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The Philips Baristina is easy to use and produces consistent shots, but its espresso is only average and its value is weak at the £300 price Expert Reviews tested it at. It suits someone who wants a simple step up from pod machines and can accept average flavour. It is a hard recommendation for anyone who wants genuinely good home espresso and some control over the result.
The verdict comes from Expert Reviews’ review by Danielle Amato, published on 16 September 2026. The machine’s convenience, its lack of adjustment, and the cost of the milk-frothing bundle each shape that verdict, so the sections below take them in turn.
What the Baristina is
Expert Reviews describes the Baristina as a hybrid between a manual espresso machine and a fully automatic bean-to-cup machine. It has an integrated ceramic burr grinder and an unusual custom portafilter. You load beans, choose a drink, and the machine handles the rest, but you still remove and throw away the spent coffee puck.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Philips describes the BAR300/00 as a whole-bean espresso machine that automatically grinds, tamps and brews espresso or lungo, and advertises a 16-bar pump. The 16-bar figure is a manufacturer claim, not an independent measurement of extraction. Philips’s product copy puts the pitch simply: “Just swipe the handle. Baristina automatically grinds, tamps and brews your coffee.”
#1 Best Overall
- REAL ESPRESSO, MADE SIMPLE: Baristina grinds, tamps, and brews with a 16-bar pressure pump to extract a robust flavor from your beans.
- SWIPE. BREW. ENJOY: Swipe the handle and let Baristina do the rest. Coming from bean to cup all in less than 60 seconds.
- TINY - YET MIGHTY! Compact enough for any kitchen counter, powerful enough for barista-style coffee.
- FRESH IS BEST: Freshly ground beans give you the greatest coffee aroma.
- TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT: Espresso. Lungo. Extra intense. Your call.
Key specifications
- Water tank: 1.2 litres, per Expert Reviews.
- Bean hopper: up to 170g of whole beans, per Expert Reviews.
- Grinder: integrated ceramic burr grinder with 15 internal settings that you cannot select yourself.
- Pump: 16 bar, as claimed by Philips.
- Drink buttons: espresso, lungo, and a strength button that grinds an extra 1.5g of coffee.
- Milk: the standard model has no built-in steaming or frothing.
How a shot is made
The workflow is short, which is much of its appeal:
- Fill the 1.2-litre water tank.
- Load whole beans into the hopper, up to 170g.
- Press the espresso or lungo button. Press the strength button as well if you want a slightly stronger drink, which adds 1.5g of ground coffee.
- Swipe the custom portafilter into position. The machine grinds, tamps and brews.
- Remove the portafilter and dispose of the spent puck yourself.
What the testing showed
Expert Reviews used Curve Coffee’s house espresso beans. The results below are the reviewer’s measurements from her own test setup. They are not a guarantee for every bean, grind, or user.
| Measure | Reported result | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee in | About 12g on average | Varied by a couple of grams across separate measurements |
| Espresso out | About 40g on average | Same measurement set as above |
| Pour time | Roughly 16.5 to 17.5 seconds (around 17 seconds quoted) | Observed by the reviewer |
| User-adjustable grind size | No | Grind is set automatically by the machine |
| Flavour | Acceptable, but lacking complexity | Reviewer’s assessment |
The numbers suggest a repeatable machine. The flavour verdict is the part that matters most for a buyer who cares about espresso quality.
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- REAL ESPRESSO, MADE SIMPLE: Baristina grinds, tamps, and brews with a 16-bar pressure pump to extract a robust flavor from your beans. In less than two minutes, the Frother produces perfect foam at just the right consistency
- SWIPE. BREW. ENJOY: Swipe the handle and let Baristina do the rest. Coming from bean to cup all in less than 60 seconds. Hot and Cold: Set the temperature to hot or cold and master every coffee style, from latte macchiato to iced or any other milk based drink: matcha, hot chocolate, etc.
- TINY - YET MIGHTY! Compact enough for any kitchen counter, powerful enough for barista-style coffee. Easy to clean: Smooth, non-stick surfaces mean you only need a rinse and a wipe to clean your Frother – while the whisk and lid are dishwasher friendly.
- FRESH IS BEST: Freshly ground beans give you the greatest coffee aroma. With the Frother, you can have any milk, any time: Creates the best possible foam with different types of milk and plant-based alternatives.
- TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT: Espresso. Lungo. Extra intense. Your call. For fine foam: Set to the ideal temperature and speed, creating the ultimate in stiff, fine foams.
Convenience versus control
The central trade-off is that the Baristina automates the decisions that a home barista normally makes. Philips describes 15 internal grinder settings, but customers cannot choose among them. Expert Reviews says the machine adjusts them automatically. In the reviewer’s tests the grind seemed relatively coarse.
She links that partly to the pressurised filter basket, which has a single exit valve. This is her reading of the machine’s behaviour, not a verified engineering explanation.
The practical problem is simple. If you switch between beans, you have no direct grind adjustment to tune extraction. A machine that makes a consistent drink but cannot be tuned leaves the flavour largely where the automatic settings place it.
Rank #3
- REAL ESPRESSO, MADE SIMPLE: Baristina grinds, tamps, and brews with a 16-bar pressure pump to extract a robust flavor from your beans.
- SWIPE. BREW. ENJOY: Swipe the handle and let Baristina do the rest. Coming from bean to cup all in less than 60 seconds.
- TINY - YET MIGHTY! Compact enough for any kitchen counter, powerful enough for barista-style coffee.
- FRESH IS BEST: Freshly ground beans give you the greatest coffee aroma.
- TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT: Espresso. Lungo. Extra intense. Your call.
Milk drinks and the frother
The standard Baristina does not steam or froth milk. Expert Reviews describes a bundle at £380 that adds a separate automatic Baristina-branded frother. The reviewer found the frother functional but limited to one foam setting.
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Expert Reviews suggests buying the machine alone and pairing it with a different frother, such as a Nespresso Aeroccino or a Lakeland milk frother. It also says that someone who regularly wants milk-based drinks may prefer a machine with integrated frothing. These are the reviewer’s suggestions, not a separate comparative test.
Rank #4
- Fresh beans are best — The fresh coffee beans and deliciously frothed milk from this coffee machine with grinder give you the richest aroma and best-tasting coffee.
- Choose your favourite foam — With this espresso machine, you can create lusciously thick froth, perfectly dense microfoam, or just hot milk at the press of a button for cappuccinos and lattes.
- Automatic grinding, tamping & brewing — The Baristina coffee machine with grinder automatically grinds, tamps, and brews your coffee while frothing the milk, so you enjoy a perfect cappuccino or latte effortlessly.
- Easy to clean — This compact coffee machine is simple to maintain: remove the portafilter, take apart the wand, rinse both, and you’re ready for your next cup.
- Your stylish little barista at home — With ideal grind size, precise pressure, accurate dosing, and delicious froth, this espresso machine lets you create real cappuccinos and lattes at home.
Prices and value
Expert Reviews tested the Baristina at £300 and the machine-and-frother bundle at £380. Philips UK’s range page, as checked for the 2026 coverage, listed BAR300 variants at £299.99, one BAR303 variant at £359.99, the bundle’s suggested retail price at £379.99, and one BAR311 frother listing at £84.99. Catalogue prices change, so check Philips UK before buying.
Expert Reviews argues that the Baristina faces alternatives close enough in price to make its limitations matter. It names the De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Next as a more automated bean-to-cup option. For a manual setup, it pairs a De’Longhi Dedica with a Baratza Encore. The prices in that review are point-in-time figures and should be checked before you rely on them.
How to compare options
Score any machine against these six criteria, including the grinder or frother when it is not built in:
Best Value
- REAL ESPRESSO, MADE SIMPLE: Baristina grinds, tamps, and brews with a 16-bar pressure pump to extract a robust flavor from your beans.
- SWIPE. BREW. ENJOY: Swipe the handle and let Baristina do the rest. Coming from bean to cup all in less than 60 seconds.
- TINY - YET MIGHTY! Compact enough for any kitchen counter, powerful enough for barista-style coffee.
- FRESH IS BEST: Freshly ground beans give you the greatest coffee aroma.
- TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT: Espresso. Lungo. Extra intense. Your call.
- How much you have to do yourself, from dosing to puck disposal.
- How far you can adjust grind and extraction.
- The espresso quality you can realistically expect.
- Whether it can make the milk drinks you actually order.
- How much cleanup and puck handling it requires.
- The total setup cost once a required grinder or frother is added.
On these criteria the Baristina leads on simplicity and loses ground on control and drink choice.
Who should buy it
- A good fit: someone moving up from pods who wants espresso or lungo with minimal effort, and who does not need to tune the grind.
- A poor fit: someone who wants to adjust grind for different beans, expects strong espresso character, or drinks milk coffee every day and wants integrated frothing.
- A conditional fit: a milk drinker who accepts the bundle’s single foam setting, or who is prepared to buy a separate frother.
The machine takes whole beans, so the choice of coffee is yours. Expert Reviews used one roaster’s house beans and did not recommend a particular brand or roast.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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