moka? Italian coffee pot?

I use a stand alone 1500w induction plate for my Cuisinox Roma moka pot. I can start with cold water and it gets to boiling rapidly. Before getting the induction plate I started with almost boiling water in the bottom then assembled and onto the stove where it started brewing within a few minutes.

With any heat method you use, you want the brew process to be gradual.

Once you see the coffee start emerging from the stem turn DOWN the heat source so that it continues to come out but in a gradual flow, not gushing. You will find that the flavor is not as bitter if you brew this way with a moka pot. With enough practice you can get a very smooth brew which I find more enjoyable than the sharper taste that a fast brew gives.

If you brew correctly you do not get an spatter when it finishes and you can keep the lid up without making a mess.

Thanks for the tip.
I have been using boiled water, with low-medium flame. Will revert to cold water and turn the flame all the way low, once the lava flows...

T.Orso said:

I used one for twenty years, replacing the rubber ring every couple of years. I have an espresso machine now, which is just a bit better. So the moka mostly comes out for camping trips.

Viva moka pot!

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The moka pot is the coffee I grew up with. My father had a 9-cup model that he brought home from Italy. He used Medallia D'Oro brand coffee. The pot would make enough for two small 8oz cups, but as strong and flavorful as it is, that's all we needed. I still remember the mud that settled in the bottom of every cup.

When that rubber ring had to be replaced, he had a hard time finding it stateside. He was a Merchant Marine, so he got one of his friends to send him a bunch of replacement rings the next time the ship stopped in Italy. When he passed away, we still had several decades worth of rubber rings on hand in the garage.

Ever since then, I've had very few cups of coffee that tasted as good as what came out of that moka pot.

turtle said:

I use a stand alone 1500w induction plate for my Cuisinox Roma moka pot. I can start with cold water and it gets to boiling rapidly. Before getting the induction plate I started with almost boiling water in the bottom then assembled and onto the stove where it started brewing within a few minutes.

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How do you get an induction plate to heat up an aluminum pot? Or is that Cuisinox made from steel?

dpm802 said:

How do you get an induction plate to heat up an aluminum pot? Or is that Cuisinox made from steel?

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Cuisinox Roma is stainless and designed for induction as well as stove top.

We picked up a Bialetti back in December when we went to Eataly (Mario Batali's grocery store/restaurant in Chicago). We had no idea this was a trend. We love the little coffee/espresso maker. We use espresso ground coffee so our coffee is very think. Perfect for a weekend. What I like is it is compact and I do not need to leave on the counter taking up space like an expresso machine. Granted there are better expresso machines out there but for our purposes this little three cup pot is perfect.

I read that someone stated it give the taste of aluminum. I think that you may be brewing at too high of a tempature. Ours is very low temp and it takes a little longer but worth the wait. I had another person say they had the same issue. They turned down the heat and that flavor went away. I could be wrong as everyones tastebuds are different and can pick up flavors someone else can't. So like everything el;se YMMV

Bialetti makes some nice stainless moka pots too as well as the old standard aluminum ones

Hopefully this is not too off track (since I am interested in getting a Moka Pot) but how does Aeropress coffee compare to this? From what I am reading I would think they would be very similar with one big difference. Aeropress only comes in one size. Maybe using the Aeropress with a steel disk filter would make it even more similar to coffee from the Moka?

I have the Bialatti both as a stovetop and an electric version. They are really made for brewing Italian Roast coffee, which is very strong, or for Espressso. You only drink it out of a demi tasse cup, which is pretty small.
Really just for occasions, as most people here in the states drink much larger cups of regular Arabica based coffee.

Here's mine. It's a Primula Express, made in Venezuela.

phillysco said:

I have the Bialatti both as a stovetop and an electric version. They are really made for brewing Italian Roast coffee, which is very strong, or for Espressso. You only drink it out of a demi tasse cup, which is pretty small.
Really just for occasions, as most people here in the states drink much larger cups of regular Arabica based coffee.

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I mix mine half and half with whole milk (warmed first). Works well for me View attachment 540055

Those are great espresso coffee makers. But it's all about the coffee. Illy, Lavazza Oro, Segafreddo are all good Italian coffees (Cafe Bustello from Columbia is good too). Don't use too much water and it will come out great. Enjoy!

turtle said:

With any heat method you use, you want the brew process to be gradual.

Once you see the coffee start emerging from the stem turn DOWN the heat source so that it continues to come out but in a gradual flow, not gushing. You will find that the flavor is not as bitter if you brew this way with a moka pot. With enough practice you can get a very smooth brew which I find more enjoyable than the sharper taste that a fast brew gives.

If you brew correctly you do not get an spatter when it finishes and you can keep the lid up without making a mess.

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This! If you have the heat up too high the result is a scorched brew.

Let us know Vez2 how it goes I love coffee probably too much!
Always looking for new and interesting things to try.

Spice of life ya know

We'll I've found something else that caught my attention since joining here, "Coffee " it's great hangout out here!

Dan Reynolds said:

Let us know Vez2 how it goes

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Been using it all week. Love it.

well tonight i had a poor mans capachino using starbucks expresso in this wachine warm milk mixed 50 50 sugar and a tsp of hazelnut flavor and it was amazing i could not be any happier with this type of brew and yes i got it to brew real slow and the slower the better, it just taste richer and smoother. its so good i mak have to buy decalf just so i can have a coffee night cap right before bed.

My wife and I use one of these most mornings (drinking one right now!). It makes decent coffee if you're an espresso person and especially if you take hot/frothed milk. I find the flavour's not quite as exquisite as a "real" espresso, probably because the water is too hot going through (compared to espresso). Generally quite rich and smooth provided you have the right beans, grind and don't heat the thing on Max (on medium heat the coffee "blooms" out espresso-style instead of shooting through like a coffee sneeze).
My "real" coffee is a hand-ground, hand-pulled Presso/Rok, but I always have ground beans on hand for the moka to save time on busy mornings (ie most mornings).
Yeah, these things are huge in Cuba! Most (respectable) Montreal households have one as well. You can get a basic aluminum model at most grocery stores here for around $15.
Have a great coffee!

Once the brew coming out starts to lighten, pour it out immediately or wrap a cold wet cloth around it to stop the process. The coffee once it runs nearly clear is bitter, I always aim to halt it before it starts gurgling.

got a bialetti in december and love it. i have since learned they make a version with an attachment at the top of the tube which creates pressure and produces a crema