Mr. Coffee ECMP50 Espresso/ Cappuccino Maker
by admin on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 | 15 Comments
| Brand: | Mr. Coffee | ||
| Average Rating |
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Have the ability to make coffeehouse quality espressos and cappuccinos in the comfort of you own home. The Mr. Coffee 15-bar pump espresso maker delivers high-quality drinks on a consistent basis. The thermal block heater makes brewing faster and a removable water reservoir makes it easier to get started. more info
Instant gratification at low cost
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Thanks for all the reviews here and thought to give it a try and love it! No need to have a stainless steel pitcher – another kitchen clutter. A deep mug or cup will do just fine for frothing. I usually have latte not cappuccino at Starbucks and now addicted to cappuccino because it’s fun to make all that foam. Kinda lazy so just use Walmart’s Sumatra French roast ground and tests almost like Starbucks! One more thing cannot get at Starbucks – use organic milk.
LOVE IT
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I worked at Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks making espressos and espresso based drinks. I haven’t tried any other at-home espresso makers, but after reading the reviews and comparing prices, my husband and I purchased this at Target. LOVE IT!! I can see how some people would have some trouble using it if they’re not used to making espressos and frothing milk. The techniques take some time to learn. I use a ceramic cream pitcher to froth the milk; we have yet to splurge on a stainless steel pitcher. Just remember to follow the cleaning instructions for the frothing wand (I followed the advice of other customers and removed the rubber tip on the frother)and just follow the directions on everything else, and you’ll be in good shape. Remember to empty the water from the drip tray after a few uses or the drip tray will overflow and leak (kind of common sense, but you know…). Also to help those amateur frothers, after heating the milk with the frother, pull the wand out of the milk so that the tip of the wand just “kisses” the surface of the milk to froth. We’ve made 1 inch plus thick foam this way with whole, 2 percent, 1 percent and skim milk! Excellent, excellent, excellent. Espresso takes some patience and love, but it’s worth it! We’ve now owned our machine for 7 months.
makes very good coffee
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
makes very good espresso with a nice layer of cream every time
the milk froth is good to heat water for tea
read the instructions to get familiar with the engine
because it will automatically gush twice to clear itself of water
every time you use the froth and once after you make coffee.
Leaks out of the box
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I can’t speak to the quality of the coffee. I bought it tonight and set it up for a test run but before I could even get the grounds in the filter, half the reservoir leaked out of the bottom and onto the counter; not the bottom of the reservoir near the plug but actually out of the bottom of the machine by the cord. I cleaned the counter and tried again. Three times. It just runs constantly out of the bottom. I would have even been happy to try a cup and take out the reservoir afterward but it was simply coming out too fast. Ugh, another 45 minute drive to Target during the Christmas season. Perhaps I’ll buy a Capp on the way to keep my energy.
Easy & Quick Brew!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The best function of this machine is that you have a water basin that holds so much water that you do not have to add water every time you make a cup! The set up is so easy, and the coffee brews so quickly! You can brew as little or as much espresso you want, and the frothing/steaming milk function is very strong. I do heat my milk first, because I really like my milk hot. You control when you want to start steaming milk, so you don’t have to worry about running out of water before you steam. It’s a great machine. The only draw back is it does not come with a brew cup or frothing pitcher. I bought those separate, but very inexpensive! I love this machine!
Great purchase!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love this espresso maker and it makes amazing coffee. The only downside is the effort it takes to clean the frothing tube after making cappuccino or lattes. If straight espresso or cafe americano (espresso and hot water) is your thing, this wouldn’t be an issue.
Returning it day after Christmas
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought this for my husband for Christmas. He used it on Christmas day and it leaked every where. He tightened a few things and tried it again, thought it was just okay. When we went back to the counter 10-15 minutes later water was all over. Not a little water but a few square feet of water. Thankfully we purchased it from Amazon and the return should be very easy.
great product for the money
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have had this machine for about 2 months now and I use it several times a week. It produces a great latte. I often just use the steamer to make steamed milk for teas. I searched for a long time and I found this to be the best bargin. It is powered be pressure and not steam like most machines within the same price range. I love being able to offer my guests quality lattes while we are visiting. Some of the cons say it leaks water and I found that mine did too; but only if you leave the water container filled. The solution to the problem it to empty out water when you are finished cleaning the machine. I have not had any more problems since I have been doing this. I definetely recommend this product unless you have $300+ to spend on a comparable one.
Beware of Leaks!
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
The first one leaked all over the place. Can you say zero quality control? I boxed it up and took it back to Target. Hell, I’m not paying shipping back to Amazon.
The second one has not leaked in six months and will in fact produce a decent cup of coffee. Burr grinding tweakers beware, however. It claims to be a fifteen bar machine, but will not allow an extra fine grind to pass through the filter. Hmmm. As well, it has lately developed the habit of blinking idiotically on startup until you turn it off and try again.
I very much doubt that this machine will last more than a few more months before it finds its way to the landfill, there to remain unbiodegraded for the next ten thousand years and more.
In short, folks, save up your money and get a better mostly metal machine as I should have done.
Huge Leak!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought this product a few weeks ago, as a Christmas present for myself. I used it today and I was very disappointed when I went to put it away and there was a huge puddle of water on my counter. I first thought I did not put the water dispenser on correctly, so I took it off and put it back on. I moved it to a different counter and when I came back to use it, there was yet another puddle, this time all of the water came out of the dispenser. I filled it up again and started fiddling with my machine with the dispenser locked in and water was pouring out of the bottom, clearly out of the cord for the plugs small opening.
I went onto Target’s website, because that is where I purchased it, and there were several reviews saying the same thing.
Excellent Espresso/Maker!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I bought a Mr. Coffee Espresso/Cappuccino Maker in January 2010. It arrived quickly and is a fantastic machine for the price. It is rather small but it makes great espresso. You will need to buy a stainless steel frothing pitcher (not included) if you want to be able to steam or froth milk. The frothing pitchers are hard to find in a store so I would purchase one from Amazon.com (about $5.00-8.00). I love my machine and use it everyday and it has been terrific and easy to use.
Great machine, if you don’t mind buying a new one when you need a $6 part
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I’ve owned one of these machines for almost three years now. It makes great espresso with wonderful crema and is very easy to use. Although others have experienced leaking problems, I have not. I’ve never had a problem with it that could not be solved by a good cleaning with vinegar. So, why only two stars?
There is no way to buy a replacement filter basket. The bottom of the metal perma filter is two seperate but attached layers – a top layer with many small perforations that allow water through, but keep coffee grounds in, and a bottom layer with one slightly larger hole in the center to allow the espresso out. The top layer has separated after three years of use, and the perma filter is impossible to use now because it gets clogged almost immediately, causing the seal to break and water to pour out around the sides when I try to make an espresso. I would completely understand that this small part has a limited lifespan, happily buy a replacement and give this product full stars – except that it is absolutely impossible to replace this simple part. Mr. Coffee does not have replacements available. The only replacement espresso filter they make will not fit this model, and I can find no others that will work with it. I even personally contacted the company, only to be told yep, I’m right, this part isn’t available for separate purchase. So, because a $7 part is broken, I will have to pay for a completely new espresso machine. How does this make sense at all? At least I got 3 years out of it, but since the filter basket is small, it would also be an easy part to lose. Since there’s no convenient place to store the basket on this model, if you keep the filter basket in a kitchen drawer, this is a distinct possibility. Imagine that you spent $80 on this thing, lost the filter basket after a couple of weeks, and then what?
I would happily buy another one of these based on performance and size (ability to put a mug underneath the spout, ability to make more than one shot of quality espresso at a time). But, I just can’t give Mr. Coffee my money again in good conscience. The machine still WORKS, why should I have to buy another one just to get this one part? It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard of, and it really deserves only one star because of this huge marketing flaw, but I’ve loved this machine for so long that I just can’t do it. So, two stars it is. Buy it if you’re willing to keep the filter basket sitting on top of the machine where it won’t get lost, and don’t mind shelling out another chunk of money just for a tiny part after 3 years or so.
Great machine for the price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Been looking at more expensive machines for awhile, but decided to go with a less expensive unit for now. I have to say that this machine makes great espresso. It took a couple tries to get what I expected. After reading the instructions a couple times and playing with brew time and grind, I have it down and now make espresso as good as many of the chain coffee shops. Be sure you clean all parts before starting – I also ran a vinegar clean cycle and several rinses before brewing for the first time (I do this to all new coffee appliances to get rid of any manufacturing-induced flavor). Also love some of the features such as the top storage tray and removable drip pan and water reservior. Highly recommend this machine for those on a budget.
Better than Starbucks on day one
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’m a newb when it comes to brewing espresso, frothing milk, “latte art”, etc., but after just a little practice with this machine already I can produce better caramel and mocha lattes than any of the local Starbucks. No doubt this says more about the local Starbucks than it does about me or the machine…
Nevertheless, the machine is easy to use and seems capable of producing pretty good foam for cappuccinos and lattes. I have had no problems with leaks, excepting a couple of incidents that were my fault (see below).
Some tips (based on a few days’ use and research on [...] and You Tube):
- Pay attention to the size of the grind and don’t over-tamp! Professional machines can push water through super-fine powdery grinds that are tamped by The Hulk, but this machine isn’t quite that strong. If the machine doesn’t produce a steady pour of espresso after several seconds of pumping, or doesn’t fill two shots in 25-30 seconds, either your grind is too fine or it is tamped too hard. In either case, the seal between the portafilter and the machine will blow out, spitting hot water and steam – be careful! This happened twice to me before I figured out that my grind was too fine (no permanent damage to the unit). Mixing in some coarser-grind coffee fixed the problem and next time I buy espresso I know what granularity to look for. On the flip side, if you get two shots in 10 seconds, you need to tamp more and/or get a slightly finer grind.
- The black steam wand cover is a helper for novice milk foamers (like me). It makes it easier to create decent foam by pulling air down between the black rubber tip and the metal wand and into the milk. Once you’ve about doubled the volume of the milk you’re supposed to sink the tip until the top of the rubber piece is just under the foam surface. This pulls the foam back down the wand and infuses the milk with it. It works OK, but after doing some research [...] I’ve removed the helper tip and am learning to froth the milk “like a pro” (except that so far I suck at it). Note that it’s easy to make better lattes than Starbucks while using the helper tip, so it does do a decent job. If you want to experiment with “latte art” (rosettas, hearts, apples, etc. in the foam), which requires very fine foam (“microfoam”), you’ll probably want to set the helper tip aside and learn to froth the milk with just the metal tip. [...] has some good videos on how to do this.
- Never leave the portafilter locked into the machine (thanks [...]). The rubber gasket will stay compressed all the time if you do, and eventually it won’t create a good seal.
- Blow out some steam after you’re done to make sure milk hasn’t clogged the steam wand. And remove the rubber tip to clean it and the metal wand thoroughly. The tip of the metal wand is removable for cleaning as well.
- Empty the bottom tray frequently. After the steam cycle the machine will purge excess water into this tray. It is usually about 1/3 full after I’ve made one latte.
- I have only found one downside to this unit so far: there is no way to quickly turn the steam on-off-on, which would allow you to purge water from the steam wand just prior to steaming the milk. As soon as you turn the steam off after purging, the machine goes into it’s internal tank-emptying process and you can’t turn the steam back on for several seconds (during which water condenses in the steam wand again). This just means that a small squirt of water is going into the milk right before the steaming starts. (If you turn the steam on to purge the water out and then just leave it on as you bring the milk pitcher up to the wand, you’ll end up with huge bubbles in the milk and probably milk splattered all over the place as the steam blows it around.)
I agree with some of the other reviewers – if this machine lasts only a year it will pay for itself many times over! I hope that with proper periodic de-scaling it will last much longer than that.
True Review for Mr. Coffee ECMP50: Great Machine, But…
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’ve always been a huge espresso fanatic and would usually start out my days with a double shot of espresso. My obsession started when I worked as a barista at an Italian restaurant. I wanted to produce the same quality espresso at home so being on a budget, I purchased the EMCP10 in 2005. The machine was great and would produce a great cup of espresso every time with just the right amount of crema. The pump died out last week and I went to Target to purchase the ECMP50.
I took my new machine home ready to feed my caffeine addiction (at this point I’ve been deprived of espresso for about a week). I set the machine up and filled the water tank to the “max” mark. So far, so good. I turned the machine on to let it warm up so that I could run some water through it and get it nice and clean. I step out of the room for no more than 2 minutes and when I return my counter is flooded with water. I look at my machine and the water tank is empty!! “Ok..” I think to myself. “Maybe I put the tank on the wrong way?”. I fiddle around for another 20 minutes and realize that water is leaking out of the bottom of the machine (where the power cord feeds into the machine) and might cause a serious problem down the road (Morning Headline: Man found electricuted hunched over his coffee maker). Still wearing my jacket I throw the machine back into the box and head back to Target. The customer service lady said that was the third machine that was returned for the same problem this month (I noticed alot of the negative complaints were also individuals who had the leaking problem AND purchased the machine from Target. Perhaps a bad batch?). I give it another shot, crossing my fingers and hoping that the machine I got was just a bad apple and I do an exchange as opposed to a refund.
I get home and open up the box. Right away I could tell this wasn’t the original packaging. There were also watermarks in the water tank as well as a few espresso grinds here and there. Now i’m thinking that this machine was probably one of the returns that Target recieved or it was a refurbished model. Either way, I decide to give this bad boy another spin. I do the same setup, fill up the tank, clean the machine and I’m ready to brew my first cup. I used illy coffee (a bit pricey but worth it), used my trusty tamper and set the machine up to brew. I cross my fingers and low and behold, rich crema! I time the pull and it took about 20 seconds… perfect. This $70 machine ($69.99 on sale at Target) produced a cup of espresso comparable to something you would get from a $3,000 machine (without all the bells and whistles of course).
The machine itself looks sleak and elegant. Controls are easy to use. When your actually handling the machine it seems a bit cheap because of all the plastic components. Overall, if you get a machine that doesn’t leak you’ll be happy with the results!