Product Description
Have the ability to make coffeehouse quality espressos and cappuccinos in the comfort of you own home. The Mr. Coffee 15-bar pump espresso maker delivers high-quality drinks on a consistent basis. The thermal block heater makes brewing faster and a removable water reservoir makes it easier to get started.
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #2060 in Kitchen & Housewares
* Brand: Mr. Coffee
* Model: ECMP50
* Dimensions: 13.00" h x 13.70" w x 11.45" l, 9.00 pounds
Features
* Thermal block heating system
* Removable water reservoir
* Powerful milk frother
* Removable drip tray
* Lighting on/off switch
Customer Reviews
A Relief After Tons of Searching!4
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!
Mr. Coffee really did their homework on this one5
I received this for Christmas from my loving wife who noticed a slight cloud over my weekends since my espresso maker went out several months ago. I had the Mr. Coffee model previous to this one. It served me well for over a year with regular use before I learned the hard way about not overpacking the grounds.
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!
excellent cappuccino for few $$$5
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.
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