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See the 7 tests

1. Specifications
2. How to Use
3. Capacity
4. Brew Time
5. Ease of Use
6. Clean Up
7. Quality

Specifications

I bought the 6-cup version. These are my own measurements:

• Height 8.25in
• Length, handle curve to spout 7.0in
• Handle height 3.5in
• Lid diameter 4.0in
• Base diameter 4.0in
• Weight 20.4oz
• Made in Italy

How to Use

A moka pot works nothing like a traditional percolator, so here is the whole process:

1. Fill the boiler to just below the safety valve. I use tap water, though pre-heated water makes better coffee.
2. Fill the filter to the brim with medium-fine to medium grounds, without tamping or packing them.
3. Brush any grounds off the edges, then seat the filter on the boiler.
4. Screw the collector on tightly and put it on the stove over medium heat.
5. When you hear it gurgle, kill the heat, take it off and run it under cold water.

Pour it out as is, add hot milk for a latte, or add hot water to take the edge off the concentration.

Capacity

• Model I bought 6-cup
• Water at the fill line 10-11ozJust below the safety valve
• Filter holds 26-27g (0.92-0.95oz) of grounds
• Coffee I could brew 5.5 cupsBialetti calls it a 6-cup, but the fill line holds 10-11oz, which is 5.5 of its 2oz espresso cups. No more and no less
• Other sizes Sold separately, in fixed capacities

A moka pot has one capacity and that’s it. Brewing less over-extracts the coffee and changes the taste, so a 6-cup pot makes 6 cups every single time.

Brew Time

• First coffee into the collector 5-5.5 min
• Brewing finished 8 min 15 sec

That’s the fastest of every percolator I tested, and it’s not close.

Note Tap water at room temperature, brewed on medium heat. Your times will shift with water and ambient temperature.

Ease of Use

Two marked lines inside the boiler show you the maximum fill, so there’s nothing to measure, whether water or coffee.

The handle is nicely sized and ergonomic, though a little small for larger hands. It’s heat-resistant and stayed cool throughout.

The black knob on the lid is heat-resistant too, and never got hot even though I kept lifting it to check on the coffee. The pot is stable on the stove.

There are never any grounds in the coffee, because a filter is built into the bottom of the collector. No filter paper needed.

Clean Up

I toss the grounds and rinse everything with warm water, using my fingers to shift any residue. Even the coffee oils come off with warm water alone.

Pro Tip Bialetti says not to use detergent, and never to put a moka pot in the dishwasher.

Quality

• Collector, boiler and filter Aluminum
• Handle and lid knob Hard plastic
• Replacement gaskets $1-2Sold separately

The outside finish is good and still holding up well after years of frequent use.

The inside of the boiler is a different story. It looks fairly stained now.

The collector has held up well, and I keep it clean.

My gasket is worn out, so a little water now leaks from the seal during brewing. It didn’t do that when the pot was new.

Replacement gaskets cost $1-2, so none of this is serious. The pot is fully functional and good quality.

Pros and Cons

Now, what are the pros and cons, and would I recommend the Bialetti Moka Express over a traditional camping percolator?

Far more user-friendly than a percolator

There’s nothing to measure: not the coffee, not the water. And the built-in filter means no grounds ever reach your cup.

The fastest brew I tested

Coffee is finished in 8 min 15 sec, well ahead of every traditional percolator in my lineup.

Much easier to clean

Warm water and your fingers is the whole routine, and even the coffee oils come off.

Good quality, made in Italy

It’s still going strong after years of frequent use. The gasket is the only part I’ve had to replace.

You brew 6 cups or nothing

Buy a 6-cup moka pot and that’s what you get every time. Brewing less over-extracts the coffee. There’s no flexibility on a day you want one cup.

I prefer the taste from a traditional percolator

Some of my other percolators make slightly better coffee to my palate. I’m no coffee expert though, and this one is genuinely subjective, so ignore it if you want.

Bonus: Must Read!

I measured every number on this page myself.