Coffee shop taste without the Coffee shop price- Mr. Coffee Steam Espresso and Cappuccino Machine

After spending hundreds of dollars on my many trips to Starbucks, La Barista, Caffino's and a number of other local coffee shops, I decided it was time to look into purchasing my own espresso machine.

I looked at several stores and found some really nice espresso machines from big brands like Krupps and Starbucks, but was less than impressed with the huge price tags attached to each of these big names.

So when I came across the Mr. Coffee 4 Cup Steam Espresso and Cappuccino Maker, ringing in at only $20, I figured I had nothing to lose.

I can tell you know that it was the best $20's that I have every spent.

What it comes with
You get the unit itself (which consists of the espresso machine and the frothing tube), A removable drip grid, a 4 cup glass espresso pot with lid (or carafe, as they call it), filter holder and filter basket.

This machine is VERY simple to use. To make a cup of espresso all you do is add the desired amount of water into the unit, fill your basket to the desired level with espresso, turn on and brew. Just like making a regular pot of coffee. (My 11 year old son is able to make a cup of espresso using this machine, that is how easy it is to use.)

The frothing process is just as simple. As soon as your Espresso has been brewed, click the control knob over to the steam position and steam will begin coming out of the frothing tube. Place your cup of milk under the frother tube and hold it there until it froths to your liking.

Tip: So that you don't have to sit there and hold your cup of milk up and under the frothing tube, I have found that you can place an upside down coffee cup under it to hold your cup of milk in place. I know, I am lazy... but lets be realistic! Who wants to sit there and hold a glass of milk in the air for 5 minutes!

Selector Control Knob
There is only one simple knob with this unit. Turn to one of the following positions: Off, Espresso and Steam. That is it, pretty self explanatory.

How good of an Espresso does it make?
I love Cafe Mocha's. I could drink 3 or 4 of them a day if you'd let me. Which by the way as you can imagine was a very expensive habit before I bought my own espresso machine.

Being the skeptical person I am, I made my first espresso feeling pretty confident that it wasn't even going to taste close to the Coffee Shop Mocha's that I have become accustom too. Well.... I was wrong! I found that not only could I make my own espresso's for a fraction of the cost as coffee shop prices, but they were just as good, if not better!

Important note: As far as making Cafe' Mocha's, it is important to know that the kind of powered Chocolate you use, will make all the difference in the world when it comes to the taste. I was given a tip from the beginning to make sure that I always use Ghirardelli Chocolate Cocoa. Of course at first I had to learn my own way by picking up some other brand of Cocoa. It just didn't taste the same. If you use Ghirardelli Cocoa, you will never go wrong. This can be bought at your local grocery store in the sugar and cake aisle.

How long have I had it and how has it performed?
I have had my Mr. Coffee Steam Espresso and Cappuccino Maker for way over a year now. I use it almost everyday and twice on most days, so my espresso machine gets lots of use. It still functions just as good as it did the first day I purchased it. I have had absolutely no problem with it at all. I love it. I just can't believe that I briefly considered spending hundreds of dollars on a big brand name Espresso machine. This one does a perfect job.

Replacements
I have also found it interesting that I haven't broke or cracked my glass carafe pot yet. That is so not like me. Every coffee pot I have ever owned has never made it longer than two months without me cracking it somehow. I don't know if it is because it is smaller pot or thicker glass, but even though I have managed to drop as well as slam my little espresso pot around, it still hasn't cracked on me yet.

However, if you do end up breaking it, replacement pots are sold at the same place where you purchase the unit. I got mine at Walmart and I noticed the replacement pots sitting next to it on the shelf.

Cleaning your Espresso Maker
It is very easy to clean this unit. The carafe, the filter, filter basket and the grid are all removable to wash by hand or throw in the dishwasher. As far as the unit, I just wipe mine down from time to time to keep it clean. The frother is a completely different story... this is the only thing I don't like about my Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine! I will discuss this next.

What I don't like
The one and only thing that I don't like on my Espresso machine is using the frother. I have found that it is more trouble than it is worth. I have got the same result when I microwave my milk and skim the top than I have by using the frother.

First of all, it takes too long to froth the milk. I would say like 5 minutes. It would be nice if it frothed while your espresso was being brewed, but it doesn't work that way. The way this unit is set up, you begin frothing once your espresso is done. So you have to sit their for an additional 5 or so minutes and wait for the milk to froth.

The other reason I don't like this is because it is too difficult to keep clean. Although you are able to unscrew the end of the frother to rinse out, the main arm is not removable. The frother gets hot while frothing, so you usually have to wait until it cools down to clean it. But by then, the milk has already dried onto the frother. It takes lots of scrubbing and crevice cleaning to get all the milk off. Like I said above, I found that I got the same exact results in a shorter time by using the microwave and skimming my milk. So, I have just left the cover on the frother and don't use it at all. But, it is there if you would rather use it and go through the extra hassle. When I did use it, it frothed beautifully.

Overall Recommendation
I recommend the Mr. Coffee 4 Cup Steam Espresso and Cappuccino Maker to all my friends and family. I absolutely love it. I have used it on a daily basis for myself as well as to entertain friends. Everyone who has ever saw me make Espresso with my machine has commented on how easy it was to use and how wonderful my Cafe Mocha's tasted. Many have purchased their own after seeing it in action and are now enjoying their own Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine just as much and I do.

So, if you are looking for an Espresso machine that is easy to use, easy to clean and that makes a great cup of Espresso, instead of spending hundreds of dollars on some of the big brand Espresso makers, give the Mr. Coffee 4 Cup Steam Espresso and Cappuccino Maker a try first. I think you will be very pleased with the quality that you get in such a reasonably priced Espresso machine. I highly recommend it.

Recommended: Yes