Review · Bean-to-cup machines

Philips 5500 LatteGo review: Philips' top-tier LatteGo, judged for UK buyers

Our Philips 5500 review: the Series 5500 LatteGo (EP5546/70) has 20 hot and iced recipes, four profiles and SilentBrew, at £669.99 at Currys (checked 3 Oct 2026). Who should skip it.

By Hoppin Hopper editorial teamUpdated 3 October 2026Prices checked 3 October 20264 min read

Illustration: Hoppin Hopper

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This Philips 5500 review covers the Philips Series 5500 LatteGo bean-to-cup coffee machine, model EP5546/70, which is the 5500 code we found at UK retailers. It’s in stock at £669.99 at Currys and £669.99 at Philips UK, checked 3 Oct 2026. We haven’t tested this in person. Our verdict is based on Philips UK’s specs, Currys’ listing, the Guardian’s bean-to-cup roundup (April 2026), which tested the LatteGo 5500, and UK prices checked 3 Oct 2026. The Guardian doesn’t give a model code. Read how we compare.

Philips 5500 review: the short answer

Buy the Philips 5500 if you want a big menu of hot and iced drinks at one touch, saved for up to four people, from a machine that’s easy to clean and quiet to run. Philips UK lists 20 recipes and four user profiles.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who puts coffee quality first. The Guardian found the espresso watery at default settings and concluded you can get better-quality coffee for less.

Skip it if you care about milk texture. The Guardian found LatteGo’s froth coarse and bubbly, and said the cheaper De’Longhi Magnifica Start did better. De’Longhi Magnifica Start ECAM220.22.GB: See it at Appliances Direct for De’Longhi Magnifica Start ECAM220.22.GB (opens in a new tab)

Who it isn’t for: latte art fans. A steam wand gives you far more control.

What it costs right now

Currys (EP5546/70, silver and black): in stock at £669.99, checked 3 Oct 2026. Currys showed no Was price, so this is the regular price. Prices can change. See the Philips 5500 at Currys
Philips UK (EP5546/70): £669.99, checked 3 Oct 2026. See the 5500 at Philips UK

John Lewis’s site didn’t respond and Argos blocked our check, so neither is included.

For context, the Philips 5400 LatteGo EP5446/70 was £619.99 and the Philips 3300 LatteGo EP3347/90 £569.99 at Currys on the same day. Philips Series 3300 LatteGo EP3347/90: See it at Currys for Philips Series 3300 LatteGo EP3347/90 (opens in a new tab) · Philips Series 5400 LatteGo EP5446/70: See it at Currys for Philips Series 5400 LatteGo EP5446/70 (opens in a new tab)

Who it isn’t for: anyone with a budget under £600. See Philips 3300 vs 5500 for the cheaper option.

Drinks and customisation

Philips UK lists 20 recipes, from espresso, lattes and cappuccinos through to iced coffees, and says the brewing is calibrated so iced coffees keep their flavour. Currys lists classic espresso, regular black coffee, cappuccino, latte, macchiato and iced coffee among its drink types.

You can adjust strength, coffee length and milk volume on the display, then save drinks to one of four user profiles, according to Philips UK. There’s also an extra shot function you can add to any coffee recipe except when using pre-ground coffee. Currys lists five strength settings and a ground coffee option.

The Guardian liked the controls: clear touch-sensitive buttons with drink icons, a colour touchscreen that makes adjusting strength and size quick, and four colour-coded user accounts.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who only drinks one coffee. The menu and profiles are the point of this machine.

Coffee quality

This is where the Guardian was least impressed. It found the espresso watery at default settings. You can improve it by grinding finer and making a smaller shot, it said, but it still didn’t match the De’Longhi machines in its test. It also felt the De’Longhi Rivelia was more solidly built and made far better coffee for the money. De’Longhi Rivelia EXAM440.55: See it at Currys for De’Longhi Rivelia EXAM440.55 (opens in a new tab)

Philips UK lists a ceramic grinder with 12 settings and its Aroma Extract system, which it says keeps brewing water between 90°C and 98°C.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who mostly drinks espresso. Expect to adjust the grind to get a stronger shot.

The LatteGo milk system

Currys lists a 260ml milk container. Philips UK says LatteGo has two parts and no tubes and can be cleaned in under 10 seconds, under the tap or in the dishwasher. Philips also notes that it doesn’t offer automatic cleaning.

The Guardian called the carafe design wonderfully simple but found the froth coarse and bubbly. It also pointed out that the machine doesn’t prompt you to attach LatteGo, so if you forget, steam spurts over the drip tray and worktop.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants dense, silky foam.

Noise, design and maintenance

Philips UK lists SilentBrew, which it says makes the 5500 40% quieter than earlier Philips models, with Quiet Mark certification. The Guardian found the rubber-sealed bean hopper lid gave the quietest grinding in its roundup, and measured peaks of 58dB brewing, 64dB steaming and 63dB grinding.

The Guardian measured the machine at 25cm wide, which it said is narrower than many machines, but found the build light and plasticky. Currys lists 8.7kg.

Philips UK lists an AquaClean filter, which it says means no descaling for up to 5,000 cups if you change it when prompted, plus five Eco Settings and a QuickStart function that heats up for the drink you choose. Currys lists a removable brew group, guided descaling, a 1.8-litre tank and a 275g bean container. Philips AquaClean water filter CA6903: Check price at Amazon for Philips AquaClean water filter CA6903 (opens in a new tab)

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants a premium, solid feel. The Guardian found it plasticky.

Downsides

Coffee: watery espresso at default settings, according to the Guardian.
Milk: coarse, bubbly froth, and no prompt to attach LatteGo.
Build: light and plasticky, according to the Guardian.
Price: £669.99 at Currys, £50 more than the Philips 5400.

Alternatives worth a look

Philips 5400 LatteGo. £50 less at Currys, with 12 hot drinks and a guest profile but no iced recipes; see Philips 5400 vs 5500.

De’Longhi Magnifica Plus. A touchscreen, four profiles and LatteCrema Hot milk; see our De’Longhi Magnifica Plus review. De’Longhi Magnifica Plus: See it at De’Longhi for De’Longhi Magnifica Plus (opens in a new tab)

De’Longhi Rivelia. The Guardian preferred its build and coffee; see De’Longhi Rivelia vs Magnifica Evo. De’Longhi Magnifica Evo: See it at De’Longhi for De’Longhi Magnifica Evo (opens in a new tab)

FAQ

What model number is the Philips 5500? The UK model we found at Currys and Philips UK is the Series 5500 LatteGo EP5546/70, in silver and black.

How many drinks does the Philips 5500 make? Philips UK lists 20 hot and iced recipes.

Is the Philips 5500 quiet? Philips lists SilentBrew with Quiet Mark certification, and the Guardian found its grinding the quietest in its roundup.

Does the Philips 5500 have user profiles? Yes. Philips UK lists four.

Verdict

Philips Series 5500 LatteGo EP5546/70 bean-to-cup coffee machine (silver and black)

An easy, quiet one-touch machine with 20 hot and iced recipes, four user profiles and the simple LatteGo milk system. It suits households that value convenience and a big menu, but the Guardian found its default espresso watery, its froth coarse and its build plasticky, and judged that you can get better coffee for less.

Pros

Pro: 20 hot and iced recipes, according to Philips UK
Pro: Four user profiles, according to Philips UK
Pro: SilentBrew with Quiet Mark certification; the Guardian found its grinding the quietest in its roundup
Pro: LatteGo has two parts and no tubes, according to Philips UK
Pro: The Guardian found it 25cm wide, narrower than many machines

Cons

Con: The Guardian found the espresso watery at default settings
Con: The Guardian found the froth coarse and bubbly
Con: The Guardian found the build light and plasticky
Con: It doesn't prompt you to attach LatteGo, the Guardian noted

Best for: Households that want lots of hot and iced drinks at one touch, with each person's settings saved.
Who it isn't for: Anyone who puts coffee quality first, or wants silky milk for latte art.

See it on the maker's site: Philips' UK page for the Series 5500 LatteGo EP5546/70 bean-to-cup coffee machineLink: Philips' UK page for the Series 5500 LatteGo EP5546/70 bean-to-cup coffee machine. Not an affiliate link.

Sources

Guardian's bean-to-cup roundup (theguardian.com)
See the Philips 5500 at Currys (currys.co.uk)
See the 5500 at Philips UK (home-appliances.philips)

Philips Series 5500 LatteGo EP5546/70 bean-to-cup coffee machine

£669.99 · checked 3 Oct 2026

See it at Currys

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