Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker
by Bialetti
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List Price: Our Price: $23.95 You Save: $6.04 (20%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker
Customer Review: Follow these tips for a unique coffee
Summary: 5 Stars
Every family in Italy owns one of these machines. Here are a few tips:
1. In Italy this is NOT called an espresso machine, but a Moka machine. An espresso is what you would drink in bar made with a steam or high pressure machine with the crema on top.
2. Smaller size Moka machine tend to make better coffee.
3. Never wash the Moka with detergents, just rinse it under tap water
4. You've gotta use it often for a good coffee.
5. If you haven't use it in a while, make a weak coffee ("lungo") and discard
6. DO NOT put the MOka in the dishwasher.
7. Use drinking water. Avoid tap water especially if very chlorinated
8. Never compress the coffee.
9. For a strong coffee fill the filter with ground coffee and make a small cupola that slightly protrudes beyond the rim. Do not press down.
10. For best coffee, heat at very low heat. It's ok if it takes 10min.
11. As soon as coffee reaches the top, remove from heat
12. Do not let the coffee boil
13. Use good quality coffee, not too strong, medium grind (try Illy for a good commercial brand)
14. Sip while still hot, enjoy!
Customer Review: Great Coffee
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had this coffee pot for about a month and so far I'm very happy. I primed the coffee maker as suggested here by making and throwing away 3-4 pots of coffee. The coffee (espresso coffee ground for a moka pot) tastes excellent. However, unlike what one reviewer mentioned, I've not yet been able to procure any of that elusive crema.
One note: I've read random reviews online regarding this pot where some people experienced coffee leaks from the bottom part of the pot. One of the suggestions for fixing this was to tighten (or over tighten) the bottom part of the pot. Anyway, I experienced this leak a couple times last week and reading the reviews I thought I had to return the pot. However, I quickly realised my mistake. I had inserted the filter (that fits between the lower and the upper chamber) backwards. The filter is secured in place by the rubber seal and the wide portion of the filter ring should be facing up. I reversed the direction of the filter on the pot (I obviously had replaced it wrongly after washing this unit) and this stopped the leak. Now we're back to enjoying leak and mess free coffee.
Customer Review: Just as expected!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a Mediterranean and back home each family has this stovetop coffee maker, my parents have all the sizes:)as I'm overseas I had to change the plastic with the gasket and could not find it any where so I went and decided to order the whole coffee maker (Bialetti) as the one I have is a made in china and i wanted the real thing. I received my order in 3 days which never happened with me before(shipping international)and the coffee maker was really as described I like how sturdy the handle is and just the look in general you can tell the difference between the Bialetti and the made china thing I have. I use my coffee maker daily and I just love it. one thing I didn't see mentioned in other comments, this kind of coffee maker save you the coffee powder a lot especially if you like your coffee strong (like we Mediterranean do), with the electrical coffee machine I poor a lot of powder to get strong coffee with the italian coffee maker like Bialetti I spend half the quantity of coffee to get great coffee, forget about starbucks (there is no better than home made coffee and it cost much much less.
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Customer Review: Classic coffee maker
Summary: 5 Stars
My mom used to make coffee in one of these style coffee makers as a special treat for she and I when I was girl, and I've always had one. But I misplaced mine a while back and just finally replaced it with this model.
It works just wonderfully. Fill the bottom with cold water, put grounds in the filter basket, screw on the top, put it over a low flame on my gas range. Give it about 7-8 minutes and there is wonderful coffee. The scent of coffee made this way fills your house. The flavor is great too if you're using good quality beans you like because the extraction is steamed and works fairly quickly once it starts, the beans release good flavor and a bit of coffee oils into the finished coffee. One of the best ways to have a nice full flavored cup of coffee.
Easy to use, easy to clean. Don't put this in the dishwasher. Just give it a good rinse. If it does need more, use a clean, wet, soft cloth or sponge, the sort you would use on a non-stick pan.
My husband lived in Italy for a while and he really appreciates a good cup of coffee made this way as well.
Very recommended.
Customer Review: Good, cheap espresso
Summary: 5 Stars
Bought it at the suggestion of a friend's Italian wife and haven't looked back. It makes six espresso shots (for many Americans who just don't get it, that is the size of a shot, not the 7 Eleven jumbo coffee).
Operation is simple, fill it up to a little below the <safety> valve or it will explode as another reviewer discovered. If you use Illy beans (lower caffeine content so its less bitter) you will get a better cup, but standard supermarket beans are palatable as a base for lattes and so on. Get the beans finely ground and put in Bialetti but don't overfill or tamp them down, put on medium heat, and as soon as its done pour out the espresso from the Bialetti so it doesn't burn the espresso, which is especially important if you use the electric bialetti!
For a fraction of the price of Starbucks you can make espresso in your home like the average Italian family. The only problem you'll find with a six cup size is that you end up drinking it all yourself, so if you buy it for personal use, get a 2 or 3 cup size and avoid the caffeine jitters.