What’s a Moka Pot and are they any good? - Barista Recommends

Smartblends Barista gives an ultimate guide on what a Moka pot is and how to use one.

Image source - amazon.co.uk

What is a Moka Pot

A Moka pot is a stove-top (sometimes electric) coffee maker that brews coffee by passing boiling water pressurised by steam through ground coffee.

Moka pots are apart of Italian culture and as we know, coffee is extremely popular in Italy, so if they love the Moka pot, it must be good, right?

For an easier understanding of how this works, check out the below diagram found on pinterest which shows the inner workings of a Moka pot.

History of the Moka pot

Named after the Yemeni city of Mocha, it was invented by Luigi di Ponti then later acquired and perfected by Italian engineer Alfonso Bialetti in 1933.

The Moka pot was inspired by early clothes-washing machines which used a heat source to boil sudsy water and cause it to rise up out of a tube, which could be used to clean dirty laundry. Instead, the Moka Express causes hot water to pass upwards, through coffee grounds, and rise up out of a tube—meaning brewed coffee does not have to pass through any additional coffee filters, as the grounds stay below the final extraction.

Alfonso Bialetti’s 1933 original Moka pot design.

Overtime, the Moka pot was replaced with more relevant ways of brewing coffee like espresso machines, Chemex and Aeropress. However, a lot of people, especially coffee connoisseurs, still prefer to use Moka pots. Something about the design and the look just feels right, its almost like a ritual of making coffee, especially compared to that of pushing a button.

The popularity and still relevance of the Moka pot is especially prominent in Italy where a lot of households will use a Moka pot every single day, and for good reason, the coffee it producers is delicious. Not to mention the price comparison. Moka pots produce espresso-styled coffee which you would otherwise need large and expensive espresso machines to make. Not to mention space to put it.

How do you use a Moka Pot

Using the ‘machine’ itself is pretty simple. Add ground coffee to the middle section and water at the bottom, boil on a medium heat until it begins hissing and gurgling, take it of and enjoy!

That being said, I know you coffee aficionados like structure so here’s a step by step measurement for the perfect Moka Coffee I found.

Step 1

Weigh out 20-22 grams of ground coffee. For the ground, you want it quite fine but not as fine as you would for an espresso machine. Somewhere between that of an espresso machine fine ground and a cold brew coarse ground will be perfect.

You can buy pre ground coffee online easily, Amazons Cafe Direct fairtrade Arabica ground coffee is delightful, or you can grind it fresh yourself at home with an inexpensive coffee grinder and your favourite beans, I like Spiller and Tait’s award winning beans. Another idea is to pop by your favourite café and ask your local barista if you can purchase some ground coffee. Most of them will be delighted to do this for you.

Step 2

Pour cold water into the bottom section of your Moka pot. You want the water to reach just under the water valve, which is usually about 350 millilitres depending on your Moka pot. Once you add in your funnel with the ground coffee, have a check to see if any of the water is above the funnel, if so, pour some out.

At this point you should have the bottom section filled with water and your funnel attached with your ground coffee poured in, you want to level out and slightly tap those coffee grounds. Don’t tamp or push them down to much, keep them lose, you only want to level the coffee grounds not compact them.

Step 3

Screw the top part of your Moka pot on tightly and place on a stove over a medium-low heat until it begins gurgling and hissing. After a few times of trying out your Moka pot, you will come to be familiar with the sounds of when its done so don’t worry to much.

That recipe should see you around 6 cups.

How does Moka pot coffee compare?

The Moka pot creates an espresso style coffee, so for comparison you need to compare it with something that does the same, which would be an espresso machine. As far as price works, the Moka pot will always come out on top. Even expensive Moka pots are cheaper then cheap espresso machines. There’s just no comparison there.

In terms of aesthetics they both have there pros and cons. Old cottage styled kitchens look better with a Moka pot on display and modern kitchens look nice with either a Moka pot or espresso machine.

Size wise the Moka pot is much smaller, so its great for small kitchens or limited spaces. Coffee machines take up way more space.

Then there’s the ritual thing I was talking about before, there’s something just so delightful about creating Moka pot coffee. However, that being said, espresso machines are much faster, so they’re perfect for when you’re in a rush.

Flavour wise its all a matter of opinion. Ney sayers will say Moka pot coffee can taste somewhat burnt and don’t like the lack of crema.

Crema 101; Crema is the light brown/tan foam you get on top of espresso, it’s formed during the extraction process when water and coffee bean oils emulsify. After coffee beans are roasted, they begin to release CO2. Most of that is released into the air between roasting and grinding. When hot water hits the coffee grounds with the high pressure of an espresso machine, the water emulsifies the oils in the coffee and then gets supersaturated with CO2. That creates small bubbles which is what that foam is.

the crema itself adds nothing to coffee, it’s just one of those things some people like to see, and as for the ‘burnt’ taste, some people love it, some people don’t. You can adjust the flavour by messing around with temperature, some people will even say to add warm pre-boiled water to your Moka pot so it has less interaction with the coffee, creating a softer flavour. But it’s all a matter of opinion really.

They are just different ways of creating the same style of coffee. Only you can judge which you think is best.

Which Moka Pot should I buy?

Bialetti 6-cup

Alfonso Bialetti’s company is still going strong, innovating in the world of coffee and still manufacturing there revolutionary Moka pots, so its really the only brand to go with.

You can pick up a 6-cup Bialetti on Amazon UK for under £30 which works great with the above Moka coffee recipe. The same one you can also get on Amazon USA for under $40.

Bialetti 12-cup

If its a larger capacity you’re after but still want the timeless Bialetti design, well you’re in luck, they also make it in a taller 12-cup design!

Alessi Cast Aluminium 6-Cup

For something different and a little bit mind boggling, here’s the Alessi. It works the same way as the classic Bialetti, I know it doesn’t look like it but trust me, this gadget is still in 3 pieces.

VeoHome Stovetop

If you don’t want the Bialetti but the Alessi is a bit to crazy looking for you, or you’re just after a more simplistic design, I would recommend the VeoHome stove top espresso maker.

FAQ

Is Moka Pot espresso stronger then regular espresso?

Yes but no, Moka pot coffee doesn’t taste as strong as espresso, however, that doesn’t mean its weaker! due to the longer extraction times, Moka coffee has more caffeine then espresso.

Is Moka pot coffee bad for you?

Not at all, its the same as having any other coffee. The only issue is over time, coffee oils and small bits of ground coffee builds up in the insides of your Moka pot. This is harmless however it will make your coffee start tasting bitter. Just properly clean your Moka pot and you’ll be good to go.

Are Moka pots worth it?

Yes, but its all opinion. At the end of the day they’re not the most expensive thing, so if you don’t use it often its not a big loss.

What should Moka pot coffee taste like

The best way to describe the taste is as close to espresso without technically being espresso. However, that all depends on your choice of coffee grounds and extraction time. Longer extraction with stronger coffee will taste more bitter whilst lighter coffee with quicker extraction will taste more citrusy, which all depends on your coffee grounds of course.

Can you create crema with a Moka Pot?

Generally, you’re not going to get a crema with Moka pot coffee, but what you’ve got to ask yourself is why the crema is important to you? as we mentioned in the above ‘crema 101’ it imparts no flavour, its simply pressurized release of C02 from the extraction. That being said, if having crema is important to you then you may be able to achieve it by using coffee beans which you have freshly ground before use.

How to wash your Moka Pot

Washing your Moka pot is an easy task, just wait until your pot is cooled after use, de-assemble and rinse out each part then dry. No need to use soapy water. Don’t run them through a dish washer, leave to air dry or scrub them with metal scourer. Just good old warm water and hand drying.

Can Moka Pots Explode?

Moka Pots create coffee by using a whole lot of pressure. So there’s a concern for exploding coffee pots, however, the chances of this happening are very slim. As long as you don’t tamp your ground coffee (meaning to tightly compact it) then the pressure build up will never reach that point. The reason that we have stories of exploding Moka pots happen when people don’t properly clean there Moka pots. Moka pots have a valve on the side to allow the pressure to release if it gets to much. Over time if you excessively use your Moka pot without cleaning it, you can block that valve with bits of coffee grounds or solidified coffee bits. So as long as you’re rinsing and drying your Moka pot after every use, you will be fine.

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Hi, I’m Cameron, guv’nor of Smartblend. Thank you for stopping by, if you’ve enjoyed this guide on Moka pot coffee, why not check out some more coffee articles below.