This Café Frappe Maker looked pretty yummy in the picture and even more impressive on my counter. So I approached this test with a caffeine zeal yet with a measure of skepticism.
Product Description
- Mr. Coffee Café Frappe Maker BVMC-FM1
- For icy blended coffee or tea drinks
- Brews and blends in 3 minutes = 2 servings
- 20 Ounce capacity in dishwasher-safe blending jar
- Two settings: Frappe, Blend
- Removable filter basket; takes 4-cup size (smaller) basket style filters
- Water reservoir
- Shower head style brewing
- Recipe booklet included and fast start guide
- Retail pricing: $60 - $70 range
- More detail from the manufacturer
How the Café Frappe Maker Performed
August 14, 2010
The Café Frappe brews strong coffee into the pitcher filled with ice, milk and other goodies and then proceeds to blend it - all in one operation, once you press the Power and Frappe buttons. You can also pulse blend if you want more blending, or want to blend an icy drink like a smoothie, without the brewing and frappe steps. Not limited to coffee, this Frappe Maker can also be used to make an icy tea. At first glance, operation looks complicated but the fast start guide simplifies it. This machine is definitely unique in operation and function - you really can't compare it to any other appliance. A cross between a coffee maker and blender, the Café Frappe Maker has a tall but narrow design and a smaller footprint than a coffee maker or regular blender.
Frappe results are awesome and being able to produce these fancy frozen drinks at home at a fraction of the cost, is a real treat. The initial brewing aroma gets your taste buds excited. I had lots of company during this testing phase, so several recipes were tried, as well as original concoctions, but the Classic Mocha and the Vanilla Cappuccino were tops. If you want more ice to remain after blending, simply hit the power button and stop the Frappe's auto process mid-way. I found smaller ice cubes best - they blend more easily and you can add more coffee grounds if you like a bolder taste. The result - frappes that rival the coffee shop varieties. And what I like most is that I can make decaf or leaner frappes simply by using decaf coffee, a sugar substitute and low fat milk. It's hard to find a low fat or caffeine-free frozen drink in coffee shops. The unit does wash up well, but rinse out the jug immediately to make it quick and painless. I especially love the 20 oz. size of the jug - there's enough for two glasses if that is, you want to share.
The Café Frappe brews strong coffee into the pitcher filled with ice, milk and other goodies and then proceeds to blend it - all in one operation, once you press the Power and Frappe buttons. You can also pulse blend if you want more blending, or want to blend an icy drink like a smoothie, without the brewing and frappe steps. Not limited to coffee, this Frappe Maker can also be used to make an icy tea. At first glance, operation looks complicated but the fast start guide simplifies it. This machine is definitely unique in operation and function - you really can't compare it to any other appliance. A cross between a coffee maker and blender, the Café Frappe Maker has a tall but narrow design and a smaller footprint than a coffee maker or regular blender.
Frappe results are awesome and being able to produce these fancy frozen drinks at home at a fraction of the cost, is a real treat. The initial brewing aroma gets your taste buds excited. I had lots of company during this testing phase, so several recipes were tried, as well as original concoctions, but the Classic Mocha and the Vanilla Cappuccino were tops. If you want more ice to remain after blending, simply hit the power button and stop the Frappe's auto process mid-way. I found smaller ice cubes best - they blend more easily and you can add more coffee grounds if you like a bolder taste. The result - frappes that rival the coffee shop varieties. And what I like most is that I can make decaf or leaner frappes simply by using decaf coffee, a sugar substitute and low fat milk. It's hard to find a low fat or caffeine-free frozen drink in coffee shops. The unit does wash up well, but rinse out the jug immediately to make it quick and painless. I especially love the 20 oz. size of the jug - there's enough for two glasses if that is, you want to share.
Overall Impression
The Café Frappe does work as advertised and does it well, but there's one thing that could be improved. When it goes from brewing to Frappe, it does it with a jolt/jump and slightly lifts or moves on the counter, giving the appearance that it could create a mess - though it never did. But it did make me jump the first time it changed from the brew to blend cycle. It's not possible to have a calm start on an ice-crushing blender, so some impact is reasonable, but I think the base could be heavier/sturdier. If you've overfilled the jug - which is easy when you're adding all kinds of treat stuff, this is when you might have a few drops escaping from the jug. The maximum fill line is for ice, not all the 'additives' so follow the guide's liquid measurements for best results.
What's the remedy? The base could be heavier, though that might take away from the slim profile of the unit. Since this brewer/blender delivers when it comes to a frappe, just be aware that this happens and enjoy the machine. Watch not to overfill, use smaller ice cubes and you can place your hand over the unit when the light blinks signaling that it will start to blend - this is advisable with any blender, especially one that blends ice.
I have a problem delegating space on my counter to appliances - they really have to earn their keep, but I can see designating a space for the Café Frappe. I have to drive for miles to find a coffee shop and don't relish paying between $3 to $7 for one drink. If you're a frozen coffee (or tea) lover, you can definitely save money with this machine and quickly recap the cost of the Frappe Maker. You can make other drinks too - I made a smoothie simply by placing all ingredients in the jug and pulsing (Blend) till the ice was the way I like it. This machine saves mess and time over using both a coffee maker and blender. The cost of the Mr Coffee Café Frappe is reasonable given the brewing and blending functions. As a treat maker, it's a fun and functional machine and it would also make a nice gift - if you can stand to part with it after buying.
What's the remedy? The base could be heavier, though that might take away from the slim profile of the unit. Since this brewer/blender delivers when it comes to a frappe, just be aware that this happens and enjoy the machine. Watch not to overfill, use smaller ice cubes and you can place your hand over the unit when the light blinks signaling that it will start to blend - this is advisable with any blender, especially one that blends ice.
I have a problem delegating space on my counter to appliances - they really have to earn their keep, but I can see designating a space for the Café Frappe. I have to drive for miles to find a coffee shop and don't relish paying between $3 to $7 for one drink. If you're a frozen coffee (or tea) lover, you can definitely save money with this machine and quickly recap the cost of the Frappe Maker. You can make other drinks too - I made a smoothie simply by placing all ingredients in the jug and pulsing (Blend) till the ice was the way I like it. This machine saves mess and time over using both a coffee maker and blender. The cost of the Mr Coffee Café Frappe is reasonable given the brewing and blending functions. As a treat maker, it's a fun and functional machine and it would also make a nice gift - if you can stand to part with it after buying.
Related Resources
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Compare prices of coffee makers
What's a Frappe?
Read Coffee Maker Reviews
Coffee Maker Buying Tips
Read Blender Reviews
Blender Buying Tips
Go to Main Coffee Maker Page
Go to Home Page
Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
