Mr. Coffee Café Barista Espresso Machine Not Working? 5 Fixes

The Café Barista Is an Espresso Maker, So Fix It Like One

The Mr. Coffee Café Barista (BVMC-ECMP1000) uses ground espresso coffee in a porta-filter. It has a milk reservoir that feeds a frothing tube. It takes no capsules, and most of its failures are in the manual's own troubleshooting table. The one that catches new owners out is the red plug at the bottom of the water reservoir. If it's still in, no water reaches the pump.

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Quick Checks (2 Minutes)

• Three lights flashing alternately: the water reservoir is empty. Fill it to MAX with cold water.
• A button light flashing: the reservoir is empty, or you pressed it before the machine was ready. Wait for the lights to go steady.
• Cappuccino and Latte lights off: the milk reservoir isn't fully in. Push it firmly until they light up.
• Nothing responds after a while: it goes to sleep after 15 minutes. Press any button.

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Fix 1: Remove the Red Plug and Prime the Pump (Works About 38% of the Time)

For "Water is not being pulled in from the water reservoir", the manual gives two causes. Either the red plug wasn't removed from the base of the reservoir, or the reservoir isn't seated.

1. Lift the water reservoir out and remove the red plug from its base. Check the hole on the machine where the reservoir sits too, since the plug can end up there.
2. Refill with cold water to MAX, and seat the reservoir so it fits tightly.
3. Prime it as the manual does before first use. Fill the milk reservoir with water, lock in the porta-filter, and put a large cup under it with the frothing tube aimed inside.
4. When all 3 lights are steady, hold Espresso until the pump starts. Let it run until water flows from the porta-filter, and repeat if it doesn't.
5. Then hold Cappuccino until water comes from the frothing tube.

Time: 5 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 38%
Difficulty: Easy

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Fix 2: Coffee Doesn't Come Out: Grind, Dose, Tamp (Works About 28% of the Time)

The manual's causes for "Coffee does not come out" are no water, the machine off or unplugged, and three coffee problems:

• Grind too fine. It should look like salt, not powder or flour. The table's remedy is medium ground coffee.
• Too much coffee in the filter. Fill it with less.
• Tamped too hard. Tamp firmly and evenly, but don't overdo it. After tamping, the coffee should sit about 1/8 inch below the top of the filter.

If coffee doesn't drip at all, the manual says the filter is blocked. Turn the machine off and let it cool before you remove anything. Never remove the porta-filter, water reservoir or milk reservoir while it's brewing. Don't use sugar-roasted coffee either. It clogs the filter, and the manual says to stop and take the machine to a service center if you do.

Time: 5 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 28%
Difficulty: Easy

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Fix 3: Clean the Frothing Tube and Chill the Milk (Works About 18% of the Time)

For milk that isn't foamy or doesn't come out of the frothing tube, the manual lists three causes:

• Ran out of steam: make sure there's water in the water reservoir.
• Milk not cold enough: chill the milk, and the frothing pitcher, first.
• Frothing tube blocked: run the clean cycle.

Clean cycle (after every milk drink):

1. Put a large cup under the frothing tube, with water in the water reservoir.
2. Turn the Froth Control Knob to Clean.
3. Hold Latte/Clean until the pump starts, then release. It runs for 30 seconds and stops.
4. Empty the cup. Then refrigerate the milk reservoir with its milk, or wash it. It's top-rack dishwasher safe.

Time: 2 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 18%
Difficulty: Easy

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Fix 4: Delime With White Vinegar (Works About 10% of the Time)

Mr. Coffee says to delime when brewing takes longer, when there's excessive steaming, or when white deposits build up on the brew head. The interval is every 80 brew cycles with soft or filtered water, and every 40 with hard tap water.

1. Reservoir: fill it with undiluted white vinegar and leave it overnight. Pour it out and rinse the reservoir twice.
2. Inside: switch off and unplug, then fill the reservoir half full of white vinegar. Fit the porta-filter with a filter and no coffee, with a cup underneath.
3. Plug in and switch on. When the 3 lights are steady, press Espresso twice. The vinegar runs through and stops by itself.
4. Put an 11 oz or larger cup under the frothing tube, and fill the milk reservoir with water. Turn the knob to Clean and hold Latte/Clean for 3 seconds. It steams for 30 seconds.
5. Repeat with plain tap water until no vinegar is left.

Our Mr. Coffee descaling guide covers the drip machines.

Time: Overnight, plus 20 minutes
Cost: White vinegar
Success Rate: About 10%
Difficulty: Easy

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Fix 5: Coffee Leaking Around the Porta-Filter (Works About 6% of the Time)

The manual's causes for coffee coming out around the edge:

• Not locked: turn the porta-filter right until the retention clip lines up with the closed-lock symbol.
• Grounds on the rim: wipe the filter rim and the shower head seal.
• Too much coffee: use less.

Don't store the porta-filter attached to the machine. The manual says that harms the seal between the brew head and the porta-filter. For water leaks elsewhere, see our Mr. Coffee leaking guide.

Time: 2 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 6%
Difficulty: Easy

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When to Contact Mr. Coffee Support

Call 1-800-MR COFFEE (1-800-672-6333) in the U.S. or 1-800-667-8623 in Canada. The Café Barista has a 1-year limited warranty, and repairs must be made by Sunbeam or an authorized service center. The manual warns not to attempt electrical or mechanical repairs yourself, since doing so voids the warranty.

Have the model number (on the bottom of the unit) and your purchase date ready. Replacement parts are ordered through the same numbers.

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Daily Habits for the BVMC-ECMP1000

• Run the clean cycle after every milk drink.
• Empty the water reservoir between uses, and wash it by hand.
• Wash the porta-filter and filters by hand. They aren't dishwasher safe.
• Wipe the brew head and run a short water flush with the porta-filter fitted and no filter.
• Delime every 40-80 brews, depending on your water.

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FAQ

Does the Café Barista use capsules?

No. It uses ground espresso coffee in a porta-filter, with single-shot and double-shot filters.

My Café Barista makes espresso but the latte button does nothing. Why?

The milk reservoir isn't fully inserted. The Cappuccino and Latte lights stay off until you push it firmly into place. The Espresso function is also ready before the milk functions while heating.

Why are all three lights flashing on my Café Barista?

The manual says three lights flashing alternately means the water reservoir is empty. Fill it with cold water to MAX.

How long does the Café Barista take to heat up?

The lights pulse while the brew and steam heaters warm up, and go steady when it's ready. It's normal for Espresso to be ready before Cappuccino and Latte.

Why is my Café Barista espresso weak?

The manual's causes are the small filter used for a double shot, or coffee ground too coarsely. Use the double-shot filter and a finer grind.

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Related Mr. Coffee Guides

• Mr. Coffee Descaling Guide
• Mr. Coffee Maker Leaking Water
• Mr. Coffee Weak Coffee

Sources: Mr. Coffee Café Barista BVMC-ECMP1000 / BVMC-ECMP1001 User Manual (Sunbeam/Jarden, 2013).