Top Five Reasons You Should Not Buy a Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine

Respect the Crema

I admit that I am a certified espresso junkie. I have no problem making that assertion, for I know well that my obsession can be used for a higher good, namely to help others develop a passion for this pure and precious substance. With that in mind, I humbly offer up my top five reasons
 why you should not buy a Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine.

It pains me to even call the thing an espresso machine. This brings me directly to my first reason one should not buy a Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine: The Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine is in fact not an espresso machine.

How could this be? Isn't that false advertising? I'm sure it would be in Italy, but here in America, we feel that any bitter strong coffee deserves the title of espresso. The Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine is not an espresso machine because it uses steam power to brew the coffee. Espresso machines use a pump-driven system. Steam power uses about two to three bars of pressure, whereas a good pump-driven machine uses around seven to nine bars of pressure. The difference is that with steam-driven machines, your pressure is tied up to the heat of the water. The water is close to boiling, which is why the resultant coffee is bitter and over-extracted. With a pump-driven machine, the temperature is kept at around 180 degrees Fahrenheit, thus ensuring that you don't burn the beans, and that you produce crema.

Next on my list of reasons one should not buy a Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine is because the machine makes it next to impossible to brew coffee for a crowd. Since it is a steam-driven machine, this means that each and every time you want to brew more than four cups (four espresso cups mind you) you have to refill the boiler and wait for it to heat back up.

This brings me to my third point. The Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine takes a long time, I mean a long time to heat up. The problem is, you are waiting for the entire boiler of water to heat up. In a real espresso machine you are only waiting for the heating element to warm up.

Related information
  • If the machine is steam-driven, it's not an espresso machine.
  • You can buy a Moka for half the price of a Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine.
  • The Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine is clumsy and ineffective for brewing multiple drinks.
 
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theres nothing rong w/ the mr. coffee espresso machine if ur making it for ur self-u want top coffee go to a coffee shop,never had a proublem w/ mine,u know its like every one has something bad to say about every thing,grow up,u dont like my spelling so what u dont like what i said so what,truth be knowen ppl r going to do what they want any ways-live a little u only have 1 life.

Posted on 12/10/2008 at 3:12:08 PM

I would highly recommend the Gaggia Espresso machine. It usually runs around $200 and it has enough power to make a great cup. I like it especially because it has a standard sized portafilter and comes with a good sized water tank. You can get them at a great website called Whole Latte Love. I like purchasing products from them because they also repair and sell parts for all of the espresso and coffee machines they carry. I don't make mochas, though I imagine you need to get a good blender to make this happen. I suggest first mastering the basic shot of espresso--a feat in itself--before moving on to more complex recipes. If you don't start off with a good espresso, your drink will suffer considerably. Hope that helps!

Posted on 10/16/2008 at 8:10:06 AM

I was debating on getting a espresso machine from Wal-Mart or JCPenney's and just started researching and ran across your article. I just want that coffee shop taste for me and my husband each morning, and to be able to make coffees when all of the family is home, so I would probably be making 7 to 10 at one time maybe once a month. If not the Mr. Coffee Espresso machine, then which one would you recommend for someone just beginning. I don't want to spend a fortune on a machine I might not use a lot, just $100 to $200. Also, how do you make them? I don't even know what ingredients to buy to get started. My daughter loves frozen mochas, and I do too. How to you make a frozen mocha? You seem like a real expert in this field of coffee. I'm just beginning to branch out from my 2 cups of black coffee of a morning. I would love to get your input helping to find the right machine.

Posted on 10/15/2008 at 8:10:16 PM

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