Customer Reviews

Mr. Coffee ECM250 4-Cup Espresso/Cappuccino Maker

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I received the Mr. Coffee Espresso/Cappuccino Maker as a gift. Obviously it's not going to produce the same results as some of the more expensive models but I think it works well enough for personal use. It's very simple to use-it only has two functions: brew or steam.

I noticed that several people commented about leaking and the instructions warn that this can occur if there are grounds around the top of the filter or if you over-fill the filter. The frothing arm is very short but I found a small frothing pitcher at World Market that works well. As far as worrying about aluminum in your espresso, the instructions also warn that you shouldn't leave water in the reservoir when you're not using the machine. The only other thing to remember is that you MUST de-pressurize the system before removing the filter holder or water reservoir cap!! To do this, unplug the machine, wait for it to cool off, then turn the knob to "steam" until you hear the hissing stop.

I think that for the price, this machine produces a nice cup of espresso in a relatively short amount of time.

I got this little machine as I'm always in Starbucks. I wanted a nice little alternative for nights and weekends when I felt like having an espresso based drink without having to drive to a coffee shop and shell out cash.

First, the good points of this machine:
-It's small, so you can easily store it inside a cabinet. It's not bad looking, however, so if you can sacrifice a little counter space, that works just as well.
-The machine is very simple to use. I have my own bean grinder, but you can get yours ground at Starbucks if you buy it there. You simply scoop the beans into the holder, screw into the machine, put water in the reservoir, turn on, and there you go.
-It's relatively quick to brew the espresso and it doesn't take too long to clean most of the parts.

Now, the bad:
-The biggest issue I've had with this machine is that it basically brews strong coffee, not espresso. I've tried a variety of ways of packing the beans, etc, but getting a crema with this machine eludes me. If you're a beginner at this stuff, it's not a big deal as the drinks will still taste alright. However, it's not really espresso in the full sense. You may as well just buy a coffee maker.
-The frothing wand is of okay size, but it seems like it takes forever to heat milk up to a desirable temperature for a drink.

Overall, not bad for a starter machine, but it's just that. If you want anything that will give you a crema and legitimate shot of espresso, shell out some more money and get a Delonghi. They're by no means perfect, but it will give you a more legitimate shot of espresso than this machine. However, if you're just starting with all of this and want to make a decent cappuccino occasionally, this isn't a bad machine.

I used this espresso machine a couple times a week for about 3 years and liked it a lot; however, yesterday morning I was frothing the milk and it exploded. I looked at the cap (over the water reservoir) and it was split. Scalding water shot out of that split, luckily it went all over the wall and not toward me. If you have this machine, consider releasing the pressure from the water reservoir after every use and the cap may last longer, but I for one am switching brands. This scared the heck out of me and after looking online, I see that it has happened to others. Be aware.

This is my third espresso maker. The other two machines were a different brand and worked well for many years. This Mr. Coffee unit worked well for about 5 months and then started failing. It now makes only about one third of a caraff, and then just spits out weak steam. I will never buy a Mr. Coffee product again. It takes me a while to get used to a new machine, and I find it galling to have the thing fail soon after I get used to it. Better to spend a little more and have a product that lasts. My last K---- espresso maker lasted for over 5 years before it developed a pin hole leak in the pressure chamber. UPDATE; I just realized after looking inside the boiler and seeing that it was slightly eaten away that we have been ingesting aluminum over the past few months. When I opened and took apart my my last K---s espresso maker, I noticed that the bottom of the boiler was eaten away to the point that it had developed a pin hole leak. I think most of the less expensive machines use aluminum boilers which slowly dissolve into the water over time and use. Even distilled water is slightly acidic and will cause this to happen. There is NO way that I will ever again buy an espresso maker that has a boiler composed of aluminum!! Stainless steel might cost a little more, but at least you don't wind up eating aluminum while drinking your espresso. It's just one more thing to check when you make your purchase.

For the price this thing works pretty well. I was honestly surprised at the quality of espresso this product produces. If your looking for a decently priced machine, this one is for you. I would recommend purchasing a frothing pitcher as well as a tamper.

After a couple weeks of use we've concluded this coffee maker gets the job done, that's really pretty much it. Nothing fancy, it makes coffee for two people. Unlike the previous generation of this model, this latest models seems to be a bit sturdier as well.

This thing is awesome I dont know who gave is a 1 star this deserves a 6~stars for the price~ so easy to use works perfect !!!!
In the last 3 days it payed for its self :)) 2 cups a day with tip is 33.00 that adds up. This makes a better white choc mocha than "star bucks!!! So happy with it its very nice. Read the direction and you should have no problem with the seals! Treat it carefully and take care of it, and it is the real deal and it wasnt 700.00
or 500.00 or 300.00 or even a 100.00~It was 29.00 "it does the job very well" I give it 5 stars ! I thought enough about it to come and write a review in its favor ~Its more than I ever hoped for for the price
I recommend it :))

I owned this machine for a couple years (I think?) but recently gave it to my mom when I was given a Krups coffee/espresso maker combo. Bigger is better, right? Not in this case. I miss that machine! As long as I used good coffee with the right grind, it did a great job and produced delicious, consistent drinks. My Krups machine is shooting steam out of the top, although it still works. I am now looking into getting a pump espresso maker, but for someone who is not too picky and just wants to save money and make cappuccinos at home, this is a great little machine. And for around $30 it's ok if it doesn't last forever.

I haven't used the coffee maker much yet, but it works well. The one issue I have with it is that you have to manually turn it off. I would rather it shut off automatically once it's brewed since it doesn't have a warming plate like a regular coffee maker does. I don't use the steamer since I don't like foam, so I don't know how well that works.

Espresso part works good, steam nozzle clogged and doesn't come apart for cleaning. Mr Coffee makes a much better machine that's the same price.Mr. Coffee ECM160 4-Cup Steam Espresso Machine