Heat your coffee - place it on a moderately hot stove, angling the handle away from heat if not an induction stove, and leaving the lid open. Coffee will start to bubble into the top section Using a Bialetti Venus is the same as using a Bialetti Moka Express - this can be daunting to newcomers, but once you know the basics it's easy to produce a high-quality cup every time: Contrary to what many are saying about initial use, i did wash the individual parts in very hot soapy dishwater and rinsed carefully before i used it for the first time. To be blunt — not following through on this step is just plain gross. You have no idea what this unit went through during the manufacturing process, or how many people handled it and under what conditions. Wash the damn thing in soapy water before you use it. After that, it requires minimal maintenance.

If the largest size of the Moka Pot still feels too small for you, you might consider a percolator. It is a simple stovetop coffee maker with vintage appeal, although it makes regular brew rather than strong espresso-style coffee. Things to consider when buying a Moka PotI've been using the classic aluminum mokapots for 15 years and have mostly loved them. But they do get nasty after a while and they're hard to clean. (impossible to clean once you've melted the rubber gasket) So I tried a 6-cup stainless version and I like it a lot:

Heat your coffee - place it on a moderately hot stove, angling the handle away from heat and leaving the lid open. Coffee will start to bubble into the top section It is worth mentioning that the exact volume of coffee that, for example, 3-cup Bialetti and 3-cup Grosche Milano Moka Pot can produce will vary slightly, so if you need precision, your best reference will be the user manual or a graded measuring cup. My first few tries my heat was too low, so it took a total of 6 or 7 minutes to finish brewing and it didn't make much, if any, crema.) If your beans are ground more finely, the brew time will take a bit longer because the steam extraction is forced through a more dense grind. DO NOT TAMP THE COFFEE OR RUSH THE BREW PROCESS. 2-3 minutes actual brew time once the coffee starts percolating out of the top chamber port is key. Espresso grind may be too fine for this pot. It should be a bit more coarse but still finely ground. Experiment and take notes on the settings for your particular grinder.Its output is equivalent to almost a double shot of espresso, which is great for making concentrated shots of coffee for two people or making yourself an espresso-based drink that requires a double shot. UPDATE: I am posting this to help others with finding replacement gaskets for their Bialetti Venus 6-cup moka pot. I wanted to plan ahead and have a couple gaskets on hand when my gasket eventually fails. After researching, i selected this product which, as stated in their description, is a genuine Bialetti replacement — although the gaskets are made of RUBBER, not silicone as was supplied in my original Venus moka pot. Stovetop espresso makers have the advantage of being low in waste as they don’t need paper filters. All you do is throw out the used coffee grounds, which can even be composted if you are up for it!

However, you can experiment with tailoring your home-brewed coffee to your tastes. Flavored syrups and other, more creative coffee add-ins, such as cardamom, salt, or chili pepper can take your coffee to the next level!I THINK the brew is a little less strong than aluminum. The filler basket may be just a tiny bit smaller. A 2-cup Moka Pot makes roughly 3 ounces (90 ml) of coffee. This may depend on the manufacturer, but for Bialetti, a 2-cup Moka Pot produces a bit less than twice that of a 1-cup Moka Pot. Cleaning: When you unscrew your pot, there should be a some brown water left in the bottom because that leftover water would've diluted your brew too much if it had gone through, and it's got a lot of fines in it, so it's not the best-tasting. This I've learned from the Moka pot video on the "Il Barista Italiano" YouTube channel, among others. Timing: (Timing might take longer for the 4 cup Brikka.) With my 2 cup Brikka, on a preheated medium electric stove, the coffee starts quietly streaming into the upper chamber after aprox 4 minutes, then several seconds later the crema starts coming, and several seconds after that the crema is accelerating, so I take it off the stove before it gets loud, around 4-1/2 minutes; and I let it finish brewing on my countertop. It finishes brewing at around 5 minutes or a little before. See my attached video that shows when to remove it from the stove. My barista daughter recommends listening for the ripping/tearing sound and immediately taking it off the heat, so she sent me the attached video showing when she takes it off.

On a side note the replacement filter screen that comes with the gaskets is a cheap aluminum facsimile of the original stainless steel one. AVOID THIS REPLACEMENT PRODUCT. It states it is made in Italy but looks Chinese. You will be disappointed. If I had to buy another, I would buy stainless again but I might go up to a 9 cup but use less water. When prepared with a Moka Pot, coffee is more concentrated — more like a shot of espresso than a regular brew. So most people wouldn’t drink a whole mug due to the high caffeine content. New Bialetti Brikka is Made in Europe by Bialetti, the inventor of the original Moka pot and recognizable by the one and only the gentleman with moustache​ gracing it Finally, watch the gush of steam and froth at the end of the brew time — if it is too aggressive you risk turning the coffee bitter. Both Peet's® Big Bang whole bean and Lavazza Crema e Gusto (espresso grind) work wonderfully in this unit. In fact, I was surprised that the Peet's gives Lavazza a run for its money, price-wise. Simply a wonderful cup of coffee to look forward to every morning!

Main Characteristics

Using a Bialetti Moka Express can be daunting to newcomers, but once you know the basics it's easy to produce a high-quality cup every time: Because of the low position of the outlet in the pot, you get less coffee with this pot than with older Bialetti designs of similar size, and combined with the design features already mentioned I am finding my coffee quite _dis_-satisfying - not at all what I had in mind when buying a new pot! Using the Moka Pot coffee as a base, you can make cappuccinos, lattes, or flat whites at home. Use a battery-operated handheld or electric milk frother to achieve the airy texture of the milk before adding it to your cup with brewed coffee.