The Moka pot is a symbol of Italian coffee culture—Bialetti, the most famous manufacturer, says it alone has sold more than 500 million units over its near-hundred year history.
Like the cafetiere, the Moka pot is one of those ubiquitous brewers that everyone seems to have without quite remembering ever buying one. Also like the cafetiere, many people have less-than-positive memories of Moka pot coffee, as simply filling it up and leaving it on the stove can result in a sludgy and burned-tasting brew. It turns out that Moka pots need more attention during brewing than they are often given—but with a bit of care and a few key tips, coffee made this way can be absolutely delicious.
What you’ll need:
- A Moka pot brewer
- Ground coffee (medium-fine)
- Scale (optional)
- Timer
- Hot water just off the boil
Moka pots come in lots of different sizes, so you may need to adjust your recipe to suit your particular needs. For this, we’re using a 1:16 ratio of 20g coffee to 320g water.
Method:
- Boil your kettle.
- Fill the filter basket with 20g of coffee, give the basket a quick tap to settle the grounds, and level it off.
- Add 320g of boiled water to the bottom chamber, then place the filter basket on top. Now carefully screw on the top chamber (use a tea towel or something to hold the bottom chamber, as it will be hot!). Make sure to screw the top chamber on firmly but not too tight.
- Place on a medium-low heat with the lid open. Keep an eye on it.
- When coffee begins to trickle from the spout, turn the heat to low. Keep watching. Once the top chamber is around two-thirds full—but importantly, before it starts spluttering—take the Moka pot off the heat. Now, quickly rinse the bottom chamber under a cold tap; this will help stop the extraction and avoid an overly bitter brew.
- As soon as possible, decant the coffee from the Moka pot into cups or a serving vessel, as otherwise the heat of the brewer could affect the taste.
Notes:
- Moka pots come in different sizes and materials, and some work better on particular stove tops—Bialetti sells versions made specifically for induction hobs, for example—so it’s important to make sure your brewer and hob are compatible.
- While it needs attention during brewing, the Moka pot is quite forgiving when it comes to measurements. If you don’t have a scale handy you can go volumetric: fill the filter basket with coffee and level it off, but don’t press or tamp it down, and add water to the bottom chamber up until the pressure release valve.
- James Hoffmann’s Ultimate Moka Pot Technique video has some additional tips, including adding an AeroPress filter which he says results in a cleaner cup.
See here for our full collection of recommended moka pot coffee beans and moka pot brew kits.
Brewing using a different method? View all of our brewing guides here.
