Whether you prefer a classic espresso shot or a frothy cappuccino, the Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine has everything you need to satisfy your caffeine cravings. The Cafe Barista fared worse when brewing lightly roasted beans. While my Quills Blacksmith Espresso coffee was freshly roasted, the machine failed to coax the complex flavors I know it contains if handled correctly. Instead of the notes of pear and fruity acidity balanced by sweetness I can usually taste, the shots were overwhelmingly sour. Even the manual milk frother isn’t too difficult to figure out.
It has a removable 40-ounce water tank, and there’s also a milk frother located to the right of the brew head. The machine comes in one color—black with stainless steel accents—and it has a sleek design that’s mr coffee machine likely to fit in well with most other kitchen appliances. It features a one touch control panel, so you can easily brew plain espresso, lattes, or cappuccinos with single and double shot options for each.
In fact, Mr. Coffee ECM160 made it on our top steam espresso machine list, competing with just a handful of other makers. Unlike steaming with a wand, the automatic frother doesn’t allow the user to exercise direct, manual control over the froth. Compounding this difficulty, the way the milk is dispensed and frothed also lacks consistency, largely based on the machine’s recent usage and the type of milk.
The machine comes with a “Quick Start Guide,” which let us jump in without having to read through the entire instruction manual. After we washed the water reservoir, lid, brew basket, and filters, we primed the machine by running water through the frothing tube and brew head. Mr. Coffee believes that everyone should be able to create their very own “just right” coffee moment at home. Brewing coffee since 1970, Mr. Coffee® is the trusted brand that continues to offer high-quality, easy-to-use coffee makers for coffee lovers of all types.
However, it’s still about half the price as some of our favorite semi-automatics and barely puts a dent in the price of some super-automatics. So if you have a little extra wiggle room in your budget and aren’t interested in saving much more for a more full-featured machine, this is a great choice. So you’re new to the specialty coffee scene and you want to ease yourself into espresso brewing before dropping $500+ on a top-of-the-line espresso machine? Plenty of brands have made it their mission to make the whole range of coffee brewing accessible.
A good latte or cappuccino is like a rich, milky mug of heaven. Just writing about these delicious, warming drinks makes us want one. Sadly, creating the perfect cap or caffe latte at home can be a hassle.