Is there a significant difference between the brands of aluminum moka pots? I see several different brands on the market and by looking at pictures, they look very similar.
Thank you for the replies. Stainless steel looks like the way to go if you're going to use it long term. I just wanted to try one out before I spent bigger bucks.
I gave back an aluminium one to my mother that I once got from *her* mother approx. 25 years ago - and it isn't even a Bialetti but some Italian clone from back then. It is a bit dull instead of shiny but with new rubber gaskets it works without any issues.
br,
ToM
The Kitty makes nice coffee.
I did a side-by-side comparison this morning with my aluminum Moka Express. Had to adjust the coffee grounds upward, since the bottom chamber of the Kitty holds ~50mL more liquid. I use a medium grind; pretty much what I would use for a pour-over.
Although I am happy with the coffee the Express makes, the coffee generated by the Kitty was noticeably rounder in flavor. I wasn't sure that I would be able to detect a metallic aftertaste from the aluminum, but in sipping two cups side by side it was pretty obvious.
The only odd thing about the Kitty is the sound the percolator makes--I used to be able to rely on the gurgling sound to tell me when the coffee was done. Since the Kitty gurgles as soon as liquid starts to flow into the upper chamber, I won't be able to do that anymore. That's probably a small price to pay for the improvement in flavor, but it does mean my "error rate" in the mornings (burned coffee) is about to go up.