Mr. Coffee 4-Cup Steam Espresso System with Milk Frother

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 am writing this as i sip on my earl-grey-steam i somewhat cautiously made with my mr. coffee espresso machine, and overall i must say i am impressed. judging from previous reviews, this product is something you will either love for the reasonable price or hate because it just straight-up exploded in your face. take my review with a grain of salt, as i have yet to actually make an espresso yet so i can't comment on the flavor of espresso it produces (haven't had a chance to go to the store), but i have run water through the machine for my tea and i have used the steaming wand to froth milk for my steamers. so far i have had a very pleasant first impression with this little machine. though it doesn't swivel like the one i used to use as a barista, the steaming wand is easy to use, strong, and is capable of producing very frothy milk if that is what you're after-perfect for dry capps. i didn't bother buying a stainless steel pitcher to steam my milk in and instead just steam it right in my coffee mug before adding my tea, which i would recommend doing in order to save yourself $10. also, because the steaming wand is so short i imagine one could potentially have an issue getting it to reach the milk in the bottom of a normal pitcher anyways. it is extremely lightweight, which could be taken as a pro or con, though personally i would prefer something that feels a little bit sturdier. initially i was terrified to use this machine after reading reviews saying their machine literally exploded in front of them, sending shards of glass flying (it seems that the pressure from the machine propels a tray from behind the pitcher out, causing the pitcher to violently shatter). this could be due to loose/cheaps screws used to hold the machine together, or because the pressure has not been properly released after each use. but as they say, an ounce of protection equals a pound of care, so i never stand directly in front of the machine while it's plugged in. oh, the things we do for caffiene. :)

I had one of these that I purchased in 2009 and it was still going great but figured I should update as it had slowed a bit and I had lost some of the accessories. Hoping to get 13 years out of this new one! I use it as a regular one-cup coffee maker as the flavour of the coffee is so good (I use Starbucks Pike Place and about 3 spoons pressed down. I like strong coffee!). Takes less than 5 minutes. The steam arm is great if you want to froth up some milk. It’s simple and good. Not complicated or costly.

I bought this product about a month and half ago. Delivery was prompt and the product was as described and arrived in pristine condition. I have been using this coffee machine for over a month and I can say this “coffee never tasted this good”.However Indian buyers need to be a little careful. This machine is imported from USA and works on 110 volts. So you have to invest in a voltage converter before you can use this machine.Addition of an espresso tamper to the machine would have been great but still for Rs 6, 500 it’s fantastic value for money. I strongly recommend it for all coffee lovers.

Love this machine. Had trouble at first with the steamer splashing milk all over the place. Turned out it was my technique. Two things I was doing wrong. Heating the milk before steaming, and putting the spout in too deep. I watched a tutorial on YouTube and now my milk is perfectly frothed, no splashing. Also, I was making the espresso first and then steaming the milk, and having to add new water every time. User's fault again. I watched another tutorial, and found it works better to do the milk steaming first, then turn the knob to make the espresso. Turns out the espresso/latte is much hotter doing it this way. Don't need a $500 machine. I had a $25 machine from K-Mart that made great espresso for 20 years. Honestly, this Mr. Coffee makes way better latte's than Starbucks. They never make it strong enough. Very happy with this machine.

Faster and quieter than my breville. Use primarily for americano. Espresso is slightly more bitter than breville. I'm "guessing" it runs well above the 9 bar pressure of conventional espresso.

Easy to use. Intuitive design. Quick and easy procedure to make excellent espresso or cappuccino. Works well with a variety of coffee blends and different grinds. Steam wand does an excellent job of frothing milk. Steam wand seems to work best without the plastic sleeve. Best cup of cappuccino for the best price. This cappuccino maker works better than more expensive machines.