With over 50 years of coffee making experience Mr. Coffee is looking to bring you simple delicious espressos with the Cafe Barista espresso maker for a price that demands a certain level of quality. Approaching the half century mark for dollar range it’s you really want to find a machine that can create a dependable cup of coffee around there that will make you leave the local coffee shop behind.
With that in mind the Mr. Coffee Cafe Barista claims to create a great espresso at the touch of a button. Not just espressos, you’ll also be able to make an assortment of frothy creations including lattes, cappuccinos and more. With all the other options across the market how closely does it reach its claim? You’ll have to read along to find out if it will do the trick for you but on the surface you can’t complain about its solid and simplistic design.
With the ability to automatically pull espresso shots you will be one step closer to making your own tasty blends at home. With a milk frothing container attached the addition of freshly frothed milk is always a welcome addition to any coffee creation. It doesn’t have the ability to grind beans or anything that you might find in the 100 and up range, but it does provide a solid option to make espresso style drinks for the frugal minded sipper.
You won’t find an especially gaudy design for this Mr. Coffee machine as they instead decided to go with a toned down look mostly black with just enough chrome to not look out of place in a modern kitchen. Small for a kitchen appliance but a bit larger than similar models made for pump espressos. Most of its additional size comes from its removable milk reservoir. With a built in steaming wand you can keep it ready to go or store it in the fridge to keep your milk fresh for the next use.
Making use of a metal portafilter loading grounds and brewing shots is relatively simple. You will also find two separate filter baskets giving you the option for single or double shots if you wish. Finally at the bottom you can find a couple of sliding drip trays perfectly large enough for the majority of glass and cups. They are simply removed for cleaning but you’ll have to be attentive to realize when they’re full without the sensors you can find in some other coffee makers. Beyond all the features even if you have all the options in the world it really comes down to the product that is produced.
With a pressure of 15 bar (What is BAR and why is it so important) for the brewing and an inability to always maintain a consistent temperature this is where this machine starts to falter. When up against machines with more grinding capabilities or even just aiming for the same level you will start to notice a difference. 19 bar is the generally accepted pressure line for a solid cup of brew and this machine doesn’t quite reach it. This means you can count on an espresso but its quality might not always be up to snuff. It might be possible to tweak the settings until you can find a solid recipe, however even if you can find something you like matching the quality of your local coffee shop is not something this machine can promise on a consistent affair. Depending on the quality of your beans and how finely they are ground your cup could vary as well.
Ease of Use
Making good use of the Mr Coffee Cafe Barista is relatively simple even if it does take a bit more than a single touch at times. With a few knobs to adjust depending on what drink you’re looking for it isn’t too difficult however. A single tap of a button for the style you desire will produce a shot while a double tap will setup a double. A triple tap will allow you to custom brew by pushing water through the filter until you press the button again. Each button operates pretty much the same way with longer presses of the cappuccino or latte options producing manual frothing or steaming wand cleaning respectively.
Pro’s and Con’s
Pro’s
- Ease of Cleaning
- Quick & Automatic
Con’s
- Can overheat producing abnormally hot coffee
Mr. Coffee Espresso and Cappuccino Maker Manual
- Mr. Coffee Espresso and Cappuccino Maker
Summary
The main question you want to ask yourself with the Cafe Barista is how important a high quality cup of joe is worth to you. If money isn’t much of an issue you will probably find yourself better off buying a higher end model or heading to your local shop. The inconsistency of the blend can be a huge issue if you’re a bit of a connoisseur.
On the other hand if you are looking for a lower priced option to get a powerful coffee drink with with the added comfort of sweet steamed milk this machine can deliver. You might be able to spend less and get a better machine especially if you just enjoy simple coffee while it might be advised to open up the wallet a bit more if high quality espressos are what you’re looking for.
