How to use Bialetti stovetop espresso maker?

Espresso Makers/Moka Pots

As you may have discovered in the above section, the espresso has a rich and bold flavor that every coffee drinker yearns to taste when they sip their espresso shots. That taste has not been always cheap, some years before the popular Bialetti stovetop espresso maker, you may have had to invest big into an expensive espresso maker, but the Moka pot/ Stovetop espresso coffee maker has now made things significantly affordable. Indeed, making espresso with Moka pot is nothing difficult. This small eight-sided pot brews coffee by forcing pressurized boiling water through some finely ground coffee beans. 

A Moka pot has three connected chambers. One of these chambers holds the ground coffee/ coffee in its powdery form. Another chamber holds heated water and added to the ground coffee, while the last chamber holds the finished brew. They all work together; that when heat is applied to the water compartment, steam is produced, increasing pressure in this compartment and forcing water through the ground coffee for brewing. After the ground coffee is brewed, your espresso is forced into the top chamber, where it is ready to be served. The key to using a Moka pot for a long time of efficient functioning is keeping the valves between the chambers clean and the gaskets pliable. You will find useful information about coffee pot cleaning in the later sections of this work.

Some of the best Bialetti Espresso Makers

Bialetti Moka Express 3 cups espresso maker:  is one of the several efficient stovetop coffee makers designed by the Bialetti company. This stovetop coffee maker is made from durable Aluminum material. It is octagonal-shaped and comes in different sizes. The Bialetti Moka Express is believed to have the best heat retention feature amongst all the Moka espresso makers. Its handle makes for comfortable handling, and it is durable.  The Bialetti New Venus Espresso Maker is another decent Bialetti product. It is different from the former in that it is round-shaped and a stainless steel version that is very easy to clean. The handle is properly insulated, and it can be moved around easily, especially if you travel a lot. The Venus Espresso Maker is made in 2-cup, 6-cup, and 10-cup capacities and is extremely ergonomic.

About Bialetti 

Bialetti is an Italian Company and a good kitchen appliance brand, founded by Alphonso Bialetti. The Bialetti company is majorly into the manufacturing of Coffee makers/machines, cookware and other small kitchen appliances. The mother company of the Bialetti brand is the Bialetti Industries.

In Italy, a home will not be so-called without a Kitchen in it. The kitchen is the heart of the home, just like Coffee is the bond between a family and friends getting together. The Bialetti espresso coffee has gained so much prominence in Italy that you will find one in 9 out of every 10 households. The legendary Express stovetop espresso maker was launched by Bialetti in 1933, and since this time, it has completely revolutionise the way Italians enjoy their espresso maker.

Originally, Alfonso Bialetti was not into the Coffee making business. In 1999, Bialetti companies were strictly into Aluminum manufacturing. It was very much later in 1933 that the Moka Express was invented based on inspiration from Bialetti’s wife’s old-fashioned washing machine: a fire, a bucket, and a lid with a tube coming out of it. According to Deconsructing Product Design by William Lidwell and Gerry Mancasa, the old washing machine bucket was filled with soapy water, covered with a lid, made to boil over the fire with the vaporized soapy water was pushed up through the tube and discharged on to the laundry”. 

The Moka express was the first ever to be an all-in-one Coffee maker that could make Coffee over a stovetop and produce an espresso with great taste. It is a landmark improvement from earlier steam and drip-style coffee-makers.  In 1945, the son of Alphonso Bialetti took over the company and turned it into the International brand we know it to be today. Since that time, Bialetti has been the pride of Italy, Italian Immigrants living abroad, and other countries of the world, including the United States.

How to clean a Stovetop espresso maker

Coffee brewing machines do perform magic when needed,, but this narrative may change if they don’t get the care and maintenance they need. Just like every other machine, your Moka Pot needs to be cleaned as often as necessary, not only to enable it to produce clean coffee but also to guarantee its longevity. 

There is a popular belief that your espresso-making machine should not be cleaned too often because it is believed that the coffee oil buildup in the upper chamber of Moka pots improves the flavor of your coffee brew, but this means that coffee makers should not be cleaned as often as necessary, then it should be discouraged. In my opinion,  coffee residue or oil build-up on espresso makers has the ability to make coffee taste bitter. Also, it cannot be said that this build-up is completely clean and free of germs. Hence, the consumption of that sort of coffee should be discouraged.

It is necessary to descale and deep clean your espresso coffee maker as often as possible to avoid valve malfunction; therefore; a step-by-step procedure is being discussed in the next section to provide a guide to cleaning your espresso maker. 

STEP 1: Unscrew the Upper Moka pot chamber and clean it.

After the upper chamber has been loosened, take out the filter basket, empty it and rinse thoroughly. The filter basket may be holding oil build-up which may block the perforated holes after some time. Use a non-abrasive sponge and a bit of dish soap to wash away the oil buildup. However, it is crucial that you do this cleaning shortly after brewing if you want the cleaning to be easy.

STEP 2: Remove the rubber gasket in the upper chamber and clean it

It is important to wipe clean the rubber gasket to enable perfect closure of the machine lid. Also, when you remove the circular rubber gasket, you will get easy access to the upper chamber’s filter plate for cleaning. You can remove the rubber gasket using the handle of a teaspoon. Another thing that you should do is to clean the small column in the coffee collector at least once a week/ You can do this by using a cloth/towel and a metal straw or the handle of a knife.

STEP 3: Rinse the water container or the heating the vessel thoroughly. 

Note: You may need to refer to how to clean stains on stainless steel for effective cleaning

Although this part of the coffee pot constantly holds water and may not be as dirty as the other compartments, it is nevertheless important to clean it too, just in case dirt may have stuck to the body of it.

STEP 4: Dry each part of the coffee maker with a towel 

It is important to thoroughly wipe off the water droplets from your coffee pot to avoid water stains. By drying your coffee brewer after washing it, you will preserve its looks and proper performance for much longer.

Descaling a Moka Pot

Descaling in simple terms is the removal of scale from the surface of a metal, especially from the inner surfaces of boilers. All coffee makers need descaling because water has some amount of minerals that are bound to build up and causes blockages over time. You can descale your coffee maker using Vinegar and Lemon Juice. A tablespoon of each should do the trick. Lemon Juice and Vinegar are considered strong enough to break down hardened calcium deposits. They are quite safe for use with aluminum and stainless models of stovetop espresso makers. A simple process to descaling using those Vinegar and Lemon Juice includes the following;

1. Add lots of water to the lower chamber, cover the safety valve, and keep adding until the water line hits the coffee filter basket (that way, the oils can be cleaned from there at the same time).

2. After filling the lower chamber with water, add Lemon Juice and Vinegar to the water.

3. Allow the Lemon Juice and Vinegar solution  some time to break down the calcium and oil on the wall of the lower chamber.

4. Do a plain water brew cycle but while you do this, make sure that the safety valve is no longer covering the chamber.

5. Run a brew cycle with the acidic water. Turn up the heat and pretend you’re making coffee like normal. The acidic water should rise the brewer into the upper chamber. Once that’s complete, turn off the brewer.

Lastly, rinse it all off and wipe the water droplets with a clean rag once the coffee pot has cooled down and then reassemble the coffee maker. 

How to use Bialetti stovetop espresso maker

To get that desired bold and unadulterated flavor that an original espresso gives you, you may need to invest in a really expensive coffee maker. However, with the stovetop espresso maker, you spend significantly less, and save some money. first time Whether or not it is your first time using Moka pot, this section will provide a step-by-step guide to using a Bialetti stovetop espresso maker. Before we jump right in, it is important to note that the Bialetti aluminum and stainless steel stovetop coffee makers work on a pressure-based system. Below are some Bialetti coffee maker instructions

Disassemble your coffee maker and prepare each part for use

Before use, your espresso maker should be separated into its three parts; 

• The lower portion of the water
• The ground-coffee filler 
• The top of the chamber for brewed coffee.

While disassembling the coffee maker, do not forget to remove the tunnel from the base(the water chamber), the filter plate, and the ring. To emphasize cleanness while using Moka pot, wash all of the disassembled parts and correctly reassemble the top section.

Grind the coffee

Make sure to grind the coffee in a fairly coarse setting and not too fine. When it is too fine, it may leak and cause issues for the machine.

Add water to the base.

Fill the water chamber with water, just below the level of the safety valve. Be careful not to overfill the base with water. Ensure to keep the water level before the safety valve because the space between the water level and the coffee is what heats the coffee and forces it up through to the upper part of the machine. If the water chamber is overfilled, the result may be boiled instead of brewed coffee with a bitter taste.

Add Ground Coffee

If you have filled the water tank with water, you are ready to add the ground coffee. Before you add the ground coffee, remember to reinsert the funnel. The ground coffee should go into its compartment through the funnel. You don’t want it making a mess of your environment. 

After inserting the funnel, loosey fills it with your coarsely ground coffee. You know it is coarsely ground because it feels gritty and slightly rough when rubbed with your fingers. This coffee texture is the recommended type for your stovetop espresso maker. DO NOT use the ground coffee for an electric espresso maker, as this may be smooth.

Reassemble the units

All that is left here is to put your espresso maker back together for it to do its job. Start by placing the filter on the water-filled tank at the base and screw the top firmly into the base. However, be careful not to overtight it as it could destroy the treading. 

Add some heat

Place the coffee maker on low/medium heat. This heat level should be necessarily low or medium because if the espresso maker is used on an induction cooktop, for example, it will quickly overheat the pot. When you use your stovetop espresso on a gas cooker, make sure to adjust the flame to the barest so that it does not extend to the pot’s side, thereby burning the handle. The cooking should not take longer than 3-6 minutes to brew, and you may set it down within this time frame. 

Espresso ready to be served 

When you hear a gurgling sound, that’s the hint that the water has made successfully traveled up and filled the upper chamber with some delicious coffee. Hence, remove the maker from the stove and pour once you hear the gurgling. Make sure to not leave the coffee on the burner for more than a few minutes. 

FAQs

What makes a good Moka Pot?

What makes a good Moka pot completely a factor of our idiosyncracies but there are some features that everyone should look out for before buying a new stovetop espresso maker. Four things make up a good stovetop espresso maker. The four factors are quality, material, size, and stove compatibility. Hence lookout for these, and you are misguided in your quest for a new coffee maker.

What is the best stovetop espresso maker?

The best Moka pot is the Bialetti Express already reviewed above. It is the best because it makes coffee fast without compromising the quality and taste. This coffee maker is also stylish, easy to use, and very durable. You can research the best espresso makers for more  information.

How much Caffeine will you find in an espresso?

Although espresso has a reputation for high caffeine, it all depends on how much you consume. But generally, espresso contains 29 to 100 milligrams of caffeine in a single shot, often hovering around 75 milligrams. 

How often should I clean a Mouka pot?

A Moka pot should be cleaned lightly every day or at least after every use because you must remove the residue of ground coffee. It is also necessary to descale your Moka pot—or give it a more thorough cleaning—twice a year or monthly.