Introducing the Mr. Coffee Espresso and Cappuccino machine, a perfect blend of functionality, style, and quality. This programmable Coffee Maker with 15-bar pump system can brew richly-flavored espresso coffee while an automatic milk frother ensures flawless milk froth every time. A one-touch control panel simplifies your drink selections, allowing you to enjoy coffeehouse-style beverages right at home, without any barista know-how. Whether you prefer a single shot or double shot, you can customize your coffee drinks according to your favored taste. The machine ensures a consistently superior brewing experience even if you alter the grind size or amount of espresso. This versatile equipment truly enhances your coffee experience, saving you time and money by eliminating your coffeehouse visits.
Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines
Mr. Coffee Espresso and Cappuccino Machine, Stainless Steel, Programmable Coffee Maker with Automatic Milk Frother, 15-Bar Pump, Ideal for Home Baristas
$4.40
| Asin | B007K9OIMU |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 8.86"D x 11.22"W x 12.6"H |
| Weight | 10.37 pounds |
| Manufacturer | Mr Coffee |
Phil Clapham –
The fact that you’re reading this review means that you’re looking for an espresso machine (yeah, I know – duh). The fact that you’re looking for an espresso machine means that you probably want either the convenience of making fun little coffee drinks at home, and/or you want to save money because you’ve been spending a significant portion of your disposable income on similar concoctions at the overpriced coffee house down the street. To which concern I can most assuredly relate – we have the misfortune to live half a block from what is arguably the best coffee shop in Seattle, and I don’t even want to think how much of the owner’s retirement fund has come out of my pocket. Good thing he’s a friend.
So anyway, here you are on Amazon, trying to filter – ha ha, please note clever pun – through the endless product choices, which range from cheapo plastic crap to espresso machines so expensive and complicated that you wonder if you’ll need a degree in engineering to operate them. Your head is getting ready to explode as you read about things like burr grinders, with some Amazonians subtly implying that if you don’t use one of these for your home-roasted gourmet coffee beans – the ones you import weekly on a private jet from an exclusive estate in the Ethiopian Highlands – then your intellect must compare unfavorably with that of certain lower primates. And then there are the reviews that provide detailed instructions regarding this or that machine’s temperamental foibles and intolerance of idiots, advising you sternly that if you don’t do X, Y and Z in a very particular order, accompanied by ritual chanting and animal sacrifice, your $2000 espresso machine will never perform in the optimal way.
Or so it sure seems sometimes.
So here’s the key question: WHY do you want an espresso machine? Do you truly want to become an espresso master, the envy and talk of all your Yuppie friends (“Wow, Bob has a Lockheed-Martin X-320 Parisian-Bistro-Espresso Cafe Super-System with built-in burr grinder and rocket launch module, and he sure knows how to use it!”) Or do you just want a machine that costs (way) under a thousand bucks that’ll make a tasty latté or cappuccino in the morning, and in so doing save you from supporting your local coffee shop owner’s boat payments?
If it’s the latter, then I humbly recommend this fine little machine. It’s easy to set up, and if one uses decent ground espresso (for the record, I use Lavazza) it makes excellent coffee drinks with a minimum of fuss. You don’t need to fiddle with frothing yourself – just hit the right buttons and it will turn out coffee that will have you saying “Mmm, that’s good!” before you proceed with your day. Unless, of course, you’re a coffee snob who wouldn’t dream of using anything smacking of “automatic” that doesn’t involve multiple complex steps, a $300 grinder, manual frothing, a degree in engineering and animal sacrifices. But then if you’re that person you’re probably not looking at this machine.
Put the machine through a clean cycle regularly, and DO delime it at least once in a while. It’s a tedious procedure but not doing so may affect performance (we had some issues a few months in and deliming fixed them).
Do follow the setup instructions carefully, especially with regard to priming the machine the first time. And don’t do what I did, which is to wonder why nothing was happening – specifically, why no water was coming out – and then finally notice the sticker on the back of the water tank that said “Remove plastic plug before use”.
Duh.
UPDATE, SEPTEMBER 2021: we have now owned several of these machines over a period of 8 years, so I can tell you with confidence about their durability. Bottom line: they’re good for about a year of daily use.
Eventually, the frother stops working well. Despite deliming, it will have a harder time getting up to pressure and producing froth. Eventually it ceases to be functional. Since there’s a one-year warranty, you might want to trigger that before the year is up – we did that with a previous machine and Mr Coffee’s customer service was terrific – they immediately sent us a new machine for free. So, basically, you get two years of use out of one purchase.
Key point: despite the durability issue, this machine has saved us a ton of money and I’d still highly recommend it (and will likely buy another when our current one dies next year).
P.S. As some others have noted, the reservoir sometimes leaks water; we had this on one unit. My stupid but effective solution to this was to insert a strip of thin cardboard (part of the flap of a small cardboard box works) between the machine and the reservoir (i.e. behind the reservoir). Apparently this “pushes” the reservoir back enough to set it right, and it fixed the issue.
Writer Girl –
Okay, so I just got this machine yesterday but so far I absolutely love it!!!
I have been researching machines for weeks. And I have several saved but I wanted one now that wasn’t super expensive. I also didn’t want one that used pods because my last one did and putting the pod in was always hit or miss. The way the machine was set up the pod would drop down too far and not allow the panel to close, so I had to keep it held up with one finger inside the machine until the process was started. Pain in the butt!!! Plus, the espresso shots always came out too watery!
So, this machine was on my saved list but it turned out to be the deal of the day yesterday, so I decided it was now or never and bought it. I also saved $50 since it was the deal of the day!!! Yay!!!!!!!
It was packed really well to protect from damage and I received it in perfect condition! The machine came with a scoop/tamper and a single and double shot interchangeable porta filter.
First thing I did was read the instructions which were very clear and made set up super easy. I didn’t realize that there were 2 separate pieces for the single shot and double shot espresso until I read the instructions either, so that was helpful. Also, if you don’t read the instructions, you might not realize that you have to move the steaming wand from the down position and aim it in the center of the cup. Then you’d have a huge mess! It’s a little hard to see the wand at first.
I successfully made several kinds of drinks yesterday within 15 minutes of setting the machine up and plugging it in. I love when a company makes set up and instructions a breeze!!!
Things I love about this machine!!!
First, it’s very appealing to the eye. Call me girly, I’m but I love the stainless panels and the lights around the buttons!
There’s a single and double for espresso shots, cappuccino’s and latte’s.
If you hold the cappuccino button down for three seconds, it will bypass the cappuccino and just do milk and frothing only, which is perfect if you want to add vanilla chai tea mix but don’t want a shot of espresso!!! By far my favorite feature!!!
You can adjust the amount of froth with the knob on the front of the milk reservoir! Genius!!! And it works really well!!! I’m talking gobs of froth for the froth lover!!!
Cleaning the frothing wand out is a breeze. You just adjust the frothing knob to the down position where it says clean. Press and hold the latte button till it clicks and the pump starts then release the button and it runs hot water through so milk doesn’t clog the wand!
Plus, the milk reservoir comes out and you can store it in the fridge so you don’t have to dump the milk and waste it!!! Again, genius!!!
Also, I only used bottled water on my last machine and I never had a problem with lime scale or hard water, so I will only use bottled water on this one as well.
I also made some home made caramel whipped cream for a delicious topper!!!
There’s no grinder but that’s not a big deal. I am using Starbucks ground espresso roast and the result is a strong and perfect espresso shot!!! Not watery like my last machine.
*My advice, read the instructions. They will most likely teach you a few things you didn’t realize you needed to know.
So far I am super giddy over this machine!!!👍
Cau Trindade AM –
#UPDATE JAN 2023
After 6 years, my Mr.Coffee espresso machine was still working and now is gone, BUT, not because any issue with the machine. Long story short, Dez 2022 we had that snowstorm in Buffalo, NY and my backyard door was blown by the snow while me and my wife were in a trip. Snow everywhere inside my house, broken pipe, etc and the cold damaged both my Mr Coffee espresso machine and my Nespresso. It seems that the water inside the pump got frozen and damaged the coffee machine. My insurance paid for a new one and I bought again the same espresso machine, but now with a steel front panel instead of the white.
#UPDATE Nov 2022
Well, more than 5 years after, my Mr Coffee espresso machine is still working great. Not a single issue so far.
Important: I keep using ONLY distilled water. So it keeps the machine clean from mineral elements. I don’t need to use any kind of cleaner.
#UPDATE: Mar 2020 – Almost 3 years and 3 months (39 months) later, my Mr Coffee BVMC-ECMP1102 works perfectly. No problem so far. Very sure I will buy another one when this one breaks. I hope it won’t be soon. I enjoy so much this machine since the beginning. Don’t forget to check my tips down on my review. Carlos, Williamsville,NY
Update Aug 17th 2019 – 2 years and 7 months later – Working perfectly! I still love this machine and use it every single day, usually, more than once. Check my tips to keep it working for this long.
Update Jul 24th 2018 – Almost 18 months, it still works perfectly. If it breaks, I would buy another one. Check below the secrets to keep it always new.
Update Mar 9th 2018 – After 13 months I’m still in love to our Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine. My wife also loves it. We have been using it every single day, at least 2 times a day, sometimes up to 6 times.
TIPS & SECRETS ==========================
Here are some SECRETS to keep your machine working, lasting longer and having more fun.
1- Use DISTILLED WATER to make coffee. Spring water is worst than water from your sink tap. More minerals on water, more metal residues on machine parts that will cause damage. Distilled water has no minerals. You can find it in a good grocery store. I buy mines on Wegmans.
2- CLEAN it. Always. Use the clean function after using froth milk, clean the water tank. Small milk of any other residues can damage any espresso machine within time.
>>>update: It happened to me that the coffee was not coming out and overflowing the grind coffee support. It was a mess, BUT, after a few times, I found out that it’s also about cleaning. If you make a coffee and don’t clean and use for a few days, especially in a dry weather/ar conditioning, the coffee inside the coffee filter gets stuck and hard to clean (I mean, inside you can’t see. Spray some strong cleaner on it and let it under very hot water for some time. Repeat if necessary. This can happen with any espresso machine.
3- Make MOCHA out of it, it’s awesome. A good Chocolate syrup, whipping cream, added to the regular Cappucino. Cocoa power and some cinnamon powder.
4- Godiva’s Chocolate liqueur on a cappuccino will add nice taste for hot weather.
5- Use the froth milk to make a fantastic Hot Chocolate, but before warm the cup and drop a square of a good dark chocolate on it.
6- Espresso is supposed to be very hot in temperature. Always warm the cup with boiling water if possible.
Update APR 5th – After almost 2 months It works perfectly, I simply love this Espresso Machine. The automatic milk foam feature is fantastic. I’ve bought cocoa powder, cinnamon powder, Hersheys Dark Chocolate Syrup, Godiva Cocoa Liquor and Whipped Cream to make some awesome special coffees.
FEB 9th 2017 – Loved ! I had a few Espresso Machines and decided for this after my older one burned on my fault. I just loved this machine, specially considering its price. Good espresso quality ! The Cappuccino and Latte features are awesome. Just the froth milk is a little bit watered. I make awesome mocha with it too. Really beyond my expectations. Let’s nee its durability. Will be back to this review in 4 or 6 months. Feb/2017
The Rancher's Wife –
I’ll give tips after a little background info, what wasn’t right and what customer service said to do, that WORKED!
First off my background. I am not, nor have I every been a barista. I am an average person who likes mochas from the coffee shop, but I live 80 miles from town, so I don’t get them very often and wanted to try making them at home. This is my first espresso machine. I read a lot of blogs and watched online videos from real baristas giving tips how to make good espresso drinks at home before purchasing this. I got this thing and things didn’t taste right to me, bitter. So I did more research and figured out the problem, it wasn’t heating up well. I checked temperature and it was only getting to 157*F on average (too cold) and took 14-15 seconds to make one shot (too fast). NOT what the online advice says you need. Online advice says 170-180*F and 27-30 seconds is about right. So I called Mr Coffee for help before I sent it back to Amazon. GLAD I did.
The call: In short, customer service told me to run a cleaning cycle per directions from page 16 in the user manual. Which is 1/2 tank of white vinegar, hit the button for double shot. Repeat as many times as you need. Also run a cleaning cycle through the milk dispenser. My thought was, “what the heck, its a new machine! I did the priming as directed before use, how can it be dirty?” But I had to give it a try or send it back. Well I’ll be go to heck, it WORKED!
While directions said you only need to run it few times. I had the time, so I ran the whole 1/2 tank white vinegar through (double shot at at a time) since I has to toss the vinegar anyway, so why not really clean it eh? Anyway, after a couple times running the double shot espresso button the temperature went from consistent 157*F to 175-182*F. Wahoo! It seemed to matter how long I let it warm up between shots. Running two times consecutively got the 175-177*, which is just what you want. Letting it sit and warm up a few minutes before runs got it 180-184*, which is getting a little too hot. BTW, I was using a good quality quick, calibrated thermometer that I use for caramel making, which is a very exacting process to do right. So I figured it could accurately measure the espresso before it cooled from air temperature, which by the way is mere seconds I found out.
NOTE: The higher temperature is NOT for drinking comfort (how hot you like it) it is what the espresso NEEDS to properly extract and not be bitter. You can let it sit a few minutes if you don’t like it that hot, personally I don’t want a burned tongue, so I wait a little. Coming out of the machine perfect drinking temperature is NOT a good thing.
SECOND NOTE: Running the vinegar through is NOT descaling, it is cleaning. Descaling is something else you do, read the manual on how. The vinegar clean is NOT priming, it is cleaning. Don’t know why you need to clean the new machine in addition to priming, but DO it anyway. Make sure to rinse the reservoir out, then run some PLAIN water through to remove the vinegar afterwards, do it as many times as it takes to get the smell out, mine took a full reservoir. Honestly though it’s faster shipping it back and waiting for a replacement machine because it doesn’t get hot enough, this WORKS.
When I first got it, as I said it was taking 14-15 seconds to run the shots through. During the cleaning process they got longer and longer. Now that it’s clean, it’s about 28-30 seconds. Again, just what you want. I use my cell phone stop watch feature to be accurate.
In summary, based on what I’ve read and how I got it to work well, at least for “normal” person standards. This a good machine. Here’s my TIPS TO GET IT WORKING RIGHT:
1. Learn to grind grounds well. Do NOT buy pre-ground, buy beans and grind them yourself. It has to do with when the oil is release one how well it works. If you are going to the trouble to use a machine like this (rather than just normal a coffee machine) you can go to the effort to grind as well, it’s just part of the process.
You can use the hand held cone burr grinders for the most accurate fine ground. Or you can spend a bundle on an electric burr grinder. From what I read, you REALLY do need to get a good one if you go electric. In fact that is almost more important than the machine they say. Inconsistent size of grounds will yield inconsistent shots. Too fine (Turkish grind, which is like flour) and it clogs the filter making the machine unable to push all the water through. Too course (regular coffee machine grind) and the water goes through too fast making it bitter. Espresso grind has to be the consistency of table salt.
I’m cheap, so using the hand grinder does work and I advise it for other cheap people. However, in the morning I am cranky and impatient, I’m also lazy, so I’ve ordered a couple different electric burr grinders to see if that works as well. I plan to return which ever (or both) that don’t grind as the espresso NEEDS (good ol Amazon prime and their return policies). No, I did not take the online baristas advice and buy a $200 burr grinder (I am cheap after all), but I did spend about $50 on a burr grinder and $20 on a blade style. Will update when I have decided what works or not, which I kept or if I end up just doing the hand grind.
2. Learn how full to fill the cup. At least to the top of the rim, or a little higher. You want the end result about 1/8-1/4″ from the top. The amount in the cup DOES matter.
3. Learn how to pack your grounds to 30lbs of pressure. How to do that, put your bathroom scale on the counter. Use your tamper to push until you get the feel of 30lbs pressure. Repeat several times until you can push it pretty accurately. This is very important. Also, but a metal tamper, the plastic one isn’t sturdy enough for 30 lbs pressure, it bents and packs unevenly. You can get metal tampers cheap, it’s worth it.
4. Before you make your cup each morning, warm the machine as directions indicate, but ALSO run a shot of plain water through first. The second time through will be hotter, and it only takes 30 seconds.
5. Even though it’s a new machine, and you did the priming as the manual says, run 1/2 tank of white vinegar through it (directions on page 16 of manual) and it will make a tremendous difference. Don’t argue, just do it.
6. You can open the lid and fill the reservoir with it ON the machine with a pitcher if taking it on and off is too hard.
NOTE: I did NOT receive this at a discount in exchange for an honest review. This is a good machine for the average espresso based specialty coffee drinker. I gave it a full 5 stars because it’s pretty idiot proof (I’m not the most mechanical person) and it makes mochas that are pretty darn good in my average persons opinion. I have no idea what a real coffee expert would say, and really, shouldn’t they have a professional machine anyway? […]
Jessi –
By the time I bought this espresso maker, I had already gone through many different coffee and espresso machines. A friend raved about the Nespresso systems but I had used a Keurig for a few years and was done with the whole pod system, which seems wasteful and expensive, plus it was hard to keep it clean from icky sludge that formed in the water dispenser. Another friend raved about the Breville but the cost of that was way over my budget. This Mr. Coffee machine had great reviews and the price was good, so I decided to give it a try.
I’ve waited to write this review until I had some time to really get to know this machine and I can tell you I absolutely love it.
The Espresso, Cappucino, and Latte
Drinks I’ve made have all been delicious. The espresso comes out dark and rich and even has that crema top to it when the shots are finished pouring. There are two options: a single or a double filter and I always use the double. For milk, I use almond or rice milk and the froth on the cappuccino is great! The bubbles aren’t as fine and "creamy" as you would get from a professional machine at an espresso bar, but the results are still delicious and impressive. The machine dispenses the milk first, then adds the shots of espresso, so I sometimes stir it after it’s done to totally mix the espresso (especially if you add sweetener). There is definitely an advantage to using the right grind for the coffee beans. Be sure your beans are ground for espresso. I had used beans ground for pour over coffee and the espresso was watery.
The Machine
If you are looking for a brew-and-run system, this isn’t your machine. But the time and effort you spend is honestly not that big of a deal and the results are worth it. Take a cappuccino, for instance. Here’s the process. First, fill the water container with water and place on the back of the machine. Turn the machine on (it takes a few minutes to warm up). Next, fill the milk container with your type of milk, place the top on, be sure the setting is set to "cappuccino"* and insert the unit into the machine. Next, take the "porta-filter" and place a scoop of coffee into it, tamping down firmly with the tamper on the other end of the scoop. Insert the filter into the machine. Place a large cup under the filter (there’s a pull out stand for a small cup but I rarely use that), make sure the silver tube (dispensing the milk) is pointed into the cup (yes, I’ve forgotten that and dispensed milk all over the counter by accident), and then press the cappuccino button twice (for a double). The machine goes to work, first dispensing the milk, then the espresso. You’ll know it’s working because it is loud.
After you’ve enjoyed your cappuccino, there are a few things you need to do to "clean up" and be sure the machine is ready for the next time. First, remove the porta-filter and dump the used grounds (they go into my counter-top food scraps bin). Rinse out the filter, and then place back on the machine and press the button for a single shot of espresso. This rinses out the espresso parts of the machine. I then remove the filter, take it apart under cool running water, and let it dry. For the milk container, turn the setting to "clean," place a cup under the metal tube, and press the "clean" button (it’s the latte button, pressed and held for a few seconds until the "clean" function turns on). Now, the tube is clean and you can either place the container in the fridge (if there’s milk left over) or rinse/wash and let it dry. Does this sound like a lot? It doesn’t take long and it just becomes part of the process. Again, the results are worth it.
*As you can see from above, after you’ve cleaned the milk container, you have to turn the knob back to cappuccino or latte. If you forget, you’ll quickly realize that you are dispensing steamed water instead of steamed milk into your cup (plus, the cleaning sound is different than the frothy milk sound).
Cleaning the inside of the machine is an easy process (using vinegar) and the machine seems to stay much cleaner than the Keurig machine I used to own.
Bottom line: So far, this machine has produced excellent results. Takes a bit of effort but the results are worth it.
Jennifer Lynn Cody –
just bought this –
Wife makes a cup a day for the last six months. No issues so far. She runs the cleaning cycle every time she uses the frother. We have not run any cleaning solutions through the water, and we have not noticed any decrease in performance.
The frother bugs me a bit when I make hot chocolate, but if I stir the milk in my cup as it’s being poured, it seems to cut down on the frothiness of it.
*UPDATE*
Running strong for over a year now! I should probably clean it sometime… Haven’t noticed any decrease in performance yet due to not cleaning.
*ANOTHER UPDATE*
We ordered this on December 5, 2015. Today is September 27, 2017. Why the update? The frother stopped working on latte mode!
I first cracked open the milk dispenser top to see if there was a clog. Turns out, it’s super simple in there, and not much to clean. I paged through the manual, and there’s a section in there about cleaning. Hey, wouldn’t you know, Mr. Coffee says to run vinegar through the thing once every forty-eighty cups to delime it! My wife has been pretty regular in her coffee habit, minus missing a few days, plus making a few cups for guests, so I would estimate we’re about 660 cups in so far! Just a little bit over the eighty cups they recommend a cleaning at for those of us with hard water.
Anyway, I (sorta) followed the deliming instructions, ran a half gallon of vinegar through it using both the espresso and cleaning cycles, and the latte setting on the frother works again.
And for those of you who are wary… this thing works great! My wife isn’t a coffee snob, but this machine is helping her to become one. She’s (mostly) sworn off that overpriced star place’s coffee, as she’s come to find it’s very bitter, unless there’s a pound of sugar in it, then it’s too sweet. While the Mr. Coffee Cafe Barista doesn’t have all sorts of fancy features as you may see in more expensive models, this bad boy reliably delivers what it promises, and can save you tons of money! Just think… We’ve spent maybe $100 on espresso pre-ground coffee, $300 on cocoa (it’s good cocoa) & syrups. Compare that with the, at very least, $4/cup, and we’re looking at $540 for 660 cups with the Mr. Coffee, compared to $2,640+ for coffee from that star place. Pretty good deal!
*FINAL UPDATE – RIP MR.COFFEE*
We orderes this on December 5, 2015. It finally stopped making espresso on July 19, 2020. That’s 1,689 days of coffee. We didn’t make coffee every day, so let’s say one cup every three days. Over the years we’ve ordered 39 1lb bags of fancy imported Italian espresso ground coffee, at about $7/lb, spent maybe $100 on flavorings/cocoa, let’s guess $300 on milk/creamer (though probably way less), and add $10 on vinegar for cleanings. That puts us up around $700 for ingredients, plus the cost of the unit (let’s say $200, but it’s less).
So! If we say an espresso is brewed every three days, that’s 563 uses (mostly double shots). If we assume the average bucks coffees are $4, that would be $2,252 spent at the bucks for burned coffee loaded with sugar. Compare that with with the $883 on making coffee at home. Divide that by the 563 cups we made, and that’s $1.57 per drink! That’s a savings of $2.43 per drink!
So if you’re wary about spending so much money on buying this thing, or just can’t afford such a large purchase in one go, I would urge you to save up for this purchase. It’s easy to use, mostly automatic, not too much of a pain to clean (buy some little pipe cleaners! Makes life easier), and saves you a ton of money compared to buying coffee from a barista. Granted it’s not as convenient, but would you rather make your espresso a day in advance so it has a chance to chill in the fridge before you make your 64oz gut buster iced mocha, or would your prefer spending an extra $3 ever work day to spend ten minutes in the drive through?
Christopher Evensen –
It took me almost a month to write this review. Even though this is probably the easiest latte machine you could possibly buy, there are still a couple of variables that will take you some time to work out if you’ve never had an espresso machine before. The variables that will affect the quality of your drink are as follows:
1. Coffee quality and grind size (please buy whole bean and grind yourself with a quality grinder).
2. Amount of espresso you try to cram into the porta-filler.
3. Temperature of the water coming from the machine.
4. Level-ness and tamp pressure you put on the espresso in the porta-filler.
For #1: Buying a whole bean from a local roaster that is as fresh as possible is ideal. Buying it whole bean is even more important. The quality and taste of the coffee declines quickly as soon as it is ground, even in a bag you re-seal. In a coffee container that is air-tight like the coffee gator, it will last a bit longer, but still. Just buy whole bean and suck it up. Next, the grinder should be a burr type grinder (I bought the mueller conical burr grinder). Finally, dialing in the grind size is important. At first I went with the smallest grind setting on the grinder, but it wasn’t ideal. The grounds were too small and didn’t allow enough head pressure to get through the machine. Result was poor tasting espresso with no crema. I settled on ‘3’ on the mueller which is on a 1 (finest) to 10 scale.
For #2 AND #4: I battled with this for way too long. Everything online says to put 13-18 grams of coffee into a double porta-filler. The most I could ever get was 15 and that was after tamping the hell out of it so I could cram more and more in. Result was same as #1 with too fine a grind. I finally threw the common internet wisdom for grams out the window and just did it by logic and feel. Numbers wise, it’s somewhere around 11g of grinds. Logic-wise it’s ‘fill to top of porta-fill. tap tap tap on the counter to settle and even it. Fill again from grinder to top. tap tap tap to even. Take your tamper (buy the nice heavy metal one for 15 bucks) and apply force as evenly as possible. Don’t do 30lbs of pressure like they say online. With a home machine like this with 15 pressure head, 30lbs of tamp force is way too much and will barely allow the water pressure to come through making terrible coffee. Just do a nice twist/push with a LITTLE bit of weight/pressure. Try to get the puck as even as possible.
For #3: This one was weird. I measured the temp of the water coming directly out of the pump with a hand held thermometer. It was consistently around 155-163d. This is not nearly hot enough. Online, the consensus is 180-190d. I thought the machine was broken, but I read a review or two that said to descale it and it would help. On a new machine? Weird, but IT WORKS. I didn’t have vinegar, so I used CLR mixed with water. I ran a full reservoir of that mixed solution, then a full reservoir of just clean water. Result? Water temps were instantly 180-187d. Fixed. We are on a well on top of a mountain so we have hard minerals. I have to do this about every 2 weeks, but it’s worth it.
Overall I am happy. Even with the above, the consistency of my pour/shot varies (which I hate!). It’s pretty dialed in where I’ll only pull a crappy non-crema shot once in ten tries. When that happens, I’m still not 100% clear on if I didn’t follow my own advice above closely/carefully enough or if the machine can just be inconsistent sometimes. You can tell instantly how good the shot is going to be. For a double, it should be about 5 seconds of dark coffee coming out, followed by 10 seconds of perfect looking crema, followed by 5 seconds of slightly watered down looking crema. You can kill the watery crema by hitting the espresso button on the machine again. When you are pulling a really crappy shot, you will get dark coffee followed by what looks like really watery coffee. I have no idea why this happens. Will update this if I nail it down. Otherwise, 9/10 times it makes great espresso shots!
The latte portion of this machine works great and just as advertised. Sometimes if you put it on Latte as ooposed to espresso froth it can jip you a little bit on the amount of steamed milk it gives you. If this happens, just run the latte cycle again and stop it manually when you have the amount of froth you want.
Cleaning is pretty easy, but takes some time. You have to keep pushing the clean cycle every time it ends. I wish it would just do it continuously until the water runs out.
I tried a couple of other machines and espresso specific machines. None of them were worth the hassle and this Mr Coffee is so much easier/time saving. The espresso specific machines I tried from DeLonghi took way too much time to make myself a latte in the morning because of the separate frother. Yea, I know 1st world problems but between setting it up, making it, and cleaning it we’re talking 10-15 min vs 5. When you have to run to work that time savings makes a difference.
Overall, I’m really happy with it after figuring things out. Will update is something crazy happens.
Courtney –
I bought this on sale for Black Friday and have enjoyed it since. It is perfect for someone who has been wanting to try out an espresso machine without investing too much into it. It is very easy to use and has made a delicious cup each time. However, it has the quality of the price tag. My 2 primary complaints are the noise, it is quite loud when pumping water through the espresso and when steaming the milk. This is my only experience with espresso machines so I just assume they are generally loud. My 2nd complaint is that the cup rest is too short for the preset settings. My large mug is always overfilled if I use the preset settings. And I cannot use a larger mug because it will not fit into the mug area on the machine. I suggest using a short very wide mug. I have gotten around this by using the espresso button then the milk steam button and stopping the steam button when my cup is full. Thankfully this machine is very easy to clean, so all of my first use messes were not a big deal to clean up. I would recommend this machine to others with the advice of using a certain size mug or not using the preset settings.
Patti –
When I bought this 7 months ago, I’ll be honest that I wasn’t expecting much. I must admit I was wrong. Sometimes you buy a product and it is great. This Mr. Coffee maker is just that product. I didn’t think making cappuccino could be this easy but it is. And I mean really easy. Just read the instructions and clean it as described in the manual, which takes no time. I was in France recently and they have almost exclusively moved to the machine style coffee. It is nothing compared to the quality of the coffee machine. I read several reviews and one comment was that the coffee was weak. In most cases, that would be a deal breaker for me. However, I learned that using a good espresso bean is key. Not that you have to spend a bundle on beans, but just don’t buy cheap stuff. This coffee is better than what you buy in the large coffee chains. I was super impressed. After making several cups of incredible cappuccino, you realize that you can pay for the machine when compared to the cost of a coffee at a chain coffee shop.