Comparison · Bean-to-cup machines
Philips 3300 vs 5500 LatteGo: is the 5500 worth the step up?
The Philips 3300 LatteGo is £569.99 and the 5500 LatteGo £669.99 at Currys (checked 3 Oct 2026). The extra £100 buys far more drinks, user profiles and a colour screen. Here's who needs them.
The Philips 3300 vs 5500 decision comes down to how many drinks, and how many people, the machine has to cater for. Both are LatteGo bean-to-cup machines with the same size of grinder, tank and bean hopper on paper. The Series 3300 EP3347/90 is £569.99 at Currys and the Series 5500 EP5546/70 is £669.99 at Currys, both in stock and the same price at Philips UK (checked 3 Oct 2026). We haven’t tested this in person. Our verdict is based on Philips UK’s specs, Currys’ listings, the Guardian’s bean-to-cup roundup (April 2026), which included the LatteGo 5500, and UK prices checked 3 Oct 2026. Read how we compare.
Philips 3300 vs 5500: the short answer
Get the Philips 3300 if one or two people drink a few standard coffees, such as espresso, cappuccino and latte macchiato. It’s £100 cheaper and Philips UK lists the same 12-step ceramic grinder, 1.8-litre tank and 275g bean container.
Who it isn’t for: households where several people want their own drink saved. Philips UK lists no user profiles on the 3300.
Get the Philips 5500 if you want a long menu, including iced drinks, and up to four saved profiles. Philips UK lists 20 hot and iced recipes.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who mainly cares about coffee quality for the money. The Guardian found the 5500’s espresso watery at default settings and judged that you can get better coffee for less.
What they cost right now
These are the prices we found on 3 Oct 2026:
- Philips 3300 LatteGo EP3347/90: in stock at £569.99 at Currys, and £569.99 at Philips UK. See the 3300 at Currys
- Philips 5500 LatteGo EP5546/70: in stock at £669.99 at Currys, and £669.99 at Philips UK. See the 5500 at Currys
Neither Currys page showed a Was price, so both are regular prices. Prices can change. If you don’t need LatteGo, the 3300 EP3326/90 with a classic milk frother was £409.99 at Philips UK.
Who it isn’t for: anyone with a budget under £500. See our Philips 2300 vs 3300 page for cheaper LatteGo options.
Drinks
- 3300 EP3347/90: Philips UK’s spec table lists five pre-programmed drinks: espresso, coffee, cappuccino, latte macchiato and iced coffee, plus hot water.
- 5500 EP5546/70: Philips UK lists 20 recipes, from espresso, lattes and cappuccinos to iced coffees, plus an extra shot function you can add to any coffee recipe except when using pre-ground coffee.
Currys lists iced coffee on both.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who drinks the same thing every morning. Twenty recipes add little if you use two.
Display and profiles
Philips UK describes the 3300’s display as a touch screen with coloured icons, with My Coffee Choice for strength, length and milk froth level. Currys lists a TFT touchscreen on the 5500, and Philips UK says you can adjust strength, coffee length and milk volume, then save drinks to one of four user profiles.
The Guardian liked the 5500’s controls: clear touch-sensitive buttons with drink icons, a colour touchscreen for adjusting settings, and four colour-coded user accounts.
Who it isn’t for: single-person households. Profiles matter when several people share the machine.
Milk
Both use LatteGo, with a 0.26-litre milk container on the 3300 (Philips UK) and 260ml on the 5500 (Currys). Philips says LatteGo has two parts and no tubes and can be cleaned in about 10 seconds, under the tap or in the dishwasher.
The Guardian found the 5500’s LatteGo “wonderfully simple” but said it made a coarse, bubbly froth, bettered by the cheaper De’Longhi Magnifica Start. It also noted that the machine doesn’t prompt you to attach the milk frother, so if you forget, it spurts steam over the drip tray.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants dense, silky foam. A steam wand gives you more control.
Noise and maintenance
Philips UK lists SilentBrew on both, which it says makes them 40% quieter than earlier Philips models, with Quiet Mark certification. The Guardian found the 5500’s rubber-sealed bean hopper lid made for the quietest grinding in its roundup, and measured peaks of 58dB brewing, 64dB steaming and 63dB grinding.
Both take an AquaClean filter, which Philips says means no descaling for up to 5,000 cups if you change it when prompted. Philips UK also lists five Eco Settings on the 5500 and a QuickStart function that heats up for the drink you choose.
Who it isn’t for: anyone hoping the 5500 is much quieter than the 3300. Philips makes the same SilentBrew claim for both.
Size and specs
- Grinder: ceramic, 12 settings, on both (Philips UK).
- Beans and water: 275g and 1.8 litres on both (Philips UK for the 3300, Currys for the 5500).
- Weight: 8kg for the 3300 (Philips UK) and 8.7kg for the 5500 (Currys).
- Width: 246mm for the 3300 (Philips UK). The Guardian measured the 5500 at 25cm wide, narrower than many machines.
Who it isn’t for: anyone choosing on size. These two take up almost the same space.
Who each one suits
- The 3300 suits couples or single users who want one-touch cappuccino and latte macchiato for less.
- The 5500 suits busier households that want a big menu, iced drinks and saved profiles.
For more on each, see our Philips 3300 review and Philips 5500 LatteGo review. If you’re weighing the 5500 against an older sibling, see Philips 5400 vs 5500.
Downsides
- 3300: no user profiles; Currys and Philips UK disagree on whether it has wi-fi.
- 5500: £100 more, and the Guardian found watery default espresso, coarse froth and a light, plasticky build.
- Both: LatteGo foam is quick and easy rather than silky.
Alternatives worth a look
De’Longhi Magnifica Evo. A simpler, cheaper one-touch machine; see our Magnifica Evo review.
De’Longhi Rivelia. The Guardian felt the Rivelia was more solidly built and made far better coffee than the 5500.
FAQ
What’s the difference between the Philips 3300 and 5500? The 5500 lists 20 hot and iced recipes against five on the 3300, plus four user profiles and Eco Settings, according to Philips UK. The grinder, tank and bean container are the same.
How much more is the Philips 5500 than the 3300? £100 at Currys on 3 Oct 2026: £669.99 against £569.99.
Do both have LatteGo? Yes, the EP3347/90 and EP5546/70 both use LatteGo. Philips also sells a 3300 with a classic milk frother, the EP3326/90.
Is the Philips 5500 quiet? Philips lists SilentBrew with Quiet Mark certification, and the Guardian found its grinding the quietest in its roundup.