During its presentation, the Philips Baristina espresso machine caused a sensation. And for good reason, it is unlike any other model on the market. Halfway between full-automatic and semi-automatic espresso grinders, the Philips Baristina is primarily intended for consumers of portioned coffee (in capsules and pods) looking for a device that is easy to use and maintain, but also quick to prepare the first coffee of the morning.
During our test, we praised the ease of use and maintenance of the Baristina, capable of preparing an espresso quickly and silently. However, the maintenance score suffered from the absence of automatic rinsing of the nozzles when switched on, which some machines in the comparison offer. Manual rinsing is of course possible, but it takes a long time: 50 seconds to get rid of coffee residue. Well aware that rinsing the nozzles on a semi-automatic machine is less important than on a full auto machine (because the percolator is manually cleaned by the user between each coffee), we have reduced the coefficient in our table. This allowed the Baristina to grab a few points and actually gain a star on its rating.
To the readers, as to the manufacturer, we send a big mea culpa.