Philips 4300 Series EP4346 review
1.8L water reservoir capacity. Priced at $1199.
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Recommended
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CHOICE recommends automatic espresso machines with an overall score of 75% or above, so long as they also score 70% or above for taste and at least 55% for milk frothing.
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CHOICE Expert Rating
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This overall score is made up of taste (60%), ease of use (20%), milk frothing (15%) and coffee temperature consistency over consecutive cups (5%).
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Taste test score
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Three experts test the espressos in a 'blind' tasting, checking the colour and thickness of the crema (the tan-coloured foam on the top of an espresso), aroma, flavour, mouth-feel (for example, creaminess or wateriness) and aftertaste.
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Ease of use score
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We test how easy the machines are to use by trying the controls, filling the water tank and the bean hopper, adjusting the grinder, making a coffee, cleaning inside and out, and programming a coffee.
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Milk frothing score
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We experiment with each machine to find how it best froths milk, looking for fine, pourable froth.
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Coffee temperature consistency score
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We measure the consistency of four consecutive coffees for each machine after warming it up for five minutes. Models with thermoblock systems generally heat up only a very small quantity of water on demand as it flows through the system so it isn't unusual for them to have inconsistent temperatures. Boilers heat a larger amount of water and generally keep it heated fairly consistently.
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Shop Ethical rating
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Shop Ethical rates the environmental and social impact of the company (not the product) using independent sources. This rating is not included in our total score. N/A means there is no rating for that company.
- Warranty
- 24 months
- Country of origin
- Romania
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Availability
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This row shows which products are still available in shops ('Tested model') and which models have been discontinued. You might still be able to find discontinued models in second-hand stores or online.
- Tested model
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Price
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The manufacturer's recommended retail price. Prices are often flexible, so shop around both online and in bricks-and-mortar stores for options.
- $1199
- Milk frothing feature
- Automatic
- Coffee strength settings
- Yes (5)
- Measured heat-up time
- Frothing ready
- Instantaneous
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Water reservoir capacity (L)
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The water reservoir is the water container for the machine.
- 1.8
- Pump pressure – stated (bars)
- 15
- Dimensions (H x W x D, cm)
- 37 x 24 x 43
- Weight (kg)
- 7.7
- Website
- philips.com.au
- Items supplied
- Espresso machine, literature (instructions, safety, warranty, registration offer, water filter pamphlet), water filter, water hardness tester, pre-ground coffee scoop, grease for inner workings of the machine, water filter
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Standby mode
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Defined as an 'eco', 'sleep' or 'low power' mode where the machine doesn't completely shut off.
- Yes
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Automatic power turn-off
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Machine can shut itself down after a certain time.
- Yes
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Removable water reservoir
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Some can be completely removed for refilling while others need to be filled at the unit. All tested models have removable reservoirs, however, being able to fill the reservoir without removing it helps to preserve the connection points.
- Yes
- Water tank empty reminder
- Yes
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Steam wand
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Whether there is a steam wand for frothing milk. Many automatic espresso machines will do everything including froth the milk but some people may prefer to control this part of the process.
- No
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Hot water nozzle
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The hot water nozzle has a bigger opening than the steam nozzle allowing more water to flow through. It could be used to make hot water for tea or long blacks.
- Yes
- Removable drip tray
- Yes
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Cup warming plate
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An area to keep the cups at the optimal temperature for serving espresso.
- No
- Cord storage
- No
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Programmable coffee quantity
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Can you program the strength and volume of the coffee coming out into your cup?
- Yes
- Digital display
- Yes
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Grinder adjustment
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Are you able to adjust the fineness/coursness of the grind on the machine?
- Yes
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Hopper empty warning
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The hopper is the area that holds your coffee beans. Some machines alert you when the hopper is empty.
- Yes
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Cup counter
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Some models keep count of how many cups of coffee the machine has made, which is useful if you need to track how much it's being used (like in an office kitchen for example).
- Yes
- Dregs box full indicator
- Yes
- Espresso pressure or milk temperature gauge
- No
- Adjustable water temperature for coffee making
- Yes (3 settings)
- Adjustable coffee dispensing height/depth
- Yes / No
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Removable group for cleaning
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The group forms the puck and extracts the coffee. You can remove this in some machines for cleaning.
- Yes
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Wash / cleaning cycle
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Does the machine have a cleaning cycle function whereby water is flushed through the coffee and milk spouts?
- Yes
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Decalcifying cycle
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Is there a decalcifying cycle to remove mineral build up in the machine? Normally this requires a tablet or powder of descaler.
- Yes
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Can use pre-ground coffee
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Whether the machine can accommodate pre-ground coffee or only coffee beans. Bear in mind these machines are designed to be used with beans and can generally only handle one serve of ground coffee at a time.
- Yes
- Water hardness adjustable
- Yes
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Instructional DVD supplied
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Whether an instructional DVD is supplied. Not so relevant these days, as many tutorials are accessible on video sites like YouTube or via the manufacturer's app.
- No
- Other features
- Before each coffee, the user can set the volume and coffee strength; multiple user profiles with saved settings; drink statistics; comes with water filter