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Quick recipe (Italian moka pot)
- Start with hot water: boil water in a kettle, then pour it into the base up to just below the safety valve. This shortens contact time with the metal and prevents the “cooked” taste.
- Grind: medium-fine, like sea salt with a few finer particles. Finer than drip, coarser than espresso.
- Coffee: fill the basket level. Do not tamp. The screw-down lid creates the pressure you need.
- Heat: medium, not low. Lid open so you can watch the brew.
- Stop here: when the stream coming up the spout turns from dark brown to light honey, pull the pot off the heat. Do not wait for the sputtering noise. By then you have over-extracted.
- Wrap and run: wipe the base with a damp cloth to stop residual heat from cooking the coffee further. Pour and serve.
- Cleaning: rinse with hot water and dry. No soap. Coffee oils season the pot and improve every brew.
For more no-power brewing methods (French press, cowboy, pour-over), see our guide to brewing coffee without electricity and our French press primer. For full step-by-step detail and the troubleshooting most guides skip, read on.
I grew up watching my grandmother make two kinds of coffee. One was the everyday coffee, brewed in a stainless steel percolator she pulled out when company came. My mother called it an acquired taste, which was a polite way of saying it was bad. The other kind, the one she made for herself on the stove every morning, came out of a small aluminum moka pot. That coffee was rich and dark and so good that my favorite breakfast trick as a kid was pouring a splash of it over my cornflakes with the milk.
I bought my own first Bialetti Moka Express, a 3-cup, at a kitchen-supply place in 2009 for $19. I followed the instructions in the box, made three weeks of undrinkable coffee, and almost put the pot in the donate pile before a friend who’d grown up in Naples spent twenty minutes in my kitchen showing me what I was doing wrong. Eight years and one rubber gasket replacement later, that pot still lives on my stove. The recipe below is what his grandmother taught him (and turns out is more or less how my own grandmother had been doing it all along), with a few additions from the long comment thread on the original version of this article, which a lot of Italian-trained readers had real notes on.
What a moka pot actually is
A moka pot is a three-part stovetop coffee maker invented in 1933 by Alfonso Bialetti in Italy. Fully assembled it looks like a small hourglass. The bottom chamber holds water, the middle is a funnel-shaped filter basket that holds ground coffee, and the top chamber is where finished coffee collects after the brew. Heat the base; pressure builds; water is forced up through the grounds into the top.
What comes out is not espresso. Real espresso requires 9 bars of pressure; a moka pot produces about 1.5 to 2 bars. What you get instead is its own category: stronger and more concentrated than drip or French press, with body and intensity that approaches espresso without the crema. In Italy it is the everyday home brewer. In the US it is almost forgotten outside of Italian-American kitchens and a small specialty-coffee revival. It deserves better.
Pick the right moka pot
- Bialetti Moka Express ($30 for a 3-cup, $40 for a 6-cup) is the standard. Aluminum, octagonal, made in Italy. The 3-cup brews about 4.5 oz / 135 ml of finished coffee (enough for two small Italian-style cups); the 6-cup brews about 9 oz / 265 ml. Buy the size that matches the number of cups you actually drink at one sitting, because a moka pot brews best when the basket is full and matched to its water capacity.
- Bialetti Brikka ($55) is the Moka Express with a pressure-regulating valve in the top. It produces crema, which a standard moka pot does not. If you have a real espresso machine, skip the Brikka. If you do not but want the closest stovetop approximation to a crema-topped shot, this is the one.
- For an induction cooktop, you need the Bialetti Venus or Moka Induction line in stainless steel. Aluminum moka pots are not magnetic and will not heat on induction. The Venus is also dishwasher-safe, which most aluminum moka pots are not.
You will see arguments that stainless steel moka pots make cleaner coffee because aluminum is “porous” and absorbs flavors. The Italian tradition is the opposite: aluminum is the traditional material, food-grade aluminum is safe (the cancer concerns have been studied and rejected), and the slight seasoning effect of coffee oils on aluminum is considered a feature, not a flaw. Buy aluminum unless you have a specific cooktop or dishwasher constraint that requires steel.
The grind is everything
Moka pot grind is medium-fine: finer than drip, coarser than espresso. Think table salt with a few finer particles mixed in. If you grind too fine (espresso-fine), the puck packs too tight, pressure builds too high, and the coffee comes out bitter and burnt with a metallic edge. If you grind too coarse, water rushes through, and the cup is weak and sour.
Pre-ground supermarket “moka” or “espresso” coffee will get you in the neighborhood. A small burr grinder will get you to the right spot every time. If you are using a blade grinder, pulse in short bursts and aim for the salt-grain texture by eye. As for the coffee itself, a dark Italian-style blend is the traditional pick. Many Italian moka blends include a percentage of Robusta beans, which northern European and American specialty roasters typically avoid but which contribute the body and bite that defines moka coffee in southern Italy. Hat tip to longtime reader Keith, who learned this from his Sicilian friends and shared the detail across multiple comments below.
The brewing technique that actually works
Most printed instructions tell you to fill the base with cold water and put the assembled pot on low heat. That works, but it leaves coffee sitting on hot metal for an extra five minutes and tends to “cook” the brew. The technique below comes from a comment by a reader named carter, who posted it in 2011, and is consistent with what modern moka enthusiasts and Italian baristas teach.
- Boil water separately in a kettle. While the kettle heats, grind your coffee (or measure your pre-ground).
- Pour the hot water into the base, filling to just below the safety valve. Do not cover the valve. That valve exists to release dangerous pressure if the pot ever clogs.
- Drop the funnel basket into place and fill it level with ground coffee. Do not tamp. The screw-down top creates the pressure you need; tamping creates too much pressure and produces bitter coffee.
- Screw the top on firmly. Use a folded dish towel; the base is hot now.
- Put the pot on medium heat with the lid open. Watch the spout.
- Wait. Coffee will start coming up the spout within 30 to 90 seconds depending on size. It will run dark brown.
- Watch for the color change. When the stream goes from dark brown to a paler honey color, the brew is finishing. The flavor in those last seconds is over-extracted and bitter.
- Pull the pot off the heat immediately when you see that color shift. Do not wait for the gurgling or sputtering sound. By the time you hear that, you have brewed for ten or fifteen seconds too long.
- Wipe the hot base with a damp dish towel to stop residual heat from continuing the brew. This is a 3-second move that meaningfully improves the cup.
- Pour and serve. Pour all the coffee from the top chamber promptly so it does not continue to sit on residual heat in the pot.
Cleaning and seasoning (the no-soap rule)
The single most counterintuitive moka pot rule, and the one that comes up most in the original comment thread: do not use soap on an aluminum moka pot. Rinse with hot water, scrub the basket and the top chamber with a soft brush if needed, and dry all three pieces thoroughly. Soap residue will work into the cast aluminum surface and contribute a soapy off-taste to every brew afterward. Every Italian I have talked to about this is emphatic on the rule.
Coffee oils season the pot over time, much like a cast-iron skillet. A new Bialetti will brew slightly metallic for the first three to five batches; that goes away as the pot seasons. If you only use your moka pot once a week or less, wipe the inside dry with a paper towel after the rinse, because old oils can go rancid in a damp pot left in a cupboard for days. That tip comes from reader S.P. in 2009 and explains a problem I had wondered about for years.
Replace the rubber gasket and the metal mesh filter every 1 to 2 years of regular use, or sooner if the gasket cracks or the filter clogs with coffee fines. Both parts are cheap on Amazon or any kitchen supply store and screw in by hand in under a minute.
Common mistakes (and how to fix them)
- Tamping the grounds. Almost every American moka pot guide says “do not tamp,” and almost every American then gently presses down anyway. Resist. The screwed-down top compresses the puck enough. Tamping creates too much pressure and brings out bitterness.
- Starting with cold water. Works, but produces a “cooked” cup. Always start with water from a hot kettle.
- Heat too high or too low. Too high: the metal scorches the coffee, and the brew finishes before flavors fully extract. Too low: the brew is slow and the coffee sits on metal too long. Medium is correct.
- Waiting for the sputter. The sputtering noise means the water is gone and the brew is done. By then you have over-extracted the last 10 seconds. Pull off at the color shift, not the sound.
- Using soap. Covered above. Hot water only.
- Wrong-size pot. A 6-cup moka pot used to brew 3 cups of water will brew weak coffee, because the basket is sized for full capacity. Match your pot size to how many cups you actually want at once.
Troubleshooting
- Bitter, harsh coffee: over-extraction. You probably waited for the sputter or used too high a heat. Pull off earlier. If grind is espresso-fine, go coarser.
- Weak, sour coffee: under-extraction. Grind finer (closer to table salt), make sure you filled the basket level full, and check that your heat is high enough.
- Metallic taste: new pot still seasoning. Brew and dump three to five batches with inexpensive coffee. If the taste persists past 10 batches, check that you have not used soap; the residue takes several plain-water cleanings to lift out.
- Leaking from the middle seam during brewing: the rubber gasket is worn or misaligned. Unscrew, reseat the gasket, or replace it.
- Soapy or “off” taste suddenly appears: someone used soap on the pot, even just once. Brew and dump three batches of plain coffee to lift the residue.
- Cake-y bitter sediment in the top: grind is too fine and pressure is forcing fines through the metal mesh filter. Go a touch coarser.
Frequently asked questions
Is moka pot coffee actually espresso?
No. Real espresso requires 9 bars of pressure from a pump-driven machine. A moka pot generates about 1.5 to 2 bars from steam pressure. The result is its own thing: stronger and more concentrated than drip, with espresso-like body but without crema. Italians distinguish between “caffe” (moka pot) and “espresso” (machine) for exactly this reason.
What size moka pot should I buy?
Match it to how many cups you actually drink at once. A 3-cup brews about 4.5 oz / 135 ml total; a 6-cup brews about 9 oz / 265 ml; the 9-cup brews about 14 oz / 415 ml. The “cup” in moka pot sizing is an Italian espresso-style cup of about 1.5 oz / 45 ml, not an American 8 oz / 240 ml mug. A 3-cup Bialetti is plenty for one person who drinks one strong serving in the morning. A 6-cup works for two drinkers or one drinker who wants a larger mug filled with hot water or milk after brewing.
Can I use a moka pot on a glass or induction cooktop?
Glass-top stoves: yes, but you need a moka pot with a flat, non-warped base. Modern aluminum Bialetti Moka Express is fine on glass-top electric. Induction: no, unless the pot is stainless steel and explicitly labeled induction-compatible. Aluminum is not magnetic.
How much coffee does a moka pot use per brew?
A 3-cup uses about 15 to 18 grams of ground coffee; a 6-cup uses about 25 to 30 grams. Fill the basket level with the top of the basket walls. You do not measure water; the safety valve sets it for you.
Is aluminum moka pot coffee safe to drink?
Yes. Food-grade aluminum cookware has been studied repeatedly and is not linked to Alzheimer’s or any other condition at brewing temperatures. The Italian moka pot has been used for nearly a century without epidemiological evidence of harm. If you prefer steel for personal reasons, the Bialetti Venus line is the standard option.
How long does a moka pot last?
Decades. The body of an aluminum moka pot has no moving parts and no electronics to fail. The rubber gasket and metal mesh filter wear out every 1 to 2 years of regular use and are cheap to replace. I know households where a single moka pot has been in daily use for 30 years.
Can I make moka pot coffee with milk instead of water?
No. The bottom chamber is sized to generate steam pressure from water. Milk does not behave like water under pressure and you will likely scorch it onto the metal, ruin the seal, and damage the pot. Brew with water, then add steamed or warmed milk after the brew.
Why this article changed
The original version of this article ran from 2007 to 2026 and collected 171 comments along the way, many of them from readers who knew the moka pot far better than the original writer did. The version you just read is a rewrite that incorporates what those readers taught us: the no-soap rule (Keith and several Italian-trained readers), the 10-step modern technique (carter, 2011), the infrequent-user residue insight (S.P., 2009), and the color-not-sputter cue (Keith again, 2012). The original instructions to “fill to the pressure gauge line” and “wait for the throaty sputtering” were, in retrospect, the two biggest mistakes the article taught. If you ever printed those out and could not figure out why your moka pot coffee was bitter, this is why. The thread on this page is still open. If you have refinements, please add them.
Discussion 171
Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I think that the problem was either
A) I just needed to be a little more patient and give it some time to season better
or
B) The junk coffee was giving it a bad taste.
It’s wonderful now… after about a week of enjoying my moka pot, I made drip coffee this morning and it was nothing in comparison. I am never going back. I did clean it using soap, before ever using it (which I now know is a BIG no-no) so it’s possible that that was ruining the flavour as well. Either way, all is good in the world of coffee once again! What a relief… and thanks again for the suggestions, I will keep them in mind for any future probelms… although hopefully there wont be any, as I have told my whole family NOT to touch my moka pot, and especially to not clean it.
I am just getting into espresso after a period of not drinking coffee, after growing up in a family where guests were offered, not just coffee, but espresso, percolated, filtered, rich roast, mild roast, all hand ground, of course (Don’t get me started on the tea options). I have a pot I got some time ago, as it happens, in Sicily, aluminum, that seems to still work fine. I was wondering though, about making just one cup in a 4 cup pot? Does this harm the pot, or affect the taste of the coffee? It seems fine, but maybe I don’t know what I am missing by not putting in the full 4-cup dose. However, I really don’t want to get into heating up cold coffee.
… Or maybe the taste comes from the junk coffee?
Incidentally, I wanted to update my post above and recommend chicco d’oro coffee. It’s what I drank and loved in Switzerland. I am also getting good results with a hand cranked burr mill called Spong which I bought on eBay for $40. Granted, I grind for a 3-cup machine so it’s not laborious. Am still fine tuning but I was thrilled with the first cup. I figure the first Moka coffees were ground by hand… P.S. I use a ground size a little finer than french press.
I’m sure I know less than some other contributors but… It sounds like the trouble started after you boiled water in the pot. Poking around on the Internet (google) I found that people say boiling with half water half vinegar will clean mineral deposits so I would try that, or at least wipe with a vinegar dampened cloth and rinse thoroughly.
How do you clean it?
Perhaps someone here can give me a few pointers. I have recently bought a Bialetti Moka Express, inspired after having a wonderful moka pot experience (also with a bialetti moka express) while visiting a relative. I have used my moka pot numerous times now. First, I washed it and boiled water in it without any coffee. Then I made a batch with coffee and dumped it. After that, I made another and didn’t notice any bad flavour. However, after this, every batch I’ve made has tasted metallic to me! I have used my junk coffee to make several batched to season the moka pot, not rising afterwards, and today I thought it was well seasoned enough, and used my good espresso beans, but still it tastes metallic! Is there some better way to season my pot? I feel like most of the aluminum flavour is coming from the bottom chamber, as it smells the most metallic to me, and the coffee never goes in there. I tried pouring the coffee into the bottom chamber and letting it sit there, in hopes of seasoning the whole thing!
Any pointers? I am thoroughly disappointed with my moka pot so far… but I know it’s more capable than this!
I just returned from a study trio to Italy, and since I miss the amazing Moka coffee I made there, I have been trying to achieve something similar back at home. I have learned a great deal from this post!
About the caffeine in Moka-brewed coffee, the coffee I made was stronger than the espresso I am used to, to my surprise. I struggled to not drink too much.
My efforts to replicate the delicious brew have led me to focus on the grinding process. I was spoiled by the locally-roasted “moka grind” coffees in the supermarket. Out of the package, the grounds were almost like wet sand, a bit clingy and damp. I think that was the effect of the “oils” mentioned here, although it would dissipate in a week or so and the grounds were like dry sand. I don’t like the taste of Illy, but there is plenty of good coffee out there. I think I can get better results than I have if I grind it properly.
I find the Moka pot brilliantly designed, but it does have its weak points. My first one quickly lost its handle end to an errant gas flame. If your pot doesn’t fit on your burner, one option is a pot like the Richard Sapper pot for Alessi–its flat bottom is wider than the rest of the pot. It is expensive, and I think it’s made of steel, but it’s a great design, and might be worth considering as an alternative to a Moka extender piece.
On the washing issue, I can vouch that my housemate practically leapt across the room to stop me from using a soapy cloth on the pot. (L’acqua, s?¬, Sapone no!) But the pot was used every day.
Finally, those who can grind their own coffee to spec may be interested to know that one of the best specialty Italian coffees can be bought on Amazon.com–Giamaica Caffé of Verona. Happy brewing!
I have a 9 cup bialetti coffee pot, that needs a new gasket, my problem is I don’t know if it’s aluminum or stainless. I would like to order a new gasket, but I see there is a difference between the two. I can see that it has st/c3 inside and underneath st/f1, can you tell me what it is. thanks
Correction to last sentence in above post:
“…**I find** the resulting taste frankly really YUKKY in a Moka Pot”
Taste is obviously a very subjective thing, and one man’s poison can be another man’s meat.
Tom: I KNOW almost everyone in Italy buys their coffee from the supermarket (amazing!!), but I personally believe that there can be nothing to compare with beans fresh from the local roaster and ground just before brewing. Plus my having complete control over the grind setting with a high quality grinding machine in order to get my own preferred grind (90 different settings on the Rancilio Rocky, would you believe!!!). Having said that, I have never yet been able to find Illy Moka Grind in the shops over here so have not been able to test out my views with the Illy brand. I can get Illy Espresso Grind but the resulting taste is frankly really YUKKY in a Moka Pot.
Luana, I did answer Mandy in March as follows:
tom Says:
March 10th, 2009 at 12:53 am
Mandy: yes, you are crazy. Just kidding. Seriously, if you are using the same coffee for a Mr. Coffee and a moka pot, one has to be way, way off. I recommend illy moka grind or, if you can get it, La Colombe “Nizza” – but only if you can have it ground professionally for a moka pot.
Throw out your Mr. Coffee!
Keith thanks for your thoughts……. by the way I agree with you regarding the grinder…… I’m just lucky enough to have access to a good caffe nearby where I can get a good grind, and Illy grind is better than I could ever do……. ciao & grazie
No one answered Mandy’s question about the caffeine “kick”. I too miss the caffeine high so is it true less caffeine?
This might be a crazy thing to state/ask, but when I use my Moka pot I don’t get the “kick” of caffeine like I get when using my Mr. Coffee. Am I being CRAZY or what? I love the taste, but need more kick! (I use the exact same coffee in both.)
S.P: Sorry, I forgot to say. The original aluminium pots were designed for the gas cooker. The stainless steel ones are designed so they can be used on an electric cooker (tho’ can also be used on gas cooker without problem). I’ve also been told by my Italian friends that you can put the stainless steel models in a dishwasher. So perhaps you can use detergent with these? I’d need to check on the latter with my Sicilian friends. Both are good. However, I think I heard somewhere that some Italians prefer the coffee taste from the aluminium ones. But I’m not sure on that last point…
Lorna: if you go to Italy, you will find a special ring that you can put over your cooker gas ring that is a kind of reductor – it makes your ring smaller. Over there you can get them anywhere. Over here in Belgium (where I live), you can get them too (in any shop that sells cookers) but the whole process is a lot more complicated. They will want to know the serial number of your cooker. Groan! I, like you, have a very old gas hob with no serial number. So I eventually got mine in Italy.
S.P: Very, very interesting! You make an air of being a modest beginner, but actually sound quite an aficionado – or maybe a born natural. I must try that idea out on my 6-cup pot. Sounds as if we lot might be able to learn a thing or two from you!
Help please – I have moved house and my Moka is too small to fit on the new (old) gas hob. Can anyone tell me where I could find something which would allow me to balance it safely? Thanks in advance…
I have enjoyed reading the comments from this article but, having spent many many hours, with some help from my Sicilian friends, trying to perfect a good Moka coffee I thought I might add the following comments. Excuse me for my somewhat lengthy post!
” Coffee roast
Try and persuade your local coffee roaster to make a REALLY dark roast from his/her Moka blend. It should be a shiny, oily black colour on its surface (the shine may appear only after a few days). If you crack the bean open, it should be black or almost black on the inside.
I have been lucky enough to find a very, very friendly local roaster. However, even if you do manage to luckily find a roaster as friendly and malleable as mine, it may require some coaxing and perseverance before you get him to make such a dark roast as the above, as non-Italian coffee roasters are often not used to such dark Italian roasts. But this is the roast you will need for a genuine Italian Moka coffee
” Grinder machine
Whilst I absolutely agree on everything else with Tom, on this one point I have to disagree. For really good fresh coffee you will definitely need a good coffee mill. But DON’T get one of those cheap grinder/blenders. Go for a quality burr grinder. Personally, I invested almost 300 Eur (420 USD) for a Rancilio Rocky Doserless (SD) machine. But it was worth every cent!
However, you will need to find a method to remove the residue of coffee grind from the exit hole as quite a bit sticks in there. With a 1-cup pot, more than half the quantity (?±3g) remains stuck in this area. This doesn’t matter if you are making large quantities, but for smaller quantities the proportion is enough to adversely affect the flavour – rancid coffee from the previous day’s grind mixed up with the fresh coffee.
My method was to permanently remove the plastic chute, catch the coffee grinds in a cup and use a small piece of balsa-like wood (65 mm long by 8mm wide by 2.5 mm thick) to scoop out the residue. This method is very effective.
” Grind
Choose the finest grind you can obtain without it acquiring a bitter taste. The moment it begins to taste a little bitter, it is too fine a grind. This is a question of trial and error and will also need to be regularly readjusted downwards as your burrs wear.
” Water quantity
Now this will surprise many people. I have found that the water level should be somewhat less than the level of the safety valve. This really does improve the flavour of the coffee. The safety valve level is 50 ml (cc) per cup, e.g. 300 ml of water for a 6-cup pot. But I have found that it is better to use 40 ml and NOT 50 ml of water per cup, e.g. 240 ml of water for a 6-cup pot. You don’t believe me? Compare both methods and taste the result!
” While brewing??¦
Leave the lid open. Yes, true! I don’t know why but all Sicilians do this. Put an upside-down teaspoon over the funnel to stop the coffee spitting all over your kitchen.
” Brewing time
Take the pot off the gas at the exact moment it starts bubbling. Earlier, and you don’t get that tang to the taste. Later, and the taste turns bitter and nasty.
” Cleaning the pot
Tom is 150% right!! Rinse your Moka pot with water only!
Any person, whoever you are and however knowledgeable you might claim to be, who chooses to clean your pot any other way is ignoring what ALL native Italians will tell you (as well as incidentally what the manufacturer Bialetti states politely but plainly on its instruction leaflet) and therefore, not wishing to mince my words, is just plain WRONG!
NOW FOR THOSE WHO WANT AUTHENTIC ITALIAN STRENGTH COFFEE:
” Grind quantity
Exact quantity of coffee grind is of critical importance. I use a traditional set of scales (the only TRULY accurate method of weighing that I know of). For finer measurements, I find that one of MY paper clips weighs about 0.4g (I even have chopped a paper clip in half to make a 0.2g weight for even finer measurements). However the weight of your paper clip will presumably vary according to the make.
My current preferred quantities:
1-cup pot: 5g
3-cup pot: 12g
6-cup pot: 21g
” Aeration
Do you, like me, have a problem with a nasty tar-like taste when brewing with large quantities of coffee grind? Well, try this tip which I learnt from two Sicilian friends.
With anything larger than a 1-cup pot, aereate the coffee grind in the coffee pot tank by pricking/punching with a small tool like a pointed handle end of a teaspoon. It will loosen and therefore render the coffee grinds more porous (while paradoxically reducing their volume). This aerating is one of two tricks I use for getting rid of that nasty tar-like taste
” Gas-level
And here is the second trick: With all pots larger than the 1-cup pot, I find it necessary to put the flame at the maximum level without exceeding the edge of the boiler.
Those are my two tricks. Do you know another method? If so, please, please let me know. I’ll be REALLY interested.
SICILIAN COFFEE:
” Sicilian coffee is delicious! So what is their secret? Easy-peasy! They add sugar to their coffee. Yes, true! All Sicilians do this, without exception. Personally, I add a level teaspoonful of brown cane sugar per cup and add this in the upper part of the pot before putting it on the gas. Stir when it has brewed.
I’ve been experimenting with the moka for a couple months now and I want to share some of my discoveries. I was not washing, only rinsing the moka after use as recommended, but I only drink coffee once or twice a week and I was frequently getting awful sour coffee. I decided to try cleaning all the old coffee residue off with a wet paper towel and the next brew was fantastic. I think this means that the residue that is traditionally supposed to be left on was turning rancid from sitting in the cupboard for a week, like jeff said. So, if you use it infrequently its probably best to wipe it clean after use, no soap, no vinegar, just water. Maybe if you use the moka daily, like most italians do, you can get by with just rinsing.
Also, since I don’t go through coffee very quick I choose to get whole beans and grind them myself, as needed, with the ‘chopper’ grinder. I do this because I figure the whole beans will keep longer than if I have them all ground at the store. True, the home grinder is not very consistent but it works. I try and leave the grinds just big enough to not pass through the metal filter. If I grind them at the grocery store, would I use the french press setting or a little finer?
I can’t find any illy moka grind or La Colombe where I live right now and have just been using somalian and ethiopian dark roasts and when done right, they both turn out delicious. Has anyone experimented with any other types of beans or roasts in the moka?
Can someone explain the difference between the aluminum and the steel varieties? I currently have an aluminum one, should I switch to steel?
Any corrections to my logic or answers to my questions would be appreciated. I am new to the coffee world and am just starting to make sense of some things.
Ps. Jeff Banks is correct.
Rob where did you get your information? My sources are Italians in various parts of Italy and my own experience. Anyway, I prefer the rinsed (not rancid) residue of coffee past to the residue of soap present. I suggest people try each method and judge for themselves. Ciao all…..
Not cleaning your Moka pot is a good way of making nasty coffee. If you care about the taste of your coffee, clean out the old coffee residue from your Moka pot, and use – Heaven forbid! – soap. Otherwise, you are getting a lot of rancid coffee oil in your brew.
Or you can cling to your superstitious beliefs. Whatever works for you.
Aluminum pots will need to be seasoned. Rinse after each use without soap. Do not scrub. However, if you let it sit for more than a week, the coffee oils will go rancid and you’ll need to scrub the pot out (no soap!) and reseason it by brewing a 4-5 batches and tossing the coffee.
The bottom part just holds water and doesn’t get covered with coffee oils. Water and vinegar can be used to clean it if the calcium build up gets too bad.
im absolute new to this.. but from my understanding, is the “Never-wash-the-pot” only apply for classic aluminum moka pot?
because Al moka pot is the one that have bad metal taste, so the build up residue can create a layer between the Al and your coffee. so since stainless steel don’t have this problem, we should wash it without problem??
on bialetti US site’s care&warranty section, it says do not put in dishwasher. BUT on the package of bialetti’s own stainless steel moka pot, there’s a sign that show OK in dishwasher.
http://www.bialetti.it/files/catalogue/attachments/musa.pdf
so i guess these care “no wash” instructions were aimed at classic aluminum pots only. uh? uh?
Mandy: yes, you are crazy. Just kidding. Seriously, if you are using the same coffee for a Mr. Coffee and a moka pot, one has to be way, way off. I recommend illy moka grind or, if you can get it, La Colombe “Nizza” — but only if you can have it ground professionally for a moka pot.
Throw out your Mr. Coffee!
Chloe don’t lose hope…….. you should be able to get a decent cup after fewer than 6 tries. I strongly reccomend that you get illy moka grind (pre ground) coffee. It is ground especially for a moka. Unless you are a pro, or can get great coffe ground for you (such as La Colombe)there is no way you will be able to match their consistency. Throw out your grinder!
One final thing: no more vinigar! Please see my posts above: you should not wash the pot after use, just rinse it. Also, I highly reccommend the Bialetti Brikka — it is hands down the best moka pot around.
Good luck.
HELP! I recently bought an inexpensive stainless steel 4-cup Vev Vigano stovetop from an Amazon camera store merchant. I thought it was a little weird to come from a camera store in Brooklyn, but they were the only ones who had this older model in stock.
The pot box was pretty beat up, not so surprising since being an older model they might have had it on the shelf for a long time. The pot itself looked new enough. I’ve made several cups now following the instructions it came with, and the above instructions which are pretty much the same.
I threw out the first few cups as recommended, but I still can’t make coffee that’s even drinkable! Just how many cups are necessary to finally get good tasting coffee? I use Britta filtered water and have even tried illy dark roast.
I have a Capresso burr grinder and set it a little coarser than regular espresso grind. Presumably a $100 conical burr grinder knows what it’s doing. The instructions that came with the pot said to soak it with baking powder and water before the first use, which I did, and based on the comments here might not have been such a good idea.
I’ve also rinsed it with vinegar a couple of times. As someone else said, I get MUCH better results from my dirt cheap Mr. Coffee steam espresso machine using the same coffee.
I bought the Moka pot hoping to get a little more intense brew, since I use the Mr. Coffee as my regular daily coffee machine, brewing about 6 oz. at a time. I’ve loved this little Mr.
Coffee steam machine, but it has all-aluminum parts, and I wanted to switch to stainless steel without spending a fortune. I think I’ve followed instructions close enough, and I’ve read all the helpful comments on this site. So what is going wrong?
This might be a crazy thing to state/ask, but when I use my Moka pot I don’t get the “kick” of caffeine like I get when using my Mr. Coffee. Am I being CRAZY or what? I love the taste, but need more kick! (I use the exact same coffee in both.)
I have 1, 3 and 6 cup espresso stoves. It is trial and error at first. I always use filtered water from my Brita Water Jug to soften the water and remove the hard minerals.
Lets not forget, almost 99% of a cup of black coffee/espresso is water! It helps to have consistent quality of water. The shop I buy my beans from grind them specifically for use with my stove pot.
I store my coffee in an air tight container, and keep them in the fridge as it keeps the freshness for at least an extra week or two. As for brewing, use a low heat, depending on the size of of the stove and the amount of fluid it’ll take between 3- 4 minutes (on gas). As fot getting a crema: you can get a small one but keep the heat low to increase the extraction time through the coffee and pour your espresso/moka early.
So long as you use a low heat you can keep the lid of your stove pot up and watch the coffee come out so you know when to pour – but like I said, its trial and error.
I just fried my Moka pot this AM. After having a lovely cup… I inadvertantly turn on the burner again and walked away. It now smells like bong water. I’m replacing the gasket and metal filter, but what else should I do? I don’t want to drink bong water coffee.
The only way I make my coffee is with a Moka, and when I have found the water not condensing and rising through the filter correctly, the problem has always been the rubber seal that separates the lower and upper halves. This seal will often get stray grinds on it and when the two units are assembled for brewing, enough of them will compromise the air tight integrity. My recomendation – ensure the seal is clean and smooth and fits securely on the upper screen from the top unit. If no water is flowing through the grinds, you may have too fine a grind and/or tamping the grounds too tight. Fine grounds packed tightly will effectively make a barrier which the water will have a tough time rising through. This is the joy of coffee made not only in a Moka, but other methods. A little trial and error with small adjustments and you will find what works.
Get your method “dialed in” and enjoy!!
We are having a problem, wondering whether anyone can help. We made great coffee in a Bialetti for 2-3 years and then it stopped working. The water boiled and escaped through the top but didn’t condense. The apartment smelled great but we didn’t have anything to drink. We just tried replacing the Moka and are having the same problem with the new pot? Have we got the heat too low? Too high? Is the grind of the coffee to fine? What could be wrong?
Mike, I disagree. I got my information from more than one Italian in Italy and, importantly, from Bialetti itself, the inventor and manufactirer of the Moka pot. If you have a better source of information, please tell me, as I would like to know. Thanks.
Use soap and water. Seasoning is for cast iron, where you use saturated oils that don’t easily spoil. The key to great tasting coffee is freshly roasted and ground beans, not rancid old coffee oil.
Thank you so very much for all the great help on how to use my pot correctly! I wish the box had come with some instructions. Does anyone know how they use this moka pot in Spain? Do they just add hot milk to some of this when they are done? I know their coffee was great in Spain!
Andrew — use Illy Moka grind. Or if your coffee purveyor grinds beand for you, ask them to grind it for a moka pot. If they don’t know what you are talking about then they don’t know what they are doing. The grind is different than espresso grind. good luck.
Hi guys
Was wondering what the best coffee to use is? Im new to this and Bialetti didnt say to use fine ground or not, was told this will block the filter?
PS: everybody (AY — LISTEN UP!!)please chill out about maintaining the most brilliantly clean moka pot in the world. WATER ONLY>>>>>NO VINIGAR<<<
Andre…. sorry so late… yes. You have understod correctly. Water only. Never ever use soap. Think of it as you would seasoning a heavy pan or griddle. I received this advice (instruction) from a close Italian friend many years ago. It works.
I bought the Bialetti model a couple months ago and now have some hard water buildup in the bottom compartment. How do I use the vinegar to get rid of this? Do I just pour it through each part to rinse, or do I actually use the vinegar and heat it up just like I would to make coffee?
Tom,
I didn’t quite clearly understand your comment. Are you saying we should clean our pots with nothing else than water?
PS: always use bottled Italian water if you want a more authentic taste. Hai capito?
Naver — NEVER NEVER NEVER — scrub your moka pot clean. Just rinse it under water. Period. And don’t assemble it after cleaning because this will trap moisture and make the inside of the pot fa schifo (look it up). Seriously, even the Bialetti company advises not to scrup the pot. So don’t. You won’t be sorry. [PS: Mark has it right]
I have had a Vev vigano stove top coffee maker for at least 15 years. I only clean it out once a week with soap. Since this morning the bottom part which holds the water has a very strong metallic smell and therefore has made the coffee undrinkable. I have tried putting vinegar through it a few times but the smell is still as strong. The last 3 years we have lived in a city with very hard water. What has happened to my coffee maker and does anyone know if I can fix it? Up until today it has made the good coffee since I was given it.
We just got into Rome yesterday and this morning I made coffee for the first time using the instructions from this page. It came out wonderfully! Thank you so much for your clear, concise directions.
I was struck by something quite funny here…. My wife’s relatives in in Genoa Italy were ready to rip the Moka pot (with my arm still attached) away from me when I went to rinse the pot in the sink. They NEVER even rinse it! Wash it? No, only when you use it the first time. Instead they let the residue build up into a layer inside the top part of the pot. They claim that it is key to the great taste. I loved it, even if I couldn’t stand to look at the pot. I think the Genovese water added quite a bit of character also.
the moka pot is not really designed to make a crema. the brikka pot by bialetti is a moka pot with a special valve to make cream. it’s still not a perfect cup but gets you closer to real espresso than the moka.
Hi Jo,
Its hard, from what I hear, to get crema with a Moka pot. I have gotten it on a few occasions, following some tips I read online.
1. Use fresh coffee. The older the coffee the less chance you will get a good crema.
2. Use the right temprature. If your coffee comes shooting out of the spout, your water is to hot. If the water is just bearly dribbling out of the spout, turn the temprature up a bit. Better slow than fast though.
You still wont get a thick crema, but there will be some.
I just got my Moka pot as a Christmas gift to me this year. It has taken a bit of trial and error, but I think I am getting it down. The last cup I had was difinately better than the first.
Enjoy
why is it that after i have gotten the espresso…there ain’t any crema…help please??
Great, simple explanation on how to use a Moka pot. We used one while staying in Italy for several weeks this year and bought a pot at a store at home. This was a help in making great coffee. Even better: pour a little of this espresso coffee in a big cup and added hot milk. Can you say latte?
I am VERY new to all of this & got myself a coffee grinder, beans & a stove top unit…a couple of things should there be any ground coffee in the funnel section when the coffee has finished going up the spout into the top section (hope you know what I mean)I really hope I am doing all this correctly, I just made my first coffee & it was So So (which everyone tells me usually is YUCK) I going now to attempt my second. Here’s hoping you can help & am doing something right (fingers crossed)maybe less coffee grounds……Well off I go & hoping to hear from you soon. PAT