I already owned a moka pot—specifically, a Bialetti Moka Express—so I’ve stuck with it ever since. While the process isn’t as effortless as steeping tea leaves in hot water, it’s nearly as simple. After comparing my Moka Express with three other moka pots, I now see why this model has such a dedicated following—it delivers a bold, rich, espresso-like coffee in under 10 minutes. I then blend that brew with simple syrup and milk (shaken and heated in a jar) to create a makeshift caffè latte.
Bialetti Moka Express
The Moka Express is simple to use and more budget-friendly than the other moka pots I tested for this guide—not to mention far more affordable than a traditional espresso machine. Its vintage design also carries a nostalgic charm, reminiscent of a simpler era.
What is a moka pot?
Bialetti’s invention, the Moka Express, remains the most widely sold and easily recognizable moka pot today. It consists of three key cast-aluminum components: an octagonal base, a funnel-shaped strainer, and a sharply angled pitcher with a hinged lid. According to Bialetti Industries export manager Cristina Leporati, its design was influenced by Art Deco architecture and 1930s women’s skirts, and it has seen only minor shape modifications over the years.
Manufacturing
Aluminum shortages during World War II nearly ended the Moka Express, but its success rebounded in the late 1950s when Alfonso’s son, Renato, took over and introduced l’Omino con i baffi (“the little man with the mustache”)—a mascot based on himself, now printed on every Moka Express.
Specifications
Unlike most stovetop brewers, a moka pot uses pressurized extraction. “Water boils in the lowest chamber and pushes upward through the filter as steam,” explained Jessie Washburn of Blue Bottle Coffee, producing a strong, viscous brew.
Though often treated like espresso—blended with milk for a cortado or latte—moka coffee differs. “Espresso is more intense and full-bodied,” said Cristina Leporati, noting its distinct “syrupy-ness” that a moka pot can’t achieve.
Why we (and others) like the Bialetti Moka Express
Like the majority of moka pots we evaluated, the Moka Express is straightforward yet efficient, lightweight yet robust, and both budget-friendly and elegant. Unlike conventional espresso machines—which demand experience and can be expensive—it’s easy to operate and lenient, with minimal risk of mistakes aside from overcooking your coffee.
The drink it brews has a deeper flavor than most of the other moka pots we tested and is far richer than coffee from a French press or drip machine. And with the drowsy-eyed l’Omino con i baffi gazing from the side of the pot, you’re constantly reminded that you’re using a classic piece of Italian craftsmanship.
Some former Moka Express users have swapped it for modern alternatives like the plastic-tube AeroPress, which brews a similarly strong coffee with greater clarity. However, Blue Bottle’s Jessie Washburn noted that the Moka Express provides a sense of ritual and nostalgia that no other coffee maker can match.
Early in my coffee journey, it was my first regular brewing device. I felt so sophisticated leaving behind the electric coffee maker of my youth,” Washburn recalled, remembering how her grandparents used a Moka Express to brew coffee after lunch in their small New York City kitchen. “The coffee would gurgle and hiss while my grandmother warmed a bit of milk for herself. My grandfather preferred his black, with a splash of boiling water to enhance the flavors and stretch the coffee.
If you walk into someone’s kitchen to make coffee and they don’t have the silver-and-black one, you might think they don’t know what they’re doing,” she said. And café cubano isn’t just for the morning—it’s a drink enjoyed throughout the day.
Our tests
In my own kitchen, I conducted a taste test with four 6-cup moka pots: my Bialetti Moka Express, the Alessi Moka, the Grosche Milano Red, and the stainless steel Ilsa Turbo Express. There are countless variations available—from IKEA’s Scandinavian take on the classic moka pot to the MoMA Design Store’s charming and colorful Cocca Moka, plus numerous knockoffs on Amazon—but we found that these four models provided a good representation of the range of options.
Over the course of a week, I brewed 16 pots of coffee for my taste test. I prepared café con leche with each moka pot using Café Bustelo, piloncillo (a compact cone of brown sugar), and whole milk. I also made black coffee using Intelligentsia Black Cat Classic Espresso beans, Intelligentsia House Blend coffee beans, and Starbucks House Blend coffee beans in each pot.
Although I’m no coffee expert (having only started drinking it regularly in recent years), I noticed some clear differences in the brews from the moka pots. Overall, the Bialetti Moka Express outperformed the rest, delivering a smooth, full-bodied flavor with chocolatey, smoky, and slightly acidic notes. The Alessi Moka’s brews were a bit more acidic and less rich, but otherwise, they were nearly identical to the Bialetti’s. The stainless steel Ilsa Turbo Express produced drinkable coffee, though it felt somewhat hollow and flat, while the Grosche Milano Red’s coffee was watery and flavorless.
What size should you get?
I’ve most commonly used 6-cup moka pots, which yield 8 to 10 ounces of coffee, depending on how much water the grounds absorb. The original Moka Express was a 3-cup pot intended for one person or a small family, according to Bialetti’s Cristina Leporati, but the range has expanded significantly. Now, Bialetti offers everything from the half-cup Mokina (which brews a single 1.5-ounce shot) to a massive 18-cup Moka Express. (There’s even a 50-cup version, though it’s purely decorative.)
When choosing the right size for your home, Washburn suggests considering the number of coffee drinkers, their daily consumption, and—most importantly—their caffeine tolerance.
“Back in my early 20s, my then-boyfriend and I would drink two 6-cup moka pots between us before noon. Now I understand why I felt anxious all the time,” she laughed. “A serving from a moka pot is much smaller than a pour-over, but it’s much stronger.”
How to maintain your moka pot
When it comes to cleaning an aluminum moka pot, there are two main approaches: soap or no soap. Personally, I prefer to rinse the pieces of my Moka Express with warm water after each use. This prevents coffee buildup in the nooks and crannies and takes only about 30 seconds.
“Only water, no detergents,” said Leporati. “Aluminum is porous, so over time it absorbs the aroma of the coffee and enhances the taste.” The user manual also suggests making two or three consecutive pots when you first buy a Moka Express to “season” it.
Castro agrees: “If you go to someone’s house and their cafetera has a patina, you know it’s going to make great coffee.”
However, if you prefer to use soap, you won’t be alone. Washburn recommends mild dish soap.
“I think a clean surface is better. Old coffee doesn’t taste great,” she said. “If you’re concerned about a soapy taste, use a cleaner like Puro Caff or Cafiza designed to remove coffee residue.”
Avoid using a scouring pad on aluminum as it scratches easily—use a soft sponge, dish brush, or Dobie pad instead for tough stains.
The dishwasher, according to Leporati, “is absolutely prohibited.” Extreme heat and harsh detergents can discolor, warp, and corrode the aluminum.
Whether or not you use soap, it’s essential to remove the metal filter and rubber gasket from the top chamber every few weeks for cleaning and to replace them once a year. During this time, use a straw cleaner or toothbrush to scrub the tube-like center of the upper chamber.
