Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker
by Bialetti
|
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 |
|---|
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker
Customer Review: Works fine, but you have to work IT.
Summary: 5 Stars
I like it well enough. Simple, effective. Elegant design. Produces coffee much better than my French Press. Has a "smoother" taste. About the same cleanup. Really good price on Amazon. I got the "six" cup version, and it produces a nice big mug of coffee every morning. About two cups worth.. (Those Italians must have really small cups) No mystery about it as far as I can see. Water is heated in the bottom in a sealed chamber, forced from the bottom of the chamber through a pipe through the coffee grounds, through a metal filter which must be cleaned every so often, and goes into the top holding pot. You have to stand there and watch the thing, however. Remove from stovetop. Pour. Clean by rinsing after it cools off. Do not forget to check the pressure valve regularly, since the lower chamber, sealed, could explode in a blast of boiling water if by any chance the coffee filter chamber becomes blocked and the relief valve does not relieve. (Maybe you should get two just in case somebody sues over coffee being too hot...Oh. Wait. That would NEVER happen.)Customer Review: Makes a good cup (and only one American-sized cup ) of coffee simply
Summary: 5 Stars
I like coffee, though I can't claim to be a coffee snob. So for what it's worth, this more than meets my standards. Same price as a crappy small electric drop coffeemaker, but makes much nicer coffee. You have to use fine-ground coffee (not espresso-fine, though). On my electric stove, set to 2 or 3, it takes me a couple minutes longer than the 4-5 minutes mentioned in this listing. I read online that you have to put it on low heat so that the pot doesn't discolor and the coffee doesn't get burned, so that's what I've been doing. FYI, the directions on the box say to wash the pot in HOT WATER ONLY (not soapy water, as this listing mentions), and never to scrub it -- something to do with the aluminum alloy it's made from. Also, you should know that the Italian espresso "6 cups" equals about one American coffee cup. Of course, it comes out much stronger than an ordinary cup of drip coffee, so you may not need that whole cup of Bialetti Moka coffee all for yourself. For good instructions on how to use the Moka pot, see http://ineedcoffee.com/06/moka/.Customer Review: I'm in love.
Summary: 5 Stars
If it's possible to be in love with an inanimate object, it's happened to me with my Moka stovetop espresso maker. I know that it's not -technically- espresso since it doesn't have sufficient bars of pressure, but I find those true espresso machines bulky, loud, expensive, and just plain excessive. To me, a big espresso machine on the counter is a status symbol from the 1990s, not a practical device.
The Moka pot is just what I need. I make a full pot (about 8 ounces) from Starbucks espresso roast or Illy Moka roast, and while it heats, I mix 2 tablespoons of Starbucks mocha powder, 2 tablespoons of hot water, 2 tablespoons of Starbucks peppermint syrup, and half a tablespoon of Hershey's chocolate syrup in a small bowl. That goes in the bottom of my 20-ounce thermos. When it's ready, the espresso goes on top, followed by enough steamed non-fat milk to reach the top of the thermos. Close, shake, and you have a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha (non-fat, no whip).
Delicious, and I'm saving 4 bucks a day on Starbucks.
Customer Review: The best -- straight from Italy!
Summary: 5 Stars
About 12 years ago I was in Milan, and a friend gave me one of these to take home. I have used it nearly every day since (I don't take it out of town), so that should give you an idea of how sturdy it is. It is the best coffee maker I have ever owned. To compare, I also have a high-tech espresso machine with frother; a state-of-the-art automatic drip coffeemaker; a French Press; and a different style of stovetop maker, which, surprisingly, makes a different brew. But I ALWAYS go back to my Bialetti Moka 6-cup for the best espresso and lattes. You even will get a crema effect with this simple pot. For lattes, I simply fill half a coffee mug with milk, heat it in the microwave until it's hot, and then top it off with espresso. It's low-maintenance -- every once in a while I replace the internal rubber gasket, which costs a buck or so, depending upon where you buy it. If you like your coffee like the Italians and the Cubans, then you will like the brew this serves. I am loyal to this simple little pot, and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.Customer Review: Best coffee EVER!
Summary: 5 Stars
After searching for a good espresso machine for months I was finally willing to spend up to $500. I told a coworker about this and he brought me into his office for a cup of espresso out of his bialetti moka. I chuckled but said "OK" I'll try anything. After that cup of coffee, I threw out everything I knew about good coffee. I was amazed how this little device could make such a perfect espresso. The very next day I bought one from amazon and haven't had any other coffee since it was delivered. Our $100 Mr. Coffee is just collecting dust.
The only con to this device is that it doesn't come with real instructions. I just found out a couple weeks ago that you aren't supposed to boil the water.... Also, don't get an espresso grind, get a grind of coffee larger than espresso but smaller than a drip grind. Otherwise, this thing is flawless!
My coworker told me that every family in Italy has one of these and use it religiously. I understand why and you will too after having a cup from this little wonder.