Comparison · Bean-to-cup machines
Philips vs De'Longhi bean to cup coffee machines: which brand should you buy?
Philips and De'Longhi bean-to-cup machines lined up price band by price band, with UK prices checked 3 Oct 2026, so you can pick the right pair to compare.
Philips vs De’Longhi is the brand question most people hit when they shortlist a bean-to-cup coffee machine in the UK. Both sell one-touch machines from under £300 to well over £600, and at each price the real choice is between two specific models, not two brands. This page lines them up price band by price band and points you to the head-to-head that settles it. We haven’t tested these machines in person. Our verdict is based on Philips UK’s and De’Longhi UK’s specs, Currys’ and John Lewis’s listings, the Guardian’s bean-to-cup roundup (April 2026) and UK prices checked 3 Oct 2026. Read how we compare.
Quick answer: De’Longhi was cheaper model for model when we checked UK prices on 3 Oct 2026; for example, a Magnifica Evo with a milk carafe was £349 at Currys, against £569.99 for the Philips 3300 LatteGo. Choose Philips for LatteGo’s two-part milk system, iced recipes and AquaClean filters. At the top end, the Guardian rated the De’Longhi Rivelia’s coffee above the Philips 5500’s.
Philips vs De’Longhi: the short answer
Choose De’Longhi if price matters most or you want a steam wand. At the prices we found, De’Longhi was cheaper like for like: the Magnifica Evo with a steam wand was £299 and with a milk carafe £349 at Currys, against £569.99 for the Philips 3300 LatteGo.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants the simplest milk system to clean. Philips says LatteGo has two parts and no tubes.
Choose Philips if you want LatteGo, a long one-touch menu or iced drinks. Philips UK lists 20 hot and iced recipes on the Series 5500.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants the most coffee for the money at the premium end. The Guardian found the De’Longhi Rivelia more solidly built than the Philips 5500, with far better coffee for the money.
The biggest difference: how they do milk
- Philips LatteGo: a 0.26-litre milk container that froths and pours milk into your drink. Philips says it has two parts and no tubes, and can be rinsed under the tap or put in the dishwasher. Some Philips models, such as the 2200 EP2220/10 and the 3300 EP3326/90, have a classic milk frother (a manual steam wand) instead.
- De’Longhi steam wand models: the Magnifica S and the cheaper Magnifica Evo versions have what De’Longhi calls a traditional milk frother. You hold the jug and judge the milk yourself.
- De’Longhi carafe models: the Magnifica Evo ECAM290.61.SB has an automatic frother with a 220ml carafe (Currys), and the Evo ECAM290.83.TB and the Rivelia use LatteCrema Hot.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who hates washing milk parts. Any carafe needs rinsing after use, and a steam wand needs wiping straight away.
Under £300: Philips 2200 vs De’Longhi Magnifica S
Both are simple machines with a manual steam wand. The Philips Series 2200 EP2220/10 was £279 at John Lewis, and the De’Longhi Magnifica S ECAM250.33.TB was £299 at Currys (checked 3 Oct 2026). The Magnifica S lists 13 grind settings. The Philips 2200 has only two coffee buttons and three strength settings, but a removable brew group that’s easy to rinse.
Read the Philips 2200 review, the Magnifica S review and our best bean to cup coffee machine under £300 guide.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants one-touch cappuccinos. Neither froths milk for you.
£300 to £600: Magnifica Evo vs Philips 3200 and 3300
This is where De’Longhi’s price advantage is clearest. The Magnifica Evo ECAM290.31.SB (steam wand) was £299 and the ECAM290.61.SB (carafe) £349 at Currys. The Philips 3300 LatteGo EP3347/90 was £569.99 at Currys, and Philips UK had the steam wand 3300 EP3326/90 at £409.99. The Philips 3200 LatteGo was £599.99 at Philips UK but out of stock (all checked 3 Oct 2026).
Philips UK lists an iced coffee setting on the 3200; De’Longhi doesn’t list one on the Evo models we checked.
Head-to-heads: Magnifica Evo vs Philips 3300 and Philips 3200 vs Magnifica Evo.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who assumes every Evo froths milk for you. The model code decides that, and our Magnifica Evo review explains each one.
£600 and over: Philips 5500 vs De’Longhi Rivelia
The Philips Series 5500 LatteGo EP5546/70 was £669.99 at Currys, and the De’Longhi Rivelia was from £594 (checked 3 Oct 2026). The Philips has the longer menu (20 hot and iced recipes, Philips UK) and four user profiles. The Rivelia has two swappable 250g bean hoppers (Currys), so you can keep a decaf and a regular bean on the go.
The Guardian tested both. It said the Rivelia makes far better coffee than the Philips 5500 for the money, but measured a 68dB grinding peak and noted its top-mounted touchscreen could be awkward for shorter people and wheelchair users.
Full comparison: Philips 5500 vs De’Longhi Rivelia.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who only drinks black coffee. At this price you’re mostly paying for milk drinks and menus.
Descaling and upkeep
Philips UK lists an AquaClean filter on its LatteGo machines, which Philips says means no descaling for up to 5,000 cups if you change it when prompted. De’Longhi machines still need regular descaling. See how to descale a De’Longhi Magnifica and how to descale a Philips 3200.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who never changes filters. AquaClean only saves descaling if you replace the filter when prompted.
Which brand suits you
- De’Longhi suits buyers who want the lowest price for a given feature, a steam wand, or the Rivelia’s two bean hoppers.
- Philips suits buyers who want LatteGo, iced drinks or the longest one-touch menu.
Still deciding? Compare every model in our bean to cup coffee machine comparison.
Downsides
- Philips: LatteGo makes a coarser froth than a steam wand (the Guardian found the 5500’s froth coarse and bubbly), and like-for-like prices were higher when we checked.
- De’Longhi: confusing model codes, and the cheapest versions froth milk manually.
Philips 5500 vs De’Longhi Rivelia at a glance
| Philips Series 5500 LatteGo EP5546/70 | De’Longhi Rivelia EXAM440.55 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price, 3 Oct 2026 | £669.99 (Currys and Philips UK) | From £594 (Currys) |
| Milk | LatteGo, 260ml | LatteCrema Hot carafe |
| Beans | One container | Two swappable 250g hoppers |
| Menu | 20 hot and iced recipes, four user profiles (Philips UK) | See our full comparison |
| Descaling | AquaClean filter: no descaling for up to 5,000 cups if changed when prompted (Philips) | Regular descaling |
| Guardian’s findings | Quietest grinding in its roundup; coarse, bubbly froth | Far better coffee for the money; 68dB grinding peak |
Prices from Currys and Philips UK, checked 3 Oct 2026. For the full head-to-head, see Philips 5500 vs De’Longhi Rivelia.
FAQ
Is Philips or De’Longhi better for bean to cup? Neither wins outright. At the prices we found on 3 Oct 2026, De’Longhi was cheaper like for like, while Philips offered LatteGo and longer menus with iced drinks. At the premium end, the Guardian rated the De’Longhi Rivelia’s coffee above the Philips 5500’s.
Which is cheaper, Philips or De’Longhi? De’Longhi, model for model. The Magnifica Evo with a milk carafe was £349 at Currys, against £569.99 for the Philips 3300 LatteGo (checked 3 Oct 2026).
Which is easier to clean? Philips LatteGo has two parts and no tubes, according to Philips, and Philips says AquaClean can mean no descaling for up to 5,000 cups. A steam wand is simple too, but needs wiping straight after use.
Does De’Longhi make iced coffee machines? We didn’t find an iced setting on the Magnifica Evo models we checked. Philips UK lists iced recipes on the 3200 and the 5500.
Philips 5500 or De’Longhi Rivelia: which should you buy? The Rivelia if coffee quality and two bean hoppers matter most: the Guardian found it made far better coffee than the 5500 for the money, and it was from £594 at Currys on 3 Oct 2026. The Philips 5500 (£669.99 at Currys) if you want iced drinks, four user profiles and LatteGo.
Which is quieter, Philips or De’Longhi? In the Guardian’s tests, the Philips 5500’s grinding was the quietest in its roundup, and it measured a 68dB grinding peak on the De’Longhi Rivelia. Philips also lists Quiet Mark certification on the 5500.
Do Philips bean-to-cup machines need descaling? Less often if you use AquaClean. Philips says that changing the AquaClean filter when prompted means no descaling for up to 5,000 cups. De’Longhi’s machines need regular descaling.
