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An Overview of the Bialetti Moka Express Coffee Maker
- Materials: High quality polished aluminum
- Brew Time: Less than 5 minutes
- Made In: Italy
- Warranty: 2 years
What is A Moka Espresso Maker?
How A Moka Pot Works
The moka pot is a coffee maker that produces coffee by passing boiling water pressurized by steam through ground coffee. It works kind of like a pressure cooker.
It was first patented by the Italian inventor Luigi De Ponti for Alfonso Bialetti, in 1933. Bialetti Industrie still makes the same model under the name “Moka Express”.
Moka pots produce coffee that has more caffeine and flavour than drip-brewed coffee. They are sometimes referred to as stove-top espresso makers, though they are not technically a true espresso maker. Moka pots extract coffee at a lower pressure than true espresso.
My Experience
I have used a Bialetti Moka Pot to make coffee for the last 10 years.
I first heard of moka pots from a friend of mine, who had made us coffee in one. I was immediately hooked on the intense flavor. I had been using a french press at the time, and though I liked it more than drip-coffee, I found that the moka was even better.
I now use a moka pot almost exclusively. My drip machine went in the cupboard and my french press broke and never got replaced.
Moka coffee makers produce rich, flavorful coffee in small amounts, which is perfect for me because I only drink a couple cups of coffee a day and I like strong flavor.
I own the 9 cup pot which makes 9 espresso-sized cups. This pot makes me and my husband each a regular-sized mug of coffee.
The Bialetti Moka Express is really well made, with high-quality craftsmanship. It will last me probably the rest of my life. I definitely recommend investing in one if you like strong, espresso- like coffee.
The only real downfall of the Bialetti Moka Express is that it is made of aluminum. It is the one thing I don’t like, because I want to limit my exposure to aluminum. I have recently learned that Bialetti does make gorgeous stainless steel Moka pots, and I plan on buying one soon.
How To Use The Moka Pot
1. First I clean out my moka pot with plain water and a cloth and compost the old grounds.
2. This is what the funnel looks like. I have cleaned out the old grounds and now I am ready to make coffee.
3. I add water to the bottom chamber until it reaches just below the valve.
4. I put the funnel back in and add my freshly ground coffee grounds.
5. I use 3 tablespoons of finely ground coffee in my 9 cup Moka.
6. I put my Bialetti Moka on the stove and turn it on to mid-high heat.
7. In about 5 minutes I hear a bubbling sound, I now turn off the heat and am ready to enjoy my perfectly brewed coffee.
8. Yum! A perfectly brewed cup awaiting cream and sugar.
Amazon Customer Reviews
There are over 5000 reviews on Amazon with 75% of them being 5 star!
Pros
- Can bring it camping
- Makes flavorful coffee
- Make your own lattes
- Low maintenance
- Small and doesn’t take up counter space
- No filters to waste
- Easy to clean
- You can add lots of cream or milk to your coffee without loosing flavor
- Easy to travel with
- 80 years of classic design
- Sturdy and well made
- Great for people who don’t drink large amounts of coffee
- Will last a long time with proper care
Cons
- Made of aluminum which can leach
- Have to wait about 30 minutes for it to cool down to clean it
- Gasket may need to be replaced every few years
- Can’t be used on an induction stove-top
- Doesn’t produce large volumes of coffee
- Must be hand-washed
- Need to keep an eye on it to make sure your coffee doesn’t get overdone
Verdict
Best Suited For:
People who like strong espresso-like coffee, and people who don’t drink cup after cup all day long.
Not So Great For:
People who like a more watery coffee, or for large groups of people.
I give the Bialetti Moka Express a 4.5 star rating. I love my Moka pot and the coffee it produces. The only thing I don’t love it that it is made of aluminum. If you are concerned about aluminum, Bialetti does make a high quality, stainless steel moka pot.
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I am not sure if I need to be concerned with aluminum leaching into my coffee, maybe I am just being paranoid – what do you think?
This post was originally published on September 1, 2016.
I really love this coffee maker! I have a similar moka pot and I can recommend it to anyone, but it’s a pretty old version so it’s not as modern as this one from Bialetti.
My parents actually had one in my childhood, that’s why I like these moka pots so much, and I always prefer them to regular coffee makers.
I’d love to see an average price, by the way 😉
Thanks for your comment Ashley and yes, I should include the price in my post I guess 🙂 The price is different depending on the size of moka pot you choose. The one cup is about $25 and the biggest one, the 12 cup is around $60 🙂
Hi
This cleared all my doubts before I would buy the espresso machine, however, I want to know if this is easy to clean, from the pictures the cleaning process does look a little complicated and I would really want to know if you had any troubles cleaning it, or you need to soak it for while to get out all the coffee?
It is very easy to clean. You do not need to soak it, just give it a rinse and you are done. You are not supposed to use soap, as you want the oils from the coffee to coat the metal.