 Mr. Coffee really did their homework on this one |
| Review Date: January 8, 2009 |
| Reviewer: K. Krueger, Austin, TX |
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!
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. |
excellent cappuccino for few $$$
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| Review Date: January 10, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Philippians4:13, Paxton, MA USA |
| 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. |
Great espresso, zero problems
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| Review Date: October 14, 2008 |
| Reviewer: HardcoreGamer, |
This is my first espresso machine. I make two to three cappuccinos a day. It's easy to use. The pump has plenty of pressure, and it heats up fast. I removed the rubber nozzle from the steam wand immediately. I learned to froth without fancy gadgets, and it's a skill you'll be proud of if you do it that way. Steam pressure seems good, and the espresso comes out in two golden heavy streams of froth, gradually condensing into a rich, dark liquid with good crema. I use Brazil Santos coffee, and it makes superb espresso. I have used it every day for three months with no problems so far. I got it on sale for $69.99, and I figure even if it only lasts a year, I got my money's worth of espresso. It's fairly easy to clean, and comes with everything you need to start making espresso right away. A few tips; do not grind the coffee too fine or tamp it too hard--this can make steam pop out of the gasket between the portafilter and the group. Grind and tamp require a little experimentation and practice, but it's not that hard. Also, as with any machine, don't store the portafilter on the group, or the gasket will compress and the seal will not be effective. So far, no negatives to report. I'll update this review if anything changes.
Update: May 2009. I have used this machine virtually every day (I say virtually every day because I use a Breville on the weekend). I make 2-3 cappuccinos a day with it. I have yet to experience any problems with it. I've decalcified it once in the last eight or so months I've used it, but only as maintenance. Easy to use, easy to clean. Water temp could be higher, but for an entry level machine, I'm still happy with it. Pump is still strong, steam is still very good. I would recommend this machine to anyone who wants to try making home espresso, but doesn't want to make a large investment in case they don't find it to their liking.
Update: March 2010. Still going strong! I trade every week between this machine and a Breville. The Breville
makes better espresso, but this machine makes better steam and is still easier to use. I still consider it just
an entry-level basic machine, but it's earned my respect. I've decalcified it several times in the last year, and the steam and water output is still strong. Honestly, even if it took a dump at this point, I would replace it with another one just like it. If you want to try making your own espresso, I doubt you'll find a more user friendly machine. |
Lots of Pros; few cons
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| Review Date: November 13, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Phillip Shero, Mbale, Uganda |
In a very confusing world of espresso/cappuccino makers, this is a solid buy. I read tons of reviews, and based on those, I chose this machine for these reasons:
1. Powerful steam feature. Most reviews pointed toward this as an important feature, and this machine has a pump to create powerful steam.
2. Short "warm-up" period. Many machines that are powerful take a long time to warm up. I turn this on, and by the time I've gathered my ingredients, it's ready to go.
3. A standard-size coffee cup fits under the drip spout.
Those were the reasons I purchased it. I discovered several other nice features after buying it.
1. It's very easy to use. The manual itself is helpful, and the instructions are easy to do. My 9-year-old son regularly makes me lattes with this machine.
2. Even though it's tall enough to fit a standard mug, it's not bulky or oversized.
3. Everything except the frothing wand is easy to clean.
4. It's very economical.
I'm really trying to think of any "cons," and the only ones I can come up with are:
1. You don't get any accessories with it (except the tamper), but then, most of the machines don't come with those anyway.
2. Although a standard coffee mug will fit under the spout, novelty mugs that are just a little taller won't.
Other reviews say that they've had problems with leaks. I haven't.
A hint if you purchase this machine: the manual says that, to clean the frothing wand, hold a cup of water under it and steam the water. I've found this isn't really sufficient. But we keep a clean toothbrush near the machine, and if you scrub the frother a little WHILE steaming the water, it comes clean quite well. Allthe other parts remove easily to be washed.
I definitely recommend this machine.
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Solved Leak issue some people report
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| Review Date: September 25, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Clinton W. Salvato, Daytona Beach, FL |
This is a great unit for the price and it produces great espresso!
I have read on several sites that reviewers report a leak on the counter shortly after the unit is done being used.
Here is what I have discovered and how this issue seems to be be resolved.
Keep in mind your espresso has a pressurized pump inside. Generally most pumps will retain water depending on the type of pump it will retain a lot of water or a little water in the pump base.. What appears to happen as the pressure is released this water drains out to the drip tray and then over flows depending on the amount present. and it may leak out on the bottom holes of the unit as well.
The fix
Like any good pump care, one should drain the pump when finished.
To do this remove the water holder from the back of the unit, and pour the remaining water out. so the holder is empty.
Press the Steam button on the front of the unit. Wait for the green steam light to become solid
Turn the function knob to steam, you will have quite a bit of water left in the pump that will steam off
Turn the control knob back to the center position once the steamer quits steameaning.
Turn off the power switch so the pump doesn't run empty.
This will empty the pump totally of water.
Keep in mind doing this will mean you will have to prime the pump each first use of the machine again. by pressing the steam button and turning the control knob to steam and letting the pump pull in fresh water from your filled holder.
But this should get rid of the water issue if you totally empty the pump and holder after each use.
P.S make sure you have a cup under the steamer!
When priming the pump let it steam for about 30 to 60 seconds. |
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US $40.00
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