After making dozens of moka pots, I have a theory about coffee brewers.
The brewer you choose says a lot about you as a person. Someone dependable and consistent will find comfort in coffee makers, designed to remove as many unpredictable variables as possible and deliver a reliable cup time after time. Someone who likes to get their hands dirty might revel in the tactile delight of plunging on a French press. Perhaps someone who has fallen in love with the science and minutia of coffee will gravitate toward espresso machines, relishing the tiny details one needs to pay attention to nail a perfectly pulled shot of espresso. I’ve concluded that those who love the moka pot are compelled by simple pleasures that bring unpredictability and spectacle to a group of people.
Of course, I’m being facetious — to an extent. Moka pots are a classic coffee brewer, generally associated with at-home Italian brewing. They use steam to create pressure and brew something between an espresso and drip coffee. They’re both simple and complicated: Most moka pots only have three parts, and many can be used volumetrically, meaning you can eyeball how much water you pour in. But they’re also finicky, require a lot of attention, and can be challenging to clean since you generally can’t use soap or detergent on them.
However, the moka pot is a social brewer, a way of making coffee inherently meant to be shared. Like all coffee brewers, there are hundreds of moka pots on the market, so we tested 12 (nine stovetop, three electric) to find the best moka pots out there.
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It’s a good price, easy to use, has a big enough basket to accommodate both light and dark-roasted coffee, and is comfortable to handle.
Of the 12 brewers we tested, four were from Bialetti, and we had great results with every single one. The Bialetti brewers all had baskets that were big enough to accommodate a proper ratio of coffee to water (we did 1:10 grams, and we based a lot of our testing protocol on this video from coffee YouTuber James Hoffmann) for both light and dark-roasted coffee (lighter roasted coffees tend to be more dense, so they take up less space when ground — we took a picture to show you what the same amount of coffee looks like for both a lighter roasted coffee and dark roast).
Most of the moka pots tested had simple instructions: Fill water up to the safety on the bottom part of the machine (the safety valve releases pressure so your moka pot doesn’t explode as steam is built up in the bottom chamber — Bialetti was the first to introduce the safety valve in 1933, and the safety valves on their moka pots were noticeably different than those on other models.
We noticed that the bottom chamber held much more water for some brewers than the basket could hold coffee. Generally, this is fine, but it means you’d have to measure and be more precise to get that 1:10 ratio of coffee to water, or you might end up with a watery and weak cup.
The classic Bialetti brewer produced great coffee, was simple to use, and besides being greasy when unboxed, was easy to put together due to its wide, octagonal base (some brewers were round, which meant there was nowhere to grip to tighten and loosen the moka pot). All the moka pots were a pain to clean (Bialetti cautions against using soap or detergent, a standard warning across all the moka pots), but this one was no less difficult than any others. This was my favorite before I checked prices — the fact it was the most affordable model I tested was a lovely bonus.
Cup Size: 6 | Material: Aluminum | Induction Compatibility: Only with an induction plate
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It brews coffee quickly, has Bluetooth capabilities, beeps when done brewing, and is comfortable to handle.
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It is not the most visually appealing, difficult to clean, and the plastic build of the top chamber gets cloudy with repeated use. Some parts are dishwasher-safe.
This brewed coffee lightning fast and had a lot of incredible features for folks who want to set up their machine the night before to have coffee brewing in the morning. Unlike the manual moka pots, you don’t have to babysit the brewer: you can just set it and forget it, and it beeps when it’s done brewing. Bodum is generally known for its French presses, and it was nice to see some of those design elements at play: the handle resembled the one on a French press and was comfortable to use.
I liked that the brewer’s top chamber was clear so you could see the coffee fill up, but I didn’t love that it was made of plastic. The metal filter is dishwasher-safe, but the top chamber has to be washed with soap and the bottom only with water, which might be more confusing than helpful.
Cup Size: 12 ounces, or roughly 8 cups | Material: Plastic, stainless steel, and silicone | Induction Compatibility: n/a
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It has a stunning design, can handle both light and dark-roasted coffee, brews quickly, and it’s easy to order spare parts.
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It is expensive, difficult to clean due to ridges across the outside, and it’s tough to see safety value when measuring how much water is needed to brew.
This brewer is a showstopper, designed by Italian architect Michele de Lucchi, and performed as well as any of the Bialetti brewers. I thought that the brewer’s thick walls would mean it would take a lot longer to brew, but it actually brewed coffee roughly a minute faster than most of the other moka pots (about 2:30 versus the others, which averaged about 3:30). However, at nearly over double the price, it’s hard to justify picking this one over a similarly-sized Bialetti.
I also loved that you could order spare parts on the website. Many of the smaller pieces on a moka pot, like the silicone seal on the top chamber, will wear over time and need to be cleaned like other parts of the brewer. The safety valve is difficult to see due to its shape, so it was hard to figure out exactly how much water to put in without weighing or using my iPhone flashlight.
Cup Size: 6 | Material: Aluminum, polyamide handle | Induction Compatibility: No
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It only holds about 10 grams of coffee, and the handle gets hot, so it can be challenging to remove it from the flame.
What a joy it was to brew with this baby Bialetti! I found that the smaller the brewer, the less forgiving it was — it’s harder to control water and heat when you have less water to work with, and basket size becomes more important when you have such little wiggle room. But the Bialetti comfortably fit ten grams of coffee in the basket for lighter roasted coffee, nine for darker roasts, and held about 100 grams of water. This brewer makes two servings of coffee, and I yielded about 42 grams per serving.
I loved that it was red and came with two red espresso cups to brew directly into. The mini Bialetti is incredibly light and works just like its full-sized counterpart. My only gripe is that the plastic handle is too close to the brewer, so when I went to grab it off the flame, it was too hot to touch, but I’m not sure if there’s really any way around that. The lighter roast was sweet and rich, while the darker roast was smokey and syrupy.
Cup Size: 2 | Material: Aluminum | Induction Compatibility: no
Our Favorite Moka Pot Brewer
We tested, brewed, cleaned, and rebrewed coffee in a dozen moka pots and found that the classic Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Coffee Maker works best: It’s easy to use, has an appropriate-sized basket for coffees of all roasting styles, and, besides one of the electric moka pots, was the most affordable of all the models we tested.
How We Tested Moka Pots
We tested twelve different moka pots: nine stovetop models and three electric ones. We brewed two different types of coffee — a light-roasted blend from Ruby Coffee and a dark-roasted blend from Just Coffee Cooperative — using a 1:10 ratio of coffee to water. We also read the directions for each of the brewers and, when applicable, brewed based on their recommendations. Each moka pot was rated according to the following criteria:
- Size: Moka pots are naturally a brewer for a crowd, so we tested if each brewer could brew for its stated capacity and could fluctuate between sizes (could a six-cup brewer easily brew for four, for example).
- Design features: Because most moka pots require a direct heat source (except for the electric brewers, which we classified in a category of their own), we assessed how well-designed features like the handle, pour spout, base, and lid were.
- Brewing capabilities: We brewed coffee using a 1:10 ratio, which is slightly stronger than a traditional coffee ratio (usually around 1:16), so we assessed if each brewer could hold enough coffee to accommodate that ratio, especially when we look at light and dark roasted coffee (dark roasted coffee isn’t as dense as light roasted coffee, so it takes more coffee to get the same amount of weight, which you can see in the picture above).
- Durability and intuitiveness: Moka pots are lo-fi brewers, so we wanted to see if each model was easy to use without technology like a scale to weigh the water or coffee. We based this on looking at indicators like where the safety valve is located (usually an indicator of how much water to pour) and if that corresponded with the size of the brew basket. For example, a good brewer held about 260 grams of water when filled to the bottom of the safety valve and about 26 grams of coffee when the basket was filled to the top (giving you a 1:10 ratio without having to weigh).
- Ease of cleaning: We also washed every brewer and assessed how sturdy each brewer was and how easy they were to clean. We noted when a brewer could not be washed with detergent and how easy it was to get in all the nooks and crannies to wash away all the coffee grounds.
- Taste: Of course, coffee has to taste good! We tasted coffee from each of the moka pots and looked for balance, mouthfeel, and pleasantness. We also noted when coffees tasted too watery (usually indicating weakness) or too intense (indicating strength).
Factors to Consider
Capacity
Are you making a moka pot for you and a friend, or is this your go-to brewer for an after-dinner espresso with friends? Each brewer clearly states how many servings it’s designed to make coffee for, and while we saw some fluctuations in how much coffee each brewer could actually make, generally speaking, the bigger the moka pot, the more coffee it can brew.
Power Source
We used a gas stove to brew coffee, but not every moka pot is compatible with induction burners. Traditionally, moka pots are made from aluminum, which can’t go directly on an induction burner: look for stainless steel if you’re operating on induction, or consider an electric moka pot.
Size of the Base
Moka pots are all about controlling heat, and a larger moka pot base will distribute heat more evenly, making it easier to use — we noticed that smaller moka pots tended to heat up really quickly, requiring us to remove the moka pot from the heat as the coffee began sputtering (you don’t want your water to get so hot it burns the coffee).
Design Features
You’re often working with live heat when you’re brewing with a moka pot, so look for non-heat conductive materials when you look at the handle and the top of the lid. The worst thing that can happen is trying to remove the moka pot from the heat and burning yourself!
Brew Strength
We found that a few of the moka pots could not brew coffee strong enough relative to their stated capacity — and that’s because the baskets were simply too small and couldn’t hold enough coffee. So make sure that your brewer can hold enough coffee grounds to make a drink to your desired strength.
How to Use a Moka Pot
What kind of coffee grounds should I use for a moka pot?
Traditionally, because moka pots brew espresso-style coffee, most folks opt for a slightly darker roasted coffee. However, there are no rules to what kind of coffee you need to use on a moka pot, and we got excellent results from a lighter roasted coffee. You generally want to grind pretty fine — not at your finest grind setting, but around that area. You can also experiment: if you find you like your coffee better at a finer grind, go for it!
How do I achieve the perfect coffee-to-water ratio?
We recommend measuring your coffee and water on your first go with the moka pot so you can see exactly what each measurement looks like in your moka pot. Our favorite moka pots ended up being the ones where when we measured the water, it came up right to the safety value, and when we measured the coffee, it just filled the basket, so next time, we could eyeball it. We recommend using a 1:10 ratio, but that can also be adjusted based on taste.
How do I prevent my coffee from tasting bitter?
Don’t let your moka pot get too hot! Once you notice coffee sputtering out of the top valve, remove it from the heat. You want to see a steady stream of coffee coming out of the valve, not a wild sputtering with coffee going everywhere. If the coffee sputters too much, that means the water is too hot, which will pull out those bitter notes you want to avoid.
Other Moka Pots We Tested
We had some ups and downs with our Moka pots, mostly due to design flaws. Some might still be better suited for you, but maybe didn’t check everything off the list we set above. Here’s how the others did:
Alessi 6-Cup Moka Espresso Coffee Maker ($45 at Alessi)
This brewer felt…off? Like it was an alien version of the classic Bialetti. It brewed just about the same as the Bialetti, but felt slightly flimsier. The basket was big enough to brew to its full capacity (it held 28 grams easily), and the coffee tasted fine, but the Bialetti 6-cup felt sturdier and slightly easier to use.
Bialetti Venus 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker ($57 at Amazon)
This would be a great option for someone looking for an induction-friendly brewer since it’s made of stainless steel, and the steel conducted heat much faster, so this brewed in less than a minute (I did use hot water to start, per Hoffmann’s method) but I didn’t like that it had no angles (which made twisting the top from the bottom difficult).
Bialetti Brikka 4-Cup Espresso Coffee Maker ($75 at Amazon)
I really wanted to like this one because the first pot I made was spectacular, but the second was weird, and the brewer got strangely pressurized (it ended up sputtering coffee everywhere). I’m not sure what happened here, but this brewer claims to be able to produce “espresso-like crema,” which tells me that something is happening with how it’s pressurized, but I’m not sure what. The inconsistency is what threw this out of contention for me.
Cuisinox 6-Cup Roma Stovetop Espresso Maker ($105 at Amazon)
All metal! This was a hazard waiting to happen since every piece of the brewer is made of metal, which meant I couldn’t safely touch it without gloves or a dish rag. It is made of stainless steel, so it’s induction capable, and it says it’s dishwasher-safe, but I think it’d be too easy to forget that you can’t touch the handle without getting burned. I also noticed the basket could only hold 28 grams of coffee, but the bottom chamber could hold 360 grams — not a dealbreaker, but that means you’d have to use a scale or just know how much water is right for a 1:10 ratio without using the safety valve as a sight line.
Gemini Espresso Maker ($56 at MoMA Design Store)
I wanted to like this one so much because of how beautiful it is, but compared to the Bialetti 2-cup, this one is heavier, clunkier, and doesn’t brew as well.
Miir 6-Cup New Standard Moka Pot ($60 at Miir)
I expected a lot from this brewer since it’s made by a brand I love, but the Miir moka pot was hard to use and the basket felt really small compared to the brewer’s stated capacity. The top chamber also got really full, so pouring felt precarious. I did like how clear the instructions were, which were printed alongside a visual step-by-step guide.
De’Longhi 6-Cup Alicia Moka Pot ($80 at Amazon)
This brewer is heavy! Generally, this performed just fine, but it looks almost identical to the brewer below, which was confusing, and I found this a little challenging to clean.
IMUSA 6-Cup Electric Espresso/Moka Maker ($40 at Amazon)
Side by side, this and the De’Longhi brewer look identical — to the point where I had to keep checking to make sure I was putting together the moka pots with the right brand’s pieces. However, the IMUSA really struggled to brew consistently (the other electric brewers brewed coffee smoothly and produced a steady stream of coffee as water moved from the bottom to the top chamber), but this one sputtered the whole time, and we noticed some leaks in the base.
Our Expertise
Ashley Rodriguez is a longtime coffee professional, having worked in the industry since 2010 as a barista, coffee shop manager, and trainer. She’s currently the editor of a coffee trade publication called Fresh Cup, and has also written product reviews for Serious Eats.
For this piece, Ashley brewed dozens of cups of coffee over a two-week period. She might have drank too much coffee.
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