Mr. Coffee ECMP50 Espresso/ Cappuccino Maker

Comment: I've had this machine for about a year and a half and it still makes delicious coffee daily. I still love my little espresso maker even though about 6 weeks ago it started to leak water all over my counter. Quick fix for that, though: remove water reservoir after use. I would recommend this machine to anyone who'd like to save about $1200/year by cutting out that daily trip to the coffee shop. I've also had the luxury of comparing this machine to a big, expensive brand-name machine and really can't tell the difference. BUY THIS! You'll be glad you did.

Comment: I ordered Mr. Coffee ECMP0 for myself after Christmas, received it in early January'10. This isn't my first espresso machine. My sister worked for StarBucks as a regional VP of human resources and gave me a refurbished unit with her employee discount, cost around $200. Worked great for about 3 years. Of course, by then I was hooked on enjoying cappuccino from the comfort of my own kitchen every morning:-) I was also spoiled by the fact that my refurb had a built in burr grinder. After extensive searching, I purchased my 2nd espresso machine from Amazon - La Pavoni PA-1200 Napolitana Stainless Steel Automatic Espresso Machine. Yes, Amazon still sells this fancy machine at well over $600. It lasted about 3 years, same as my previous refurb. Woe and dismay, much wringing of hands, it appeared to be an electrical problem, kept blowing my protected circuit, plain stopped working. Brings me to my review today of my humble Mr. Coffee pump espresso machine. I LOVE IT. Makes espresso with crema and froths every bit as great as the more expensive machines AND it's easier to use. I thought it had quit steaming, but ahem...just looked up the manual online from Mr. Coffee, cleaned the steam wand as instructed - and voila!! Back to nirvana. If my friend, Mr. Coffee fails to serve me well after a year of daily use, I'll consider it money well spent and happily purchase another!

Comment: IN ORDER TO MAKE A DOUBLE CUP THAT IS STRONG ENOUGH FOR ME I USE THE LARGER COFFEE HOLDER,DONT FILL THE CUPTO MUCH,AND USE A STRONGER QUALITY EXPRESSO BREW.
IT IS A FAST, NEAT SYSEM .I CAN'T SEE MYSELF MAKING TWO GOOD CUPS AT ONE TIME SINCE I LIKE MY COFFEE STRONGER

Comment: Just another "Made in China" piece of cheap plastic. Be prepared to use it for a few months until something breaks then toss it out.

Comment: I'll tell ya just how good this machine is. I've spent many months looking to replace the $150 DeLongi machine I had for 2 yrs which began leaking after the 4th week. I caught the reviews on this machine and decided to give it a shot since it was only $60. Much to my amazement, this machine ROCKS! I've been using it DAILY making a minimum of (60-80oz) of Espresso for the 3 of us here for over 3 months now and it keeps running like a champ. (60-80oz) PER DAY is alot of espresso and a enormous task to ask of a $60 machine but this things handles it no problem.

The Tamper isn't to hot but it works decently. Most people like to have their own special tamper anyways. Heat up is quick, the crema is plentiful, simple controls, & takes up little space. The ONLY downside I can think of to this machine is it IS a bit noisier than others, but not by much, but it makes up for that in speed, quality of espresso & reliability + cost. For the price, I didn't care if I had to pay an extra $5-10 for a frothing pitcher ( I had one anyway from the prior DeLongi).

When you consider just how much Espresso I've made so far, it could of died within the first month and I still would of saved a bunch of money compared to paying $4 a drink at SB. I have my beans ground at SB on their espresso machine setting which makes them very fine and this machine has no problem pushing the water through. I believe the secret lies in not tamping the grinds to much. When done correctly, very fine grinds produce a better flavor IMO. The adjustable frothing wand is a nice touch, but definitely toss the rubber tip. I'm so impressed with this machine for the money, I bought a 2nd one and stored it away just in case they quit making it.
I have made my version of a SB white Hot Mocha for dozens of my friends & neighbors and ALL say mine tastes much better than the SB version. I wipe off the grinds from underneath each time to keep the seal tight and to prevent any bitter taste from occurring. I also use water that's filtered through my home water softener system then through my R/O system (a must here in AZ as tap water is horrible) and that improves taste and no calcium build up at all yet. I will update my review in 6 months time and then again at 1 year. I do believe this machine is about the best deal one can get on a espresso machine under $100.