Mr. Coffee ECM21 4-Shot Espresso Machine and 8-Cup Coffeemaker Combo, Black

As many people reviewing this item, I was quite skeptical about this machine. Seemed way too cheap to get everything promised. This is definitely one time that I'm glad I trusted the reviews. I've used this machine for about 3 weeks now, and can definitely say it does the job really well. The big question when I bought it was, how can it be that cheap? The answer is that they skimped on some of the materials used - most of the machine is plastic, and this will probably not make it very durable over time. However, if you're not beating the hell out of your kitchen appliances, you should get quite a bit of use out of it, certainly way more than your money's worth, and let's face it, that's why you would purchase this machine anyway, right? To save money!

A lot of reviewers have gone in depth with how the features work in real use, so I'll just mention what stuck out to me as the big differences between this machine and others I've used.

First, I'm quite picky about my coffee, so I wanted to replicate it as close to my local coffeehouse as much as possible. I went to my local Stumptown vendor (local roaster in Portland) and asked for the ratio they use to brew their coffee. After doing some math, it turns out this would be about 2.5 tablespoons per 6 oz. cup (this machine measures in 6 oz. cups). This worked well, but I found that you lose about 1.5 oz. of water in the brewing process, so add extra for that.

Also, a big plus was the espresso carafe. It allows me to make two drinks simultaneously, which is perfect. My girlfriend and I tend to drink just coffee during the week, and a round of cappucinos on the weekend. It's not quick in the brewing process for either function, so its not feasible to spend that much time to make a cap during the week. Coffee brewing is not that bad, I just put it on in the morning and then get ready, and when I come back its done.

Overall, really happy with it, and hopefully it will stand the test of time!

This is our first espresso maker and, while not experts, my wife and I think overall it is a good machine and very convenient combining the coffee maker and espresso maker into one. The one really annoying design flaw is that the coffee carafe spills when you pour if you don't raise the lid or if you pour even moderately fast (even with the lid up). Did the designers ever perform some high-tech test on the prototype to see if it will function, like, oh... POURING WATER from it??! I don't want to sound too negative because I like it overall and would buy it again, but simple design flaws are my pet peeve.
The functions are simple: On/Off switch, brew rate switch(for 1-4 cups or 5-8 cups), and the espresso steam control. There is no timer for delayed start or a clock. (How many people need another glowing digital clock in the house?)

Positives:
Value and simplicity - No clock, timers.
Convenience- Espresso and coffee in one machine
Easy access to filter and water reserviors.
Makes steam quickly.
Brew-interupt feature that allows you to pour (carefully) a cup of coffee while it is still brewing.

Negatives:
Carafe spills when pouring.

This is an amazing coffee maker.
I had a coffee maker from Gevalia which was over 2 years old and wanted to get rid of it. So I came across this one.

There are users here who have mentioned that the brewing time is very slow. It is VERY slow IF you leave it to the setting of 1 to 4 cups (which I agree is what common sense would tell us to do if we are making only 1 to 4 cups but it sure tastes better). If you leave the setting at 5 to 8 cups, it's fast.

The espresso it makes is MARVELOUS. I got a shot from Starbucks, brought it home and made a cup of espresso at home from a bitter Italian Roast. THE HOME MADE ITALIAN ONE tasted far better.

I love this machine. And for the price, YOU CAN'T GO WRONG.

Got this thing a month ago and I love it. The espresso side of it makes perfect espresso with the right grind. It takes about 3-4 minutes to brew full amount. The steamer/frothing mechanism works great with a little practice. After reading a couple other reviews, I'm a little puzzled about some of the complaints. The trick is to add a little more water than you want to brew so that the pressurized compartment can keep producing steam after the brew. My single complaint goes to the coffeemaker side. It does make a good coffee but, its slow and its not quite hot enough for my taste. I tend to leave it on the burner a couple minutes and it seems to help. For the price, I don't think you can find better than this machine.

Got this to replace a seperate coffee and espresso setup. I like that it is very compact. It looks good though the shiny plastic finish may scuff over time. Coffee carafe does not pour well. I am actually not a coffee drinker but everyone else says it makes good coffee/espresso and works well. It was a very good buy from Amazon.