Bialetti Moka Express Caffettiera in Alluminio, 6 Cups, Acciaio Inossidabile, Argento,270 milliliters, Silver

I am moved to write a review of the Bialetti Moka Express 6 cup expresso maker as I don't recognise the comments from some of the poor reviews it has received. Overall the 210 5* ratings out of a total to date of 258 should speak for themselves and be enough of a recommendation. Follow the instructions that come with the Moka or that are available online and you should fine. I purchased this item new from Amazon in Feb 2009 and have used it multiple times a day since. I also have a second one which I keep at work. Both perform perfectly every time without fail and also spare parts are easily available. In all the time I have used the Mokas I have only needed to replace the rubber seal twice. I have never had a handle break but when assembling the two chambers together ensure that you do not use the handle as a lever because then it probably will fail. An important point to note is that the Moka is made from aluminium which may oxidise rather than rust if not taken care of properly. Wash it only using hot water and never use detergent. Dry it with a paper towel and ensure it is completely dry before putting it away unassembled. The Moka does not need to be on a red hot stove to boil with a low to medium heay should be sufficient. The Moka will improve over the years with age and use. Prove it prior to first use by brewing at least 3 times and throwing the coffee away. If your one has oxidised it may be rescued with water and vinegar but will need to be proved again before use. It is an expresso maker first and foremost so when cup size is stated it is refering to the little single expresso cups. The 6 cup size is suitable for one single average sized mug of americano style for which I use one heaped tablespoon of coffee. Again it is an expresso maker so use coffee ground for expresso use only however please note that it does not produce a crema. It is very important not to overfill with water or leave on the stove for too long. If the coffee boils then it will taste burnt and bitter. Also ensure no coffee grounds are caught between the rubber seal and the lower chamber. You will get to know when the coffee is ready by sound and smell. As soon as the Moka starts to burble and spit it is ready to come off of the stove. Wait for a few seconds to let it settle down and then pour for the perfect coffe. I am a big, big fan of this little coffee maker for its simple design, ease of use, longevity, availability of spare parts and for the fantastic coffee it produces.

Always good quality and reliable. It was a gift and the recipient was delighted with it.

A great Moka coffee machine. Only made a couple of coffees so far but really impressed with it. I made a perfect cappuccino today so I’m very happy.. Item comes in three parts. The base where you add the water, the middle where you add the ground coffee and the top where the coffee collects through the valve as it’s heated. A simple device but classic design.

[UPDATE 26/1/17] Still love this. Used at least once a day (usually twice) since purchase. In addition to review below I'd add that in contrast to the copy we had before this is a little more tricky to get the threads lined up but once you have it screws on much more easily and a lot less force is needed to get it to seal well. It's possible this is to do with the age of the seal but we did replace seals on the old one and I don't think it ever sealed this well/easily.[UPDATE ENDS] We had a no-name knock-off one of these for years which we've grown to love - it's travelled everywhere with us and used all the time. That one lost a part so has been retired. We already had a larger size Bialetti which is nice but not used as much. So we went original this time round. We use this almost every day (sometimes more than once a day). It's even better than our much loved fake one as it has a very slightly larger capacity, is slightly more chunky and has a better spout which doesn't drip. I still think the handle could be marginally improved as it moves slightly which lessens the sensation of quality - but that's nit-picking. Works well, makes great coffee. We couple this with a cafetiere for frothing microwaved milk. Tips if you're new to these: 1. If you're grinding beans yourself, go to the finest setting and then back off a little - you don't want the very finest grind. 2. This has no measuring line that we can see in the water chamber - we fill to just below the pressure valve (or less). I’ve read a tip that it’s worth heating the water in a kettle first. This means that the coffee will come through before the heat has a chance to burn the coffee in the holder (not sure if this is true or not). 3. Only compress the coffee in the holder very lightly - don't compress it hard (this is advice we've read although in fairness I did used to compress it more in the old pot and didn't hit issues for a long time) 4. Use on a low to moderate heat (lower is better). If on gas, the flame shouldn't lick up the sides of the pot. 5. Keep an eye on it and turn off the heat just before the water as all come through - will need a couple of tries to get the hang. It keeps coming through after you turn the heat off because of heat stored in the metal. 6. Ensure lid is closed before it finishes or it will splutter coffee all over your cooker :-) The coffee holder is hard to clean but running water through from both directions and using a normal dish brush on the perforated disc will remove most of any coffee stuck in the bit you can’t see. If you want to froth milk... 1. For a full pot of coffee for two large mugs, we use 400ml of semi-skimmed (semi seems to work better than full fat) in a microwaveable jug 2. Heat for 2 mins (we have a microwave which is rated at 1000w but in practice is not that powerful - probably 850??) as soon as you put the coffee on. 3. Once the coffee starts coming through, heat the milk for a further 1:30 (experiment to get it how you like in your microwave - too hot ruins it IMHO) 4. Pour the coffee out between the mugs (a little into each at a time rather than all in one and then the other - the coffee can be different strengths in the pot as it comes through differently and may not have completely mixed). 5. Pour all the milk quickly but carefully into your cafetiere (quickly so that any skins goes with it rather than staying in the jug where its a pain to clean). 6. Insert the plunger and turn around so that the mesh is away from the spout (some have a blank piece on the opposite side to the mesh - ideal, otherwise use just the edge of the mesh part which usually blocks off the spout). 7. Froth by using the plunger up and down. 8. Push plunger in and turn around so that the mesh is at the spout. Pour most of the liquid milk into the mugs. 9. Either - froth the remainder some more and then pour out or, remove the plunger and pour straight away holding back the froth with a spoon at the spout, then spoon the foam on top. Experiment depending on how much froth to milk you want. 10. For chocolate sprinkles, get a shaker (supermarket kitchen sections sometimes have these) and put in one teaspoon of icing sugar to six parts cocoa powder (or just use drinking chocolate powder unmixed if you prefer). Swirl in the shaker to mix. My coffee addiction is calling - I'm off to use my Bialetti.

Honestly people! I was literally drinking garbage as coffee at home before I got this masterpiece of invention. Instant coffees, cappuccino mixes, Tassimo capsules, all crap compared to the coffee you can make with this. And it is coffee you want to wake up to. The size is decent to make coffee for one mug, you'll probably want to add some water on top cause the coffee is really strong, depending on what ground you use of course. The 6 cups advertised are probably for mini people, I don't know what they have in mind over there at Bialetti :) Here are the cons of this coffee maker: - Coffee making takes a bit of time, expect to spend at least a quarter of an hour to make your cup. - The pot requires dismantling and thorough cleaning afterwards, it comes down to 5 parts when disassembled which need a good wash afterwards, so if you're on the go forget it, better use a good instant of your choice. - You will need to experiment a bit in the beginning in order to reach perfection. - It doesn't make espresso. It comes close though. The real espresso requires high pressure steam which is only available on proper espresso making machines. This one is the close alternative and definitely makes awesome coffee! - Ground coffee is usually more expensive than your usual of the shelf instant, so you might want to think about the extra cost. Typically 250gr of ground coffee will last about 9-10 days if you use it once per day and you stick to the 2 spoonfuls dosage. How to use it properly and make awesome coffee: - Use bottled mineral still water. C'mon don't be cheap, you want good coffee :) Fill the bottom container up to under the round valve on the side (it is visible as you look the container opening from the top). Do not preheat the water, it needs to be in room temperature (provided you don't live in an igloo in Alaska). - Put the aluminum funnel filter (the one that looks like a funnel) on the opening until it sits in place properly, there must be no water coming through the tiny holes in it, if there is water then empty some from the bottom container. Put your ground coffee in the filter chamber: I'm putting 2 spoonfuls, the coffee does not fill the filter and that amount makes awesome coffee, some people are filling it up to the top which needs a lot of coffee. I leave this up to you. - Reverse the top holder so that you are looking at it's bottom, place the aluminum filter disk in the center so that the protruded face it towards you and press the rubber gasket against it to seal it in place. - Screw the top holder tightly on to the bottom container. Remember the first few times it will be a tiny bit difficult to find the right spot that the threads mesh properly, so don't force it or you will ruin the threads and your coffee maker altogether. Once you feel that the threads are engaged properly, screw firmly the top container to the bottom and tighten. Now the most important parts: - SAFETY FIRST!!!: Be extra careful not to touch anything metallic with bare hands while cooking, Use only the handle on the side and on the lid. The pot gets extremely hot. - You want to experiment with the heat marks of your stove in order not to burn your coffee: Turn the stove on, I recommend beginning from a medium temperature (usually the 3 or 4 mark on the knob), leave it at that for 5 minutes, then turn down to a lower temperature such as 2. - Open the top lid of the container. When the brewing process begins, the coffee should flow slowly from the 2 side holes at the top of the embedded siphon on the top container. Also another indication that the process is done properly is that the coffee that is gathered forms a brown cream on the surface. And oh that beautiful aroma! Anything other than than, you're doing it wrong!! If the coffee comes bursting out of the siphon holes you've overcooked it and it is burned, which means you should lower the cooking temperature. The coffee should flow slowly from the top at the beginning then gradually build to a smooth foamy texture. As the foam flow builds up, close the lid and turn off the stove. You'll probably hear a boiling sound as well. Let it sit there for a couple of minutes and then take it off the stove and pour into your mug! Mmmmmmmm! - Put the pot under your water tap by holding it from the black handle on the side, open the top lid and fill with cold water, let the water run on the sides of the pot until it is cold enough for you to hold and unscrew the two main parts. Dismantle, empty the coffee from the funnel filter and wash the lot thoroughly. Use the back end of a small spoon to take the rubber gasket off, do not use knives or anything sharp. - Take a peaceful momentand smell the coffee from your mug, perhaps dilute it with water (mineral still preferred), or make some frothed milk for a cappuccino clone. Either way enjoy the best cup of coffee you ever had in home.

I love the Bialetti. I chose based on the brand and reviews and it is simple and easy to use and makes a perfect coffee. Just clean everything by hand washing and don’t put it in the dishwasher .

What’s not to like? Easy to use, and it makes wonderful coffee very quickly. Far better than any of the other contraptions I’ve used and retired. I’ve seen other reviews that were less than positive, ranging down to considering the pot to be useless if not downright homicidal. In all cases, it’s easy to see what the problem was/is: It’s an allergy to READING THE DAMN INSTRUCTIONS!!! 1) Don’t put it in a dishwasher. My partner did - she hadn’t read the leaflet - and it came out in a fetching battleship grey with extruding salt bumps. At this point, it’s trash - you can’t use it as it’s now toxic. Hence my buying this replacement - albeit a slightly bigger one. Our bad, nos maxima culpa! 2) The cup sizes given are espresso cups. Google if you don’t know what that means. 3) One chap gave a good review, except he complained that the handle wasn’t strong enough to tighten the pot sections. His handle had broken after two uses. It isn’t strong enough for that - it tells you in the instructions! 4) A complaint that after 90 minutes on an induction stove, the pot was barely tepid. I’m surprised it was that hot! It doesn’t work on induction hobs, what with it being made of aluminium, which is curiously non-magnetic by nature. And guess what: It tells you this in the marketing blurb, in the instructions and on the bloody box the thing comes in. If you don’t know why it won’t work, google ‘induction - Aluminium’. 5) a doozy, this one! A lady of the French persuasion damning the pot to hell, as it’s dangerous! With photos! They show the bottom of the pot which was beginning to melt! And the top of her glass topped electric hob, with a river of liquid aluminium leading from a hot plate far larger than the pot, which had run over the stove lip, where it had solidified. It turns out in her report that she made her coffee, poured some out, and left the pot on the hot plate without turning it down, even though the hot area extended way beyond the circumference of the pot. This was to keep the coffee warm. It was there for some good time until she smelt something burning. So, two things that are BOTH in the multi-lingual instructions, which include French. The heat source must not extend beyond the pot’s circumference. Ever! The pot must be removed from the heat, or the heat turned off, as soon as the coffee’s ready. Not in five minutes or whatever - immediately! Things that refer to the preceding that aren’t in the instructions; it’s not a physics text! a) Too large a heat source can damage the handle - at a minimum it’ll make it too hot to touch. It won’t do the pot any good either, possibly warping it in time (if carried to this lady’s extreme). b) When the coffee is made, you have to remove the pot from the heat immediately because, boys and girls, the bottom section of the pot that had the water in it, now contains nothing but air. Have you ever left an empty pan on the heat? It does wonders for it, n’est ce pas? She had the pot on a too large hotplate at full blast, with the only fluid in it being one espresso cup, ish, of coffee. And that was in the top section (not for long!), not the bottom, which was actually the bit touching the heat source. She said it was only a few minutes. The melting point of aluminium is 6,000°C!!!!!! 6,000 people. And she’s allowed to vote, and go out by herself and everything! We’re doomed! PS: 6,000°C is something of an exaggeration, for emphasis, doncha know. It’s actually 660.3°C, if pure, in air at sea level, and melts immediately on reaching that temperature, which takes about one minute on a very high heat.

Wow...so happy with my moka pot,so smooth and easy with this brilliant pot and it looks great to,brew time was so quick, happy 😊 owner, recommend this product so much.