IMUSA USA B120-45V Extra Large Aluminum Stovetop 12-cup Classic Italian and Cuban Espresso Maker (B120-45V)

I like this pot. There are one or two issues with it but given the price point, I still give it a 4. It is a pretty well built piece of equipment. Not steel but cast aluminum. Which is why it is so cheap I am assuming. Although it is aluminum, it heats well and is strong. Again, it is not sheet aluminum but cast. So it is thicker. The threading which joins the two halves together is a bit rough. I am not familiar with the process of manufacturing something like this but I assume the threads are created on a lathe. With use I am sure the threads will smooth out. But for now it is a bit fiddly getting them to line up and when you do, it squeaks loudly from the rubbing. Maybe I will apply some graphite powder or a food safe oil to help it along. This issue is no big deal breaker and it does not affect function. However, what does affect function is the leaking. The seam leaks when I pour. Right where the two halves come together. I've tried a little silicone lube on the gasket and that didn't work. You know how sometimes you need to keep a rubber gasket greased to prevent it from drying out and to help the seal? That was my thinking. But it didn't work. I am not sure what to do about this problem. Maybe as the threads smooth out and naturally wear in, the leaking will stop. Maybe it will get worse. That being said, the coffee this thing makes is delicious. I use a dark espresso from New England Coffee Roasters. Fill the basket to the top, about 4 tbsp. Level it off and brew. It took me about 6 minutes on medium high heat to full brew. Split into two mugs with 1 tsp of sugar each. Such a smooth cup of coffee. I've used percolators before and didn't like them. The coffee always burns. That wasn't the case with this. I am guessing since the coffee separates from the heat once it reaches the top vessel, it solves that issue. It can only get so hot after all and when it does it moves upward away from the heat. I am coming from an espresso machine. I have limited counter space and ditched my espresso machine for this. Is this as good as espresso? I would say, possibly. They are two different types of coffee after all. You don't get that delicious crema with a moka pot. Is an espresso snob (I used to be) going to like this as much as their espresso machine? No. They need to justify spending $1000+ on their equipment. Have you seen those guys on the espresso sub reddit? It's an espresso circle jerk I went to espresso over drip coffee because I like dark, strong, toasty coffees. I've never found a drip coffee that did it for me. My espresso machine was very inexpensive. $200. And it made a fine drink. I honestly believe that a moka pot comes really close to an espresso. At least as far as smoothness and having a strong flavor. I mean I am no coffee scholar. Just as a normal coffee drinker who needs something better than a drip coffee (opinion) I would never go back to an espresso machine or drip. I've tried it all. French press, pour over, Aeropress, drip, espresso and even Keurig. A moka pot is a great setup for me. Coffee is very subjective though. And all it takes is too much grounds or a poor grind or too much heat and you end up with a bitter cup. I can nail a great cup consistently with a moka pot. And a cuban style preparation is the bomb. I would caution against lifting the lid while the pot is on the heat and actively boiling. It makes a mess and you could possibly burn yourself. Remove it from the heat for about six seconds first if you must look inside. Which you sometimes need to do. Learn from my mistake. And they aren't joking about moving the pot to the edge of the burner with the handle hanging away from the heat. It gets wicked hot. And you risk melting it. But it won't be a problem if you just get in that habit. I use my smallest burner. Which is something you should do anyhow. Don't use a burner that is too big for your pot. I would also caution against leaving the coffee or the grounds inside for too long. All it takes is a couple hours and the acid could weird up the aluminum. You probably wouldn't have to worry about this with steel but you do with aluminum. When you pour all of your drink just knock the grounds into the trash and rinse everything quickly. This thing is easy to clean and the grounds come out nicely with a sharp knock on the trash can. I really like this pot and depending on the leaking issue, I don't foresee having to upgrade to anything expensive. Such a good deal for such a great cup of coffee. One of my better purchases.

Si bien puedo hacer café correctamente y su precio es bajo las terminaciones son muy malas, el cierre no es perfectamente hermético y no es posible servir con la tapa cerrada. No la volvería a comprar pero admito que es funcional.

Me encanta

it works well. it’s just it gets stuck when you try to turn it

I bought this on a recommendation from a friend to help extract the great flavor from the coffee beans compared to my drip coffee maker. This didn't disappoint! The coffee make is constructed well and is very easy to use. The 12 cup pot I bought makes about 10oz of coffee. It was easy to take apart and clean after use. I do plan on taking this on trips or use during moto camping and I'm worried the handle might break because it and the lid are plastic construction but they were not hot to touch when the coffee was making. I would buy it again