Bialetti Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Percolator
by Bialetti
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Bialetti Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Percolator
Customer Review: most cost effective coffee maker
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm still using the same 3 cup machina since 1988. I have another 6 cup I've used since about 1997. I haven't had any problems. The rubber gasket has needed replacement every 5 years or so, they are easy to buy and cheap. Yes, the inside of the bottom turns a dull grey - that's a natural oxide coating that forms on all aluminum cookware (as all professional cooks know). True, it doesn't make true sub-boiling water, under pressure, espresso; but it makes darn good coffee. Much better than American drip, and I think better than French press. It does require cleaning after use. Disassemble and clean the parts with warm water under the tap - no soap! Cleaning takes no more than 2-3 minutes, then towel dry. If I need to replace one - say in the next 10-20 years, I will certainly buy another.
Customer Review: Get the original, don't trust the imitators
Summary: 5 Stars
This makes an excellent cup of caff?. I call it "caff?" so as not to offend any purists that say this machine does not produce the requisite amount of pressure to be called espresso... but it's certainly closer to espresso than what most people would call coffee. In my opinion it produces a better tasting liquid than what you can pick up a the counter of a [insert large coffeehouse chain]. In addition, I frequently prefer it to the coffee I get at [insert local coffeehouse]; this is because I am able to have control over the cup. My local shop pulls an amazing cup of espresso, but they rotate their espresso beans and often times it is a roast that I find to be rubbish.
I would spend the money on a Bialetti model as I purchased a cheapo model at TJ Max and it took a lot of fiddling to get a good cup. Then I needed to replace the rubber gasket, when I did everything went fubar. I realized that the problem was in the build quality and that the pieces fit together so poorly that steam was passing around the filter rather than pushing water through the grinds. This machine is far more well built and I know I can buy replacement parts that will fit it perfectly. I took off the plastic parts and now my old machine is now dedicated to campfires.
I said it before and I'll say it again:
-Don't wash it, but it's not the end of the world if you do... like some people say. It will ruin the finish (but make it look rustic, if you are into that) and you will have to 're-season' it with few batches of caffe.
-It's not that you necessarily have to use it often for good coffee, it's just that the oils on the wall of the pot (that collect from not washing it) will start to not taste so good.
-If you've been around a bit you know of the differences in tap water. Most tap water in the US is perfectly fine. I'd avoid most well water but a filter would probably make it fine to use. The water may make some difference, but not nearly as much as the bean. Especially in this application where the coffee is boiling up and going through the grounds like passing through a filter.
-I have a 3-cup and it shouldn't take more than 5 minutes, so 10 might be a little long for a 6-cup but not by much. Nothing useful is going on while the water heats up so there is no reason to start at a low heat. It's all about how long it takes the water to pass through the grounds... that doesn't start happening till the water is almost boiling. Therefore I start mine on hot for a minute and then dial it back to medium. The final temperature all depends on your taste, your stovetop, and the size of your pot. If it takes too long, the caffe will be bitter (keep in mind strong and bitter are not the same). If you brew it too fast, you'll end up with something burnt tasting. The easiest way to find the perfect temperature is to watch it brew with the lid up. If the coffee is coming out nice and slow with maximum crema, you are in good shape. If it bursts out of there and shoots all over your kitchen, you might need to check your relief valve, your grind might be too fine, or your temperature might be too hot. Do take it off as soon as it starts to bubble out of the spout and the liquid coming out is lighter in color. Once you are able to hear it, it's almost too late, so hurry. Pour and enjoy.
-If you wanted to speed up the process you could boil water in a kettle, let it cool a bit, pour it in, assemble the pot with pot holders, and get it back on the heat to brew. This is way too much work and clean up for me.
-Keep in mind you can't screw the pot together too tight... unless you can't get it apart.
-I use locally roasted beans within a month after they have been roasted. That makes more of a difference than anything. Buy a cheap blade grinder (you don't need a burr grinder for this application) and grind it to somewhere between drip and espresso, possibly closer to espresso (again depending on taste, machine, and temperature). My cheap grinder doesn't produce a homogeneous grind, so some grinds are more like drip, others more like espresso, but as long as your median grind is about right it really doesn't matter (not like a true espresso machine that relies a lot more on an exact pressure being created against the grind). Grind the beans right before you put them in, not the day before, not at the store... along the same lines, use the beans soon after they are roasted, not next year. I don't recommend any commercial brands as they are difficult to get fresh and the darker roasts are frequently over-roasted. If you find a commercial brand that has a roasted on date, has been roasted in the last couple weeks, and sounds delicious, give it a shot. Buy beans that you like the taste of, not because they sound appropriate. The world will continue turning even if you use lighter roast in something people frequently refer to as espresso.
-I use a coarser than espresso grind, with very slight packing of the grinds, no 'cupola' just an even pack (as I find a cupola of grinds to sometimes get in the way of the seal as the grounds spread out when you screw the pot together) to make sure the 'puck' is uniformly dense, starting on high heat, then turn down to medium (low heat would never get close to boiling water on my stove), I watch it and move it on and off the heat as needed for optimum crema. If you change any of the variables, and you will (intentionally or not), you will get a different cup of coffee. Some days will always be better than others, but after a little practice it will always be better than what you can get at 95% of the retail coffee outlets.
-For those wondering if you can buy a large size pot for versatility, you can not unless you make a large pot and throw out everything you don't drink (wasting a lot of coffee). If you don't fill the filter basket all the way the water will not have enough resistance to pass through and it would come out weak and probably bitter. If you fill the filter basket all the way but put in less water, you would not get a full extraction and your coffee would not have time to release the flavors and caffeine (also, you would be wasting a lot of coffee).
Customer Review: Love it!
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased this moka pot as a cheaper alternative to an espresso machine for Illy espresso. I'm VERY happy with this purchase. I bought a can of the Illy Moka to use with this pot. So far it works great but I've only just made my first cup. My only regret is not buying a larger one. This moka pot makes only one cup of espresso and after I had the first cup I really wanted another. Customer Review: Simply the BEST espresso maker
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased a Mr. Coffee Espresso machine last winter, paid $30+. I can't say the espresso ever tasted "great" because it didn't, I just put up with it as a simpler means than going to Starbucks everyday. So a year later it broke, wouldn't heat up the water and the on/off knob broke off. I revisited Amazon and reviewed all the espresso machines and comments from the consumers who have purchased them. Bialetti consistently got rave reviews. I was nervous about a "stovetop" espresso maker because you always see the electric ones at the coffee shops. After I oredered and received this little Bialetti pot, I visited [...] to watch how to make the perfect espresso -- so EASY. I should have purchased this the first time, sturdy construction - it will last forever, I will never have to purchase another one. This is a NO brainer....don't waste your time or money on anything else. Enjoy :)Customer Review: Italian Gem
Summary: 5 Stars
So far, this little puppy really works well. It is simple to set up, makes a great pot of coffee in about 5 minutes, and is easy to clean and maintain. Hard to beat for the price. After trying it out a couple of times, we purchased a second one, so that we can simultaneously make a pot of regular espresso and a pot of decaf when the whole family is here.
One precautionary note, make sure that top and bottom are screwed together very tightly to prevent steam from escaping through the O-ring at the junction of the two parts. Also, I suggest not leaving it unattended, as it would probably overheat after the water has percolated out of the reservoir. And finally, be careful when handling, in that the exterior does get hot and requires some time to disassemble before reloading or cleaning.
It is also suggested to buy the appropriate size for the number of cups you would typically expect to make. It may be difficult to set it up for a partial pot. So if you typically would want 6 cups, then don't be tempted to buy the 9 or 12 cup percolator. Also, it makes sense to invest in some spare seals (O-rings), though the shipping cost of these exceeds their price.