The Basics of the Moka Coffee Pot

The Moka pot, a name derived from the Italian word "macchinetta," meaning "small machine," is one of the easiest ways possible to produce intensely strong coffee.  It produces a strength nearly at the level of espresso and at about the same extraction ratio.  However, a typical espresso machine can typically produce 9 bar extraction pressure and a Moka generally maxes out at about 1.5 bar.  Thus, while you can achieve a similar taste, you won't be able to get quite the same crema of a standard espresso machine.  That said, there's almost nothing simpler than a Moka coffee pot.



The Most Basic Coffee Pot

For anyone overwhelmed with all of the new-fangled, high-tech, space-age looking coffee makers on the market today, sometimes it's best to go back to the basic and use what's tried and true.  One of the most basic of all coffee pots is also the world's most popular coffee maker: the Moka Express, a product designed in Italy dating back to the early 1900's.  An Italian man named Alfonso Bialetti, owner of a small aluminum-product shop who made a living producing semi-finished aluminum products, designed the Moka Express, an aluminum stovetop coffee pot back in 1933.  Following his invention, he then introduced the finished product to Italy and revolutionized the ability to make coffee from one's own home.  While not a big fan with the coffee shops who lost business thanks to more people making their own coffee, the general public of Italy fully embraced Bialetti's Moka, and to this day, it's the world's most famous coffee pot and can be found in 90% of Italian homes. moka-coffee-pot2/

How It Works

The bottom third of the coffee is the water reservoir and is where the water will be brought to a boiling point over a stove.  A built in gasket between the bottom chamber and middle chamber guarantees that pressurized steam can accumulate safely, and the built-in safety valve maintains an additional level of safety in the rare case that too much pressure accumulates. The middle chamber holds the grounds, and as pressure builds, water is forced through the gasket, into the ground coffee, and up into the top chamber. Thus, with just three easy steps:  1) filling the tank with water 2) placing coffee in the second chamber, and 3) bringing water to boil water, you can achieve high quality espresso in minutes. moka-coffee-pot/

Bialetti Coffee Pots

BialettiMan/ At Coffee Home Direct, we highly recommend Bialetti, the original maker of the Moka.  There are other variations on the market today, but few of them can match the integrity and quality that backs a Bialetti coffee pot.  The three part filter makes an incredibly bold espresso that is nearly unmatched.  A high quality aluminum coffee pot like the Moka will never rust or fade.  The trade-mark 8-sided shape is unique to the Bialetti Moka and represents a very basic, simple and classic design.  Plus, every Bialetti coffee pot features the "Little man with the Mustache," the iconic character now intricately connected to the brand.

Simplicity in Coffee Pots

If you're searching for an exceptionally simple product that's guaranteed to produce amazing coffee, you really don't have to look any further than a Bialetti coffee pot.  The percolator method of brewing coffee is one of the most popular, and the ability to nearly match an extraction ratio of a fancy espresso machine is unique to the Moka Coffee Pot.  Find your way back to basics with a new coffee pot, a Bialetti Moka Coffee Pot, that is.  Remember, it's the world's top coffeemaker, there have been over 200 million sold, and 90% of Italian homes think it's worthwhile, so an addition to your home means you're in good company!