When it comes to espresso, most people will think of the expensive espresso machine. However, there are cheap alternatives, the Moka Pots. It is cheap but with an ability to get 3 bars of pressure to extract the solubles from the ground coffee bean. If you want to enjoy the crema at home with a cheap investment, you can go for the Moka pot.
As stated in our guide, the operation of the Moka pot is simple. There shall be no obstacle for one to master this device. Ever since the early of the 1900s, this apparatus has been popular in the Italia. To taste the rich part of the coffee, Moka Pot is the must.
There are many Moka Pots in the market. It is hard to pick the right one. Hence, we have outlined some of the popular models and review them. It shall be no difficulty for you to choose after reading our guide.
Quick Overview of Our Favorites
| Model | Price | Size | Editor Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
Bialetti 06800 Moka Stovetop Coffee Maker | Check Price | 9.2 oz or 6 cup | 4.80/5 |
bonVIVO Intenca Stovetop Espresso Maker | Check Price | 11.8 oz or 6 cups | 4.80/5 |
AICOOK Stovetop Moka Pot | Check Price | 6 cups | 4.50/5 |
DELONGHI EMK6 Moka Pot | Check Price | 6 cups | 4.90/5 |
TOPS 55705 Rapid Brew Stovetop Coffee Percolator | Check Price | 6 cup, 9 cup, 12 cup | 4.85/5 |
Cuisinox Roma Stovetop Moka Espresso Maker | Check Price | 4 cup, 6 cup, 10 cup | 4.90/5 |
Bialetti 06661 Kitty Espresso Coffee Maker | Check Price | 6 cup | 4.70/5 |
7 Moka Pot Coffee Makers -Reviews
Bialetti 06800 Moka Stovetop Coffee Maker
Bialetti is a brand created almost 100 years ago. Dating back to 1933, Bialetti invented this patent model of Moka pot and it has not changed since then. The structure of this coffee maker makes it easy to diffuse heat to the ground coffee beans and generate rich and strong taste of the coffee.
It comes with 2 years of warranty, which is definitely better than one year. This pot could be used on gas and electric stoves. However, since it is made of aluminum, it can only be washed by hand.
bonVIVO Intenca Stovetop Espresso Maker
The bonVIVO Intenca is a stainless steel made Moka pot with high quality. Judged by the appearance, it is more like a high-end product but the price is not high. It is made from stainless steel, so you can place it into the dishwasher to clean it. The color of the Moka pot is so shining, it is more like an art item rather than a simple Moka pot. If you want a beautiful Moka pot to accompany your kitchen, this one is the choice.
AICOOK Stovetop Moka Pot
AICOOK stovetop Moka Pot is a cheap Moka Pot with all the functionality. If you are looking for a cheap alternative to Bialetti, this one will be your choice. It is also made from aluminum. So you cannot place it in the dishwasher and need to wash it by hand. Same as the Bialetti one, you can only use the gas or electric stovetop to heat the Moka pot. The quality of it is ok while compared with its price.
DELONGHI EMK6 Moka Pot
DELONGHI EMK6 is the unique one among Moka pots. Firstly, it has a transparent container, so you can monitor the whole process and know when it is done. Secondly, it embraces a keep-warm system. Your coffee could be kept warm for 30 minutes. This allows you to drink cup after cup without worrying about the temperature. Third, it uses the electric heater, no need to use the stove.
The safety features also make it easy to operate. It will automatically shut off when is overflow. Or the container is lifted.
TOPS 55705 Rapid Brew Stovetop Coffee Percolator
OK, this is not a Moka pot. It is a percolator. But why we add it here? The reason is simple. If you want to take a coffee maker to camp, but still want most of the aroma from the coffee, then you need the percolator. The TOPS 55705 is well made with quality. It is easy to clean too. And its size is larger than most of the Moka pot. For family camping, it is definitely the choice.
Cuisinox Roma Stovetop Moka Espresso Maker
The Cuisinox Roma Stovetop Moka Espresso is the most high-end Moka pot in the market. It comes with stainless steel so that you can safely put it into the dishwasher. It is almost twice the price of the Bialetti one.
With the price, it comes with a 25-years of warranty. Despite the warranty, this Moka pot is guaranteed to be durable and high quality. If you are like me who loves something look forever, choose this Moka pot.
Bialetti 06661 Kitty Espresso Coffee Maker
If you like the brand Bialetti, but don’t like its original design with aluminum, then this stainless one is what you need. Bialetti is not a brand that only uses aluminum. It also embraces the modern design of the Moka pot, so it also uses stainless steel. With stainless steel, you can put it into the dishwasher.
Buying Guide
If you start to consider buying one Moka Pot, you need to think about some aspects that may affect you. We have summarized the most important parts for you to reference.
Travel or At-Home
If you want to drink your coffee at home and enjoy the old-school type of Moka Pot, then the Bialetti, bonVIVO, AICOOK, and Cuisinox will be right for your choice.
What if you don’t want to use the stovetop and just want to take a lazy afternoon? Then you can go for the DELONGHI one.
If you like to travel and camp, go for the TOPS.
Material
The aluminium is not dishwasher safe. You need to wash it by hand. However, aluminium is of high maintenance. Even when they got rust, it will only form a layer on the top of it to avoid rusting further. So you don’t need to make sure it is dry after wash.
The stainless ones are dishwasher safe. You don’t need to wash it by hand. However, if you wash it by hand, you need to make sure it is dry because stainless steel will still get rust if it is not treated properly. Soda could drive away from the rust.
Cup Size
If you live alone, a small cup size Moka Pot will be ok for you. But if you cook the coffee for your family, then you shall really choose the big cup size ones. However, a big cup size Moka Pot is not capable of making just one or two cups of coffee. You may need two Moka Pots if you want to fit both needs.
Conclusion
Getting a Moka Pot is not that hard after reading this guide. Enjoying a cup of light espresso at a cheap price is nice. Moka Pot coffee, for the taste, is better than a cup of drip coffee. If you get bored with the drip coffee, try it now.
