The Philips brand hardly needs an introduction. This renowned Dutch multinational corporation traces its history back to 1891. Today, the company operates as a global licensor, focusing primarily on medical equipment. The rights to produce household appliances and electronics have been transferred to other manufacturers.
Cafe Aromis LatteGo Pro
In 2009, the corporation acquired the famous Italian company Saeco, which in 1985 pioneered the first ‘bean-to-cup’ coffee machine.
Since 2021, the brand has belonged to the Chinese company Hillhouse Capital, using the name under license. However, the coffee machines are still manufactured in a factory in Romania. For reference, Hillhouse Capital, or Hillhouse Investment, was founded in 2005 and is today one of the largest Asian investment companies specializing in private equity, venture capital, and asset management.
Unfortunately, there have been no new series under this brand since 2021. To be fair, the ultra-popular Philips LatteGo Series 2200/2300 (basic series), 3200 (up to 5 coffee types), 4300/4400 (up to 8-12 drinks), and 5400/5500 (user profiles) still compete successfully, offering superb price-quality.
This year, Philips EP8757/20 became the first model in a new line called ‘Cafe Aromis LatteGo Pro 8000 Series’.
Of course, the new brewing unit has become one of the main improvements. The VariPresso model, which holds up to 16 grams of coffee and has an adjustable maximum strength, was first used in the Saeco GranBaristo line in 2013. Furthermore, this ultra-innovative brewing unit supported adjustable pre-infusion and various pressure settings. Besides, GranBaristo became one of the first coffee machines with remote control via phone. Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, the GranBaristo line was never further developed.
Subsequently, the company used brewer units with a capacity of only 11 grams. The Philips Cafe Aromis LatteGo Pro 8000 series uses a new brewing unit with BrewExtract tech, and a capacity of up to 15 grams, which meets modern premium industry standards. For example, JURA, Nivona, and Melitta top-models are equipped with brewing units of similar capacity.
Cafe Aromis brewing unit
New brewing unit of Cafe Aromis uses BrewExtract tech. It combines automated and precision methods used in modern espresso machines to maximize flavor, aroma, and intensity.
Pros
– Enhanced Dosing & Pressing system – doses and presses coffee beans per cup;
– Cold Extraction technology.
Previously, Cold Extraction technology was offered only by premium DeLonghi, Jura and Nivona (NIVO 9000 series) models. Of course, it differs radically from the iced coffee. The history of cold extraction starts from the century before last. Merchants were unable to prepare traditional coffee due to the lack of hot water on trading sailing ships. To solve this problem, Dutch merchants developed an extraction technology based on very long (up to 14 hours) brewing of very coarsely ground coffee with cold water. The resulting drink has a more velvety taste with reduced bitterness. Today, many coffee lovers prefer this recipe, especially in hot summers.
Cold Extraction uses sophisticated algorithms to regulate pressure and brewing time, ensuring acceptable extraction with cold water in just a few minutes. Thus, Philips became the 4th brand to offer this option;
– Dual-Temperature Brewing (to balance deeper aromatic expression and consistency).
The external design of new brewing unit is similar to the Nivona 8000 series.
The developers increased the number of coffee strength settings to seven. Unfortunately, pre-infusion adjustment is missing.
As with the 4300/5400 series, the new coffee machine offers one of several preset ingredient volumes for each of the 54 programs. For example, for Lungo, the list of available values includes 90, 120, 150, 180, or 220 ml. Some coffee drinkers will likely perceive this as a restriction on their freedom. But most users welcome the general industry trend toward simplified control.
LatteGo milk jugs and profiles
Similar to the Delonghi Eletta Explore, the company offers two LatteGo Pro milk jugs for hot and cold frothing milk.
Importantly, the milk jug is assembled from just two halves, making it very easy to disassemble and clean.
Thus, the new Cafe Aromis LatteGo Pro supports milk-based coffee recipes with cold foam. Of course, the machine can also make milkshakes without foam.
Unfortunately, the average quality of the plastic and the thin air and milk channels limited the reliability of the LatteGo milk jugs in previous series. The new version appears more robust.
8 user profiles, remote control, and Barista Assistant mode
Each profile is limited to 8 recipes. Perhaps for some discerning coffee lovers, 8 personal programs is not enough, but it’s in line with the general trend of reasonable sufficiency.
Remote control is via Wi-Fi and the HomeID app.
Access to the Barista Assistant mode is located on a dedicated touch button to the right of the display.
Functionally, it’s identical to Bean Adapt tech, which was first implemented on the Delonghi Soul in 2020. In fact, the feature uses a quiz-like question-and-answer system, based on which the coffee machine selects the optimal settings. The questions include the type of coffee beans used, their roast color, and flavor (sour-bitter, mild-strong).
This model is Quite Mark certified, confirming its reduced noise level.
Conclusions
Naturally, the first new Philips coffee machine after a five-year hiatus attracted the attention of experts. The Philips EP8757/20 was the first model in the new Cafe Aromis LatteGo PRO 8000 series. The official retail price is ~ $ 1,700, but in Europe, it’s available for between € 900 and € 1,200, depending on the region. In Canada, its price is $ 1,999.00 CAD (~$ 1,500).
Considering the new brewer unit with Cold Extraction tech support, two LatteGo Pro milk jugs for hot and cold frothing milk, 54 programs, Barista Assistant mode, and Quite Mark certificate, the model can position itself between the mid- and premium segments. Accordingly, the brand’s new series maintains the superb quality-price ratio of the legendary Philips LatteGo family, which promises great marketing prospects.
The video offers a review of the Philips Café Aromis 8000 series (EP8757/20) coffee machine.