Gaggia Anima Espresso Machine vs Philips Series 5500 LatteGo EP5544/90

Bean-to-cup convenience for the coffee, with a real wand for the milk

Scores higher on cleaning & upkeep.

Twenty drinks including six iced, from a two-part milk system that rinses in seconds

Scores higher on drinks & milk system, grinder & grind control, ease of use.

• +Three brew temperatures published as real numbers, which almost no bean-to-cup states.
• +100% ceramic burrs, which hold an edge longer than steel and do not transmit heat into the grounds.
• +A removable brew group that Gaggia says can be washed under the tap.
• +A Pannarello wand, so milk is yours rather than a carafe's, and cleaning is a purge and a wipe.
• +Made in Italy, at $699.00.

• −Gaggia publishes no warranty term on either of its own sites, at any length.
• −Five grind settings, against 13 on the De'Longhi Magnifica Start at the same money.
• −A Pannarello makes foam rather than microfoam, so latte art is effectively out.
• −Gaggia's two sites disagree about the machine's wattage, so we do not state one.

• +Twenty drinks, all named by Philips, including six iced ones and a travel mug setting.
• +LatteGo is two parts with no tubes, and Philips states both go in the dishwasher.
• +A removable brew group, which is what lets you rinse the part that does the work.
• +AquaClean, which Philips says means no descaling for up to 5000 cups.
• +Four user profiles plus a guest, so a household is not re-setting strength every morning.

• −Philips publishes no price, and its own retailer list runs from $699.00 to $1,299.95.
• −The SKU most shops sell, EP5544/94, has no page on Philips' own site at all.
• −Philips' two pages for this series disagree on voltage and country of manufacture.
• −The AquaClean claim assumes eight filter replacements, which is a running cost to price in.