Bialetti Moka Express 3-Cup Stovetop Percolator
This coffee maker rocks. It makes coffee more quickly than a conventional electric coffee maker - in fact, it takes longer to boil water in a teapot than to make a pot of coffee w/ the Bialetti. You can make exactly how much coffee you want (need?), adn adjust the flavor. It is easy to make espresso-like coffee, and the flavor is strong and exquisite. The cleanup is quick and easy, except you have to wait for it to cool down. Plus there's no need for filters. And it's great for camping.
The Bialetti Moka Express 3-Cup Coffeemaker is fantastic. I enjoy it immensely. Word of warning, don't forget to put water in it before placing on the stove! And if you have a gas stove with an open flame, do not use a flame that exceeds the size of the coffeemaker. The handle will melt.
This is the perfect addition to the coffee lover's kitchen. This machine delivers all the flavor and aroma of espresso without the expense and bulk of a cappuccino machine. I highly recommend this product whether you are in a dorm in college or sharing a home with your spouse. Well made from a reputable company, and all the class and style that comes with its practical Italian design. You will not be disappointed with your purchase. Enjoy!
Works great on the stovetop, works great when you're CAMPING..!!! No plugs, no cords, no nonsense -- fill the lower half with water to the indicated mark, put your grounds in the upper basket, join the two halves, wait for it to gurgle and you have EXCEPTIONALLY DELICIOUS espresso the way it ought to be made.
The device is simple and beautifully made. I'd recommend the six-cup version, the smaller versions just don't make very much espresso -- I mean, get the six-cup version if there are two of you, since that will make an adequate amount.
Really a brilliant product. I wish that everything was so well-designed and robust. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
I do not like the taste of coffee. Bitter. Icky. But oddly, smells great. Still, after 42 years, I decided to try and get a hankering for the stuff.
Starbucks just opened in our little town and I really like the caramel machiattos but only with a single shot and iced with whip cream though they are very very bad for a diabetic like me and sometimes extremely bitter..bleck...
What to do. What to do?
I went on line to amazon.com and found a tiny espresso maker that can be used on the stove, even for camping and decided, why not try this?
The little box came today. After reading the reviews on the amazon website, I rushed to the store and bought a small bag of freshly ground not less than 10% Kona coffee beans since light roast is not as strong as the darker roasts.
Brewed up the espresso in three minutes, heated whole organic milk with Kortja cinnamon and sugar free vanilla syrup in the microwaves, added half of the coffee and taste..
Wow! No bitterness, extremely creamy, very tasty cappucino! And cheap!!
Hubby actually liked it as well as my coffee loving mother in law who lives next door. I am very impressed with this little coffee pot and the fresh coffee grounds.
Who knows? I may become a coffee drinker yet!
Unit worked well and coffee was good, but does not make the 3 cups as advertised. Two cups is more like it. If you need more than 2 cups, buy the next larger size.
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
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.
I love this espresso maker, just love it! It makes great coffee, I agree with all the rave reviews.
I have one word for you to think about: "aluminum".
After couple of times I used it, I noticed that aluminum on the bottom of the inside started peeling/oxidizing/dissolving. At first, it did not bother me, I knew the problem and I cleaned the parts before using with a washcloth taking off the aluminum powder (when it dries up it looks like a powder). Not long ago I read an article that advised not using aluminum pans and pots in cooking, since aluminum gets absorbed by the body and this is tied to an Alzheimer disease.
Recently, I bought stainless steel espresso maker. Makes same great coffee, however it does not have a spout (it is just round) which makes it hard to pour into small coffee cups and the upper part (the part where the coffee goes) has sort of trench on the bottom which makes it inconvenient in cleaning.
Hope this helps.
This little pot is perfect for one person's-worth of espresso. Just one person. The "three-cups" is a little deceiving, even in the espresso world. Even so, he is cute and he works pretty well. Most importantly, he makes a yummy coffee. Make sure you screw all his parts together tightly, though, or you will be cleaning coffee off your stove.
I'm not sure what E. Mcnair was talking about. This pot is made of aluminum and aluminum doesn't rust. The only way aluminum can rust is if it comes into contact with mercury. I'd certainly stop using the pot if that was the case and would have my water tested for mercury. If that isn't the problem then I'd suspect that somehow this person's pot was exposed to mercury and would look into it as well.
An edit for E. Mcnair, I will review the pot itself now. I have never had any problems with this pot, it works wonderfully and it makes the best espresso I've ever had. It is easy to use as well.
I am really surprised at these great reviews. I don't know what to think of them. The one I had completely corroded inside after just ONE use! I had to throw it away. I didn't want to drink corrosion. Maybe I just got a lemon. I thought it was just a horrible little piece of junk such as you might find at a drugstore bargain bin, or in a dollar store.
Either all these reviews are fakes from people who did not really have one or I got the one lemon.
I made the coffee in it and the coffee tasted metallic and awful.
I couldn't drink it. I put it on the shelf and took it out to try it again a few days later. I looked inside as I started to put water in it and saw that the inside was peeling off. It looked like pieces of the metal inside were flaking off, leaving brass colored scars underneath where the silver coating had been.
This is a worthless piece of junk. I have had coffee made this way before and it was delicious but it was not made in this particular brand of pot. Who are these reviewers who like this junky little piece of slag?
UPDATE: I actually had to have a small piece of the lining of this pot which I had swallowed from that one cup of coffee removed from my stomach with an upper endoscopic exam!!!
The moka works all the times. The definition of number of cups can be confusing. It refer to serving cups of the size of 1-1/2 oz. The apparent corrosion is not due to the aluminun. Bialetti started to built his coffee machines with aluminum because it does not corrode. The aluminun can still form an oxide that is self passivating, very stable, and it is only a few hundred Angstoms thick. The stuff that you can find in the lower part of the moka is sediments from the water that you use. The harder the water the more the sediments. However, they can be easily removed by soaking the whole moka in a winegar solution. This cleaning procedure is important in presence of hard water because after years the sediments could clog the safety valve and drastically reduce the safety of the whole operation. The relation of aluminum to Alzheimer disease is hearsay. It has been proposed in the mid 90's but no definitive clinical evidence has been shown. It is also important to note that since the 1930's 9 out of 10 families in Italy have been using the aluminum moka by Bialetti and no higher incidence of Alzheimer has observed.
I bought this espresso maker while in Rome in 2004. It works great. Poe Boy is correct aluminum does not rust; it corrodes so he has E. McNair on a technicality. E. Mcnair is correct that the bottom of the coffee make will corrode and leave a white oxide inside. The solution is in proper care (I learned the hard way). Wash the coffee maker by hand, towel dry. Store unassembled. Water gets trapped in the filter and will drip into the base over time and start the corrosion. I have started doing this and the white oxide has not reappeared. So, take proper care of it.Bon Appetite
I got my Bialetti 6-cup about a week and a half ago. It took me a while to learn all the tricks of the trade, so I thought I'd piece it together here.
1. Rinse out the pot, preferably with warm water and not with any abrasive cloth.
2. Fill the bottom of the pot with water to the line. If you go over it, the pot might explode. Seriously.
3. Fill the middle filter with ground espresso roast (dark) beans. Grind them a little bit finer then auto drip grind, to about the grain of fine sand. Level off the filter, and put it in the pot.
4. Screw on the top hard. Don't use the handle to screw it, because it could snap off.
5. My stove goes LO, 1, 2, ... 8, 9, HI; I usually set it between 3 and 5. It takes 5-ish minutes to finish. Take it off the stove when you hear it gurgling and sputtering.
Things I've learned:
*If it's going to be mainly you drinking the espresso, consider a 3-cup. I usually make a double cappuccino in the morning, and the rest of my family uses no more than 3 shots total. I stick the left-over in a Tupperware container and refrigerate it (a practice sure to make Italians shudder) to mix with milk and sugar when I come home from work.
*You can open the top to watch the espresso come out, because it is really cool. Just be sure to close it before it starts sputtering, because it goes all over.
*Read an article in a magazine or something while you wait--just don't wander off, because the time between when it first comes out and when it's finished is brief.
Moka pots make great 'espresso,' plus they're cheap and quick. From what I've gathered, Bialetti's the best maker. So I definitely recommend this.
This is a great little coffemaker! I had it for couple of months and it proved to always produce very tasty coffee.
Very good expresso! Easy to use and easy to read directions. Its just the right size for my husband and I to have our morning expresso!
Original.
There is no better, simpler, stylish mechanism for making coffee.
Those in the know leave the top open wen brewing so the moisture and condensation do not run back down into the coffee. Also never let it boil.. turn off the heat as soon as done. Hands down...best coffee.
remember to get replacement rubber seals and filters once in a while
(once every 6 months if used often)..can be bought for $2-$3 at shops.
Really, very truly great coffee.
I use vac-packed Italian coffees (Kimbo/Segafredo) and Illy in a can.
You will love this.
Since I'm the only one who drinks coffee, and only on weekends, I hate dealing with all the equipment to make more coffee than I can drink. This makes one perfect little cup of coffee, strong but not paint thinner, and allows me to get my fix with minimal work, time and mess. Remember to put the can on the far edge of the burner so that the handle doesn't catch any heat, and it's nice and cool. The only downside to this is that you have to pay attention for the 2 minutes it takes to heat. Otherwise I guess it could burn. For people that don't drink several cups from a batch, this is the perfect solution. I'm not sure why they call this 3 cup. The one I got when I ordered this makes about 12 ounces of coffee, when completely filled with water.
I absolutely love this darling little moka pot. It makes the most delicious espresso shop coffee in the comfort of my home. The only reason I go to Starbuck's is to purchase their espresso beans. The coffee is consistently delicious, as long as you remember to set the stove on "low" or "low/medium" so as not to burn or scald your brew. I heat and froth the milk while the coffee brews because once this little aluminum pot heats up, it really gets going and you will want to be at the ready to enjoy your coffee at it's prime. The price of this pot is amazing,there is no need to waste your money on a fancy espresso machine and costly trips to Starbuck's. This moka pot and perhaps a hand held milk frother..(I use the "Bonjour" brand )..are all you need for an exquisite cup of coffee.
A week or two after I purchased it the internal part of the item started to change colors and the coffee prepared started to get bad taste. Absolutely disappointing.
Ah, just finished my first cup of cappuccino from this great little pot. Using this espresso along with the Aerolatte Frother makes a wonderful tasting cappuccino.
CONS: I'll be drinking too much coffee.
Love it, I absolutely love it. I bought this baby 6 months ago, after lamenting to a friend, I met in Europe last year, that I just couldn't get good coffee any more. She reccomended this little baby. I use it every morning, (I've even taking it camping!) anyway it works faster than my old electric coffee pot, literally in less than the time it takes me to find and put on my shoes in the morning I have fabulous espresso. Plus it tastes way better than Starbuck's and is so much cheaper than one of those fancy counter top models.
My only comment though is if you take it camping, put it on your fry pan not directly on the burner because the handle is plastic.
Easy to use and fast. I highly recommend for a quick and handy cup of coffee.
Stovetop Espresso is the best - I've tried other methods and find that this method produces the best taste. I love this device - very easy to clean and handle - I notice if I take if off the burner and pour it immediately it drips slightly our of the bottom water-holder. Letting it cool for about 20-30 seconds is the trick. My recommendation for those looking to buy one is to buy the larger device - this one doesn't really make 3 cups - it's more like 1 (to me), 2 stretching it. I'm planning to upgrade to a larger device.
A) This little, cheap device makes wonderful coffee. B) It's termed a "3 cup" because Italians generally drink this coffee in small, 2oz cups. Serving size: two sips.
This is perfect for making great coffee for one person (at least in my case).
Brews coffee in couple of minutes and it is very easy to clean.
I've been using this every day since I received it over a month ago. It works perfectly. It's more than paid for itself with the savings of not running out for a latte and it makes a great cup.
I can't say enough good about it.
Great coffee maker. You have to be very attentive during the brewing process so you remove the maker from the stove as soon as the coffee is ready. Also - never carelessly place it on the stove where the plastic handle is above a flame.
I love this product! It makes the perfect amount of espresso to start my day off right. It's easy to set up and easy to clean. My only complaint is that the rings of these espresso makers wear out too quickly.
The product is as sdvertized and is very simple to use. I am not a coffee connisseur but I do enjoy a good espresso. It has never been bitter or burned. I am very pleased with this product.
This is your basic Italian single shot espresso maker for the stovetop. I used practically the same model for almost a year while in Florence. I'm tracking down some killer Illy dark coffee to run through this puppy and am salivating until I can find a can.
It works very well. This unit produces a very small amount of very strong coffee. About the same as a single espresso from that corporate giant in Seattle.
***** The keys to success are: 1. fill water no higher than the nut (pressure relief valve) on the side of the bottom section, and 2) use only low to medium (at most) heat to keep it from boiling over.
Yum!
I did not like this product. I'm not aspiring to learn how to be a coffee expert. I tried this out a few times. It takes 5 mninutes or longer to boil the water. Its also a pain to clean and scrub. This is a good option for people who want to learn how to make a perfect espresso. A better option is to use the AeroPress coffee and espresso maker. It's real simple to use and worked beautifully the first time and tastes as good or beter than store bought espresso. You can buy this on Amazon.
Put in the filter, add some coffee, add some hot water, stir, then press down in just a matter of seconds. Put this device over a coffee cup. Its real easy to clean.
I have used this model of Bialetti 3-cup coffee maker for years; this is the exact model my Dad used when he showed me how to make Cuban coffee. Cuban-style coffee is very similar to Italian espresso (both are made from finely-ground espresso beans) but is sweeter and stronger. The manufacturer includes an instruction booklet but if you've never made coffee before it could be a little confusing at first. Buy yourself a stainless steel creamer and a set of espresso cups. Add four heaping teaspoons of sugar to the creamer. Follow the instructions in the booklet to make the coffee. When the coffee finishes brewing, add two teaspoons of coffee to the creamer. Stir the coffee and sugar together until it forms a consistency similar to mousse (it will be dark at first but will lighten as you mix it). Now add the rest of your coffee to the creamer and stir until all the sugar dissolves. Pour immediately into the cups and serve (you should have enough to fill two cups). The coffee will form a nice, thick head on it just like a pint of Guinness. Enjoy!
I bought this Espresso coffee maker to use with warm milk. It is great if you like to make lattes. Or just plain expressos. It brews fast, less than two minutes.
It makes a great Cuban coffee but make sure you use the coffee like Pilon or Bustelo that comes in pressed packets not the cans. I do not use Italian roast because I do not think it would give me the same flavor for my lattes.
Replacement for my old Italian Bialetti. Makes two good demi-tasses without a fancy machine.
We got this just after Christmas, and it is absolutely the best cup of coffee that we have had since we were in Italy. I can't stand to drink drip coffee anymore. There are several things to keep in mind for the best results. (1) Use good filtered or spring water (2) Use a finely ground good coffee, such as Illy (3) pack it just slightly in the filter (4) Don't try to rush it by turning the heat up too high (5) NEVER put it in the dish washer.
We have been using the organic espresso blend from Whole Foods, and it is almost as good as the Illy. All in all, this is easier and faster than most coffee makers and gives us a nice two servings of espresso in the morning. Add a little milk if you like, but it's also great straight out of the pot.
I love this espresso pot because it does its job and it's portable. Doesn't make espresso like the 15-bar pump machines, but for 20 bucks, it's good enough for Cafe au Lait and Capuccinos. The 3 cup version is perfect for a single person or a couple.
So my wife is addicted to lattes. I purchased a nice pump expresso maker for christmas as our run-of the mill expresso maker had been used to the point of no return. As would have it, the new expresso maker broke after about 4 months. As a waited for the replacement parts to arrive, I purchased this coffee maker as a temporary replacement.
Though the parts have arrived for the new expresso machine, we still use this machine. It is easy to use, produces a nice european coffee that, when mixed with a healthy amount of hot milk, produces a nice latte type drink. We use an expresso coffee roast with an expresso grind.
Also, since this coffee maker is small and uses an external heat source, it will go with us on our camping trips. My only regret is that I didn't get the larger model.
The only reason I gave it 4/5 stars is that the fit and finish are a little rough. I wish I had tried this machine before I purchased the expensive expresso maker.
So my wife is addicted to lattes. I purchased a nice pump expresso maker for christmas as our run-of the mill expresso maker had been used to the point of no return. As would have it, the new expresso maker broke after about 4 months. As a waited for the replacement parts to arrive, I purchased this coffee maker as a temporary replacement.
Though the parts have arrived for the new expresso machine, we still use this machine. It is easy to use, produces a nice european coffee that, when mixed with a healthy amount of hot milk, produces a nice latte type drink. We use an expresso coffee roast with an expresso grind.
Also, since this coffee maker is small and uses an external heat source, it will go with us on our camping trips. My only regret is that I didn't get the larger model.
The only reason I gave it 4/5 stars is that the fit and finish are a little rough. I wish I had tried this machine before I purchased the expensive expresso maker.
I love this espresso pot because it does its job and it's portable. Doesn't make espresso like the 15-bar pump machines, but for 20 bucks, it's good enough for Cafe au Lait and Capuccinos. The 3 cup version is perfect for a single person or a couple.
Replacement for my old Italian Bialetti. Makes two good demi-tasses without a fancy machine.
We got this just after Christmas, and it is absolutely the best cup of coffee that we have had since we were in Italy. I can't stand to drink drip coffee anymore. There are several things to keep in mind for the best results. (1) Use good filtered or spring water (2) Use a finely ground good coffee, such as Illy (3) pack it just slightly in the filter (4) Don't try to rush it by turning the heat up too high (5) NEVER put it in the dish washer.
We have been using the organic espresso blend from Whole Foods, and it is almost as good as the Illy. All in all, this is easier and faster than most coffee makers and gives us a nice two servings of espresso in the morning. Add a little milk if you like, but it's also great straight out of the pot.
I have used this model of Bialetti 3-cup coffee maker for years; this is the exact model my Dad used when he showed me how to make Cuban coffee. Cuban-style coffee is very similar to Italian espresso (both are made from finely-ground espresso beans) but is sweeter and stronger. The manufacturer includes an instruction booklet but if you've never made coffee before it could be a little confusing at first. Buy yourself a stainless steel creamer and a set of espresso cups. Add four heaping teaspoons of sugar to the creamer. Follow the instructions in the booklet to make the coffee. When the coffee finishes brewing, add two teaspoons of coffee to the creamer. Stir the coffee and sugar together until it forms a consistency similar to mousse (it will be dark at first but will lighten as you mix it). Now add the rest of your coffee to the creamer and stir until all the sugar dissolves. Pour immediately into the cups and serve (you should have enough to fill two cups). The coffee will form a nice, thick head on it just like a pint of Guinness. Enjoy!
I bought this Espresso coffee maker to use with warm milk. It is great if you like to make lattes. Or just plain expressos. It brews fast, less than two minutes.
It makes a great Cuban coffee but make sure you use the coffee like Pilon or Bustelo that comes in pressed packets not the cans. I do not use Italian roast because I do not think it would give me the same flavor for my lattes.
I did not like this product. I'm not aspiring to learn how to be a coffee expert. I tried this out a few times. It takes 5 mninutes or longer to boil the water. Its also a pain to clean and scrub. This is a good option for people who want to learn how to make a perfect espresso. A better option is to use the AeroPress coffee and espresso maker. It's real simple to use and worked beautifully the first time and tastes as good or beter than store bought espresso. You can buy this on Amazon.
Put in the filter, add some coffee, add some hot water, stir, then press down in just a matter of seconds. Put this device over a coffee cup. Its real easy to clean.
This is your basic Italian single shot espresso maker for the stovetop. I used practically the same model for almost a year while in Florence. I'm tracking down some killer Illy dark coffee to run through this puppy and am salivating until I can find a can.
It works very well. This unit produces a very small amount of very strong coffee. About the same as a single espresso from that corporate giant in Seattle.
***** The keys to success are: 1. fill water no higher than the nut (pressure relief valve) on the side of the bottom section, and 2) use only low to medium (at most) heat to keep it from boiling over.
Yum!
I've been using this every day since I received it over a month ago. It works perfectly. It's more than paid for itself with the savings of not running out for a latte and it makes a great cup.
I can't say enough good about it.
Great coffee maker. You have to be very attentive during the brewing process so you remove the maker from the stove as soon as the coffee is ready. Also - never carelessly place it on the stove where the plastic handle is above a flame.
I love this product! It makes the perfect amount of espresso to start my day off right. It's easy to set up and easy to clean. My only complaint is that the rings of these espresso makers wear out too quickly.
The product is as sdvertized and is very simple to use. I am not a coffee connisseur but I do enjoy a good espresso. It has never been bitter or burned. I am very pleased with this product.
A) This little, cheap device makes wonderful coffee. B) It's termed a "3 cup" because Italians generally drink this coffee in small, 2oz cups. Serving size: two sips.
This is perfect for making great coffee for one person (at least in my case).
Brews coffee in couple of minutes and it is very easy to clean.
Easy to use and fast. I highly recommend for a quick and handy cup of coffee.
Stovetop Espresso is the best - I've tried other methods and find that this method produces the best taste. I love this device - very easy to clean and handle - I notice if I take if off the burner and pour it immediately it drips slightly our of the bottom water-holder. Letting it cool for about 20-30 seconds is the trick. My recommendation for those looking to buy one is to buy the larger device - this one doesn't really make 3 cups - it's more like 1 (to me), 2 stretching it. I'm planning to upgrade to a larger device.
A week or two after I purchased it the internal part of the item started to change colors and the coffee prepared started to get bad taste. Absolutely disappointing.
Ah, just finished my first cup of cappuccino from this great little pot. Using this espresso along with the Aerolatte Frother makes a wonderful tasting cappuccino.
CONS: I'll be drinking too much coffee.
Love it, I absolutely love it. I bought this baby 6 months ago, after lamenting to a friend, I met in Europe last year, that I just couldn't get good coffee any more. She reccomended this little baby. I use it every morning, (I've even taking it camping!) anyway it works faster than my old electric coffee pot, literally in less than the time it takes me to find and put on my shoes in the morning I have fabulous espresso. Plus it tastes way better than Starbuck's and is so much cheaper than one of those fancy counter top models.
My only comment though is if you take it camping, put it on your fry pan not directly on the burner because the handle is plastic.
I absolutely love this darling little moka pot. It makes the most delicious espresso shop coffee in the comfort of my home. The only reason I go to Starbuck's is to purchase their espresso beans. The coffee is consistently delicious, as long as you remember to set the stove on "low" or "low/medium" so as not to burn or scald your brew. I heat and froth the milk while the coffee brews because once this little aluminum pot heats up, it really gets going and you will want to be at the ready to enjoy your coffee at it's prime. The price of this pot is amazing,there is no need to waste your money on a fancy espresso machine and costly trips to Starbuck's. This moka pot and perhaps a hand held milk frother..(I use the "Bonjour" brand )..are all you need for an exquisite cup of coffee.
Since I'm the only one who drinks coffee, and only on weekends, I hate dealing with all the equipment to make more coffee than I can drink. This makes one perfect little cup of coffee, strong but not paint thinner, and allows me to get my fix with minimal work, time and mess. Remember to put the can on the far edge of the burner so that the handle doesn't catch any heat, and it's nice and cool. The only downside to this is that you have to pay attention for the 2 minutes it takes to heat. Otherwise I guess it could burn. For people that don't drink several cups from a batch, this is the perfect solution. I'm not sure why they call this 3 cup. The one I got when I ordered this makes about 12 ounces of coffee, when completely filled with water.
This is a great little coffemaker! I had it for couple of months and it proved to always produce very tasty coffee.
Very good expresso! Easy to use and easy to read directions. Its just the right size for my husband and I to have our morning expresso!
Original.
There is no better, simpler, stylish mechanism for making coffee.
Those in the know leave the top open wen brewing so the moisture and condensation do not run back down into the coffee. Also never let it boil.. turn off the heat as soon as done. Hands down...best coffee.
remember to get replacement rubber seals and filters once in a while
(once every 6 months if used often)..can be bought for $2-$3 at shops.
Really, very truly great coffee.
I use vac-packed Italian coffees (Kimbo/Segafredo) and Illy in a can.
You will love this.
I got my Bialetti 6-cup about a week and a half ago. It took me a while to learn all the tricks of the trade, so I thought I'd piece it together here.
1. Rinse out the pot, preferably with warm water and not with any abrasive cloth.
2. Fill the bottom of the pot with water to the line. If you go over it, the pot might explode. Seriously.
3. Fill the middle filter with ground espresso roast (dark) beans. Grind them a little bit finer then auto drip grind, to about the grain of fine sand. Level off the filter, and put it in the pot.
4. Screw on the top hard. Don't use the handle to screw it, because it could snap off.
5. My stove goes LO, 1, 2, ... 8, 9, HI; I usually set it between 3 and 5. It takes 5-ish minutes to finish. Take it off the stove when you hear it gurgling and sputtering.
Things I've learned:
*If it's going to be mainly you drinking the espresso, consider a 3-cup. I usually make a double cappuccino in the morning, and the rest of my family uses no more than 3 shots total. I stick the left-over in a Tupperware container and refrigerate it (a practice sure to make Italians shudder) to mix with milk and sugar when I come home from work.
*You can open the top to watch the espresso come out, because it is really cool. Just be sure to close it before it starts sputtering, because it goes all over.
*Read an article in a magazine or something while you wait--just don't wander off, because the time between when it first comes out and when it's finished is brief.
Moka pots make great 'espresso,' plus they're cheap and quick. From what I've gathered, Bialetti's the best maker. So I definitely recommend this.
I bought this espresso maker while in Rome in 2004. It works great. Poe Boy is correct aluminum does not rust; it corrodes so he has E. McNair on a technicality. E. Mcnair is correct that the bottom of the coffee make will corrode and leave a white oxide inside. The solution is in proper care (I learned the hard way). Wash the coffee maker by hand, towel dry. Store unassembled. Water gets trapped in the filter and will drip into the base over time and start the corrosion. I have started doing this and the white oxide has not reappeared. So, take proper care of it.Bon Appetite
The moka works all the times. The definition of number of cups can be confusing. It refer to serving cups of the size of 1-1/2 oz. The apparent corrosion is not due to the aluminun. Bialetti started to built his coffee machines with aluminum because it does not corrode. The aluminun can still form an oxide that is self passivating, very stable, and it is only a few hundred Angstoms thick. The stuff that you can find in the lower part of the moka is sediments from the water that you use. The harder the water the more the sediments. However, they can be easily removed by soaking the whole moka in a winegar solution. This cleaning procedure is important in presence of hard water because after years the sediments could clog the safety valve and drastically reduce the safety of the whole operation. The relation of aluminum to Alzheimer disease is hearsay. It has been proposed in the mid 90's but no definitive clinical evidence has been shown. It is also important to note that since the 1930's 9 out of 10 families in Italy have been using the aluminum moka by Bialetti and no higher incidence of Alzheimer has observed.
This little pot is perfect for one person's-worth of espresso. Just one person. The "three-cups" is a little deceiving, even in the espresso world. Even so, he is cute and he works pretty well. Most importantly, he makes a yummy coffee. Make sure you screw all his parts together tightly, though, or you will be cleaning coffee off your stove.
I'm not sure what E. Mcnair was talking about. This pot is made of aluminum and aluminum doesn't rust. The only way aluminum can rust is if it comes into contact with mercury. I'd certainly stop using the pot if that was the case and would have my water tested for mercury. If that isn't the problem then I'd suspect that somehow this person's pot was exposed to mercury and would look into it as well.
An edit for E. Mcnair, I will review the pot itself now. I have never had any problems with this pot, it works wonderfully and it makes the best espresso I've ever had. It is easy to use as well.
I am really surprised at these great reviews. I don't know what to think of them. The one I had completely corroded inside after just ONE use! I had to throw it away. I didn't want to drink corrosion. Maybe I just got a lemon. I thought it was just a horrible little piece of junk such as you might find at a drugstore bargain bin, or in a dollar store.
Either all these reviews are fakes from people who did not really have one or I got the one lemon.
I made the coffee in it and the coffee tasted metallic and awful.
I couldn't drink it. I put it on the shelf and took it out to try it again a few days later. I looked inside as I started to put water in it and saw that the inside was peeling off. It looked like pieces of the metal inside were flaking off, leaving brass colored scars underneath where the silver coating had been.
This is a worthless piece of junk. I have had coffee made this way before and it was delicious but it was not made in this particular brand of pot. Who are these reviewers who like this junky little piece of slag?
UPDATE: I actually had to have a small piece of the lining of this pot which I had swallowed from that one cup of coffee removed from my stomach with an upper endoscopic exam!!!
I love this espresso maker, just love it! It makes great coffee, I agree with all the rave reviews.
I have one word for you to think about: "aluminum".
After couple of times I used it, I noticed that aluminum on the bottom of the inside started peeling/oxidizing/dissolving. At first, it did not bother me, I knew the problem and I cleaned the parts before using with a washcloth taking off the aluminum powder (when it dries up it looks like a powder). Not long ago I read an article that advised not using aluminum pans and pots in cooking, since aluminum gets absorbed by the body and this is tied to an Alzheimer disease.
Recently, I bought stainless steel espresso maker. Makes same great coffee, however it does not have a spout (it is just round) which makes it hard to pour into small coffee cups and the upper part (the part where the coffee goes) has sort of trench on the bottom which makes it inconvenient in cleaning.
Hope this helps.
I do not like the taste of coffee. Bitter. Icky. But oddly, smells great. Still, after 42 years, I decided to try and get a hankering for the stuff.
Starbucks just opened in our little town and I really like the caramel machiattos but only with a single shot and iced with whip cream though they are very very bad for a diabetic like me and sometimes extremely bitter..bleck...
What to do. What to do?
I went on line to amazon.com and found a tiny espresso maker that can be used on the stove, even for camping and decided, why not try this?
The little box came today. After reading the reviews on the amazon website, I rushed to the store and bought a small bag of freshly ground not less than 10% Kona coffee beans since light roast is not as strong as the darker roasts.
Brewed up the espresso in three minutes, heated whole organic milk with Kortja cinnamon and sugar free vanilla syrup in the microwaves, added half of the coffee and taste..
Wow! No bitterness, extremely creamy, very tasty cappucino! And cheap!!
Hubby actually liked it as well as my coffee loving mother in law who lives next door. I am very impressed with this little coffee pot and the fresh coffee grounds.
Who knows? I may become a coffee drinker yet!
Unit worked well and coffee was good, but does not make the 3 cups as advertised. Two cups is more like it. If you need more than 2 cups, buy the next larger size.
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
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.
The Bialetti Moka Express 3-Cup Coffeemaker is fantastic. I enjoy it immensely. Word of warning, don't forget to put water in it before placing on the stove! And if you have a gas stove with an open flame, do not use a flame that exceeds the size of the coffeemaker. The handle will melt.
Recently picked up a 3 cup Bialetti Moka Express while on holiday and couldn't wait to get it home and broken in. I've tried stove-top Italian coffee makers before, and this model has not disappointed.
Sturdy and well made, this unit only has about five parts, all of them metal or heavy-duty plastic so very little can go wrong. This should last ages if properly cared for.
Just remember to keep it simple; fresh, cold water in the lower chamber (stopping *before* you get to the brass outlet valve) and fill the grounds basket with an espresso grind coffee (good excuse to buy more coffee) without packing it too tightly. Place on your stovetop ring and don't go anywhere. Wait a few minutes, and you have an excellent espresso to start the day or to add to steamed milk after dinner. I can't wait to have some with a cigar this weekend. I've been trying some Cafe Bustello the last few mornings and it's been great. Yeah, I know it's canned, but so are most of the coffees in Italy and Latin America.
The only problem I can foresee is needing a larger one for company, but unless you need gallons of espresso each morning, this is great for two to share.
A previous reviewer complained that the 6 cup version only makes 1 1/4 cups. This is an espresso maker, as such, the cups are measured in "espresso cups", which happen to be 1oz or 30ml. So the 6 cup make 6oz, which is plenty of espresso to have anyone climbing the walls. I love mine, I have the 3 and 6 version (work and home).
I am writing this note as a warning for users of this type of espresso maker. A couple of days ago, I was making my expresso coffee as I have been doing for the last 20 some years. All of a sudden an explosion with the equivalent decibels of a 38 caliber revolver shot, took place. Luckily I had just turned my face to tell something to my wife. When I finally realized what had happened my expresso maker was in several pieces. The coffe grounds holder tore a hole in the ceiling's sheet rock. The bottom came completely off. Luckily, I was unharmed. Please be aware. I do not have any explanation for what happened other than this particular maker was about five years old. Maybe it was metal fatigue. I hope these comments will avoid uneccessary injuries.
I found mine at a 2nd hand store. Mine is, a smaller version(12 oz size), mug of perfection and i use it often. A permanent fixture on my stove top. Love it.
Beware the 6 cup Espresso Maker only makes 1 1/4 cups in real life. Golda's Kitchen is opperated out of Canada. It took them close to three days to even put my order in the mail and another day and a half for it to clear the border.
This is the perfect addition to the coffee lover's kitchen. This machine delivers all the flavor and aroma of espresso without the expense and bulk of a cappuccino machine. I highly recommend this product whether you are in a dorm in college or sharing a home with your spouse. Well made from a reputable company, and all the class and style that comes with its practical Italian design. You will not be disappointed with your purchase. Enjoy!
Works great on the stovetop, works great when you're CAMPING..!!! No plugs, no cords, no nonsense -- fill the lower half with water to the indicated mark, put your grounds in the upper basket, join the two halves, wait for it to gurgle and you have EXCEPTIONALLY DELICIOUS espresso the way it ought to be made.
The device is simple and beautifully made. I'd recommend the six-cup version, the smaller versions just don't make very much espresso -- I mean, get the six-cup version if there are two of you, since that will make an adequate amount.
Really a brilliant product. I wish that everything was so well-designed and robust. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
This coffee maker rocks. It makes coffee more quickly than a conventional electric coffee maker - in fact, it takes longer to boil water in a teapot than to make a pot of coffee w/ the Bialetti. You can make exactly how much coffee you want (need?), adn adjust the flavor. It is easy to make espresso-like coffee, and the flavor is strong and exquisite. The cleanup is quick and easy, except you have to wait for it to cool down. Plus there's no need for filters. And it's great for camping.