How to Use a Moka Pot: Your Guide to Making Perfect Italian-Style Coffee
HOW-TO
How to Use a Moka Pot: Your Guide to Making Perfect Italian-Style Coffee
Written by Jordan
Themoka pot has been a safe bet for coffee lovers for over 80 years and shows no signs of going out of fashion! It was invented in Italy in 1933 by Alfonso Bialetti, the founder of the legendary brand of cafetières. Bialetti revolutionised the art of coffee-making with a unique coffee maker: the Moka Express. Its fame quickly spread throughout the world: just take a look at all of its appearances in movies or TV series!
Are you looking for something stronger than a filter coffee but lighter than an espresso? With the moka pot, you can make a cup of coffee that resembles an espresso, without having to shell out for an expensive espresso machine. But how do you know you’re choosing the right moka pot? From the size of the pot to the heating method, plus a quick run-through on how to make coffee the Italian way: it’s all in our definitive guide to the moka pot!
Choosing Your Moka Pot
How many cups of coffee?
First, keep in mind that a regular cup of coffee with a moka pot is 50ml. Therefore, a 4-cup coffee maker has a capacity of just 200ml (bear in mind that a standard mug is 250ml). Does that seem small? Well, Italy is the land of the espresso! Your choice on the size of coffee maker will depend on the number of people in your household, how often you all drink coffee and in what quantities. Do you regularly drink coffee with your friends and family? Then you’ll need a bigger moka pot. A one or two-cup moka pot might be enough for everyday use, but it will quickly prove too small if you like to host coffee breaks with friends and family.
Which material?
Almost all moka pots are made from one of two materials: aluminum or stainless steel.
Aluminum: light, inexpensive and a good conductor of heat, aluminum has always been a popular choice for moka pot manufacturers. It’s suitable for all heat sources (except induction).
Stainless steel: healthy and durable, stainless steel is more resistant than aluminum to damage caused by heat, bumps or scratches. Another advantage not to be taken lightly is that, unlike with aluminum, stainless steel moka pots are dishwasher-safe. Most are compatible with all heat sources, including induction.
Which Heating Method?
Of course, if you decide to buy a moka pot, you can only choose from the models that are compatible with your kitchen facilities. If you have an induction hob for example, you’ll need a coffee maker that is especially designed to be compatible with induction.
PLEASE NOTE:
A small moka pot on a larger induction plate will generate less power. Therefore, the induction element may not activate nor function properly if the cookware is too small. You’ll need to pay close attention to the diameter of the base.
For other heat sources (electric, glass ceramic, gas, etc…), you can choose any moka pot you like, including moka pots made for induction.
Which Design?
The look of the coffee maker will no doubt play an important part in your choice. Depending on your personal tastes, you may prefer the retro style of the Bialetti Moka Express, the elegance of the Bialetti Kitty or even a more colorful option like the Red Moka Express. Of course, what your coffee maker looks like will not affect the quality of your coffee. So simply follow your heart’s desire! A moka pot is a small appliance, so you needn’t worry about it taking up too much space. You can even use it to decorate your kitchen!
RECIPE: HOW TO MAKE A GREAT CUP OF COFFEE WITH A MOKA POT
Ingredients
30g of ground coffee
290ml boiling water
Material
A moka pot
Preparation
Step 1Fill the bottom chamber with hot water just below the valve.
Step 2Insert the funnel and fill it with ground coffee. Spread the coffee evenly but do not tamp it down. Your coffee grind should be slightly coarser than for an espresso but finer than for a French Press.
Step 3Screw the top of the moka pot onto the base. Check that everything is secured. Turn on the stove and put the moka pot over the heat with its lid open.
Step 4Attach the serving chamber to the base. Check that everything is tightly attached. Place the moka pot on the heat with the lid open.
Step 5When coffee starts to come out in the upper chamber, close the lid and remove the moka pot from the heat. Give time for the coffee to come up with the lid shut.
Step 6Serve your coffee brew in a cup or a glass… and enjoy!
Step 1
Fill the bottom chamber with hot water just below the valve.
Step 2
Insert the funnel and fill it with ground coffee. Spread the coffee evenly but do not tamp it down. Your coffee grind should be slightly…
Step 3
Screw the top of the moka pot onto the base. Check that everything is secured. Turn on the stove and put the moka pot over…
Step 4
Attach the serving chamber to the base. Check that everything is tightly attached. Place the moka pot on the heat with the lid open.
Step 5
When coffee starts to come out in the upper chamber, close the lid and remove the moka pot from the heat. Give time for the…
Step 6
Serve your coffee brew in a cup or a glass… and enjoy!
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TAKING CARE OF YOUR MOKA POT
You should regularly clean your moka pot to get the best results from it. Remember that if your coffee maker is made of aluminum, you should only clean it using water. Please note that almost all the individual parts on your moka pot can be changed:
#1
The gasket/joint: to be changed when you see that the filter is dry, damaged or your coffee maker is leaking.
#2
The filter: generally sold with the gasket/joint, the filter basket needs to be changed as soon as you notice any rusting or limescale deposits.
#3
The funnel: like the filter, this needs to be changed when you notice any rusting or deposits.
#4
The handle: because accidents do happen!
You’ll need to use coffee ground specifically for a moka pot. If you don’t, your moka pot will not work properly. If the ground coffee is too fine, the water will have trouble coming through, if it is too coarse, the water will pass too quickly and you will end up with a weak coffee. Why not grind your own coffee for freshness? A decent manual coffee grinder will be easy to store and convenient for grinding the small amount of coffee needed for your moka pot.
