4 stars

I had been thinking about getting an espresso maker for some time but wasn't sure that I would really be into making them myself. Spending $100 plus for something that may just sit in the cupboard was keeping me from making the leap. I then received the Mr Coffee as a Christmas present and now know that I will never look back.

Does it have all of the bells and whistles of the more expensive brands? No. Does it make a great latte at a fraction of the cost of ST*@$#(ks? Without a doubt. Yes, it does take a little practice to get the right balance of coffee, water amount and steam level but those few initial mistakes are worth it in the end. (You'd make the same mistakes on the more expensive brands.)

Who cares that it doesn't come with a tamper. That's what the bottom of the coffee scoop is for. Heck, with the savings realized after just two or three lattes, you can afford to go out and purchase a nice metal tamper.

I do recommend that you invest in a good stainless steel milk pot with a long handle. A Turkish coffee warmer is great for this. Keeping it cold in the refrigerator will aid in frothing your milk.

Some folk have complained that the machine is slow. In my experience, I can have a large latte in approximately 3 to 4 minutes.

In the future, when I need to replace this machine, it is likely that I will move up to a more luxury brand. However, this was a really cost effective way to get my feet wet.

5 stars

Love it! I used to go to Starbucks 1-4 times a week for my vanilla lattes until I bought this. I figured I'd look into buying my own machine since I was spending about [..] a month anyway and driving out of my way to get the coffee. Everything I was finding was very expensive (over seven hundred bucks) until I came across this. I read a few reviews online, they were mixed but I figured it was a cheap risk (Target has a great return policy too). It took me a while to learn how to froth, but I've got it down now. I bought Caramel and Vanilla syrups and make weekly trips to the grocery store for coffee (our local Sprouts has amazing coffee and a grinder with an espresso setting). Worth the money, a great buy.

Tip: The best way to clean the machine parts is with a baby bottle brush.

4 stars

I'd been wanting an Espresso maker for a while, so I got this one because of all the great reviews that it's gotten. Only problem I've had with it is that when the coffee comes out, its not hot. it's also a little bit messier than others I've used. not to mention the steam handle is a little close to the machine, but nothing really too bad, I'm probably using a cup thats too deep for it (glass 2 cup measuring cup).

Even with the above listed shortfalls, it makes a great Espresso and Latte. I make Mochas that are far better than any coffee house I've ever been to, mostly because I control the exact ingedants.

All in all, if you're looking for a cheap espresso maker and have 5-10 mins to kill a day, this is perfect.

5 stars

i picked this machine up on black friday [...]. what a bargain! in 3 days i've already made 5 lattes and have mastered making starbucks-style coffee. the espresso is good and strong and it takes under 5 minutes to brew the coffee and steam the milk. i recommend a frothing pitcher and a large spoon so you can hold the froth back while pouring the steamy milk into your espresso, then spoon the desired amount of froth on top. excellent buy! my fiancee estimates we will save $100/month on my starbucks habit because of this machine. thanks target and mr. coffee!

3 stars

My intention when purchasing this item was to be able to make my own espresso shots at home so that I could make my own lattes. I wanted to spend less money at the coffee shops, but not spend too much on the machine either. I like this unit for the price. It makes really good tasting espresso. It also brews the espresso in about a minute or less. I grind my own beans (Starbucks beans) for this. I also ordered some flavored syrups to use as well. There is one major downfall to this product. The steamer/frother is very wimpy! It will not heat the milk, it will only add some bubbles/froth. It does not have enough steam power to actually heat it up. So what I do is pour the amount of soymilk that I am going to use into a ceramic mug. Then I microwave it to warm it up. Then I use the steamer attachment to simply froth it. Mix the brewed espresso with the milk and it's delicious. For iced lattes you would not heat the soymilk, but add ice cubes instead. In summary:
Pros-great tasting espresso, brews quickly, inexpensive
Cons-steamer/frother doesn't heat milk, only froths it; plus the arm is too close to the machine.

4 stars

I had a small Mr. Coffee that I used for 3 years until I couldn't coax a good cup of coffee out of it anymore. I had been given a huge and expensive DeLonghi, but it does not work well. This is my choice for a replacement.

Advantages: 1. Has a small footprint. 2. Cord is out of the way underneath - use the length you need. 3. Works very quickly. 4. Heats milk and froths well if you put the cup under the steamer nozzle, and rotate it like a barista. 5. Price is cheap for the drinks it produces. 6. The frothing nozzle cleans easily.

Possible Disadvantages: 1. Has a "cheap" feel. 2. You need to put the coffee basket on correctly or it won't seat properly. This design flaw needs to be fixed. 3. Steam escapes around the screw-on top. I realize this is a steam machine, but it is hot and you need to keep hands out of the way. 4. The tip of the frothing nozzle screws off for cleaning. Wondering how long it will take for me to lose it.

I brew this type of coffee because I can't drink regular coffee. I use a good quality decaf and it gives me a strong, bold coffee drink with hot milk and foam. The savings at [price] a pop in a coffee shop mount up quickly and pay for the machine. I don't expect it to last more than a year or 18 months with daily use. I hope Mr. Coffee will improve the design overall, even if it costs a bit more by replacement time.

If you have a problem, return it. It should work beautifully. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because of the disadvantages I listed.

5 stars

So, I am a daily drinker of Starbucks coffee. Lets face it, I'm addicted. About a year ago I decided to try an espresso maker so I could try to make them on my own. I admit, I bought this machine a year ago and absolutly hated it. My major issue was that it didn't steam or heat my milk and with me being so stubborn I didn't want to heat it in the microwave. I was debating purchasing a nice (over a few dollars) machine so I could get exactly what I wanted. After reading the reviews on this machine I decided to give it another try. And I am SO happy I did. Instead of trying to heat my milk with the machine, I just stuck it in the microwave, which is fine because then that can heat while the machine makes the espresso shot, then put your warm milk in the steamer for some froth! Its amazing. I'm so happy with it! I even purchased some carmel syrup from Starbucks so I could get the carmel effect! Give it a shot, you won't be let down if you give it some time!

5 stars

I decided to start 2008 by taking my $4.00 a day visit to Starbucks and save it. By now I have amassed well over $500.00!
I then decided to buy this cute compact Mr. Coffee Expresso machine, what a smart move! It makes great expresso and it's quick and easy to use.
I would highly recommend this machine! The price is extremely reasonable and I would also suggest grinding your own beans. The brand of the bean used will make a difference.
Hope this review is helpful!!!

4 stars

This machine continues to be an excellent value for the price. I wrote an earlier review for this machine and just wanted to update. I use this coffee maker every morning and sometimes twice in one day. I have found out how to put the basket in quickly, so it really wasn't a problem. If I don't overfill the machine, and make sure the twist top is on tightly, no steam will escape. I have found it easy to clean the nozzle if I slip off the black sleeve on the frothing arm right after steaming milk, and clean it with a soft sponge. It has never clogged using 2% milk for frothing, so I don't have to clean off the little screw off end very often.

I don't think you could make a mistake with this product. It continues to perform totally to my satisfaction and every day I enjoy a latte.