Mr. Coffee ECMP40 Pod Pump Espresso & Cappuccino Maker
by Mr. Coffee
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List Price: Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Mr. Coffee ECMP40 Pod Pump Espresso & Cappuccino Maker
Customer Review: Great for as long as it lasts.....
Summary: 3 Stars
I got tired of my husband spending $5/day at Starbucks for coffee and bought him one of these about 6 mo's ago. He was terribly pleased with it and used it faithfully every morning. He never used the pods. We bought beans from starbucks and he fresh ground his every morning. We also invested in starbucks syrups. He could make a vanilla latte that I couldn't tell the difference in taste between it and starbucks for a fraction of the price! There was a little trouble with the steamer part getting clogged but we cleaned it out no prob. Also it did leak a little...but a very little. We winded up just permanently setting it on top of a decorative kitchen towel on the kitchen counter. Expresso was very good and hot...we had no trouble making crema either.
This would seem to be a five star review so far but here's the killer: It broke this morning! I had previously read a couple reviews on this site and on Epinions where they said their machine broke at six months and I was still shocked! My husband was crushed and pouted all the way to work. I offered to purchase him another one but he requested I go with a different brand. So I guess my advice is: The 6 mo melt down happened to me too! Buy only if you're willing to take that risk. Otherwise it's a great little buy for $50.
Customer Review: So Far So Good
Summary: 4 Stars
Don't have much experience with espresso machines but this maker, combined with some Starbucks espresso pods, is working out pretty darn well.
I've only had this machine for a week but my mornings have become much more exciting since I now have as much near-instant espresso as I could possibly drink. Not to mention that the machine is so easy to use I didn't even need to take barrista lessons at local Learning Annex.
The next step is to learn how to make a decent "long black" like what I enjoyed in New Zealand. Smooth and rich and smokey coffee with crema that's piping hot and great kick in the butt.
Overall this has been a great starter machine and when it finally poops out I'll be ready to move on up to that Gaggia that's waiting for me on my Wish List.
Bring it on!
Customer Review: Old Faithful
Summary: 4 Stars
October 2005: Before I bought Mr. Coffee, I had three espresso machines from various makers, all expensive, and they all died within a few months. I've been using this machine daily for almost 2 years and it is still going strong. It seems a little quieter than the other machines and does a better job of making foam. The plastic handle on the coffee holder broke after a few months, but a little glue fixed it. I recommend wrapping a few turns of electrical tape around the handle where it connects to the coffee holder to prevent it from breaking. For the price, its a fine machine.
April, 2006: By golly, after making about 1000 lattes, Old Faithful is still running! Poor Starbucks has certainly lost a lot of money. Occasionally its steamer gets clogged with sediment and stops steaming, but it's easy to fix. Just open the steam valve and turn on the water pump so that the pump forces water through the steamer to unclog it. It is helpful to run some vinegar though the machine every once in a while to clear the sediment
March, 2007: Several hundred lattes later, Mr Coffee is still with me, though I quit using his steamer in favor of a BonJour frother ,which is quicker and makes nicer milk foam. I was worried he might become jealous if he saw me frothing with someone else, but he didn't seem to mind.
Customer Review: Great Coffee for as long as it lasted
Summary: 3 Stars
All the while this machine worked, it made great coffee. Starbucks pods fit well so no mess. Milk warmed with a little froth. Sadly after three months it leaked everywhere. Mr Coffee gladly replaced it but the new machine leaked just as bad. It finally failed completely, quite explosively with water bursting out in all directions, when it was six months old. I have to admit both machines saw a lot of use, 8 to 10 cups a day, so I think I got very good value for money. I might even by the same model again.Customer Review: Junk Junk Junk, and poor coffee too.
Summary: 1 Stars
I can't believe how much more I like my 11 year old steam driven Braun, even though it burns my hand when I use the steamer! Now I have a LOT of experience making and drinking lovely espresso. Several years in Seattle seeking the best espresso may have turned me into a bit of a coffee perfectionist, but I had reasonable expectations for this little machine which were not met.
1. I had to fully reload the basket for each 1.5oz shot of coffee. The reservoir is not big enough to hold enough grounds for a nice full double shot. They claim that you can get 2 1-1.5 oz shots out of the machine with a full basket. I found that any amount over 1.5oz was weak, and 1 oz was the best with a full loading (for 2 shots) This TOTALLY defeated the fact that the reservior makes for faster brewing of several cups (over the steam makers)
2.The grounds spatter no matter how hard they are tamped, and coffee covers the lower surface of the machine, so you have to clean it every time or you don't get a good seal. Serious pain.
3. I could not make crema to save my life with this piece of junk. A little foam came off just before the water ran almost totally clear, but this wasn't crema, Crema is a result of the sugars and oils coming off of the beans well, these were depleted beans. I expect that it was a "fake crema" feature to make the liqued frothy. NOTE: I have no problem making nice thick crema and getting full full double shots with my little old BRAUN steam driven machine, For that matter, I used a $20 Fred Meyer brand steam driven machine and got full shots and nice crema. (still probably coffee capacity I suppose)
4. Coffee is bitter and weak at the same time. This is indicative of too low of a pressure or temperature of extraction, or both. This is the machine's fault, since my BRAUN can make rich warm espresso with the identical beans.
5. The frother leaked. I didn't try the frothing assistant, and am glad because water was leaking out of the top of the frother cap into the milk the whole time I was frothing. Probably not a huge effect on quality, but irritating just the same.
I will return this and NOT NOT NOT buy another. Until I can afford the big guns at home, it's back to the steam driven for me, and no more Mr. Coffee, no matter how handy they are to pick up.