Everything You Need to Make Coffee With a Moka Pot

Much to my glee, TikTok has rediscovered the joys of the Moka pot. Over the holidays, I noticed an influx of “how to make espresso with Moka pot” and “what is the Moka pot?” videos on my FYP. Usually, these declared a newfound, and unwavering devotion to the stovetop coffee-maker. “Not to be dramatic, but the Moka pot changed my life,” one TikToker user writes, while another popular phrase includes, “when your frontal lobe develops and you realize what good coffee is.”

Many of the pro-Moka videos also preach an anti-Nepresso agenda, usually citing the loftier price tags of the coffee machine brand. Instead, these creators say, you can reach for $30 Moka pots and Café Bustelo for the perfect cafe con leche, or else dive into the world of collectible tandem brew stovetop pots, or collectibles from brands such as Alessi and Dolce & Gabbana.

I’ve been a Moka pot devotee for about a decade. Occasionally, I crave the light, smooth brew and more generous volume of French press-brewed coffee. But there’s something about Moka pot coffee — the ritual, the pot design, that caramel-y finish as it drizzles out of the top chamber — that hits differently. As a 30-something person who has sustained herself on mostly Flaming Hot Cheetos and margaritas, I appreciate the lower acidic nature of Moka pot coffee compared to espresso (my go-to beverage is usually a faux Americano), and there’s something about glimpsing that little, glimmering pot on my apartment’s stovetop that transports me away from Bushwick, and into the gauzy Italian villa of Call Me By Your Name.

If all of this sounds cool but potentially overwhelming, I’ve broken down all the how-tos of Moka pots below, including the best Moka pot accessories, brewing tips, and decorative pots to put on a pedestal.

What is a Moka pot?

Francky Knapp

The term “Moka Express” was first coined by Italians Luigi De Ponti and Alfonso Bialetti in 1933. Today, the words “Moka pot” are ubiquitous for any similar stovetop coffee-maker, but, for my money, Bialetti remains the maestro of affordable and high-quality stovetop pots. As the Bialetti site explains, la macchinetta (or, little machine) blew up in popularity because it offered a comparable way to make the concentrated coffee and espresso from big, fancy espresso machines at cafes — which brings us to an important Moka pot clarification:

These darling devices don’t actually make espresso, which typically requires between 7 to 11 bars of pressure, which an espresso machine measures and adjusts with a brew pressure gauge. A Moka pot, by contrast, automatically uses about 1.5 bars of pressure to make coffee that has not-quite-espresso levels of intensity, but is still thicker and stronger than, say, a cup from your Bunn coffee machine.

How to use a Moka pot

I am a visual learner above all else, so let me save you some time with this 55-second Bialetti how-to Moka pot video. As you can see, the process is broken up into a few simple steps:

1. Fill the lower chamber up with water (right below the chamber’s screw).
2. Fill the funnel-shaped filter with a medium-grind coffee.
3. Place the pot over medium heat, wait for it to pour out of the colonnina (the column that runs through the center of the pot), and you’re done.

The best Moka pot brewing tips

Francky Knapp

The above brewing steps are the essentials, but here are some other helpful tips for making the perfect Moka pot coffee:

• Season your Moka pot with an inaugural brew, and don’t scrub it clean with soap after use. Hot water will do.
• Using freshly-boiled water to make your coffee will not only speed up the process but it keeps the coffee from over-extracting and tasting bitter. Just hold the lower chamber with a towel to avoid burning your hands.
• The second you start to hear gargling (the road to Burn City), turn down the heat.
• Don’t tamp down the grounds! This isn’t an espresso machine, and extra pressure will result in bitterness and potential clogging.
• If your burner isn’t the right size for your Moka pot, you can always place it on a medium-heat pan. Cast-iron works especially well, as it’s beloved for its even heat distribution.

The best Moka pots

Bialetti Moka Express (3 Cup)

Prices taken at time of publishing.

The Bialetti Moka Express is timeless. Whether you’re looking for a new way to make coffee or taking your first steps into the world of Moka pots, this three-cup machine is both an absolute workhorse and a very affordable model.

Alessi Pulcina Stovetop Pot (3 Cup)

Prices taken at time of publishing.

If the Bialetti is my wife, the Alessi Pulcina is my mistress. Just look at its Bauhaus-worthy silhouette! It comes in a variety of sizes and with different handle color options (the classic black is also the most affordable at about $70), but there’s something about that deep, cherry red that pops so nicely.

Garrett Wade Double Coffee-Maker (2 Cup)

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Chrome dishware is having a moment, courtesy of the minimal-medieval revival trend, and this stainless steel double coffee-maker sure would look delightful on my kitchen shelf next to a stack of cookbooks. As the name implies, this device makes two cups of Moka pot coffee in-tandem — brewing them straight into your cups. 

The best Moka pot accessories

Bialetti Induction Plate

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This induction plate is a new addition to my Moka pot routine, and it has made my life so much easier. The stainless steel plate is designed to more evenly distribute heat to your pot, and it’s a hell of a lot easier than schlepping out a cast-iron skillet. If your pot doesn’t fit your burner size, it’s a must.