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Indulge making your specialty coffee drinks at home. You can have fun serving Espresso, Cappuccinos and Lattes to your guest while conveniently being able to also make regular black coffee. Show off with your Combination Coffeemaker and Espresso/ Cappuccino Maker machine. Coffeemaker has a removable cone filter basket, removable water reservoir and 8 cup capacity. Espresso/ Cappuccino Maker is a steam-driven unit with a variable steam control, powerful frothing aid and 4 cup capacity. ....read more
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November 19th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Horribly disappointing.
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
My first combo machine was the original Krups Cafepresso, which I managed to really wear out over the course of four years in college. At roughly a third of the price, I wasn’t expecting the Mr. Coffee ECM21 to be its equal, but neither was I expecting the cheap, flimsy, poorly designed POS I got.
The build quality is roughly equivalent to the $9.99 no-brand coffee makers you can buy in any grocery store, and in fact seems a small less sturdy than my last one of THOSE. It’s poorly designed as well, with a pivoting shower head that has to be rotated to the side to remove the drip basket, and swung back into place to brew. Furthermore, to make it all fit in one package, Mr. Coffee chose to shrink the carafe to an 8-cup one, but made it so squatty and with such a tiny spout that any pour over a thin, tiny trickle sends coffee gushing down the side of the carafe and all over the counter. It’s possible to mostly get the hang of over time, but takes a ridiculously long time to fill a cup.
The espresso side of the operation is equally flimsy and too light, and seals terribly. Sometimes an extra cupmark of water is enough to steam milk for a latte, sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes no matter how much extra you allowed, steam comes out of everywhere and you’re left with lukewarm milk at best. Also, the cup is so flimsy and its handle so light that I fully expect it to be the first part of the machine to break.
Dreadful product. For the price point, I wasn’t expecting a Cadillac, but excellent functional design shouldn’t add to a product’s cost—it’s just as simple to build a decent coffeemaker as a crappy one. Save your money.
November 19th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Poor Design
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Mr Coffee used to be a reliable brand, but this model is/was a total “let-down”. It’s poor design is nearly a hazard waiting to happen.
First – Performance: It’s slow to brew, although expresso side works honestly well, the coffee side is slow brewing, leaks at reservoir and internal design is poor and cheaply made.
Second – Safety; The expresso side is sturdy and has safety in mind, but the coffee side is hazardous at best. It easily overflows, jams and the decanter leaks while pouring. Tried multiple attempts (how hard can it be to pour a cup of coffee? DUH?) yet it leaks from the pour spout lip down the face of coffee pot.
I called & reported this problem to Mr Coffee directly and am waiting for replacement they promised to send over a week ago. I’m extremely disappointed in this product and advise anyone considering to pass on this product.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:00 am
What fun!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Being compact,this is ideal for a small kitchen. Though I have had slightly better coffee makers,this is a perfect unit for a beginner barista. Basic operation is straight forward and can be adapted as you learn the techniques. With proper care it should perform well for a long time. As with any culinary undertaking it takes practice and excellent ingredients to make an brilliant product. I’ve learned a couple tricks that have improved the quality of my cappuccino a lot since I first gave it a go a month ago. Fine tuning the machine operation beyond the instructions in the booklet was key. First of all,I got rid of the rubber frothing aid tip cover-it was not helpfull.I fill the tank to a quarter inch below the bar that goes across the opening and seal, turn the dial to “steam” until water stops spitting out of the frothing tube (this gets the water temperature a bit higher for brewing and produces an espresso with a trace of caramel froth around the rim),turn the machine off, attach the brew basket with prepared grind, turn on and brew espresso. Then immediately return dial to steam and let it hiss until its pure hot steam-nearly invisible. With milk in a metal frothing pitcher(an essential accessory)held in the palm of your hand,emerse the tip just under the surface of the milk,turn the steam back on and inject steam until you hear the pitch change and the heat on the bottom of the pitcher starts to get uncomforable, insert the tip a bit deeper into the milk for a couple seconds then shut off. Appart from that, getting the right coffee is vital and a matter of taste and getting the grind just right is a trick too(a wee bit more fine than salt I find). Most of all its fun!
November 21st, 2009 at 12:00 am
Does not always produce steam
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I’ve had this machine for just over 3 months. It does fine making espresso and coffee, although brewing a pot of coffee takes longer then my previous coffee machine, but every month the steam wand seems to work less and less. In fact, the last 5 times I’ve tried using the steam wand this week it has not worked. Very frustrating.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:00 am
FALLS APART QUICK! Waste of excellent money.
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Bought this over the summer.
Problem 1- Coffee maker- the carafe does not fit properly under the dispenser.
Problem 2- Coffee maker- the carafe is poorly designed so you have to pour your coffee over the sink because it spills all over the counter.
Problem 3- Coffee maker- makes coffee slooooooowwwwwwwly
Problem 4- Small parts started to bend or break off after 1 month.
The espresso maker is ok, but it does take quite a long time to steam the milk.
I am now shopping for a new coffee maker and espresso machine. This one has only been used since August.
Don’t do it!
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:00 am
POOR CARAFE DESIGN MAKES TOO MANY SPILLS!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
The shape of the pour spout is incorrect (too shallow). Thus, the lid opens up while pouring the coffee, causing a serious and consistent spill with every pour.
One can minimize spillage to some degree by pouring very, very slowly and by placing pressure on the lid to keep it closed. But, this is way too much effort than should be required to pour oneself a nice cup of coffee. Furthermore, these preventive measures do not always work. And by the time you realize that, the spilled coffee has quietly and invisibly run along the carafe and made a puddle on the counter. It’s a real mess.
If I had to do it all over again, I would not buy this machine due to the coffee wasted and the inconvenience caused by the multiple cleanups.
Mr. Coffee needs to right this design error! Shame on Mr. Coffee!
November 24th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Terrible Caraf
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I really liked the way it brews coffee and the expresso machine has worked well and simple to use, but, I had to give this 3 stars because the coffe caraf pours all over the counter and the lid broke. It has two small buttons that hold it on the caraf and that is not enough. My husband said I don’t care what you buy just get a coffee maker that does not pour all over. We had a cuisinart before and they are FANTASTIC, but, I wanted a coffee/espresso duo. We will be purchasing the Krups xp1500. There will be a review after 6mo for that one.
November 25th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Carafe lid is major problem
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I see that other reviewers had the same problem as I did with the leaky carafe lid. It is a real pain….literally. When you lift the lid with your thumb as you pour to prevent spilling, you burn yourself with the steam. It is a design flaw by the manufacturer. I can’t help but reckon that if ONE HUMAN really tested this thing before it when on the market that this lid problem would have been corrected. I guess that doesn’t happen anymore. It makes fine coffee though, and the espresso maker is very excellent for the money. I have had other Mr. Coffee makers in the past and have been satisfied, but this dumb carafe lid is making me question their quality control.
November 26th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Don’t waste your money…
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
This is the worst coffee maker I have ever owned! The plastic parts broke within a month and the esspresso maker didn’t work. Don’t waste your money on this machine!! Look elsewhere. This is now on the garage sale table.
November 26th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Not a fantastic machine but a excellent deal.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
With this machine you get what you paid for.
It looks cheap, but then it was.
The espresso machine works just fine. I like the froster, even if it took me a while to learn WHEN to start steaming in order to have enough steam for the milk.
The coffee machine is OK. The drip is very slow on the 1-4 cup setting, but you get more aroma for it. I was surprized to have to agree with a lot of the reviews on the distress pouring the coffee. I thought people didn’t know how to do it properly, but I finished up with coffee on my countertop more than a few times… you are NOT allowed to forget to lift the lid before serving!
If you’re only using one side, I would not buy this product but look for a non-combo – either coffeemaker or espresso machine. But if you like capuccino one day and a whole pot of coffee the next and you’re not ready to place too much money into it… this is the one for you.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Terrible on both sides
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought this hopeless contraption two months ago. The caraffe leaks when pouring no matter how slowly you pour. The expresso part quit working on the 3rd day. It never would make the designated amount of expresso. I’ve had many Mr. Coffee’s and most were very excellent. This one isn’t…at all…in any way, shape or fashion.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Broke in 3 months
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I have no thought why I won’t just rate this a 1….after all, it did break. While it worked, it made decent expresso and decent coffee. I used it daily for about 3 months to make fantastic lattes. One day, the steamer just didn’t steam anymore. I cleaned it b/c I thought maybe it was clogged. I can’t figure out what happened to it. Too terrible. There doesn’t seem to be many expresso/coffee maker combos out there under $200.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Mr Coffee just Average
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I was excited to have one machine to make espresso and coffee in a compact size at a reasonable price. Be warned – you get what you pay for. We have had the machine about three months now and we are starting to have some issues with it. The espresso carafe is cracked and it was never dropped or mishandled. The cost to replace it is outrageous. In general, it takes 20 minutes to brew a full pot of coffee and the temperature is never consistent. The coffee pot spills everywhere when you pour due to the venting on the lid. It is pretty simple to clean. But the whole design is odd/poor overall. I am not very pleased with it as a whole. I will not buy another one of these. I will buck up and buy a more expensive one with better features.
Just an update. The coffee maker suddenly stopped working completely. We cleaned it repeatedly on a regular basis and have no thought what the problem is. The espresso make still works. I pulled out the ancient Cuisinart and it works like a charm, even at five years ancient. You really do get what you pay for. After we get back from vacation, I will be looking for a higher quality dual machine that will hopefully last more than three months. Buyer beware.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Pros and Cons
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Please note that I just got this machine yesterday. Today I used the espresso side and the coffee side. The review I am giving is based on these uses only.
First of all, this is one nice looking machine. I like how it looks on my counter, and I really like the fact that the frother can be tucked in when not in use.
When the machine came out of the box, there was a very strong smell of plastic. I immediately place every removable piece through the dishwasher. I was worried, but NO there was NO plastic taste to anything that I made.
Some things about the espresso side that I was very very pleased with: the frother worked very well, moreso than with other Mr. Coffee machines I have used in the past. The lid to the carafe was a rubbery material rather than hard plastic, which is excellent because with my last machine I had a problem with the lid falling into the carafe. I made a fantastic cappuccino in a very small period of time. I will agree with other reviewers that it was warm rather than hot, but I don’t anticipate this being a problem.
Now, I read the reviews stating that the coffee pot leaks from the lid when pouring, but it was not in my mind when I was pouring my first cup. It leaked in a horrible way, all over my countertop. I really hope it isn’t hard to remember to hold the top open. Luckily, I only make coffee when I have company over… it is the espresso side that I will personally use every day.
I reckon that the sheer sexiness of this machine makes it a keeper, and for a coffee pot and espresso machine in one, it wasn’t a terrible price. I don’t HIGHLY recommend it, but I wouldn’t recommend against it, either.
December 1st, 2009 at 12:00 am
Fantastic! Until…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was initially frightened by the mixed ratings this appliance got from everyone, but I bought it anyways, because there are days I want coffee, and days I want espresso/ lattés and mochas, and this mixed the two machines together. I might add that as I write this review, I’m enjoying some of the coffee from this very machine.
On the coffee side of it all:
The coffee comes out nicely. I haven’t a single distress with it at all. The coffee tastes just like every other kind I get and have drinking from all sorts of machines, like at friends’ houses, or at coffee shops. It’s not my personal problem, but I figured that I would point it out that the coffee isn’t boiling hot. I personally like the temperature that the coffee comes out at, but I reckon it could still be a small hotter. I felt an extreme need to also include this in my review like everyone else: My carafe DOES NOT leak whatsoever. I have no thought what everyone is having distress with (are you pouring it upside down?). I make about 4-6 cups each time I brew with it, and I have yet to spill a droplet of coffee. The coffee side gets a 4 star rating: because of coffee temperature.
On the latté/ espresso side:
I must admit that I am no pure-espresso lover. I know that a excellent thing of pure espresso tastes like what I’d imagine a tire to taste like. As such, it tastes just as much like a tire as the other coffee shops I go to. The steamer is very nice. I would recommend removing the steam wand’s cover, unless you want bacteria getting you sick. That cover is just a nesting ground for those bacteria. The instructions are very clear for the pressure in the water canister for this side, as well as how to clean the frothing wand. This machine hasn’t let me down a bit for my lattés. I bought mocha sauce, and peppermint flavors online, to start out my flavor collection. This machine is a excellent part of making a killer Andes Candies latté (my description for the flavor of it). The frother makes up for any lack in espresso temperature (remember, I don’t drink it plain, so I have no clue how hot it is). If you let the milk froth in a pitcher (bought separately for a couple bucks) your lattés can be extremely hot. So if my rating was for the latté part only, it’d be a 5 out of 5 easily.
Overall:
I still work at a coffee shop, but I really despise the high prices of drinking lattés and the like, so I know what to look for in a machine. This machine could be a small better with temperatures, or a quicker-heating frothing wand, but you gotta remember this machine is cheap ( I got mine for about $65 including shipping) compared to coffee shop makers that cost thousands of dollars. The most surprising thing is that the end result of both machines taste about the same! Just about 10-15 stops to a Starbucks for example, will pay for this machine. In the long run it’s so much cheaper and convenient. If you must have boiling hot coffee, consider a different machine, but if you don’t mind having just pretty hot coffee, and fantastic espresso, I’d certainly recommend this machine, and I reckon you’d be hard pressed to find a better machine for a comparable price!
UPDATE AS OF 1/4/10
I would certainly lower my overall rating, due to the fact that this machine is going pretty downhill.
First off, the coffee side is still the same as it was; I rarely use it, and it’s just ok coffee. I have a smaller Mr. Coffee coffee maker that makes considerably better coffee, so it voids the use of the right half of this appliance.
But since most of my initial review was on the espresso side, I will continue the reasoning in regards to only this side. So, the cap to the compression chamber…thingy, is very touchy. Sometimes it seems to reckon I twisted too tightly or not enough, not exactly sure which, because it lets steam escape. I don’t feel this is my error, because I make sure the lid is tight, and that the letters are facing the same direction every time. When steam escapes, it makes the machine very loud, perilous (I tried to take off the cap too soon, and it launched) and you have to wait for a long while for it to cool down and loose all the pressure. Secondly, the espresso itself is tasting less tasty, and I haven’t done anything differently. Likewise, I have always lightly tamped the espresso to about the same degree everytime I use it, but sometimes steam comes out of the portafilter, and the espresso comes out tasting like mud, instead of that really welcome tire flavor I mentioned earlier. Also, the portafilter has gotten pretty nasty looking despite all of the regular hand washing I do to it. I don’t even know how to describe the way it looks other than “not what I’d really want to serve espresso with.” Everything else is in decent condition, but the flavor of my lattés seems to be rapidly deteriorating, and due to this, I dread I’ll need a new machine. Based on the loss of need of the coffee side, and the relative small-livedness of this machine, I’m certainly not buying another one of these.
I’d still give this 3 or 4 stars, because I certainly got my money’s worth, but I am still a small disappointed. After the whole kit and caboodle, I’d say this machine is fantastic for people willing to take the plunge into espresso without having a coffee maker already, and might rather make coffee most of the time and have cappuccino occasionally. It’s also a fantastic machine to learn the basics on, in case you’ve never made espresso before. Since the price is so cheap, it’s pretty forgiving if you make a mistake and need to replace the machine or a part (though that’d have to be a pretty serious mistake to do that).
But, if you are finally comfortable with making espresso drinks, and/or are in need of a more serious machine, I’d suggest a pump driven machine (this is steam-driven). You will need more money for a pump driven machine, but it has better results.
December 2nd, 2009 at 12:00 am
Must have product.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I like the fact that I can make expresso for me and coffee for when I have guests. I have owned this for nearly 2 months and I use it everyday in some capacity. This is a surefire way to cut costs on buying those expensive coffee drinks by making them at home.
December 4th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Not so Fantastic Especially for the Price
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I did not read all 100 reviews, maybe I should have. The quality of this unit is dreadful, thin flimsy plastic, thin glass carafe that leaks when you pour it. Makes an ok cup of coffee, but my free Gevalia unit was made much better, expected more for the price. No timer, clock, or very hot coffee for those of us who like it that way. For me the filling container is an awkward spot that may be preference. Although not very tall which may be excellent for some it is fairy wide. And again the cheapness and cheap look, if I had not ordered this as a gift would have returned it. At least my wife got another gift because I felt so crumby about this one….
December 5th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Replaces my ancient Krups
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I had a Krups Il Caffe Duomo coffee and espresso maker for years and it finally leaked underneath and no longer foamed milk well, so I bought this Mr. Coffee. I bought it because the Krups Duomo was discontinued and the new similar model cost more and had poorer reviews than the Mr. Coffee. So far, I have never had distress pouring from the carafe at all. It foams milk very nicely as long as you place enough extra water to make the steam. The manual gives guidelines. I do agree with some reviewers that sometimes the coffee doesn’t come out quite hot enough – I find that only happens once in awhile. I also wonder why they’ve made the carafe such a very tight fit when you place it back on the burner – placing it in from a left angle seems to go best. In general, though, I am really pleased with this machine the more I use it. With practice, after having it for 3 weeks, I can make a really excellent latte as well as very excellent tasting regular coffee.
December 5th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Perfect Size
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Needed a shorter coffee maker as don’t have standard space between cabinets. This fit perfect. Pleased with coffee maker, and use the Espresso side to store my “own” coffee cup. Nice, simple design.
December 7th, 2009 at 12:00 am
perfect for the price
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
this is a fantastic small coffee maker. I am pleased with its capabilities to make a yummy espresso and a excellent cup of coffee.
December 7th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Awesome Performance for a Nice Price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is an affordable combination machine that produces a fantastic espresso. After using this product, I am very glad I didn’t shell out 3 times as much for a machine that would have given me a very similar cup of espresso.
As stated in other reviews you do need to slightly raise the lid on the coffee pot if you do not want to spill when pouring a cup of coffee. This has not been a huge deal for me.
Do not hesitate to buy this machine especially if it is your first espresso machine. My guess is you will choose to stick with this machine and not upgrade to a more expensive machine.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:00 am
This is the evil Mr. Coffee.
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
We can’t return it or we would in a heartbeat. Our kids gave it to my wife and me for our anniversary. We are stuck with it until it has an unfortunate accident and breaks into a million hideous pieces.
You can grow coffee quicker than it brews a pot. Somehow it loses a cup of water in the process and then, when you finally get a pot brewed the spout on the carafe is designed so poorly, that unless you pour it a dribble at a time, it spills out past both sides of the miserable small lip – hot/lukewarm coffee all over the place first thing in the morning!!!
Getting water into the reservoir is simple, but the reservoir will not stand up straight on its own. If you set it down in the sink, it tips over.
Whoever at Mr. Coffee designed and approved this piece of garbage should find themselves applying for unemployment, if they haven’t already.
DO NOT BUY THIS COFFEE MAKER.
December 10th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Mr.Coffee ECM21 4-Shot Espresso and 8 – cup Coffeemaker Combo, Black
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
All in all a excellent maker for the price. The espresso maker is wonderful and simple to use. The coffeemaker is a different tale. The reservior, that is plastic, needs to be cleaned many times until the coffee doesn’t have that plastic taste, then when you pour the coffee pour slowly! The shape of the pourspot is not that shaped and the coffee just runs everywhere! But once all this is taken care of it’s worth the price.
December 10th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Fantastic value for the money
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Before I bought this coffee maker, I read most of the reviews and I was slightly concerned with some of them. One said that they send the product back because the “pot dripped” when pouring coffee. Another one: The coffee is nor hot enough. And another one: The machine smells plastic. Well, they were all right! The pot drips if you don’t lift the lid. So, if you simply don’t want to lift the lid and have 100 additional dollars available to avoid that pain then, go ahead, send the machine back… The coffee comes out at the same temperature as a coffee percolator which is far too low so… but hold on… IT IS A PERCOLATOR! And finally, it does smells plastic the first couple of times that it is used (the machine, not the coffee). Seriously, The only reason why I am not giving 5 stars is because there is not an automatic power off feature available and I tend to forget to turn the thing off. But, besides that, it’s the best value that your money can buy.
December 11th, 2009 at 12:00 am
adequate… far from stellar
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This is functional, but like most items that perform multiple tasks it does not seem to do any one well. Ours was receives with a broken hinge on the lid that after dealing with the particular seller for over a month for delivery we just did not feel it was worth exchanging.
Gripes: We have to hold the lid of the caraf open to pour or coffee ends up on the counter more than in the cup. frother positioning… would be fantastic for a leftie.
Wanted features: timer as mentioned, and available in higer level buys.
This make excellent coffee and espresso, but I feel it will be a temporary item in my kitchen.
December 13th, 2009 at 12:00 am
drips
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
when you pour coffee, it drips a small. you have to be careful. the express side works very well.
December 15th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Convenient Appliance
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The ECM21 is a fantastic, convenient unit. The removable fill container is nice in that it can be easily cleaned unlike other coffee makers. I like the 1-4 cup brew option which delivers fuller flavor coffee if used when brewing more servings (takes longer). The milk steamer has adequate pressure and is consistent time after time. One drawback to this unit- why I give it a 4 is the carafe spills very easily if one pours too quickly.
December 15th, 2009 at 12:00 am
fantastic small machine, fantastic value
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this machine after looking at the not-so-excellent reviews of machines several times more expensive. This was a excellent choice, it is an awesome value for the price. It performs as advertised and makes fantastic latte and capuccino. It does not have the automatic features of the more expensive machines, but for use maybe twice a day it does not really need it.
The fact that it also makes regular coffee is a nice bonus. The only small problem is that if you make more than 3 shots of espresso, you will run out of useful steam for steaming/frothing. Besides that, it is a fantastic machine at an unbeatable price for casual espresso-lovers. I would certainly buy it again.
December 17th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Only lasted 5 years
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I thought I’d write a review today since I’ve had this model coffee maker now for nearly five years.
Today it will be laid to rest. It started having issues a couple of years ago with the lid and finished up cracking at the top. So it’s had duct tape holding the lid together for two years.
A week ago we started having issues with it not working when turned on. After unplugging it, taking things out and putting them back in, we’d finally get it to work.
Yesterday I got it to work, but when I poured my cup, it was only lukewarm and had to be heated in the microwave.
Today it’s not even working any longer. The light comes on, but apparently no one’s at home.
It was a nice coffee pot and will be missed.
Stinks though that it only had a five year life. Now I must go out and get another coffee maker.
December 17th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Espresso/coffee maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Really wanted a combo maker so that my husband could have his regular drip coffee and I could have my lattes or cappucinos – didn’t want two machines and didn’t want to spend a fortune on my first machine (wanted to make sure we would use it).
The Mr. Coffee works excellent, there are just a few things that bug me. I had read about some of these things in the reviews on Amazon but chose to buy the machine anyway. I’ve never had a espresso maker and I find the steaming frother is a pain in the neck to clean. Don’t know how they could make it better – but its a pain enough that it makes me reckon do I want to steam my milk??? Haven’t resorted to that yet….. My husband says the coffee is not as hot as it could be and the carafe (as others have stated) pours terribly. You reckon they could get that right. Other than that I gave this buy 4 stars because it does work fine and does what it says it should be doing.