Mr. Coffee ECM160 4-Cup Steam Espresso Machine, Black

Product Description

Make delicious coffeehouse style drinks at home with the Mr. Coffee® Café Espresso Steam Espresso and Cappuccino Maker. Be your own barista and create rich espresso, bold cappuccinos and creamy lattes. Brews 1-4 cups of espresso into easy-pour glass decanter with drip-free spout. Frother steams milk up light and creamy to top off your coffee drinks. Designed with removable drip tray and cord storage. Recipes and measuring scoop included.






CUSTOMER REVIEW



I've had this machine for over a year. I have tried other machines, even a pump. It makes good cappuccinos/lattes when the milk is steamed properly at the right temperature. If your only into espresso shots, I would go with a different pump driven machine.



PROS

-Inexpensive, Small

-Frother is strong, plastic tip is removable

-Quiet (then a pump machine)

-Latte art hearts (SEE picture)



CONS

-Supplied tamper is just a slightly flattened end of the coffee scooper.

-No frothing pitcher.

-Multiple shots requires de-pressuring the machine.



NOTES

There seems to be a lot of reviews stating it works fine in the beginning then after a while is poor or just stops. Ive noticed that during regular use, water starts to build up in the tank. This is because you never really use all the water in the tank per brew. This excess water I believe causes a problem. Either dump it out after, or what I do is, brew it out "before" I make a cappuccino as to warm up the machine on a cold start.



There also seems to be a lot of reviews saying it's not real espresso or there is no crema. This is true. It's a steam driven machine they've been making this type of machine for years. It can not match the pressure or the amount of crema produced by a pump driven machine. BUT it can produce a decent 'steam' espresso w/ crema ready to be made to a latte/cappuccino. The problem with the reviewers is that there are so many factors involved in why are not producing crema or a good cup. It could be the bean, the grind, the tamp, perhaps it's a cold start, not enough water, or too much water, etc etc the list goes on. It's something you'll have to figure out yourself.



Another thing to note is that the bean grind/freshness is directly proportional to the effectiveness of the steamer wand. If the beans are old and/or too course the water will brew through the coffee so fast that no pressure built up for the steamer wand to be effective. Likewise if the beans are too fine or the tamp too hard, the water will have a hard time passing thru the coffee and too much pressure will build up which isnt good either for this machine.



Do the descaling with vinegar per instructions.



Also want to note I added a picture of a latte heart I made, just to prove minimal latte art is somewhat possible with this machine.

Mr. Coffee BVMC-EL1 Cafe Latte

CUSTOMER REVIEW



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I have been using the Mr. Coffee BVMC-FM1 20-Ounce Frappe Maker for quite some time, but have always wished that I could have something warm for winter. I did purchase a hot chocolate maker, but wasn't really happy with it. Back to Basics CM300BR Cocoa-Latte Chrome 32-Ounce Hot-Drink Maker it is very nice for a crowd, but not so great for one person.



So this particular item has made a big hit in my kitchen. It is easy to use, easy to set up, and I can use my own ingredients and have as many lattes as I want. The only problem I have had so far is that I have had to buy more milk ... I was making too many lattes.



As you will see in the video, the pot contains its own heating element. There are several things to consider. First, it automatically shuts off and never burns the milk. At the same time, it can't be cleaned in the dishwasher (although I never clean my coffee pots that way), and second, if the pot is broken, it cannot be cheaply replaced. So there are both good points and bad points.



In the video, I use the Torani Sugar-Free Syrup, Chocolate, 25.4-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 3) which I actually purchased from Amazon in a Gold Box deal last year. I put in one tablespoon, but if you prefer a sweeter latte, you can use a package of equal or two tablespoons. You can also use "real" chocolate, but as a diabetic, one of the key reasons I enjoy my own makers, besides saving money, is being able to make my own choices.



Besides the chocolate latte I made in the video, I have also made a number of recipes that were included. The pumpkin spice one was awesome. I had purchased one at a local shop the morning my machine arrived, and I found this one to be much better. I used the pumpkin pie spice and a tablespoon of pumpkin, plus a package of Equal, along with the milk.



When the snowstorm hit, I made hot chocolate, using the heat and froth setting, and made an awesome hot chocolate. I made a double, and after I finished my first cup, I hit froth and heat again, and had another perfect cup!



In fact, I have learned that I might as well make two cups when I start, since I always go back for more. Since the pot does not remain heating, the milk doesn't burn, and a quick "heat and froth" warms it quickly. Because of the milk, I wouldn't leave it sit for long, but I tend to drink my first cup pretty quickly.



Now that it is cold, I am grateful for the ability to make my own WARM drinks. While I've only had this one a short time, my Frappe maker has lasted through nearly two years of usage, so I anticipate this one will last a long time as well.



The video will show you exactly what this machine does, so if you are a coffee gourmet, you can decide if this is the kind of machine you want in your kitchen.



For those who are concerned about cleaning, I normally wipe it out with a soapy sponge right after I use it. If I want a deeper cleaning, I put a dab of dish soap in it and put it on heat and froth ... it cleans up beautifully.



EDITED ...



While unpacking, I ran across something I used to use for a similar effect, but had long ago forgotten. If you aren't quite ready to splurge on the price of an entire machine, you might want to consider the Aerolatte Milk Frother, Satin. This little gadget will froth your milk, or combination of coffee and milk, or any other combination, and runs about 1/5 of the price of the latte maker. Plus it fits in your drawer.



While I enjoy the convenience of having the machine (turn it on, come back), some of you might want to consider the frother itself. It is identical to the one in the machine.

Mr. Coffee TM70 3-Quart Iced Tea Maker, 3-Quart, Blue

Product Description

Color: Blue

Dishwasher safe pitcher. Steeping lever to select your favorite brew strength. Makes great tasting iced tea. Brews tea bags and tea leaves. Water window. Adjustable tea steeping control. Auto shut-off. On/off indicator light removable brew basket.






CUSTOMER REVIEW



I've read the other reviews and I had to write my own since I have had nothing but a positive experience with this tea maker. First of all, I don't know why some others have experienced leaking from the front since it hasn't leaked a drip for me. All you have to do is push the pitcher in all the way and it's a perfect fit. Also, all of my water is being emptied from the reservoir and I've never had a problem with it. I actually own both, the TM3-2 and this TM70. I bought the TM3-2 first for one location and I later bought this one conveniently at Wal-Mart for $18 for home. I like the plastic used for the TM70 better since it doesn't seem as cheap, it doesn't stain as much and it's dishwasher safe. I also like how the TM70 only has one opening for the tea to leave and go into the pot. There's a possibility that one of the other reviewers had the opening plugged up to cause an overflow, a finely ground tea might cause that. That may also cause the brewer to automatically stop and not brew all of the water from the reservoir, but I don't know. The TM3-2 has an opening at the top just in case water is overflowing, but this causes the water to go straight into the pitcher without brewing the tea. There are other points I like better about the TM70 design, but I can go on about why I like the TM70 better. I guess it's different strokes for different folks. Maybe I just got lucky to buy one without any flows or it's user error.

Proctor Silex K2070YA Electric Kettle, 1-Liter

Product Description

Product Packaging: Frustration-Free Packaging

Tea. Hot chocolate. Instant soup. If you have a taste for it, Proctor Silex Kettles can have it ready in minutes. The powerful rapid-boil system provides fast heat-up from any standard outlet and the auto shutoff function helps keep kettles from boiling dry.






CUSTOMER REVIEW



This Electric Kettle is quite simple without any frills. For the price, it does what it claims to do. It boils water quickly , the water level is easy to see and has the auto-shut off feature. I have used it reliably to boil water for tea, oatmeal etc. The water is quite hot, so use caution when pouring it out. The lid , can sometimes be hard to close & open.

Keurig K550 2.0 Brewer

Product Description

Color: Black

114594 Features: -Distressed:No -Product Type:Single cup brewers -Color:Black and silver -Material:Plastic -Material:Metal. Dimensions: -Overall Height - Top to Bottom:16 -Overall Width - Side to Side:12.7 -Overall Depth - Front to Back:18.3 -Overall Product Weight:14.3






CUSTOMER REVIEW



If you want a machine that brews a good cup of coffee then this will work for you. If you want a machine that puts all sorts of restrictions on what type of k-cups you can use this is also the machine for you. I think the Keurig is a great machine but it is a HUGE SHAME that the company decided to remove the ability to use your own coffee grounds in the home brew k-cup. I understand that Keurig is running a business and trying to keep their business operating at its best, but when you remove such a great feature and add too many restrictions "to ensure the system delivers on the promise of excellent quality beverages produced simply and consistently every brew every time", I feel like that is just a cop out. They should have just said we made these changes so our products would sell more so we could make a bigger profit. Not only did they remove the home brew k-cup ability, but Keurig has changed to appearance of their k-cups so the 2.0 will scan and read the tops of the k-cups then brew. If you have any old k-cups they will NOT work. Fortunately Keurig has a very good customer service department and will most likely send you new k-cups to compensate for the inconvenience, or they will send you a discount code to get a free pack like they did for me. I ended up returning the 2.0 because the restrictions are TERRIBLE in my opinion. On a positive note, other companies are cracking Keurig's special way of creating their k-cups which mean there will be ways to beat the system, but you still won't be able to brew your own coffee grounds. Overall, great product but EXTREMELY BAD features in my opinion. Happy shopping.

Bodum Assam Tea Press, 34-Ounce, Black

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I like this teapot, but there are some exceptions. The good: It's very nice looking, and doesn't drip when you pour. The bad: You have to have the brewing chamber inside the pot to have the lid on (they fit together). The brewing chamber is plastic and eventually stains. The handle is not supported by anything; it's glued on. I'm kind of terrified that one day it'll pop off as I'm carrying an enormous pot of tea, but so far it hasn't happened. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on this one, but I still cringe every time I put weight on the handle.

De'Longhi BAR32 Retro 15 BAR Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Maker

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Edit 2/24/2012: I wrote this review several years ago. The machine broke down after a year or so, and I put off replacing it. However, I've wanted to start making espresso again and so, remembering how much I liked this one, I picked up another one.



It's pretty much just how I remember it, and the instructions I wrote below still work. There are a couple of things I've noticed, though. First, the maker no longer comes with sample E.S.E pods. That was disappointing. Also, the bottom of the filter handle (where the coffee comes out of) is plastic - if you use a hand-held tamper, make sure you don't press too hard and damage the pour spouts.



Also, I've moved from the Midwest to the East Coast, and it's still nice to have good espresso and capuccino in your own house.



Otherwise, it's still a sold four-star machine.



Original review:Despairing of ever finding decent espresso in the Midwest, I finally broke down and decided to get a home espresso machine. I had worked as a barrista, and had sipped espresso in Italy, so I had some idea of how it should taste.



Being relatively poor, I wanted a machine that would deliver a decent espresso, at a decent price. Though I was willing to consider a system with proprietary coffee pods (K-cups, Tassimo, etc), it would have to be cheap enough that I wouldn't mind shelling out the extra bucks for the coffee itself. And I also wanted to make sure that it was pump-driven, not steam-driven.



After checking reviews and looking around, I finally settled on the DeLonghi BAR32. It's a pump-driven maker, not steam driven, so it's not scorching the grounds as it brews. And it comes with a single and a double espresso filter.



The DeLonghi uses either ground espresso, or E.S.E. espresso pods. The E.S.E. pods are not proprietary - any company can make them. The DeLonghi comes with a package of 18 Illy pods (retail - $12). The pods are convenient, but still expensive.



I've had the espresso maker for several days, and I'm happy with it so far. With the pods, it pulls a good single espresso with a satisfactory crema. Sugar floats on top of the crema for about 2-3 seconds, and it has a nice golden color. The espresso tastes very smooth.



Pulling a good single espresso, either with the pods or loose coffee, is pretty easy. Use the pods as a good judge of how tightly to pack the grounds in the filter. Use a level, loosely packed scoop of coffee for a single shot.



Pulling a good double, on the other hand, still eludes me. The best I've come up with is to use 2 scoops, 3/4 full and loosely packed, and pressed looser than for a single. Even then, it still dribbles out slowly, with a less-than-satisfactory (though present) crema.



The steam wand works very well. I've made several excellent cappuccinos and lattes with it. It's a little cramped to use, so I pull mine to the edge of the counter so that I can get a good mug under it. I steam straight into the mug of milk, and then add the espresso. Make sure to blow some steam through it to clear out condensation before putting it in your milk. Start with the steam wand nearly submerged in the milk, and then slowly pull it out (lower the mug) until you hear a gentle "sipping" sound. That means that it's frothing. If you see noticeable bubbles on top of the milk, that means you've pulled it out too far - dip it back in slowly and you should be able to whip the bubbles into froth. Once the froth is just below the level you want it, submerge the wand back into the milk to finish heating it. Listen again - once the milk starts to sound "hollow," it's nearly hot enough. Let it go for a few more seconds, then shut off the steam, and remove the mug. The wand will drip a bit, so put it over the drip tray or an empty mug.



Making espresso is fairly easy. Turn the machine to "Heat" to start heating the water and priming the pump. Make sure the filter holder is screwed into the machine. Once the "Hot" light comes on, run an espresso cycle without coffee into the cup you'll use - pulling espresso into a cold cup will ruin the flavor. Fill the cup half-way with hot water, and turn the machine back to "Heat." Empty and quickly dry the espresso cup. Put the E.S.E. pod or ground espresso into the filter (tamp down the loose espresso) and twist it into the machine. Turn the machine on, and wait until you've got your cup of espresso. A single espresso should be 30-40ml, or 1-1.5oz. I used a measuring cup to see what that looked like in my demitasse cups.



Looking back over what I've written, I suppose I do make it look a little complicated. And it is a little bit more complicated that popping the K-cup into the machine, and hitting "Go." But it really is pretty easy, and less than 5 minutes pass between "You know, I could go for a cappuccino," and "Man, that's a tasty cappuccino."



Pros:



- Inexpensive



- Good pressure



- Easy to make a good single shot of espresso



- Uses pods or loose grounds



- 2 dials + 0 buttons = easy to use



- Outstanding steam wand



- 32oz water reservoir lets you make 3 or 4 cappuccinos, or 6 to 8 espressos, without refilling



- Built-in tamper means one less part to lose



- Pre-heat cycle helps make good espresso



Cons:



- Hard to make a good double espresso (might just be me)



- Steam wand leaks slightly (usually at the start of a brewing cycle - I just keep mine over the drip tray)



In the end, the machine makes a good espresso, especially for the price, but remember that you're not going to be running a coffee shop with it. I definitely recommend it for anybody who wants to make their own espresso, but wants to do it for under $200.