Black & Decker EE200 Expresso O Mio - Expresso Maker

As an ex-Seattle-ite of 12 years, I am pretty persnickity about my espresso. I found this microwave espresso maker at an upscale retail outlet for discontinued merchandise, in my new home city, and thought, what the heck, it is only $10, what do I have to lose? For ten bucks I got the microwave espresso maker and a frother, basically a beaker with plunger/beater for making steamed milk froth you see on a cappucinno.

After a few attempts, I found the proper setting on my microwave, to make excellent shots of espresso. I did have a couple of messes to clean up before I figured it out. I have a smallish GE microwave purchased in 1997, and don't remember the wattage, but running the microwave for 1 minute and 45 seconds yields almost a full shot of espresso. I empty the result into a cup and put the espresso maker back in the microwave for an additional 10 or 15 seconds which makes enough more to make a good sized shot when added to the first batch. I do this because one newspaper reviewer, who I will talk about later, mentioned that his espresso had a burned taste from leaving it in too long. I have not experienced this, but do this anyway as a precaution. The result is an acceptable dose of espresso for use in making a latte, etc., every time. I do sometimes just add a bit of sugar and take it straight, as well.

Now for the frother. This little guy is amazing and worth the cost, even if you don't use the espresso maker. I am able to make a decent froth in a few seconds using non-fat milk. Whoa. With whole milk you can make something approaching whipped cream in a 15-30 seconds.

Now for the reviewer I mentioned earlier. This fellow published his very negative review in the Seattle Times and, I think, contributed to the apparently horrible reputation that perhaps caused B&D to discontinue this little gem. He obviously did not tinker enough to figure out the settings that would work for his microwave, etc,, and made a couple of messes and gave up, and then proceeded to blast this espresso maker.

I wondered if I was the only person who liked this little guy, so I called a good friend of mine who is a consultant and travels all over the country to see if he wanted one of these. He was way ahead of me and had already been using one for some time. He loves it and it goes everywhere with him. BTW, he is twice the coffee snob that I am. He told me that when he is home he still uses his little B&D instead of the fancy countertop unit he has in his kitchen, if he wants to make a single shot of espresso.

This is like the Holy Grail of microwave espresso makers, though, to my knowledge, it is the only one of its kind. OK, maybe I am being too enthusiastic, but, hey, I love my coffee. It is handy enough toss in the suitcase and take with you for making espresso in your hotel room, if you are a traveler, or just don't want to spend a few hundred dollars for a gadgety space hogging countertop appliance. I actually went back to the store where I bought this and bought two more, in case something happens to my first one, so I will never be without one.

OK, now for the negatives, and there are some. This guy only makes one shot at a time, and then you have to empty the grounds and start over. If I want to share an espresso with my honey, then she had better be patient, because the first shot is for me. The coffee goes in a little aluminum cup that is covered by a screen, and this little cup gets HOT. If you want to make a second shot you have to take the maker apart, empty the grounds, refill it and start over. I do it, sometimes, and it is not impossible, but I do alot of cursing when I do. Of course you can set it aside to cool off first, but that's no fun.

Bottom line, this is a great little espresso maker if you don't mind making one shot at a time, don't mind experimenting a bit, are a traveler, don't want to spend money or space on a large espresso maker, etc. I heartily recommend this microwave espresso maker and wish you luck in finding one (my spares are not for sale!). They are still out there, and I did also see them at Walgreens, at one time.

.. and brand new; I decided to give it a whirl.

There was a little bit of leakage from the unit, but nothing unmanageable, and it did indeed make excellent espresso. Yes the metal cup (and plastic assembly) inside does get hot, but so do the parts from a "regular" espresso maker. A quick rinse in warm or cold water does the trick before fully disassembling. On my next attempt, I made the base tighter and voila! No leakage. Except that it only makes one shot, this is a very neat gadget. I guess it's too bad that it didn't catch on.

... Ok now that it's been here awhile...

Pain in the patootie to use, and the espresso is really not very good. Now I'm sure I know why it's discontinued.

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The product is OK, but when the frother comes apart, beware...no instructions and I have tried every which way to put it back together without success. Searched online and many others have same problem.

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