Moka pot, sometimes called stovetop espresso, is a fun and classic brew method that uses pressurized water to brew a very strong cup of coffee at home. The final brew very closely resembles espresso: rich, concentrated, and delicious.
The moka pot is comprised of three chambers:
- Bottom Chamber: where water is added to be heated and lightly pressurized
- Brew Basket: where coffee grounds are stored and pressurized water passes through
- Top Chamber: where brewed coffee is dispensed
Recommended Coffee to Water Ratio: 1:10 (rich and concentrated)
What you'll need
- Moka Pot (we recommend Bialetti)
- Fresh coffee, fine grind (15-30g)
- Filtered Water (150-300g)
- Hot Pad
-
Stovetop, or another heat source
Prep
- Grind the coffee of your choice on a fine setting. This is the second to finest setting on most grinders: finer than medium, but not quite ground for espresso. Use the 1:10 coffee to water ratio and determine appropriate amounts for the size of your moka pot. For example, a 3-cup moka pot will use 15g of coffee and 150g of water for every brew, while a 6-Cup moka pot will use 30g of coffee to 300g of water.
- Disassemble your moka pot to separate the three chambers from one another: bottom chamber, brew basket, and top chamber.
- Add filtered water to the bottom chamber, filling to just below the bottom of the release valve. Many moka pots will include a line that indicates where to stop your pour. Before any coffee is added, place the bottom chamber on the stovetop, turn on the burner, and allow your water to pre-heat.
- As your water is heating up, fill your brew basket to the top without packing the coffee grounds down. Fill this basket, or the "puck," entirely and give the side of your brew basket a little tap to ensure that the coffee grounds are evenly distributed.
Brew
- Once you begin to see some bubbles and movement from your water, but still short of a rolling boil, take your heat pad and securely remove the bottom chamber from the stovetop. With hot water ready to go, it's now time to re-assemble your moka pot.
- Very carefully drop your filled brew basket into place above the bottom chamber. Then reattach the top chamber, screwing it on tightly. Using the handle, safely place the reassembled moka pot back onto your stove. Turn your stove down to a medium flame to allow for a steady brew.
- The moka pot will begin to brew on its own, pushing hot water up through the brew basket, saturating the coffee grounds, and then dispensing brewed coffee into the brew chamber. You will be able to hear the brewing in action.
- When you hear a change in sound to a sputtering noise from the top chamber, your brew is complete. Safely remove your moka pot from the stove and turn off the burner. Wait at least 10-15 seconds before your pour to allow the coffee to settle.
- Your "stovetop espresso" is now ready to drink. Simply pour and enjoy. Be careful—it's hot!
Pro Tips
- As mentioned in this recipe, we recommend heating your water up in the bottom chamber of the moka pot before any coffee is added. Be advised that with this approach your moka pot will brew your coffee quite quickly.
- Most moka pots are already designed with the 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio in mind. This means that if you fill your brew basket to the brim with coffee and your bottom chamber to its max line with water, you are already brewing with a ~1:10 ratio without having to measure or weigh anything.
- The brewed coffee that comes from your moka pot will be very hot and quite concentrated. If you are an espresso drinker, feel free to drink it as-is. However, those who prefer an Americano-like drink can just add a bit of hot water or a splash of milk to create something closer to a latte.
- While we encourage you to explore your moka pot with a variety of coffees, we tend to recommend coffees from our espresso collection, which have all been roasted to yield the best flavor from espresso brew methods.