are On Philips 4300 LatteGo?
Philips 4300 LatteGo has three milk based drink presets: Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato and Caffe Au Lait. It also has an option for Hot froth only, which you can use for hot chocolate (Add the chocolate separately), matcha or any other recipe that requires frothy milk.
Caffe Au Lait is basically coffee (4 oz to 8 oz depending on your selection) with added hot milk.
What Drinks Are On Philips 3200 LatteGo?
Philips 3200 LatteGo has two milk based coffee options: Cappuccino and Latte.
So in the Philips 4300 LatteGo, you are getting two extra options: Caffe Au Lait and Hot Froth.
In terms of black coffee drinks, the two models have the same menu: Espresso, Coffee and Americano. The Philips 4300 has one extra option: Ristretto, which is a short espresso shot, less than 1 oz capacity.
How Big is Philips 3200 Cappuccino?
Actually, both Philips 4300 and Philips 3200 use the same Cappuccino recipe, which is the classic recipe: 2 oz espresso, 2 oz milk and 2 oz milk foam.
Philips 4300 vs Philips 3200 Classic Milk Frother
The difference here is that the classic milk frother does not have milk based presets, since the milk frothing will have to be done manually by you. Instead, you get espresso and coffee presets only, plus the ‘Steam’ button to control the frother.
Philips 4300 vs 3200 Drink Options
| Philips 4300 | Philips 3200 |
| Espresso, coffee, Americano, Caffe Crema, Ristretto | Espresso, Lungo, Coffee, Americano |
The classic milk frother models have about the same drink presets. The Philips 4300 has Ristretto, which is a shorter espresso shot, and Caffe Crema, which is basically a Lungo. And as I mentioned earlier, Caffe Crema and Lungo are the same coffee drink with different names.
Related:
Philips 3200 and 4300 Similarities
There are several specs and features that you will find in both Philips 4300 and 3200:
Built-in Grinder
Philips uses ceramic built-in grinders in their super automatic espresso machines, including Philips 4300 and 3200. Using Ceramic as the material for the grinder burrs means that it won’t rust like stainless steel burrs.
The grinder has 12 adjustable settings. The grinder setting should be adjusted if you feel like your coffee is too watery or if the used coffee pucks are watery. Making the grind finer usually solves that issue. But always start with the default setting and adjust accordingly.
Pro Tip: When adjusting the grinder, always change the number WHILE the grinder is on. Also, the change doesn’t reflect immediately, but after a brew or two of coffee.
Bean Hopper Capacity and Bypass Doser for Pre-Ground Coffee
Both machines have the same bean hopper capacity of 275g. They also have bypass doser where you can add a single dose of pre-ground coffee when you don’t want to use the grinder. This is best used when you want to use beans different than the ones full inside the hopper, flavored coffee or decaf coffee.
Water Reservoir Capacity
Water reservoir is located in the front, so it’s easily pulled out and refilled. It has a 60 oz capacity (1.8L).
Dimensions
Both Philips 4300 and 3200 have the exact same dimensions of 10″D x 15″W x 17″H. They’re reasonably sized for super automatic espresso and coffee machines.
Included Accessories
- Measuring scoop
- Water hardness test strip
- AquaClean filter
- Grease tube
- LatteGo storage lid (with LatteGo version only).
Philips 4300 vs 3200 – Which Coffee Machine Wins?
Here’s my personal favorite
Philips 3200 LatteGo with Iced Coffee
And here’s why…
This version of the Philips LatteGo has pretty much EVERYTHING you need: Espresso, Coffee, Iced Coffee, Latte and Cappuccino. The downside is that it does not have a froth-only option, but here’s a workaround to get milk only from a Philips 3200 that works perfectly fine.
My second favorite is the Philips 4300 LatteGo…
The display screen on Philips 4300 is not only quite handy when it comes to customization, but also when you need to change the machine’s settings or fix machine errors, run cleaning cycles and the usual maintenance tasks.
I love that Philips 4300 LatteGo has a froth only option. I feel like this is an option that all LatteGo machines need to have.
Also, it would have made great sense to include an Iced Coffee option in the Philips 4300, but sadly, it doesn’t have this selection.
Either way, whether you eventually go for the Philips 4300 or Philips 3200 – Please choose the LatteGo version!
Having a LatteGo, or automatic milk frother, is a luxury that you don’t want to miss on! This is the whole point of having an automatic milk frother – push button coffee operation. And when it comes to milk based coffee drinks, you don’t want to mess with a manual frothing wand. Using an automatic frother, LatteGo in this case, is a lot more convenient. Plus, it’s really easy to clean and maintain.
Related Comparisons
- Philips 4300 vs DeLonghi Magnifica Evo
- Philips 3200 vs DeLonghi Magnifica Evo
- Philips 1200 vs 2200 vs 3200 vs 4300
Can I Use Almond Milk or Oat Milk in a Philips LatteGo?
You can use any type of milk you like in your Philips LatteGo. But keep in mind that when it comes to alternative milks, foam level and consistency always varies depending on the fat content of used milk. Here’s a video that can give you an idea of what to expect:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Coffee Ground in Philips LatteGo?
Yes, you can use the bypass doser to use pre ground coffee instead of coffee beans. But keep in mind that the bypass doser only takes a single dose of coffee ground, it’s not a hopper. So you’ll have to scoop in coffee for each cup you make.
Does Philips 4300 Make Flat White?
There’s no preset for Flat white on any of Philips LatteGo machines. What you can do instead, is brew a Cappuccino and use the lowest froth level to get a Flat white drink.
Does Philips LatteGo Include a Water Filter?
If you’re purchasing either Philips 4300 or Philips 3200, your machine will include a Philips AquaClean filter.
How Often Should Philips Lattego be Descaled?
If you are using the AquaClean filter, Philips predicts that you’ll need to descale your machine only every 5000 cups! Either way, the machine will alert you when it is time to descale it.
