I bought the Carina in December of 2020 to boast my morale during the pandemic. This machine has been a workhorse and it still runs like a champ. The routine cleaning is easy enough, simply rinse and grease. I use the three Stumptown Coffee roasts that where recommended by Seattle Coffee Gear for super automatics. The steam wand is rarely used, I will heat milk in the microwave before adding espresso. An orange gasket shows wear and the grinder likely needs cleaning but I'm not sure where to get service since I'm not within driving range of Seattle.

Very functional. Perfect fit for our needs. Good upgrade for old Saeco. Very happy with it and the service I received. Highly recommend Seatleveey funtions Coffee Gear.

This machine is user-friendly makes great coffee and is also quiet!

I got the Carina because my Seaco Italia finally died. The Italia was an earlier version that was sold exclusively through Starbucks. Back then it was silly expensive; around the $1K range, but it served me well for 17 years of nearly daily use. The Carina I have is the slightly revised product in this video. It mostly has the same functions as the old Italia but the menu buttons make it more convenient especially when you have guests with different tastes. A definite upgrade is the frothier steam wand. This is a bit easier to use, but with markedly better results. I can easily make hot chocolate milk resulting with a very cool foam. I liked the water container BETTER on the old Italia because I could easily flip open the top and pour to fill, then recover it. The Carina has a slide where you have to disengage the seal, fill and re-engage. The fear I have is its wear on the seal, so I have to remember to lubricate it every so often. Plus a few grinds somehow make their way to the seal vicinity. It uses the standard brew mechanism, so be sure to maintain that. With the old unit, I would disassemble it to the point where the filter grate plate was out and I'd clear out all the holes with a wire. I imagine an ultrasonic bath for an hour might clean it. The espresso spout vertical height adjustment is just a wonderful upgrade! The Italia should have had something like this. It prevents splashing when using the little espresso cups.A minor difference is the Italia had reliefs at the bottom of each side for finger purchase while lifting. Located below the mass center, it made lifting the machine easy. The Carina doesn't have these lift reliefs. It's not a deal breaker, but it took me a little while to get used to them not being there and I have to be a bit more careful. All-in-all I'm very happy with it, especially since it's not silly expensive anymore.

My 19 year old Saeco coffee machine stopped working recently ( worn out Grinder). This new machine is an improved version of the Saeco with many of the same features and a few more options. So far (only 2 weeks of use) it has performed very well. The only problem is cosmetic due to the bad (seemingly permanent) glue used to stick a label onto the grain hopper. I hope the company will provi

Nicely priced, easy operation, makes great espresso

We have now had this model for about a month. Previously we used a Keurig. My wife prefers lattes so this unit is nice because it allows us to do both regular coffee as well as lattes. The coffee is better than what my Keurig provided, but honestly there's not a huge difference in my opinion.The thing I like the best about this unit is the design feature that allows the water resevoir to be filled from the front. We keep our unit under our kitchen cabinets. Having to pull it out each time to fill the water resevoir would be a HUGE PITA. I was also concerned that the steamer would generate steam that could damage the cabinets above it. Thankfully the steamer sits out in front of the cabinets far enough that it is not a problem. If you are looking for an espresso maker that will sit under your kitchen cabinets, this should be the one you choose.My biggest complaint with the unit would be the fact that if the water resevoir runs out in the middle of a drink it stops and you have to re-fill it before it will finish. If you don't do it relatively soon it will stop and forget your setting. A major annoyance if you're busy fixing breakfast. My Kuerig had a separate internal resevoir because it would always finish your cup of coffee and then stop once the water resevoir was empty. In that respect, Philips should take a page out of Keurig's playbook . Also, I turned the temp up to the highest setting and it still only comes out at around 170° when measured in the cup. I would prefer my coffee to be a little hotter than that.

The machine works as expected for the most part, but the low water indicator comes on when the reservoir is still more than half full. What’s the point of the water reservoir if you have to fill it for each use? And you can’t keep going. The machine won’t let you do anything until you fill it up again. I’m annoyed that I paid so much for convenience and still have a hassle.

Outstanding Expresso machine from a great company. Great value and performance. Time will tell for durability but I have a feeling it's built to last.Thank you Gayle & Seattlecoffeegear!

This is a great machine if you are looking for something compact and something simple to use and makes a great cup of coffee! I also appreciate the design that makes it easy to fit in any space. My family and I have enjoyed this machine especially on this day of staying home and not getting out like we use to. The last thing I like is the price. To get a machine like this at this price point is great!

Great cup of coffee or expresso! For 40 years I have searched for a cup of coffee that satisfied, then I found this Philips Carina! Love it! The only issue I can see is the water reservoir is too small for 2 people who drink coffee in the am!

Wonderful espresso machine I ever own. Looks very nice and fit my kitchen properly. Super easy to operate. Love it. Highly recommend.

Yes, it is a big investment, but what a cup... Quick, strong, and easy to care for. It may not seem hot enough for some, but we all agree it tastes great. Strongly recommend!

Having an automatic machine with a built-in grinder was quite the dream of mine for a while. I've been using a lot of different machines and techniques including drip coffee machines and mokka pots, chemex, aeropress and french press, but THIS machine... the coffee it makes is by far the best I've had at my home. Also its really easy to use and maintain, even when i'm in zombie mode in the morning i can just make coffee with a button or two. Cleaning is a breeze too, i strongly recommend the filter that goes into the water tank especially if you are the lazy type on the descaling part like me.

I am in love with my new espresso machine! It works great, makes the best americanos and it does it all on its own. No messy grounds, no grinding beans, just at the push of a button! I did a lot of research on different espresso machines (like weeks worth) and this was the one, I am not disappointed!

This machine replaces my Saeco Magic Deluxe machine that lasted over 18 years. This machine primes the pump with a little water when you turn it on and also when it shuts off. The water tank needs to be filled almost every day (based on 3+ coffees). The steamer/frother works fantastic and the coffee/espresso is delicious. Only had to adjust the grinder one notch and now the espresso is perfect (for me). I recommend this machine.

I love the simplicity of this machine and it makes really good lattes. I am still working on getting the foam to my liking but overall it's awesome! Was really nice to load it up and take it on our beach vacation (pictured here with ocean in background!) and have yummy coffee beverages literally at my fingertips! It's almost dangerous because it's so easy just to make another one! HAHA Thanks for a great piece of equipment!

This is a one week of use review. This is my fourth super automatic machine. First three were Jura. Excellent machines that provided years of heavy use. However, oily beans contributed to the need for replacement machines. Why this machine then? Number 1) Gail. I have been watching her videos for years. Mainly when the Jura machines were dropping in performance. 2.) I bought my son this same machine, based on Gail’s review, when he moved 5 hours away and was spoiled by Jura coffee. He recommended I try the Philips when the Jura finally got under my skin and it needed pitched. Well, the Jura puked water one too many times and my sausage fingers just could not reach in the machine far enough to remove stuck beans from the screen. I ordered the Philips. Again 1.) Gail, 2.) easily removable brew group that can be cleaned simply. Fully admitting I contributed to the demise of the Jura equipment by my bean selection, buying super automatics just because the brew group could not be removed is silly. After close to 20 years of Jura coffee my taste is still adjusting to the Phillips brew. But after one week would I buy again? Yes, especially due to the ability to easily remove and clean the brew group. Longevity is still to be determined. Gail don’t let me down.

I love this machine. It is so easy to use. I bought it mainly to make espresso but I found that I enjoy making coffee with it also. I was concerned that I would have to change the grind setting to go from one to the other but discovered that I can leave it on the same grind for both. It is also very easy to clean and maintain.