Side by Side Comparison of: DeLonghi vs Mr. Coffee

I'm coming up (or just passed) about the three year mark using one of my EC155 machines (one is used much more than the other) and I can say that I've just about reached the end of the machine's lifetime. For the first two years of use, I pulled 18g shots two to three times a day and this past year has been an average of one pull a day in the morning (16g of coffee). If I compare the performance of the machine I use much more often and the machine that has about half a year's worth of use on it, I can definitely say that my three years of heavy use have just about knocked my EC155 out of its full capacity. The power of the pumps in the two machines have a night and day difference - I have to be very careful with how much coffee I load in the portafilter in the machine I use more to make sure it can still push out anything. As a side note, I can still achieve proper crema and pour lattes in both.Seeing as it's time to replace the dying EC155 I've reached a crossroads that speaks to the quality the EC155 provides at its price point. A lot of the "higher-end" (~$100-$500 range) espresso machines have issues that are apparent in the EC155 such as unstable temperature control and poor steam generation. For a sub-$100 machine, the EC155 does a great job as long as you know a few important tricks! Here are a few I've picked up through refining my coffee rituals:1. Toss aside the pressurizer that comes with the portafilter (the small black circular object that screws into the plate and the black plate). This pressurizer works via a spring loaded system that attempts to introduce artificial pressure into the grounds so that the water coming through the portafiler needs to achieve a certain pressure before coming out. I've found that if you load enough grounds in and tamp properly it isn't necessary at all for achieving a crema. In the end you should just have three pieces: the outside of the portafilter, the gasket, and the metal holder2. Either take off the bottom half of the portafilter handle or cut off the plastic underneath the portafilter to get yourself a sort of bottomless portafilter system. You'll be able to watch your shots come out of the machine and I've found that a lot of coffee liquid gets stuck in this piece without there being any big benefit. Also this frees up some much needed room for a taller cup.3. Put a book or something under the machine to have more clearance for a frothing cup.4. My routine for preparing a latte is to preheat the machine for anywhere between 30 minutes to hours (I used to have a outlet timer that would automatically turn my machine on in the morning). The top of the machine should be hot to the touch by the time you're ready to go for it. There will be a few cycles of heating in this time (i.e. green light on/off/on). I first weigh out my coffee (I grind mine fresh but I have used pre-ground before and there is a bit of a difference) and fill the portafilter and tamp it down (I usually use 18 grams in the larger portafilter). You lock the portafilter in as much as you can - it won't be completely straight but you should feel the gasket get tighter as you turn it. In accordance with espresso theory of not leaving a shot for more than a short time out, I heat/froth my milk first before actually pulling my shot. Frothing the milk to proper latte consistency to be able to pour art was probably the most difficult thing for me to achieve. Any machine has a little bit of water come out of the frother once you turn the knob so its best to have a cup to just purge out some excess water before you froth your milk. Since the EC155 has an auto-frother (i.e. has those holes in the top of the frother), you don't need to pull the milk and listen to the clicking noise as if you had a "legitimate" machine. Simply stretch the milk a bit (introduce air to create micro bubbles - should increase volume of milk) before finding a sweet spot where the milk is able to whirl around from the frother's airstream. This should incorporate those bubbles into your milk to get that silky consistency. I learned from SeattleCoffeeGear to leave the steamer valve on all the way and turn the knob to the coffee pull setting (all the way to the right) to purge out one shots' worth of coffee from the reservoir (until the green light turns off) just so that the machine is forced to heat a fresh amount of water to try to get that ideal temperature. 20-28 seconds of a pull and a bit of milk swirling and pouring later and you have a latte!5. I descaled my machine a few times which helped the performance out a lot back in around year 2 but it looks like at this point the machine is going to have to be retired :/.The EC155 is really a great machine (especially for someone in college/grad school who needs to justify the price). Theres a lot of little tricks you can pick up that give the machine all the more character. I'm not sure if I'll stick to getting another EC155 next, but for anyone who's shell shocked by the prices forums and websites list for their machines, the EC155 is that affordable alternative. Like any culinary activity, if you focus on the ingredients (fresh roasted coffee) and prepare appropriately (burr grinder to achieve a consistent grind), you leave more leeway for the machine to work well.FYI I would rate myself as a budding coffee enthusiast, buying fresh roasted beans (light to medium roast) and I use a burr grinder.

After exhaustive reading of reviews on what felt like a thousand espresso machines, and pestering my friends and family with questions regarding their own machines, I decided to buy the De'Longhi EC 155.My husband goes through coffee makers like I go through chewing gum. One day a machine is there, the next day it's vanished. He's either hard on them and destroys them, or they didn't meet his demanding coffee needs (and boy does he need his coffee!) and he tossed it in the donation box. What happens next is a trip to Starbucks, which he announces to the house, and our sons start yelling out pleas for coffee cake and hot chocolate. $30 later, he has his coffee fix...for the day.I wanted to buy my husband an espresso machine that was high-quality enough to take his daily abuse, simple enough to use that he would actually use it every day, and inexpensive enough to not break our bank in case my husband hated the machine and it was quickly added to the donation box.Good news: He likes it! He really likes it! Sure, there has been a learning curve involved, but the machine has been used at least once a day since Christmas.Pros:*It's really easy to set up and start brewing*The built-in tamper is super cool!*There is the option to use single-serve pods in this machine; we haven't used this option and I'm not a fan of the packaging involved in single-serve anything, but it's a neat option anyway*It has a small footprint and doesn't take up much space*We can skip the long heat-up time with the 'quick start' option; we are really only in it for the caffeine and are not espresso snobs, so the quick-start is perfect for our needs.Cons:*We only have one complaint: By far, the worst thing about this machine is the vibration while brewing. What this means is that you have to physically hold your espresso cup in place or risk losing some of that precious nectar into the spill plate. This could be remedied with the addition of some sort of anti-slip material, but we haven't yet tried anything. The company should probably add a non-slip material to the drip tray as that would solve the problem before it begins. But, really, considering all the actual issues facing this country and the planet right now, we probably need to just quit whining about 20 seconds spent holding a cup in place, you know?For under a hundred bucks, this is a good espresso machine. My picky husband gives it "4.75 stars" and I rounded it to 5 stars because this machine does what it claims to do, and it does it with relative ease.

I've long been a fan of espresso and french press coffee, but over the course of the last year, I succumbed to the product of my surroundings, and found myself drinking 7-11 coffee everyday - and loving it (the horror).Spring back to the beginning of August, and my wife and I took a nice little two week getaway to Europe, specifically London, Paris, and of course, Amsterdam. While across the pond, I rekindled my love for 'fancy' coffee, where rolling around with espresso didn't make you a ponce, just a normal, upstanding person.While I was still over there, I placed an order for one of these so that upon my arrival home, I could make some decent cups of coffee. I chose this machine, like most of us, for the price - I wanted to make sure this wasn't just puppy love before ordering something more powerful, beautiful, and frankly hipster.Fast forward 3 months, and I still don't see the need to replace the machine. It heats up fast, creates good crema - especially with the Lavazza Gusto, and pulls two shots per puck with ease. It's nothing fancy. You're not going to win any barista awards with this one. It's basically featureless outside the bare minimum, but I like it. It takes up practically no space at my coffee bar, looks decent enough, and just plain works.If you're in the market for an entry level espresso machine, click buy. It's has a great value-to-satisfaction ratio.

It has stood the test of time, about five years that is. That's pretty good. It's still going strong. I admittedly haven't used it every day, but I keep it at work so it get's used about four times a week. No problems with leaking as some cheap espresso machines will. It is pretty plasticky in construction, but that's what you get for a sub $100 espresso machine. It takes E.S.E. pods just fine.It's everything people have said in terms of value. It's a steal overall. I wish it had a cup warmer and that I didn't have to hold on to the cup when brewing (it vibrates a lot and the cup travels if you don't hold on to it.)I normally write more thorough reviews. All I know is it makes a great shot of espresso without a lot of fuss and it's been very reliable for me. You can't go wrong with this for E.S.E. pod use.

I'd long been jealous of my friend's Nespresso, but I hated the lack of variation on the coffee, the ridiculously overdone packaging (metal cups, really?), and the steep price.I read the reviews and ordered this 5 months ago with some reservations. I probably run it 6-10 times a week (doubles, 3-5 days). I have only used ESE pods so far. (mostly Lucaffe). Overall, it's been great--but I wanted to add some information about some of the other comments.- Portion size - coffee. This is not made for American-sized portions. No 16 oz here! When I make a double, I use a single size espresso cup because that's what fits. I can fit a small mug if I take out the bottom over the reservoir.- Portion size - milk. Same with the frother - I use it with an old-style 1950s coffeecup, which is broad and shallow. If you're looking for a Sbux amount of milk, it won't be enough for you. If you're looking for espressos or americanos, it's much better.-Cleaning the frother. A lot of people complained about that in reviews. My advice: don't remove the attachment to clean it. It's spurting boiling water after all--better to take a clean cup, add a bit of hot water and soap if necessary, and run the frother again to clean it. I found that ended up cleaning it better than taking it off. About once a month I do pull it off and make sure nothing's stuck under the threads. Haven't found anything so far.-Operation. The machine does shake--and the plate the cup stands on can vibrate. I find that I have to watch it or it shakes the espresso cup out from under the machine. Sometimes I keep my finger on it. I have had very little trouble with warm-up or with readiness - I find it takes me less than five minutes to make a double. The handle often won't go all the way to 90degrees--but when I used a commercial machine when waiting tables ten years ago I had that same problem as well. Don't force it; make sure it's in the grooves and push it as far as it goes.- Water. I have hard water, and at one point my filter pitcher broke so I was using straight tap. Warm up time doubled. Once I started using filtered water again I cleaned it out and it's been fine since. I highly recommend using filtered water. Huge difference.-Selection. Overall, I find the selection of ESE pods excellent. Although this isn't really about the machine, it did factor into my decision to purchase.TL;dr: If you mainly want a decent, low-fuss cup of espresso, this is a machine for you! If you mainly want cappucinos or lattes, you may want something else. If you are Truly Serious about your espresso, this probably isn't enough for you. Also: use filtered water and small cups.

I am Italian, born and raised. Moved to US at 30 yrs old. Moved to an area where there's no Italian-American influence, no chance of going out for an espresso. Only Starbucks... no thanks. Thought I could go by without espresso for 6 years (what was I thinking??? I don't know). Then sudden espresso cravings made me buy this espresso machine. De Longhi is a very common brand in Italy for any type of home appliances. I've had this machine for 6 months now, using it every day. It's awesome. Like the espresso cup you'd get in Italy "al bar". It gives a thick layer of "crema" on top of each cup.Here some answers to other reviewers' cons:* somebody wrote the water was not coming out and returned the machine: you need to bang the water tank real hard in position, otherwise it doesn't connect. It happened to me first time using it... I thought machine was defective too because coffee was not coming out. My husband banged it in there and started working right away.* ground basket is soupy: with espresso machines you have to fill the basket to its fullest, nothing like drip machines. You need to have coffee heaping out like an upside-down cone and then gently press it down with the tamper. Don't press too hard otherwise the water doesn't make it through.* built-it tamper sucks: this puzzles me. A tamper is whatever flat surface you have handy. In Italy people don't use tampers, considered a fancy thing for coffee shops. People just uses the back of a spoon to tamper the coffee down. The spoon that comes with this machine is perfect for that by the way. You just need a flat round surface of same diameter to have a great tamper. The built-in one works great. You only need a minor pressure otherwise you compact coffee too much.* takes long to heat up: maybe older version? Not sure about this. Mine is ready in one minute or less.* no cup warmer: in the manual says the top metal part is the cup warmer. It is warm if you let it warm up. I personally live in warm climate so don't need cup warmer, plus the coffee comes out very hot. True that there's no railing so cups can fall off easily (done that...).* frothing wand placement/length: I can't say much about it because I don't make cappuccino, I just drink straight espresso, black. One thing I'd say is that cappuccino in Italy is not what you know as cappuccino here, size wise. This may explain the wand dimensions. In Italy cappuccino is a single shot of espresso, with some frothed milk on top. When I say some, I mean really a little bit. The total output is less than one cup size for your cappuccino. That is very small. So when you need to heat up your milk, in theory you'd use a very small and short brick. If you'd see one of these you wouldn't believe it probably.* bitter coffee: this is very important. Espresso is supposed to be a very sweet cup of coffee. I never got used to the drip coffee or store bought cup of coffee just because it's too bitter. Not used to it. The difference is in the roast and grind. You cannot use coffee you'd use in the drip machine for the espresso machine. For your first espresso, just buy Illy ground espresso coffee. I recommend the black label. Just try it and that is your standard to compare other coffee to. That is the sweet taste you should get. I also recommend to buy pre-ground coffee, because the grind for espresso requires a serious (expensive) burr grinder, professional level to obtain a fine and homogeneous coffee suitable for these type of machines.To buy ground coffee, a cheaper option (cheaper than Illy) is Lavazza. I recommend "Crema e Gusto". This is the most commonly used brand in Italian families, that's all I drank in my family for instance. The "Crema e Gusto" variety gives a nice espresso.I think I covered all the points I wanted. I will add if realize I forgot something worth mentioning :-)Enjoy your coffee!April 2015 Update: we have been using this machine daily since our purchase in 2011 and it hasn't had a single issue so far.

Love it and I have had it almost A year now. I got off Mt dew and started drinking White Chocolate Mocha from star bucks. I wanted to start making them at home and this was the thing to get. The milk it makes is just like star bucks. It make 2 shots of espresso very good. clean up is a snap. It has help up to me making about 6 mocha's a week. No problems yet.

Several days I spent reviewing 'all in one' espresso machines, and there's a lot to filter through (get it? ah my jokes are too corny anyhow). After doing a heavy amount of research I was satisfied with this choice. Took me a few weeks to pull the trigger, but I couldn't be happier that I did. I was addicted to kwik trip lattes, Starbucks lattes, anyplace that has a latte you name it. I'm quite positive this has already paid for itself by not having to go to all those places.But let's talk more about the thing!It's kind of big but it has its own dedicated spot in my kitchen. It's nice enough to be left out and not have to store away in a cabinet. What I REALLY like about it is that it's pretty much an all in one system without the thousand dollars plus all in one cost. I push one button and all the magic happens, and it's quite entertaining to watch the espresso cascade through the milk and create separate layers. I also like that I can take the milk and store it in my fridge. I've done some temperature tests and only noticed a 5-degree increase after making a double latte before I put it back in the fridge. This is nice as you would think to be so close to all that heat it would be a much bigger temperature fluctuation. Just make sure you put the blasted spout up otherwise you'll have a fun time cleaning up a giant mess of milk. I really wish there was some sort of sensor that assisted with this issue as I guess I'm stupider than I thought when it comes to lifting that lever.For anyone who wanted to know, it fits a full-sized pint glass underneath it if you remove the drip tray. It is a tight fit as you will have to angle the pint glass to slide it in but I use pint glasses for my large lattes consistently. The latte puts out almost double the amount of milk that the cappicino does. I think all single servings should be able to fit in your regular sized coffee mug.Another aspect I really like is the cleaning aspect. Just hold the top button for the coffee grind connector (w/e you call it) to get cleaned and hold the bottom button for the milk frother to get cleaned... that's pretty simple! I did notice that the milk froth cleaner doesn't get all the milk out of the metal tube, but since it slides right off and is pretty easy to clean it's not that big of a deal to me.So ultimately how does this compare to all the places I regularly go to? It's spot on. Sure it's not the sugar loaded 1500 calorie Starbucks grade latte, but as far as the espresso taste goes it's very close. I actually prefer not adding any sugar or other diabetes contributing nonsense half these latte makers add and find this is a much healthier option for me as well.If you enjoyed my review please like it. Cheers!

I went on Amazon to purchase my 3rd Keurig frothing pitcher (they are such junk that they self-destruct starting a month after purchasing & are unusable 6 to 9 months out), when I noticed Mr. Coffee had an espresso machine with a milk frothing device. I thought, Mr. Coffee, that's a company (unlike Keurig) which one can trust to make a well engineered product. (I now have 3 Mr. Coffee burr coffee grinders, so I reason to believe this was so.) So I bought it, & can say, it took a little time to get into a routine of using it without spilling coffee grinds all over the place.I have purchased several espresso makers over the years, a good European electric one w/o a frother, a good Senseo w/o frother that requires pods, a that makes good but weak espresso, an expensive European stainless steel stove top one w/o frother that makes strong espresso, the Keurig that requries expensive pods, makes bad espresso, takes too much time to use, is in every way poorly engineered, and has a milk frother that costs about $35 to replace every 6 to 9 months merely because it is made of cheap plastic.With all that in mind & with the Mr. Coffee machine routine mastered, I can say, & my partner says every day, the Mr. Coffee machine makes the best tasting espresso/cappuccino ever experienced, better than Starbucks by far, better than all my other espresso machines, better milk frothing too, better engineered by far at such a reasonable price and without expensive pods (where who knows where the coffee is from).If Mr. Coffee comes up with a new & improved espresso machine w/milk frother, I will purchase that one too, not the least of which is because I appreciate a supporting an excellent company that makes the investment in Research & Development to come up with a great product that does what the customer is led to believe it should do.

I love this machine! I've been using my Mr. Coffee Cafe Barista for 9 months and it's still going strong. I mainly bought it because I was spending way to much getting coffee drinks like lattes and macchiatos at the coffeehouse. My favorite feature is the fact that it steams and froths the milk at the same time. You can also control the amount of froth that it makes which is an awesome feature. I also have a Mr. Coffee burr grinder Mr. Coffee BVMC-BMH23 Automatic Burr Mill Grinder, Black/Silver so that I am making the freshest coffee possible and I buy my coffee freshly roasted from a local company. The results are great!Here are some tips from an experienced user:1. The milk container lid is where it connects to the main part of machine. Be gentle with the little hole in the back because it can break if pushed too hard. A replacement can be found at Mr.Coffee website for a reasonable price, though.2. Buy a couple of replacements of the clear plastic straw looking part because it will probably get lost and leave you feeling sad that you can't steam your milk! (from experience).3. Never wash the portafilter in the dishwashing machine. Just don't do it. It will lose the nice shine because it is aluminum. (yes, again I know from experience).4. Before going out and buying another machine if one of the parts fails... see if they carry a replacement. Pretty much everything that can be removed can also be replaced on their website. I was impressed with the reasonable prices and quick shipping on the Mr. Coffee website.I had another machine that had great reviews made by Hamilton Beach back in the day, but it was really lacking compared to this machine. I am so happy with my purchase. Long live the Cafe Barista!

It's only my 3rd day enjoying the espresso maker and so far so good! I'm no espresso expert what so ever, but this unit fits my needs. 2 things I wish were different though, I wish the milk would froth hotter. With my old espresso maker I frothed manually making the milk as hot as I wanted, but this is not an option on this unit since it's done automatically. Still it's great to have frothed milk with a push of a button.. Also wish there would be a button for frothing alone. I feel that I will end up damaging the cappuccino button( that's the option that makes the most froth) or the whole frothing system since I have to press it like 4 times to get the perfect amount of frothed milk for my white mocha... Other than that the Espresso maker is just great! It's small enough to fit the limited counter space I have, cleaning is a breeze, and I get a perfect espresso shot with just the right crema for my morning mocha!If wondering, for my espresso I use "lavazza inblu"(I've tried so many including "illy", "Starbucks" and even the budget friendly Bustelo, but for my taste nothing better than "inblu".)For the white chocolate syrup I use "Torani White Chocolate Sauce"(the taste is similar to the brand that Starbucks use to sell. Sadly it's not available but at least I found a good substitute.)

We are a Cuban family of 5 that drink espresso multiple times a day, and two of us drink lattes every morning. We have a traditional espresso machine and were looking into another one to make the lattes, and during that search, I found this amazing machine for both espressos and lattes!The set up was fairly easy and straightforward, just MAKE SURE THAT YOU REMOVE THE RED COVER FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WATER CONTAINER before you start using the machine. The water container is extremely convenient, as it holds a large amount of water and you won't need to fill it every time you make an espresso -unlike traditional espresso machines.There are three different options: ESPRESSO, CAPPUCCINO AND LATTE. You have one button for each option. If you press the button ONCE, you will get a small portion (single shot). If you press it TWICE you will get a bigger portion (double shot). Under those buttons you have another feature that lets you set the amount of froth that you want (little to none for Lattes and lots for cappuccinos.) After you plug the machine your three buttons will start flashing. You have to wait a few minutes until their light is fixed, when that happens you can start using the machine.To make an espresso you simply fill up the filter with your desired brand of ground coffee (you have a single and double shot filters between which you can easily switch) and press the espresso button either once or twice. Your coffee will start pouring within SECONDS. To make a latter of cappuccino is the same procedure, except that you will need to fill up the milk container. To remove the milk container simply pull it horizontally towards you; to put it back, push it horizontally towards the machine until it "clicks" into place. You have arrows on the container and on the surface of the machine that will touch each other when the milk container is correctly inserted.The only inconvenience for us is that even a double shot is not enough for us 5, we have to make TWO double shots. But since it takes seconds for the espresso to be ready, we can't complain. With our traditional espresso machine we had to wait 5 minutes for the espresso to start pouring. Besides, sometimes only my parents are home and if they made too much then it would go to waste, so they do a single shot with this machine and that's just enough for both of them.I was hesitant before buying this machine because of all the negative reviews about how fast it broke down, but I'm glad I decided to take the risk and buy it. I have been using for almost three weeks now Multiple times a day for both espressos and lattes and I have not seen any sign of deterioration (fingers crossed). I will update my review if this changes, but so far, my family and I are completely in love with this awesome machine!

My Cuisinart EM-200 espresso maker is failing after just one year. Under warranty, but it would cost a lot shipping both ways, so I am trying a less expensive machine. I feel like I know my way around espresso and cappuccino so I think I'm qualified to critique this machine.First reaction was, it's pretty light weight, but that is not really a deal breaker.I like the simplicity of the control switch and really don't miss the automatic timer on pulling shots. I'm not sure why, but the crema is much much better than the Cuisinart ever made. Also, the milk frother works very very well expanding or "stretching" the milk into a thick foam like it's supposed to. The Cuisinart never was great in this regard. The drip pan doesn't have to be emptied every time it's used like the more expensive units that flush the hot water into the tray, wasting a lot of water. The steam control on top works very well and permits turning on and off for flushing before and after use. The Cuisinart automated electronics prevented flushing easily.So far my only complaints with this DeLonghi machine are the following: The steam wand is too short before it bends making it difficult to get to the bottom of even a small milk pitcher. The water reservoir is pretty small. The retainer on the portafilter does not hold the basket very well when emptying the used coffee puck. The portafilter does not have a latched position when installing. The tamper is kind of useless. Cup height max is about 2-1/2", so even if I remove the drip tray, I can't use my insulated cups any more. I use either small espresso cups or wide low cappuccino cups. No problem.All things considered, this machine actually makes much better coffee than the Cuisinart so the minor complaints are tolerable.Update 10/7/17: Unit still works great. I'm very pleased with its simplicity and ease of use. The steam valve seems to be more robust than those on other espresso machines I have owned. The ECP3420 and EM-200 side style valves are prone to failure and leaking.One really should consider when buying an espresso maker, what do you do when it breaks? If it costs $80 or so, you can just throw it away, but if it's a $300 machine, who's going to fix it? And warranty repair is useless, they make you pay shipping both ways.

I am not a gourmet but the coffee Latte tastes fine with Lilly Dark Roast Coffee, Fine Grind, 8.8-Ounce Can using the steamer on fresh milk.There is only one flaw, unfortunately it is quite aggravating. The clearance for inserting a coffee cup is too low for anything but a made-for-espresso cup. Even Medelco 4 Cup Universal Glass Espresso Replacement Carafe, Black won't fit, which is a shame.If I were buying this again, I would probably shop harder and pay more for one with a couple of inches more room to slide the cup underneath.

Solid machine so far. The key is having a grind that is not too fine and one that is not packed down too tightly in the head. If the coffee is too fine and/or tamped down too much, it can take 10+ minutes to fill the cup. I am still experimenting with how fine a grind to use and how much tamping pressure to exert, but clearly the machine does not have the kind of pump pressure that you would find in at coffee shop machine. Given that, it cannot easily penetrate too dense a charge of coffee in the head. But at 15 BAR, this DeLonghi makes for a perfectly enjoyable espresso if you are willing to play with the variables a bit. No regrets!

This is a really easy to use espresso maker. It does take longer to heat than other models that I have owned, but it does get hot enough to create long lasting steam if you are going to steam or froth milk. The built in tamper is just a touch smaller than the actual filter, but still works effectively. I find that it makes a great cup of espresso with a nice, rich crema in about thirty seconds. The only thing I wish were different is the steam wand. It is a little too short. I find that I have to tilt my frothing pitcher quite a bit to get all the milk heated. For the price, this is a really nice machine.

I'm pretty happy with my De'Longhi Espresso maker. I was a bit apprehensive, at first, when I saw the small size of the grounds holder, thinking it might not make enough strong espresso for the size of the (26 oz. mocha that I make every day, but, to my relief, it has been plenty strong enough. Also, I didn't have 2 1/2 inch tall cups, short enough to fit under the grounds holder that were also large enough for the amount of espresso needed, so I ordered the Konitz Coffee Bar Cappuccino cups (size 4), and I'm all set! It produces good espresso, is simple to use, steams well, warms up pretty fast, and is, so far, my favorite of the more inexpensive espresso machines (under $100.00). I reserved a star until I know the longevity of the machine.If it lasts, it will get 5 stars.

things to keep in mind, this is a light duty machine, meant to fulfill the needs of one or two coffee addicts, not a starbucks.the wand for frothing is short, a 12oz pitcher is finethe tamper is meah, get a 52mm tamper, be aware that a good tamp with this machine takes a long time for extractionit can do single, double or ese pods, the large gasket in the single shot basket needs to be swapped for the smaller one (included in the double shot basket) for a single shot. rule of thumb, if you are using grounds, small gasket.the large gasket is for ese pods, otherwise you won't be able to fit 7 grams. some reviews complain that the single shots were watered down, i suspect the large gasket is the reason, it does take up about 2 grams of space.the ese pods work great, this machine also has a good aftermarket following for customization and partsthe drip tray could have been better if it slid directly out, you have to tilt to remove it.everything is manual so you'll have to count to 26 and purge before and after the shot to keep the pump clean over time, theres no backflush on this. frothing wand again is small but works pretty well, prime the wand and wait for it to stop spurting water.try not to switch back and forth between froth and extract, it takes time to reprime and you are running a dry pump during that. temps between froth and extract are different too.cup heater works, takes about a half hour of standby heat and has a lip that keep cups in place, although using the purge water from pre extraction is a much faster way to bring your cups up to temperature.wash out the water tank monthly with regular use using a 1/4 c vinegar and waterrun a tank or even two when you first get the machine, shavings and fluid may be seen, this is typical

Actually, this is a pretty good little machine. I have a cappuccino every morning..... and it makes a pretty good one. I realized when I bought it, it was not top of the line. It was very INEXPENSIVE, comparatively. So my expectations were, that this was NOT going to be one of the expensive machines. That said, it works better than I expected. The milk is foamy and HOT. The espresso is hot. To me it tastes good. I ordered this because while I was in France, I had a cappuccino every morning....this little machine does a nice job. Not top quality, but impressive. I like it.

First, this product works as advertised. The coffee tastes as good as the cafe offerings. It's quite fast too and easy to clean. We buy Starbucks espresso grind. There is a gotcha, though. Nothing serious. The froth dispenser folds away nicely when not used which is where it has been a few times as I made cappuccino and walked away. It leaves a heck of a mess with chocolate milk all over the counter (I love mochaccino). I'm sure I'll learn not to do that but we are not always at our best when we need coffee the most. Other than that I love the look and even the sound of this machine. My wife drinks mostly espresso and using a double and then a single with the same grind makes is the way she likes it: not too strong. I may soon apply at Ozo's.

So far, so good!! What I have been looking for all these years. Only gave 4 stars because I have only had it two weeks, and will give 5 stars if it holds up forever! My kids are saving so much $$ not going to Starbucks and Dunkins. We bought the Starbucks flavored syrups and mocha powder from Amazon, and add that to some flavored, store bought coffee creamers that I use in the milk dispenser...YUM-O!! I also bought the see-through glasses as shown in the picture, and you get a very impressive, fancy drink to serve to your guests.

This is a good product, but if you have more money to spend, buy a higher quality one. I do like the frother. I have been using this at least once a day for 8 months, no real problems. I will say that sometimes it doesn't brew as well as other days, sometimes it takes a minute to get going. It is loud, but this is my first espresso machine, and think they are all loud. I would have given it five stars had it always had a consistent brew. Overall I love this product, great price and would purchase again if shopping on the same budget as before.

I bought this machine as a replacement for Krupps espresso machine which died. During last 5 years I tried several very different devices from Seico, Krupps, DeLongi and now MrCoffee.I give this coffee maker 4 stars because Seico espresso machine was better, but in general this coffee maker is quite good for the money.Pros:- Its cheap- Espresso is good- Almost automatic frothing, less hassle with additional cups and stuff- Robust to coffee grind and quantity, if you do something really wrong it shuts off and saves the pump- Big water tankCons- No way to stay clean while recharging coffee- Frothing function cheats and provides something more like whip than steamed milk- Cleaning and washing of milk container takes some effort

This machine is amazing, does it all with a push of a button! Making expensive coffee shop drinks at home for a fraction of the cost. Regret not buying something like this a long time ago!Update: 11/30/13 - As we used this item more, (my wife and I) it has proven to be possibly just a faulty machine we received as the porta filter area drips about 6 drops of water if the espresso isn't in the porta filter section. Also, the o-ring for the milk cartridge after a month also makes a leaky squeaky noise. I would like to mention Mr Coffee had excellent customer support and sent me a new unit, BUT all the leaking should have not been doing tins after only 2-4 weeks of ownership. Again, I would purchase this item only new for warranty coverage or buy from bed bath and beyond and exchange it forever if it does fail which is possible as long as I didn't just get a faulty machine. But works great and makes great drinks so we still would buy again just warning to make sure buyers spend the extra change and get a brand new warrantied model like we did.I dropped my 5 star rating to 4 just because $200 brand new machine should not have issues like that but appreciate the customer service and replacement, although somewhat of an unnecessary hassle.

Design (6/10): It's ok. Overall the machine looks cheap, but the machine is cheap, so no high expectations there. The space for the cup is too small, so if you don't have a special cups for expresso you'll not be able to put your cup in there.Coffee (7.5/10): Good coffee. Not super, but very good. Very comparable with Nespresso.Quality( 3/10): Died after 6-7 month.If you consider buying - please add extra $100-150 and buy a decent espresso-maker not this compromise between quality and price.

Makes decent espresso, but has started to leak water from the head after just a few weeks.

Almost a year after purchasing- it still works great and really has a small footprint. We use it a few times a week. Read many reviews before settling on this one. This is my first espresso machine and it is easy to use and clean.Agree with other reviewers that the steam wand is a pain to deal with- not enough clearance between it and the counter for a standard size steaming mug. All in all, pleased with it and would purchase again.

I bought this espresso maker with such fabulous reviews and price point i couldn't refuse. It worked great for the first year and was easy to use after that I started noticing the pump was degrading and began to just drip. I went thru several cleaning cycles over the course of the year but sadly is just a drip coffee maker now. I would recommend getting the warranty if you want this to last over a year. Also the base only fits small cups around 3 inch height it would be nice to be able to fit taller size cups.

I will say that I now own three of these machines, but not by choice, and here is why. I had wanted to replace my older Krups machine, but that exists no longer, so after some research, I purchased one of these models. This was several years ago, and when something went wrong with it, while still under warranty, they told me to send in the whole machine, at my expense, and THEY would decide if it deserves replacement. It, did, so they sent a replacement to me. This machine is now about two years old, and the only problem I have is with the gasket inside the head, so the machine will drip water (or coffee, if you have the filter on) while the machine is heating. I called the company, but they do not sell parts, but offered me a second machine at a lower price, about $ 70. This THIRD machine lasted about 2 months before a fusible link in one of the thermostats went bad. This meant that the green light is automatically on, immediately when turning on the machine, because the machine thinks it is already hot. When I called the company THIS time, all I had to do was cut the cord at the base, send that in, again at my expense, and they sent a new machine to me. This FOURTH machine leaked as soon as I tried to fill the reservoir. I knew there was just a loose hose or something else similar, but the company said if I unscrew the bottom to look, I void all warranty. "Just cut the cord at the base..." This time I told them, I did not want a replacement EC155, and asked for the next model up, and they sent the BAR 32 as a replacement. I then unscrewed the bottom of the fourth machine and the problem was indeed only a cut in the water line. I spent 50 cents to replace that from the local hardware store, a couple of dollars for the fusible link on the third machine, and about 5 dollars for extra cord and plugs to replace the original cords I had to mail in. I now have 3 of these machines, and all three work. HOWEVER! These two newer EC 155's have not seen much use. The filter holder does not fit into the head well, because it is an extremely tight fit, and I don't wish to break the machine. (I believe it is another gasket issue, because the filter holder fits into the older machine easily.) Also, the frothing wand does not stay in one place,but swings back, as if spring-loaded, under the base. This makes it harder to operate, because you either do not move the frothing pitcher (which is unreasonable, because it will not heat the milk in a consistent manner) or you have to have a non-heat sensitive utensile to hold the wand in place while you froth the milk. My issue is that these machines are now made in China, and the workmanship (rather, lack thereof) shows. The company is well aware of this, because they now only ask for a cut cord instead of the whole machine for them to decide if it warrants sending out a new one. They sent a new machine to me instead of allowing me to replace a 50 cent, 6-inch piece of tubing. Also, their own website lists these machines at about $ 80 now, so they did come down in price as well, because my first one was well over $ 100. As a pump machine, they are worth $ 80, but not any more than that. Their customer service is good, but you should not have to wait 3 - 4 weeks for mail turn-around, and you shouldn't have to use warranty in the first place, as any good machine should last longer than 6 months. Anthony

After owning this for a number of months now, I really don't think it deserves the reviews given it. It's decent at best. It makes a decent espresso for the price.Concerns:1) It is not ergonomic. I'm sure it was made to slide under a kitchen cabinet easily, but that leaves little space below the nozzle. Only very small cups or carafe will fit. Overall, that's just a pain.2) It does not come with a carafe or frothing pitcher.3) When I switch from espresso over to steam, the first release of steam, especially if you don't wait a moment, shoots out hot water into your frothing pitcher.4) The frothing nozzle does not easily come off to clean.5) After tamping with the rather lame tamper, putting the expresso in its little slot just right is sort of hard until you get the hang of it. My teens have gotten it wedged stuck a few times when they weren't careful.6) After several weeks of use, the espresso is prone to continue dripping even after you've switched over to steam mode. Just a little, but you have to leave the cup under it. Might improve if I cleaned the machine.Positives:1) It cleans pretty nicely otherwise. Nice trays underneath that remove well to clean. Housing easy to clean.2) The water storage system works well all around. Easy to fill.3) Pulls a decent cup in proper time.4) Puck falls out easily and easy to clean up coffee mess.5) Has options for one or two cup, but who wants one cup??!!Would I buy again?Maybe for my kid, but not for me. I'd rather save my $$$ for a real machine.

This is my 1st coffee maker. I finally bought one because my addiction to coffee keeps growing. In the office I've always drank from drip coffee makers and was used to the room of customizing how much creamer I put into my coffee. Well with this machine it's predefined for the cappuccino option. I didn't know that but apparently there's a coffee milk ratio with cappuccino, so this machine will deliver that. The milk frother froths with steam. My awesome friend has one that mixes and the difference is notable. I keep the froth setting on high but it doesn't compare to the mixer. Other than that it makes pretty good coffee. I gave it 3 stars because I really wanted a milk frother, I got one but it's just okay.

I wanted to love this thing, but unfortunately it has been pretty disappointing. I shouldn't have had such high expectations given the price tag, but less than a month of owning this thing and: the portafilter plastic handle broke inside so it slides off of the ground basket, it leaks water through the the dispenser when not in use, and half the time it does not dispense milk and I just get a lot of steam when making a latte. I will use this until it stops working which I only expect will be a few more months and then I'll just throw down some serious cash for a real espresso machine. Lots of plastic and not built to last.

the main unit is good but the main problem is that the suction part of the creamer department pours out creamer instead of steam. did everything i could cleaned it daily and still pours out instead of steam on cappuccinos and latte's.

CONSIt's LOUD. Too many parts too it: the milk reservoir...the lid, 3 parts come apart off the lid and it's tedious to clean and get all the milk residue out of it. Milk foam notch is useless. I keep it at the lowest, minimum setting for lattes and ALOT of foam is produced anyways. Im afraid to crank it up for cappuchino setting. No need.. Also overall material of the machine is cheap. After a few uses I can see already coffee stains forming on the espresso extraction aluminum cups thingies. Doesn't come out with wash.PROS: The price is ok. Doesn't take long to make 1 cup. Makes good decent espresso. I prefer this over starbucks and Dunkin. Saves me lots of $$$. It has a large water reservoir for espresso water in the back that is clear plastic and removable.In all it is ok but not the best. Will upgrade in a few years when I can afford it.

I didnt realize mine is not working properly. It only fills a cup half way and the frother doesnt really froth much.I thought it was due to using coconut milk . But when I used half and half it would really froth then it wouldnt as much so I guess from ready the reviews this should not be happening. I do clean it regularly and use filtered water.I follow the directions to a t. Basically I make a latter and/or a capucino on the max FROTHER and I have a little froth.I like alot. It sounds like mine is not working right either.I will say thought I have saved about $ 800.00 already NOT going to Starbucks.

Makes wonderful lattes but the shots are very very small. The shots are incredibly small and not at all the amount they claim, I measured it up. The machine is loud. Otherwise, I'm having fun put extra froth in my drinks! I may never buy a coffee shop latte again, these are way better! And I love my lattes and cappuccinos! One in the morn, noon and night. Sometimes in between.

The resulting espresso wasn't very strong, in our view. The basket made for two espressos might be able to make one espresso as strong as we remember from Italy, but not two. Also, the "puck" was not easy to remove (unlike our previous simpler machine). We followed the instructions for preparing the new machine -- running hot water through it 5+ times, but it required several more actual espresso runs before the coffee started tasting OK -- although weaker than we like. Disappointing because we thought the high pressure BAR would have improved the taste. We'll send it back, and instead try out the deLonghi electric "mocha pot", which looks much easier to customize the amount of coffee grounds and water. We have a separate milk frother, so crossing our fingers!

I actually purchase this machine twice-- once in January 2012, and again in August 2013. I was relatively happy with the first machine I purchased, despite its shortcomings. However, that machine stopped in just over 18 months. I felt that I had gotten pretty good use out of it for the time I owned it, so I (stupidly) opted to buy the same machine again. The second machine had issues almost straight out of the box, and whatever quality there was had noticeably dropped off in the time since I bought the first unit. The second one barely lasted 6 months before it was completely unusable. The milk frother went first, after about 4 or 5 months. It continued to make espresso for another month or so before the machine gave up altogether. Since that time, I have lived without an espresso machine and am now looking to buy another. There is a part of me that really loved the first machine I got-- while it lasted-- and is tempted to get another of the same model, but I won't because the quality simply isn't there.The PROS from the first machine I purchased--If counter space is an issue, the small size is great.It made a decent cup of espresso.Good price for a pump machine-- IF it holds up more than a few months.The frother worked well, once I figured out how to use it.The CONS--Almost too small-- it's hard to find a cup to fit under the spout.Vibrates horribly when in use. Perhaps this is due to the small/lightweight nature of the machine?Horrible ergonomics.Extremely poor quality. Yes, it's an inexpensive machine, but it breaks FAST. (I made one cup or less a day with both of my machines.)

Makes an amazing espresso drink, although buy a real tamper, the one attached is useless. Wish there was a higher clearance to fit a taller cup but that's a small complaint. Overall, a great little espresso maker. Terrribe customer service drops this to 2 stars. Machine was clogging up after 6 months and I couldn't budge the screw to take it apart to clean it. Delonghi customer service said not to worry about and just descale the unit so it stays clean. I said it's defective because I can't take it apart as shown on the manual, they offered no solutions. Cheap company with poor customer service bad warranty policy. Buy at your own risk.

This is my second De'Longhi espresso machine. I was very please with my first one and it has started leaking after 5 years of heavy use. This one seems cheaply made. It is very light, short, cheap metal and heavy vibration. I'm not able to fit my small (not espresso cups) between the base and dispenser because it is so compact unlike my previous machine. This is so annoying that I am returning the machine. Maybe go back to the espresso percolator...

I would give this all five stars, if the machine lasted more than a year. We've made coffee only over the weekends with it. We've used it gently, did not use the milk frother attachment for the most part of our usage. The machine drips water very slowly, as if there isn't enough pressure build-up. Most online recommendations suggest descaling the machine. We've tried that, but that didn't fix things either. There is no build-up, and I don't think that is our problem in any case. I don't wish to spend more money buying descaling products and invest more money into an already broken machine.It may be worth pointing out that the previous version of this machine lasted us two years and stopped working in exactly the same way. With that machine we assumed we had a defective model, or had hit some kind of a weakness or limitation in the machine. We used the previous one more often and for longer before it died. It could just be a gradual degradation in quality of materials used in these machines.I sometimes hear people saying their espresso machine lasted them ten years. I just don't see how that could be possible anymore. I am just disappointed that I need to shell out another $100 for a machine that will last us another year, or two if we are lucky. I am looking around for other options. This machine is supposedly a best seller in semi-automatic espresso machines, so it's a bit difficult to look beyond that and weigh out the reviews of the other machines in comparison with this one.Somebody in the Questions and Answers section suggested that this problem may be a result of a pump diaphragm weakness. (glimmer of hope) He also said it was unrepairable in this model, and he just had to toss it away (glimmer of hope fades away).

I moved from drip coffee to steam machine, then started grinding whole beans for freshness, then moved to a burr grinder for an even, consistent grind. Each step improved my coffee, and I really wanted to move up to a pump machine, but couldn't justify the cost. I started saving money and reading reviews, and this machine had by far the best reviews for the money.Things I learned after I bought it:There are more variables, so it does take a little more experimentation than a steam machine to make a good shot. But I enjoyed the process, and found even a mediocre shot from this machine is better than a good shot from my steam machine. Once I got the result I wanted, I found this machine more consistent.When adjusting your grind, time each test shot, and go finer or courser until your brewing time (from pump start to full shot) is 30 seconds.Buy the "Frequently bought together" tamper. The built-in tamper is permanently attached to the machine. It might be fine for leveling your grounds, but it would be difficult to tamp them with it without tipping the machine over. I ordered this tamper along with my machine, and I'm glad I did. I was concerned about a few negative reviews claiming it didn't fit, or its metal plating flaked off, but I've been using it every day for five months with no problems. For more details, read my review.The review pointing out that the machine needs to be cleaned out periodically is correct. The manual recommends cleaning it every 200 shots or when it becomes slow. There are clear cleaning instructions in the manual. It's not difficult, but I needed a very fine needle to clear out all the tiny holes.I can't comment on the steam wand, because I never use it.I didn't know how hard it would be to find a single espresso cup at a reasonable price. I drink mostly Americano. I just wanted something that would fit under the group (spout) and catch the espresso for transfer to a larger mug.The manual contradicts itself, saying you need to preheat the machine 15 minutes, or thirty minutes, or by brewing a blank shot (no coffee) before use. That's nonsense. Turn the knob to preheat, and the machine is ready as soon as the green light comes on. Even when starting cold, this takes less time than grinding the beans. You can brew a blank shot to preheat your cup, but if you are in a hurry, even this step is optional.The pump makes some noise. Not a whooshing noise like a steam machine, but a mechanical hum about as loud as an electric mixer. It only makes this noise during the actual brewing—which should last about 30 seconds if you have your grind right. It is silent while heating the water. This noise is accompanied by a vibration that may cause your cup to slide off-center. I haven't had the espresso miss the cup, but I keep a close eye on it.The drip tray is removable for easy cleaning, and can go in the dishwasher. If you leave the drippings in the tray too long, they contain enough water to grow mold. Solution: Wash the drip tray frequently. I started sprinkling a little boric acid in the tray (the tray is plastic, no worry about corrosion) and when it all dissolves, (one to two months at my usage rate) I put the tray in the dishwasher. I haven't seen any mold since.Update 11 June 2016: After 2 years, water started to leak over the top of the basket instead of going through the grounds. Shops that do repairs on this machine wanted almost the price I paid on Amazon for a new machine. I tracked the problem to the gasket that seals the basket to the machine. I found a replacement online, but when I tried to remove the old gasket, I found I had to completely disassemble the machine, including several parts that were not designed to go back together. In short, this is a disposable machine, not intended to be repairable.

Honestly I wasted money. It works not bad actually, but even if I buy Starbucks coffee beans it doesn’t taste Starbucks quality. Coffee metal thingies are hard to clean. Parts that are for milk are also hard to clean. The machine, however looks good on my kitchen counter. So there is at least one plus.

I returned this item because I was disappointed in the amount of plastic and the design was annoying. Flavor was decent and I probably could have perfected it with a few more tries, but it wasn't worth it to me for a product I didn't love. Overall, this unit may work for some people, but I didn't love it and three figures is too costly for something I don't love.Design Flaws:1) Taller travel-height mugs don't fit;2) The milk dispenser is made of plastic made to look like metal (would it really have been that costly to use food grade stainless steel here?);3) The "metal" lever that adjusts the milk dispenser nozzle is also made of cheap plastic, and doesn't feel like it will last;4) Unit is obnoxiously loud and took multiple cycles for me to get enough milk5) The milk dispenser nozzle is an accident waiting to happen because it must be pointed towards the mug every time (the mug can't be placed or removed if the nozzle is left in the dispensing position), and I could see myself forgetting to move it if I was tired or trying to multi-task;6) The milk reservoir is huge, doesn't include markings, and has a plastic lid with a straw that is required for operation -- might be okay if you intend to store the entire reservoir in the fridge, but I wanted a quick pour, steam, wash option.

- my unit was making warm coffee instead of hot,- cappuccino was a late- late was a warm coffee with milk- the milk container is difficult to clean after it has been used

Santa brought this for my wife, and after opening and testing, we're sending it back. Despite the high approval ratings it did not live up. It doesnt froth the milk properly, and for the wife, that's a show stopper.Ordered the ninja coffee bar and will see if that one works.

Worked well until it broke 4 days after the warranty ended. I would have thought that a $199 espresso machine, at the time, would last longer than a year. I've bought other machines from Mr. Coffee, and they have lasted years, even the cheaper espresso machine that was under $50, so this was a surprise to me.

We purchased the Cafe Barista in December, 2014. It made a great cup of coffee, and we used it on a daily basis (with regular cleanings as recommended in the manual) until it suddenly stopped making foam and starting dripping water out of base about 14 months after purchase. Just another large piece of plastic to be added to a landfill; his will be the last Mr. Coffee purchase that I make; nothing seems to last much longer than the 1 year warranty.

Product worked fine for 5-1/2 months. Then the green light goes out in the middle of brewing a cup and the water begins to drip. Takes about a half hour to make one cup. I have cleaned it out as required. Very disappointed!

1st try and it is broken. Read a lot of reviews that said this, but I was optimistic and ordered anyways.

I got this as an Xmas gift for my hubby from Amazon Warehouse Deals. No instructions, but we looked them up online. Xmas day, my husband tried to make espresso. I can't begin to tell you how much we were looking forward to that. It's been a few years since our old espresso maker broke and my husband's been burning coffee onto my new, ceramic stove with a Bialletti 9 cup pot until I just couldn't stand it anymore. In defense of this De'Longhi it frothed milk like a champ. Unfortunately, its espresso was what my late father used to describe as "duck coffee:" you make it by tying a coffee bean to a duck's leg, letting it swim across a river, then scooping out a cup. Duck coffee.I tried again the next day thinking my husband hadn't followed the directions, either due to excitement or the fact he thinks directions are for other people in general and dispensable, item by item, as he arbitrarily sees fit. Guess what type of espresso I made? Duck espresso. It was so thin, so watery it made me feel a little queasy. Normal sized mugs don't fit under the dispenser, which was also exceedingly annoying to me.Having read many reviews here before purchasing this item I have to presume the machine was defective. What I take issue with is that it is evident someone else returned this item as defective and Amazon Warehouse Deals re-sold it without establishing that it could, in fact, properly make espresso. Plugging something like that in and establishing that the power light comes on isn't really sufficient before re-selling a nearly $100 item like this. I bought a thumb drive from AWD that, like this espresso maker, really was defective, but someone at AWD obviously didn't check whether it actually would store any data. Ultimately, this wastes time and a whole lot of shipping. But, hey, maybe if you're Amazon you can gamble on something like that and eat a few bucks shipping. I dunno. At any rate, the whole experience put me so far off De'Longhi espresso machines that I got a Mr. Coffee with an auto-frother. Say what you like about Mr. Coffee, at least a normal sized mug fits under the dispenser.

Let me start off by first stating that I used to be a barista, so I know how to use an espresso machine. This thing is awful. When it arrived I followed all of the instructions exactly as described. When trying to run the machine for 5 cycles before using coffee, to clean the machine, I noticed that the arm was very difficult to put into place. You have to move the steam wand out of the way to even get it in place. Once you insert the arm (where you place the ground coffee) you have to use one hand to rotate the arm counter clockwise and another hand to hold onto the actual espresso machine. There was so much resistance that this is the only way to securely align the arm. Once I did this, I ran a cycle of just water to rinse the unit out. Immediately I noticed the unit was very loud. Before the water started flowing the unit was vibrating so much that it moved the espresso cups out of line, which would have caused a big mess. I had to manually hold them into place while the water came out. As you know, this unit produces very hot liquid and you shouldn't have to have your fingers down there during brewing! I thought maybe this was just happening since it was the unit's first cycle. I ran another 4 cycles with the same issue. Maybe this is just a defective unit, or maybe it is a piece of junk. At any rate, I've returned it and will do some research for a better option.

I've had this coffee machine for roughly three months and it worked well (shots were a bit on the weaker side as I would have expected). The last week before it died, the machine became extremely slow. I performed the recommended maintenance with no difference in performance afterwards. Eventually, espresso ceased from coming out. Now it's just a loud-vibrating brick :-(Before you purchase this machine consider the following:- The machine is loud (even when it was new)- It vibrates so much the cups underneath move from underneath the espresso dispenser so you must watch them at all times.- It's hard to fit any cups underneath it. My shot glasses barely fit.- The built-in tamp is nice- The water level view is nice- The steamer is in an inconvenient place for use. You must move the machine around to use it with bigger cups.- The shots aren't as strong (I like really strong shots, I needed at least 4 from this machine).- It's slow when dispensing espresso.In short: I was disappointed that this machine didn't live up to my expectations. The price was right, but I felt the quality was below average. If you do buy this machine, I hope you don't have a similar experience that I did.

When it decides to operate it makes flavorful espresso. I ordered this machine via Amazon the first week of August 2013. 3 or 4 weeks into it it began acting up. Very slow drip issues. Other times it worked great. I kept using it light to medium duty. Since then it has gone downhill. It routinely takes 3-4 minutes to pull one shot. I checked on Amazons return policy and it is only 30 days. I will not be purchasing appliances or electronics through Amazon ever again. 30 days is pitiful. DeLohnghi isn't much better. I called customer service to see if I can exchange it or upgrade and their customer service is Monday through Friday only. Besides this I have no other experience with this brand. As it stands I am not impressed. Machine doesn't work and customer service availability is no bueno. Like I said it brews good espresso when it wants to, I wish it worked.

I've had this product for 5 months now and it is the worst espresso maker I have ever purchased. The espresso does not pull a nice crema shot, and now the milk frother is not working. Every use is a fight for a luke warm cup of horrible coffe. Save your money, I wasted mine.

I don’t understand what’s wrong with this machine! It’s oretty easy and self explanatory on how to make a large cup of coffee and for some reason no matter how many times I press twice for a large i get a tiny cup! I’m very unhappy with this machine.

Returned this product. Not what I wanted. Replaced with a different item.

I've had this espresso machine for less than a year and it has already died. Definitely a waste of money.

The machines are damaged and do not give milk :( Im very disappointed

I'm really dissapointed because when it works, this is a GREAT machine. Very user friendly, quick clean up, and it makes very tasty brews. When it doesn't work, it's completely awful. It's hard to describe the milk, so I've attached photos.We've gone through two of these machines in the last 14 months. The first machine was purchased for me as a Christmas gift in December 2014. It worked well and I loved brewing my own expresso at home. Then, around the tenth month we noticed that less expresso than usual was coming out the machine. Around the 12th month, it started curdling the milk.Though we cleaned our machine religiously after each brew and use fresh milk, when the milk went into the cup, it looked spoiled and made the coffee completely undrinkable. Luckily the machine was under warranty, so we were able to send it back and get a second machine in February 2016. Like the first one, it worked great at first. Then, last week, it began curdling the milk again. It's been two months this time.I called and spoke to Mr. Coffee's customer service about an hour ago and the rep was friendly and helpful, but said she wasn't sure why our machine was doing that. I asked her for suggestions on how to fix it because I didn't want a refund or a new machine, I just want my current one to work properly.She then put me on hold and spoke to her supervisor who also was not sure. So, they're sending us another machine...our third one in less than two years.I'll take the new machine, but I'm planning to look for something similar under a different brand. I don't want to keep replacing them.