Considering that moka pots have a universal design and are usually made from stainless steel, it feels like Bialetti charges more because of its brand recognition.Īnother minor frustration is that the price of the Moka Express varies widely depending on the retailer. On the other, the Moka Express is more expensive than most moka pots on the market. On one hand, it’s significantly cheaper than an electric espresso maker, and it’s similar in price to other non-electric brewers, like a French press or pour over. The Spruce Eats / Derek Rose Price: Paying for the nameįor such a simple and affordable device, I find the Moka Express’s value rather complicated. It should take around five minutes to brew, but if you use a finer grind and more coffee it could take up to 10 minutes. From there you'll be able to enjoy a strong cup of coffee with a lot of body. Once the coffee begins to sputter (you'll recognize this immediately), remove the Moka Express from the burner and rinse the bottom chamber under cold water to stop the brewing process.Place the Moka Express on medium heat and leave the lid open.Make sure the grounds are level but don't tamp them down like an espresso shot. Add coffee grounds to the filter basket.I learned late in the game that starting with hot water, around 205 degrees, works much better than cold water. Fill the bottom chamber with hot water to just below the valve.Grind 25 to 30 grams of coffee on a medium-fine grind, leaning more toward medium. Many different methods work, but here's what I follow for my 6-cup model: It can take awhile to figure out the brewing recipe you prefer and how to perfect it. Small differences in the brewing parameters lead to significant differences in the coffee, which makes the Moka Express a little finnicky, especially for new users. Keep in mind that there's a double edge to having this much control. I've made "lattes" by substituting Moka Express coffee for espresso and they're satisfactory but not café-quality. All in all, the Moka Express is surprisingly versatile. I can use a finer grind, higher heat, and less water for an extra-bold punch of caffeine or a slightly coarser grind with more water when I’m in the mood for something closer to drip coffee. In this regard, I appreciate the amount of control I have over the coffee. The way it works is remarkably simple, especially considering the tasty results. I find moka pot coffee to be more like drip than espresso, but minor adjustments can make it lean one way or the other. There just isn’t enough pressure to replicate the body, aroma, and crema of espresso. The Moka Express is often described as a "stovetop espresso maker." While it does brew richer coffee than, say, a drip machine, it does not make true espresso. Performance: A versatile alternative to espresso The item is available in sizes ranging from one to 18 espresso-sized cups (roughly 1.5 ounces per cup), and even the largest model won’t overwhelm your kitchen. Plus, it’s compact enough to store in a cupboard if you don’t love the look of it. The stainless steel silhouette feels timeless, not antiquated. The other issue-and one that's unavoidable-is that the handle often gets hot to touch and can wobble a bit.Īs for the aesthetic, I appreciate the touch of Italian coffee history the Moka Express brings to my kitchen. To avoid this, I use a medium-fine grind and remove the Moka Express from the burner as soon as it starts gurgling. When I use too fine of a grind size or let the Moka Express boil for too long, coffee grounds can end up in the top chamber and, from there, into my cup. The first is avoidable and more of an error on my end than a defect, but I find it worth noting. There are a couple small design issues I've come across, though. When placed on a stovetop (or over a fire for you campers), steam pressure builds in the bottom chamber and propels water up through the coffee grounds, resulting in the bold brew for which moka pots are known. It has three main parts: a bottom chamber for water, a filter for coffee grounds, and a top chamber where the coffee ends up. But I quickly discovered how straightforward the device actually is. It's unlike a drip coffee maker or French press-the two coffee makers I was most familiar with at the time. After all, it looks and works differently than most brewing devices. The Spruce Eats / Derek Rose Design: Simple and timelessīefore first using the Moka Express, I assumed it would require a learning curve.
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