Like most who purchased this product, it was my first espresso maker. And I found out quickly that hunting for these things can be overwhelming! I purchased it at my local Target for $79.99 for convenience in case I had to return it -with all of the mixed reviews out there, I was incredibly weary of choosing one! However, I will most likely not need to do so. It is perfect for all of my needs!PROS:
1. Incredibly easy to use! Directions and trouble-shooting pages in manual are simple and helpful.
2. Compact size, looks nice sitting on the counter.
3. Easy clean-up. All parts that need to be cleaned detach easily.
4. A standard sized coffee cup will fit under the spout -not so with many models!
5. The steam feature is simple, fairly powerful, and works well. No problems here.
6. As long as you get a good batch of coffee grounds, this machine can turn it into delicious espresso!
CONS:
1. I have been experiencing a small leak onto my counter after use. I haven''t caught it in the act yet, but if I return to the kitchen a few hours later, there is a wet spot near the machine. I read another review that mentioned the same thing, so it might be a universal issue with this product. However, it is a small leak, and not enought to cause a real problem in my opinion.
2. I would suggest making 2-3 cups before wasting any milk product on your first trial. This model does not have an automatic drip feature and you will need to manually tell it when to stop pouring. If you are not used to this, you might end up with a few nasty batches on your first try. No biggie. Just watch the color of the drip. It starts out as a medium brown, and changes to a much lighter brown if left alone. I would recommend shutting it off a second or so after it changes to the lighter brown. I have made perfect batches every time by this method. This all takes place over several seconds, so keep an eye out.
YOU MIGHT NEED TO KNOW:
It mentions this in the manual, but make sure to get the right size of grounds. About the consistency of salt. I would recommend griding your own either at home with a grinder or at the store at a grinding station. They taste better for one, and you won''t waste your money on a mystery bag that doesn''t work well with your machine.
Also, it does not come with a frothing pitcher. You will need to buy one separately. I purchased mine at Bed Bath and Beyond -a Krups one, stainless, about $10? It fits fine. Just make sure you don''t get one that is too deep, or the froth wand will not reach the milk. It is a countertop model after all. If you don''t want to use as much milk you can turn the pitcher at an angle.
That''s it! Definitely more pros than cons. I feel that for the price I paid, I could not have hoped for a better quality machine. I would highly recommend this model if you want something easy and you don''t require tons of frills. If you want something more frilly, go ahead and spend $300 to $3000 on one. But I purchased an espresso maker to SAVE time and money (so long, Starbucks!), and this one''s just right for me!
After taking this one around the block a few times I have to say I''m extremely impressed with the design improvements they''ve made. Overall, this machine is a tremendous value for under $100 (mine was $75 on sale). You would really have to be a coffee snob (and have a lot of disposable income) not to love what you get for the money (I''m a poor coffee snob.)
To sing this machine''s praises, I''ll highlight the improvments they''ve made:
1) You no longer have to remove the water container to fill it up. It''s an awkward shape to try to fill from my refrigerator. So I just use my frothing pitcher and pour directly into it. This also chills the pitcher which is good for the frothing I''ll do soon.
2) I LOVE the top tray. I store my espresso cup, tamper (from the old machine the new one is the only downgrade I''ve noticed), brew basket, and espresso pitchers on it. Did I mention I love the tray? It''s a great design perk.
3) It still heats up quickly. A little faster than before for frothing.
4) They upgraded the design of the filters. Smaller holes that all converge into one hole on the bottom. Note: Don''t put these or the brew basket in the dishwasher you''ll tarnish them.
5) The bottom of the brew basket is really cool, the single hole from the filter drips onto a silicone (I''m assuming) cone in the basket which appears to guarantee an even drip between two cups of espresso. This only matters if you''re pulling separate shots. It may be overdesigned, but I think it''s cool.
6) There''s more clearance under the brew basket! You couldn''t fit a coffee mug under there before (which is why I have the two espresso pitchers). One (or two) fewer thing to clean!
7) The drip tray has two larger holes in the middle. When your espresso is done (and the machine is off) you can take out the brew basket (it''s bad for the valve to keep it there) and set it on the holes to drip and cool off before cleaning. It''s a brilliant improvement. Also, the drip tray has a spout on it to make it easy to pour out.
8) The frothing wand swings! Very cool.
Here are my tips (echoing other reviews).
-Read the directions first! It''ll last longer if you do.
-Make sure you use the correct roast and ground size and don''t overpack.
-Play with the brewer until you figure out how long you want to brew (I count to ten).
-Ditch the single filter. You''ll never use it.
-Get some demitasse cups.
-Get a frothing pitcher and use 1% milk.
-Ditch the rubber tip on the frothing wand. It''s useless unless you want to easily grow bacteria.
-After frothing, blow a little steam out the wand so no milk dries and clogs it. Wipe the wand with a damp towel shortly after steaming (it''s easier to clean when it''s hot).
That''s about it, folks. You get a lot of bang for your buck with this one. Even if it only lasted a year, I''d buy another one to replace it and I''d still save money over the more expensive models.
Enjoy!
UPDATE AFTER ONE YEAR: I use it off and on and it''s still working well. The frothing works as well as it did day one. The espresso function works, but I made the mistake of pregrinding some beans at the grocery store with the "Espresso" setting. The machine struggled to force water through even with minimal packing (Next time I''ll try the next largest size). It also seems like the seal isn''t as tight as a year ago. That said, it still pulls a decent shot. For the money, I''m still pleased.
Buy Mr. Coffee ECMP50 Espresso/Cappuccino Maker Now
11 months ago, when I read the review of this product, I concluded that it was a great bargain that was likely to be defective when I received it or to fail a short time later. I trusted that the 12 month warranty would be protect me in that case, but I wondered if it would be worth the hassle if I had to use it.Fast forward: I really like the product. I brewed probably 300 cups of espresso and it worked well. Then it blew a gasket. When I called Jarden, who now owns the Mr. Coffee Brand, the customer service rep assured me that the product was manufactured at least 3 years ago and was therefore not in warranty. He had no interest in my purchase receipt, dated 11 months early. When I refused the steam expresso machine that he offered me as a "one time courtesy" and because the comparable unit was "not in stock" I went to the Mr. Coffee website and confirmed that it was indeed in stock, for purchase. When I refused the replacement and insisted that because I had purchased the unit less than a year ago, that the company should honor the warranty. The response was that the unit was not in stock, and they encouraged me to check back with them in 4-6 weeks.
I''m sure many people give up at this point and the customer service objective of not paying warranty claim or paying them at a much reduced price is realized. I bought the product and the warranty. I didn''t realize until I needed it that the warranty was not actually included. When I asked for it, I was told that I didn''t really buy it. Interesting! I''m probably powerless to enforce the warranty. It''s certainly not worth any more of my time to try. But I can avoid buying another Mr. Coffee device and I can tell many, many people about my experience.
Caveat Emptor.
Read Best Reviews of Mr. Coffee ECMP50 Espresso/Cappuccino Maker Here
Don''t listen to the coffee snobs who say you need to spend hundreds (or more) for a good cappuccino machine! I didn''t get a machine for a long time because I figured they would be too complicated to use, time-consuming to clean, and the inexpensive ones would make lousy cappuccino. But Starbucks gets expensive, so when I saw this one on sale for $59.99 I figured all it needed to do was make 20 decent drinks to pay for itself. It has done that in a couple of weeks! Following the instructions, it''s very easy to use, cleaning is also quick and easy, and the cappuccinos and lattees come out great. It''s a huge plus that you can use regular coffee mugs, so who cares that it doesn''t come with little espresso cups? The ONLY negative is that it really should have come with a milk frothing pitcher, but I picked up an 8-oz. one at the supermarket for $1.99 and it works fine. If you are on the fence about whether or not to take the plunge on an inexpensive espresso/cappuccino maker, buy this one.Want Mr. Coffee ECMP50 Espresso/Cappuccino Maker Discount?
Okay, so there are a lot of mixed reviews on this product and if you are considering buying the Mr. Coffee ECMP-50, please give it a chance.First of all I am no expert on this machine. I have just made my first Latte and am very relieved my machine works and the quality is what you make it as far as I''m concerned. Now understand this is my second machine! I just bought the ECMP-50 yesterday and upon setting it up, the machine only "flashed" it''s glaring lights at me and nothing more. I was a little disheartened but figured it was a lemon, and thankfully it was!
So today I exchanged my machine for a new one and yes it works just fine but lets'' look a little closer. So consider first off this is a low end espresso machine. $80... great price and honestly I don''t expect much out of this for this price range. I am just tired of going to Starbucks and spending $3 a pop on an espresso drink. So point #1...
1If you can get about 30 uses out of this machine... it just paid for itself. So if it breaks after that, who cares. Buy another one! It''s not a big deal.
The steamer is probably one of the better features of this machine in my opinion. To really have full control of it though your going to need to ditch the rubber tip and just get comfortable using the machine itself. The rubber end piece while a convenient way to help maintain cleanliness and create sub-par foam, is going to hinder the quality of your drinks... plus you lose that awesome "screaming" sound.
2-To properly steam your milk! GET A THERMOMETER! Yes you need this. Next you need COLD milk. Steam up to about 140-160 degrees depending on your preference and you should be good to go. To get quality foam you need not just cold milk but lift the steam wand to the top of your milk towards the end of your steaming cycle to just steam the surface.
I can''t comment on the leaking problem because I have not had this machine long enough but It sounds like a quick return to where you purchased it or sending it to Mr. Coffee should take care of this and all other structural/wear and tear defects. (hopefully)
So. Given my experience working at Starbucks for a few years I can tell you that after using this machine. Price does not matter. Starbucks espresso machines run from $5000+ easily and they break down a lot more than you think (also get used a lot more!) But think of this like a car. It''s a machine, it''s going to require maintenance and cleaning. Take care of it. Use clean filtered water to prevent build up. Run recommended cleaning solutions through your machine periodically to break down deposits. This is plastic, do not be aggressive or forceful with your machine. Treat it like a lady :)
What I don''t like?
-So far it''s just a minor inconvenience but turning the dial for the steamer setting with a required purge at the end is a little annoying. I''d rather be able to have a little more control over my steaming and be able to purge the wand myself afterwards. BUT the swivel on the wand is great, and I''m satisfied with the length and quality of it. My milk was the right temp (with thermometer) & did not take very long to do... and the foam was better than what I usually get handed at "the bucks".
-I don''t like that I cannot brew espresso & steam at the same time.
-I don''t like that the espresso will continue to brew until you turn the dial and make it stop. If your not paying attention you''ll overflow your shot glass and lose your crema :( very sad. Speaking of shot glasses? Get espresso shot glasses, they will indicate where you should stop the brewing process making sure you have the best quality espresso possible.
I know this is a bit long and I have a hard time reading long reviews but I hope this gives a little insight. This machine is worth the money and will be just as durable and reliable as machines that run in this price range up to $1,000. It''s frustrating getting a lemon but it happens. Don''t be discouraged.
Starbucks makes a great little home brew kit with 2 shot glasses, measuring scoop, clamps, steam pot, and thermometer for about $20 as well which is a great companion for this machine.
Oh one last thing. You can buy this at Target. So very convenient to not deal with all the mail-order delays if you have an issue.
Best of luck, and happy brewing!
Mr. Coffee ECMP50 Espresso/ Cappuccino Maker
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