Customer Reviews

Mr. Coffee ECM160 4-Cup Steam Espresso Machine

5 star:		(132)
4 star:		(74)
3 star:		(33)
2 star:		(25)
1 star:		(41)

 

 

I've had this machine for over a year. I have tried other machines, even a pump. It makes good cappuccinos/lattes when the milk is steamed properly at the right temperature. If your only into espresso shots, I would go with a pump.

PROS
-Inexpensive, Small
-Frother is strong, plastic tip is removable
-Quiet (then a pump machine)
-Latte art hearts (SEE picture)

CONS
-Supplied tamper is just a slightly flattened end of the coffee scooper.
-No frothing pitcher.
-Multiple shots requires de-pressuring the machine.

NOTES
There seems to be a lot of reviews stating it works fine in the beginning then after a while has poor performance or just stops. Ive noticed that during regular use, water starts to build up in the tank. This is because you never really use all the water in the tank per brew. This excess water I believe causes it to brew slow. What I do to alleviate this, is brew plain water all out into a cup before I use it. This serves as both ridding the excess water and warming up the cup and the machine. I also vinegar descale per instructions and find it makes it better.

Another thing to note is that the bean grind/freshness is directly proportional to the effectiveness of the steamer wand. If the beans are old and/or too course the water will brew through the coffee so fast that no pressure built up for the steamer wand to be effective. Likewise if the beans are too fine or the tamp too hard, the water will have a hard time passing thru the coffee and too much pressure will build up which isnt good either for this machine.

Also want to note I added a picture of a latte heart I made, just to prove minimal latte art is somewhat possible with this machine.

Love this product. I read all the other reviews before buying, so I knew it didn't come with a steaming pitcher and ordered one to go with it. However, I didn't realize that it didn't come with an espresso tamper either. I would have ordered one had I known, now I have to wait for the one I ordered to come in and hope it fits this machine. Would have given it 5 stars, but as a former barista, I know that to make a good latte I need a steaming pitcher and a tamper. So for an espresso machine not to come with these items is like getting a pair of sneakers with no laces. I have had no problem with leaking, and as long as the user READS THE INSTRUCTIONS, they shouldn't have any problems either. For $40, I've already gotten my money's worth in the last week. And anyone interested in buying, I would say "GO FOR IT!!!" but order a steaming pitcher and espresso tamper along with it.

Note: P.S. Get a 49mm espresso tamper to go with it. Doesn't fit "perfectly" but its as close as I could find that wouldn't be too big.

I bought this at Targét for $29, and it is freaking awesome. To the two reviewers above... if you actually read the manual you would know that the cord underneath the base can be unraveled to the desired length. This is to eliminate excess cord on your countertop.

Anyway, I discovered I was spending almost $200 at Starbucks... a near crack habit. My previous espresso machine broke over the summer--a $300 Gaggia. Prior to the gaggia I had a krups.

So I plunked down a few bucks for this one knowing I was taking a wee gamble. Usually you get what you pay for.

Let me tell ya, this little machine is great. First, it is super super quiet. My previous machines were deafening especially when frothing. Secondly, it takes up little space. Third, it's fairly nice looking and matches our coffee maker. And of course last, it makes great lattés.

So, don't waste your money on some huge hulking espresso machine that will only last a few years. This one does the job and won't cause ear trauma.

I bought this machine after somewhat careful research, but still was feeling a bit cheap, and since this one had such great reviews, decided to get one ($30 including shipping from Ebay).

The frothing part was flawless, and the cappuccinos were almost perfect. However, as at least one other reviewer noted, if you really like espresso, opt for a pump-driven machine, as the steam-driven ones will not produce the coveted "crema", the froth on top of the espresso.

The espresso I got from this machine was not bad, but really not THAT different from a coffee produced by my beloved french press.

So I decided to give this machine to a friend, who likes it's milk-frothing ability (to make delicious hot-chocolate beverages) and bought for myself the pump-driven Mr.Coffee ECMP50 Espresso/ Cappuccino Maker.
I have had that one over a week, and so far am completely delighted with it. The espresso is fabulous, very comparable or often better, than some of the ready-made espresso drinks in the stores, and frother works perfect as well.

Overall - if you are on a tight budget and do not really drink espresso much, only cappuccinos, definitely go for this machine, it is a hard-to-beat deal. It takes minimum amount of time to get ready and is very easy to operate and clean.

If you like the crema (coffee froth) on top of your espresso, then skip this and look for a pump-driven machine.

Please read THOROUGHLY!!! With respect to the others who have left less than 4 stars, BOO HOO! ITS 39.00! THIS THING ROCKS FOR 39.00 bucks. I must tell you, I thought, Mr. Coffee, it must be a piece of s_hit, but I bought it anyway cause it seemed simple and I liked the weight and feel of the potential piece of crap. A great man once said "Contempt prior to investigation is a bar against all information."

Buy this even if you don't need it daily. I spend over 200.00 a MONTH at Starbucks, I used their Expresso Dark Roast in this thing and it was AWESOME! I hate Mr. Coffee, but the sub in China that makes this for them hit the f'n nail on the head. You watch, they will double the price after reading this review.

By the by, I NEVER write reviews, let alone a positive one for a over-hyped marketing company like Mr. Coffee. I am writing this for you, that is going to stand in Target, Penny's, Macys, or alike that is going to buy the complicated, more expensive 100.00 to 300.00 machine when we dont possibly have that many friends interested in the size of our unit or the frequency of its use. A little poetic licence here, but buy one and tell me I was wrong, I doubt you will...

Best,

Dave

Bought this from Target on sale for $33, and it was worth it. The unit takes up a small footprint on your kitchen counter, is pretty light weight. One thing to note is that the cord to the unit is pretty short -- and this is by design. The cord length is about 6 inches, and it can only be plugged in one way. There are specific instructions on how to use the espresso machine and a lot of warnings, but don't be fearful, the unit is pretty easy to work with only three settings: off, make espresso and steam - so its pretty easy to operate, and surprisingly quiet. Bravo to Mr.Coffee for making an espresso machine for under $40 that holds up well.

We bought this machine a few days ago as a treat for ourselves. $28 (on sale) at Target!!! I wasn't expecting much, but thus far it's great! I drink cappuccinos & my husband likes espresso. He said the espresso is good and the frother works great! Some reviewers said their frother didn't work - well it's not in the directions, but you need WATER IN THE RESERVOIR TO STEAM THE MILK. Obvious...but it's not printed in the directions. And you can't brew & froth at the same time, so if you froth the milk after you brew, you have to turn off the machine, add a bit of water, then froth the milk.
It'd be nice to be able to brew & froth at the same time, but for $28 what do you expect? Also there is no burner under the caraffe, so you have to drink the espresso right away or it gets cold.
I don't see the need for a tamper (the plastic one included is fine), and I use a coffee mug to froth the milk in. It's not ideal, but it works! If you're spending a lot of $$ on lattes or espresso in a coffee shop, this machine will be great for you! I love not having to go out for a fancy coffee!

I want to start off and say the main reason I purchased this unit was for the steam wand. I needed a Diamond Steamer and I didn't want to pay $100 for a Jewel Jet or similar jewelery steamer. I did some research online and on diamond forums and found that the espresso machine steamers produced steam that was capable of cleaning jewelry. For the $37.00 price tag of this machine I decided it was worth a shot. I filled up the machine and did a test run to see how good the steam was and all I have to say is it is more than sufficient to clean jewelry and I give it a huge thumbs up in terms of value versus the stand alone steamer.

Now onto the espresso making part of this machine. It is very simple in terms of its operation. I used to be a former barista and it makes decent enough espresso to be used for lattes, cappuccinos, and americanos because the milk and flavoring mask most bad pulls. Now the flavor of the espresso really is a function of the grounds you choose and the grinder that you have available to you. You will have to experiment with the grind coarseness to match this machine exactly. I just received my unit but I will be experimenting to see what the ECM160 likes in terms of how fine or coarse my grounds need to be. I have read other comments about the ECM160 and blowing up and other places online have addressed this issue and it seems that some users are either tamping much too hard, using too fine of a ground, or not locking in portafilter far enough. Also users need to look under the unit for the rest of the cord. It is just coiled underneath for shipping purposes.

I do wish the wand was longer and could be moved, but I still find it is useful. The plastic steaming attachment really needs to be removed as it is of no help at all. I was actually impressed with this little units ability to froth milk. I created very very thick foam with this unit on the first try using a coffee mug and 2% milk. If you want the really dry foam the trick is to work the tip just underneath the surface of the milk.

The carafe that comes with this unit is fine and if it does break like others have mentioned you always have the option of getting actual espressso shot glasses and using those as a true measurement for each shot.

Now I do wish they would have provided a better tamp and milk carafe but at this price they would probably be junk anyways. My biggest concern is with the portafilter. I have to double check the dimensions but I don't think it is a standard size. It seems a little flimsy and I would like to replace it with a double spout unit if possible. I still have more research to do on this part.

My last recommendation is for everyone knocking the quality of this unit, spend some money on a very good burr grinder such as the Baratza Maestro Grinder. A good burr grinder along with good beans will do a world of difference for your espresso.

All in all I would recommend this unit to people as a cheap espresso solution. It's cheap enough for people to try. It's also a good backup and travel unit. The added bonus is the jewelry cleaner.

I've spent a couple thousand bucks on new kitchen appliances this year, and hit the jackpot with my $40 espresso maker. I'm a sucker for stainless steel products, and this one looks and feels like a $200 machine, and I would've paid it too...

It may not be pump-driven, but the taste is not burnt and the speed is more than sufficient. What more could one ask for? I'm a Starbucks goer, and this machine fulfills that craving. Please note, I'm not a yuppie taste connoisseur, but I know good coffee/espresso when I'm drinking it, and the taste is more than satisfactory. Let's put it this way, I'm not shopping anymore for an espresso maker, my mind is mentally content with this machine. I have no reason to upgrade...

I'm using this primarily as an espresso maker, but I did use the frothing tool to release the pressure from the machine, and it works sufficiently. The longer I leave the machine on brew when the steaming is complete (extra 30-40 seconds), the more pressure will build and the better frothing capabilities.

I'm using a protein measuring cup as a tamper, and it works just fine. The cost of a tamper is nearly 40% of the cost of the machine! Hmm???

I don't know what else to tell you about this machine besides putting water & extra bold grounds into it. I'm satisfied I bought it, and can make multiple brews of espresso in less time and money it takes me to drive the 15 blocks to my local Starbucks.

The machine is working fine, to create a real Italian espresso you need excellent espresso as a base of such a cup, that's for sure.
Have in mind, that you do not buy a Jura or something in that range, it is an excellent product in terms of price/performance ratio and further designed without too many buttons, just the two functions: frothing milk and brewing coffee.
As a foundation for cappuccino or latte macchiato, this one is great, too.
Regarding the cord: no, it is not too short and yes, it is wrapped under the machine. Eyes up!
The product is easy to clean and great for having a quick coffee of decent quality.