The Moka pot is a wonderful thing – a unique invention from Italy, it creates some stunningly flavored coffee that gently balances between being as strong and intense as an espresso, and as smooth and rich as a decadent cup of hot chocolate.
In this article, we’re going to run through everything that you need to know about the Moka pot, from how to work with them, to how to ensure that they’re as clean as a whistle before you next come to use them.
How to use the Moka pot
Using the Moka pot might seem a little over-facing, but the truth is that it’s simple. It relies on some really basic physics principles, and as long as you can keep an eye on it, it will be totally safe and create a great cup of coffee.
So, first of all, disassemble the Moka pot into the boiler, the basket, and the upper chamber. Add a dose of coffee into the basket, and fill the boiler just below the safety valve with freshly boiled water.
Then, reassemble the Moka pot, inserting the basket with care to ensure that you don’t burn your fingers. Screw the top onto the pot, and then transfer to the stove.
Put the pot over medium-low heat, and allow it to sit there as the coffee percolates. The process is really quite simple – as the water in the bottom chamber boils, some steam is generated, leading to the hot water being pushed through the bed of coffee by the increase in pressure.
After the hot water is pushed through the coffee bed under pressure, it has extracted some great coffee flavors. The coffee is then pushed through a fine mesh filter to remove any loose grounds and pushed up into the upper chamber of the brewer.
As the brewing takes place, you will see twin ‘waterfalls’ of coffee forming within the Moka pot, as the coffee comes up the spout within the chamber, pouring into the top of the pot. Watch this as it happens, waiting for the end of the brewing process.
The end of the brewing process will come as the water runs out, and a level of hissing will be heard as bubbles come through the inner spout of the coffee pot. Immediately remove the pot from the heat, and place it in cold, running water.
That will immediately cause the steam pressure to drop, leading to brewing stopping straight away. You can then pour the coffee into a cup, and drink however you might like.
Cleaning instructions
Cleaning a moka pot can be a little frustrating. Because of the rubber seals and fine filters, they’re typically not dishwasher safe, meaning that they must be washed by hand.
Begin by disassembling the Moka pot once more, and use hot soapy water and a sponge or dishcloth to clean the pot as you would any piece of flatware in your kitchen.
Removing the coffee from the moka basket can be tricky, but there’s a trick to it. You can blow the coffee out of the basket by blowing air or water into the small base hole of the basket. This will result in the coffee puck popping out of the basket quite easily, which is a very pleasant way of doing things. When you’ve removed the coffee, wash the basket in hot, soapy water, and rinse with cold water to ensure you get rid of all of the dish soap residue.
Storage suggestions
There are surely a hundred and one ways to ensure that you keep your Moka pot in great condition while you’re storing it, but they all revolve around a core tenet – maintain the rubber gasket.
Between the filter basket and the upper chamber, there is typically a small white or orange rubber gasket that forms a tight seal, allowing for steam pressure to build. Do not store the Moka pot in such a way that pressure is being constantly applied to that rubber seal. Instead, you can store it in two parts, or with the upper chamber sitting on the rubber gasket, but not actually pressing into it. That will ensure the longevity of the rubber gasket a little better, allowing you to use your Moka pot for a little longer.
The rubber seal on any coffee brewer is typically a serviceable part, meaning that it may need to be changed out eventually. In the case of the Moka pot, this is the same – the rubber gasket must be taken care of if you’d like to prolong the time between swapping the gaskets.
Moka pot accessories
Bialetti Smart Coffee Jar
This is something that we were entirely unaware of until researching for this article, but we’re actually a little in love with the sheer functionality of this item.
There are no two ways about it – Moka pots can be a fiddly way to make coffee. To reduce this fiddliness, we might suggest using this coffee jar. It provides a convenient slot in which to place your coffee basket and an airtight coffee storage jar that will help you to preserve as much coffee flavor as possible.
This is a small piece of the overall product, but we really love that any spilled coffee will naturally fall back into the container with the other coffee. This reduces cleanup time in your kitchen and ensures that you get your money’s worth out of a bag of coffee.
Cast Iron Ring Reducer
Using a Moka pot in your home can be frustrating if your stovetop is inadequately designed. This product exists to help you there, allowing you to make sure that your Moka pot will be separated from the flame well while also being close enough for good brewing to occur.
It’s a deeply simple product, but it’s precisely the kind of thing that many kitchens around the world need!
Conclusion
We hope that this article has been able to fill in any holes in your knowledge around Moka pots, and perhaps even tempt you into trying one soon. Give it a go – the coffee can be truly stunning!