Mr. Coffee 4-in-1: My First Look Review

I’ve been checking out quite a few Mr. Coffee products over the past year. In times gone by, this beloved manufacturer was known for producing simple drip coffee makers. However, more recently the brand has been shaking things up with approachable espresso machines and combination brewers.

In today’s Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 review, I’ll be taking a first look at a neat little machine that promises to replicate your favorite coffeehouse drinks at home. Whether or not the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 can really deliver the goods remains to be seen. So, let’s dive into this initial review to see what all the fuss is about.

A clever pod-free single-serve brewer

Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 Single Serve Latte, Iced and Hot Coffee Maker

Compact footprint

Versatile machine

Integrated milk frother

Doesn’t make real espresso

Lots of plastic

CHECK PRICE

All specifications

Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 Single Serve Latte, Iced and Hot Coffee Maker
Manufacturer	Mr. Coffee
Model number	BVMC-LM200BLK
Product category	Drip coffee maker
Housing material	Plastic
Color options	Black
Carafe	None
Keep warm function	No
Milk frother
User interface	Buttons and dials
App
Removable water reservoir
Water reservoir capacity	16.9 fl oz / 0.5 l
Brew capacity
Single cup function
Reusable coffee filter
Coffee pod compatible
Brew styles	3
Pre-infusion
Adjustable coffee temperature
Coffee strength adjustment levels
Hot water function
Water filter
Power consumption	900 W
Weight	5.3 lb / 2.4 kg
Dimensions	13.2 x 10.3 x 9.8 in 33.5 x 26.2 x 24.9 cm
Warranty	1 year
SCA certified home brewer
Notes	Included Accessories: User manual, milk frother, iced coffee tumbler, coffee scoop
Current price on Amazon	$78.50
All specifications

Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 Review Overview

As you guys know, I’m always happy to see a single serve coffee maker that promotes pod-free brewing. After all, coffee capsules are bad for the environment and who even knows how long they’ve been sitting on the supermarket shelf? Ultimately, there’s just no getting away from the fact that brewing coffee with freshly ground beans is the way to go.

With all that in mind, I’m happy to see that the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 has been designed as an alternative to the dreaded Keurig or Nespresso machine.

Costing $78.50, this innovative brewer has a lot going for it. For starters, there’s a compact drip coffee maker that’s capable of brewing both “concentrated coffee shots” and single servings of regular drip coffee. Furthermore, the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 comes with a built-in milk frother.

This latter element seems to be the machine’s biggest selling point, seeing as you can easily whip up an approximation of a latte or cappuccino. I say “approximation” because this coffee maker won’t be able to produce the kind of drinks you’ll get from a home espresso machine or even a fully automatic espresso machine. Rather, the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 brews extra-strength regular coffee instead of true espresso. Still, with a little experimentation I’d say you’ll be able to make some tasty milk-based specialty drinks.

Incidentally, the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 can also make cold foam, which seems to be all the rage these days. So, if you’re an iced coffee fanatic, this might just be the best coffee maker for you!

Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 Features

Now that we have some idea of what we’re dealing with, let’s continue this Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 review by examining the machine’s standout features.

Materials and Design

Seeing as the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 is most certainly a budget coffee maker, you won’t be surprised to learn that there’s a lot of plastic involved.

That’s all well and good, but if you’ve checked out my Mr. Coffee One-Touch CoffeeHouse+ review, you’ll know that I had concerns about the durability of some components. With that said, the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 does feature some stainless steel accents, including the drip tray and the milk frother spout.

As for the machine’s design, it’s actually rather impressive. There’s a compact base with a drip tray and control panel, upon which sits a coffee maker at one end and a milk frother at the other. The coffee maker itself is reminiscent of the Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee Maker in that it’s tall and slim. Plus, there’s a flip-top lid for adding coffee and water.

As for the milk frother, it sits on a sturdy base and resembles many of the models in my guide to the best milk frothers. All in all, the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 appears to be very well designed, and I’d say you won’t have trouble finding space for it in your kitchen.

User Interface

The Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 is equipped with a simple control panel that isn’t likely to confuse anyone. There are four buttons in total, each with its own light:

That’s all there is to it – no cleaning lights, no timer and no programmable functions whatsoever. To be honest, I think the target customer for this coffee maker will find the lack of bells and whistles refreshing. Plus, you won’t need to study the user manual before getting started. With that said, the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 does come with a recipe book if you want to get fancy.

Pod-Free Brewing

As I mentioned earlier, the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 offers pod-free brewing, and that makes me very happy. Of course, that means you’ll need a decent burr coffee grinder if you want to get the best out of this machine. Still, even pre-ground coffee is better than wasteful coffee capsules.

By the way, the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 comes with a reusable mesh filter, which means you won’t have to keep buying paper filters. With that said, I imagine you’ll be able to use paper filters in the brew basket if you prefer a cleaner cup of coffee.

Built-in Milk Frother

The machine’s integrated milk frother elevates the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 from a regular old single serve coffee maker to something a whole lot more versatile. Mounted on a durable base, the frother has a single whisk inside as well as a metal pouring spout and plastic lid.

Apparently, you’re able to prepare milk foam for both lattes and cappuccinos with this thing. The difference lies in the fact that you simply add less milk for a cappuccino, therefore allowing the frother to create thicker foam. Oh, and there are handy dandy measuring lines inside to help guide you.

Not having tested the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 yet, I can’t tell you how effective the milk frother is. Still, I have heard that it produces fairly decent results as long as you’re using whole milk.

Brew Styles & Sizes

When it comes to brew styles, the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 offers concentrated shots of coffee, regular drip coffee and iced coffee. However, don’t think for a second that the machine changes anything like flow rate or temperature.

In reality, the only variables at play are the amount of ground coffee you’re using and the volume of water you’re adding to the reservoir. So, for a concentrated shot of coffee, you run the risk of receiving a small amount of under extracted coffee in your cup.

Of course, you can experiment with grind size to help offset this, and there’s nothing to say you have to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Still, I wonder how effective this feature actually is.

As for brew sizes for regular hot coffee, there are three on offer: 8-ounce, 12-ounce and 16-ounce. Again, the manufacturer provides recommendations for how many scoops of coffee to use, but if you want the best results I’d rely on a coffee scale for measuring your dose.

Easy Measuring System

Listen, I totally get that the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 isn’t marketed toward serious coffee enthusiasts. Rather, this machine will please those looking for something straightforward and easy to use. So, I’m not going to get on my high horse about how inaccurate coffee scoops are and how you should always use a coffee scale for brewing.

Anyway, the so-called Easy Measuring System is basically a double-sided coffee scoop. And when you’re following the instructions for making coffee with this machine, you’ll be advised on how many scoops to add for whichever drink you’re making.

Chances are, you’ll get great results by doing what you’re told. However, don’t be afraid to add however much makes the best-tasting coffee. After all, you’re in charge of your own destiny!

Accessories

I’ve already mentioned the reusable mesh filter and the coffee scoop, but the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 also comes with a 22-ounce (650-milliliter) double wall insulated tumbler. Made from BPA-free plastic, the tumbler has a lid and a plastic straw, making it ideal for iced coffee drinks.

As it happens, I encountered this tumbler (or a very similar one) during my Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee Maker review. I have to say that it’s very effective in keeping iced drinks cold, and the included straw is a nice touch. Heck, it even has indicator lines for water and ice. With that said, I wouldn’t recommend using the tumbler to add water to the reservoir, especially if you’ve had milk in there.

How Do I Use the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1?

As you already know, you can use the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 in a variety of ways. Still, for the purposes of this Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 review, I’ll give you an idea of how to make a latte or cappuccino.

For starters, you should thoroughly rinse all removable parts, including the milk frother, brew basket and mesh filter. Once that’s done, you can get down to the business of making coffee. First, pop open the coffee maker lid and add 4 ounces (118 milliliters) of cold, filtered water to the reservoir.

Next, pop the mesh filter into the brew basket before adding freshly ground coffee. For a latte or cappuccino, the manufacturer recommends using 1.5 scoops using the “hot” end of the scoop. However, feel free to experiment depending on how you like the taste. Oh, and I encourage you to experiment with your grind size too, starting with something in the medium-fine range.

Now it’s time to place a cup under the brew head before pressing the Hot Brew button. And once that’s done you can froth your milk. This part is easy: simply add cold milk to the frother until it reaches the appropriate level marker, pop on the lid and then press the Hot Froth button.

Once your coffee is done brewing and the frothing cycle is complete, it’s simply a case of pouring the milk foam over your coffee and enjoying the results.

Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 Cleaning

Cleaning the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 should be a fairly straightforward affair. Simply empty and rinse the mesh filter and filter basket after each use and thoroughly clean the milk frother jug. Apparently you can put the frother jug, lid and whisk in the dishwasher, but I’d avoid doing that. Besides, handwashing doesn’t take long and won’t cause as much wear and tear.

Speaking of handwashing, that’s the only way you can clean the iced coffee tumbler. And that goes for the tumbler lid and straw, too.

No matter how well-filtered your water may be, you will have to descale the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 every ounce in a while. Depending on how often you use the thing, I’d say a safe bet would be once every couple of months. To do so, fill the reservoir with equal parts water and white vinegar before initiating a brew cycle. Then, pause the cycle and let everything sit for half an hour. Finally, restart the brew cycle and run a couple of cycles with just water to rinse.

Verdict: Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 Review

A clever pod-free single-serve brewer

Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 Single Serve Latte, Iced and Hot Coffee Maker

Compact footprint

Versatile machine

Integrated milk frother

Doesn’t make real espresso

Lots of plastic

CHECK PRICE

All specifications

Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 Single Serve Latte, Iced and Hot Coffee Maker
Manufacturer	Mr. Coffee
Model number	BVMC-LM200BLK
Product category	Drip coffee maker
Housing material	Plastic
Color options	Black
Carafe	None
Keep warm function	No
Milk frother
User interface	Buttons and dials
App
Removable water reservoir
Water reservoir capacity	16.9 fl oz / 0.5 l
Brew capacity
Single cup function
Reusable coffee filter
Coffee pod compatible
Brew styles	3
Pre-infusion
Adjustable coffee temperature
Coffee strength adjustment levels
Hot water function
Water filter
Power consumption	900 W
Weight	5.3 lb / 2.4 kg
Dimensions	13.2 x 10.3 x 9.8 in 33.5 x 26.2 x 24.9 cm
Warranty	1 year
SCA certified home brewer
Notes	Included Accessories: User manual, milk frother, iced coffee tumbler, coffee scoop
Current price on Amazon	$78.50
All specifications

At the beginning of this Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 review I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Would this be yet another gimmicky machine or something worthwhile? Now that I’ve taken a closer look, I’m convinced that it falls into the latter category.

However, as I’ve already mentioned, the Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 isn’t for everyone. Trust me, coffee snobs and those looking for an authentic cappuccino will be better off looking elsewhere.

But if you want a fun and easy way to whip up milky coffee drinks and iced coffee with cold foam, this machine will be perfect. Plus, it’s very affordable and there’s definitely room for a little experimentation.

FAQs