BREW GUIDE
Stovetop (Moka Pot)
Bold, traditional, Italian-style intensity without an espresso machine. The original espresso for the home.
- Easy
- ⏱ 5 mins total
- ☕ 2-6 cups
GEAR
Moka pot, stove, grinder
RATIO
Basket-fills-itself
GRIND
Fine-medium
HEAT
Medium (not high)
THE RECIPE
Seven steps for great moka
The stovetop moka pot is how millions of Italians have made coffee for nearly a century. Forgiving, fast, bold. The trick is medium heat, and pulling it off the moment the gurgle changes. Here is the recipe Carlos uses.
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Pick the right moka pot
One-time setupAluminium Bialetti is the classic, but stainless steel works on induction stoves. Size matters: a 3-cup moka makes 150ml of strong coffee, a 6-cup makes 300ml. Use it FULL - half-filled moka pots brew badly.
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Fill water to the valve
30 secUnscrew the base, fill with cold filtered water up to the safety valve (the round metal disc on the inside wall). Don't fill above it - that's a safety feature for pressure release.
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Fill the basket with coffee
30 secUse a fine-medium grind - finer than V60, coarser than espresso. Fill the basket to the top, level it off - don't tamp. Tamping creates too much pressure resistance and you'll get bitter coffee or worse, a stuck moka.
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Assemble and put on medium heat
Heating: 4-5 minsPlace the basket on the base, screw the top section on firmly. Set the moka pot on the stove over medium heat - not high. Patience here = better coffee. High heat scorches the grounds.
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Listen for the gurgle, kill the heat
Brewing: 30-60 secYou'll hear hissing, then a steady gurgle as coffee fills the top chamber. When it starts sputtering loudly (the final 'choo-choo' sound), take it off the heat immediately. Run the base under cold water to stop extraction.
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Stir, serve, savour
Drink: nowGive the top chamber a quick stir to even out the brew, then pour. Moka coffee is strong, bold and rich - drink it straight as an Italian-style espresso, or with hot milk as a 'caffè latte'.
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Clean while warm, never with soap
1 minKnock out the spent grounds. Rinse with hot water only - no soap, no scrubbing pad - especially on aluminium. The natural oils season the pot over time and improve every brew. Dry fully before storing.
PRO TIPS
Three tips from Carlos
Three things that turn an OK moka into a great one.
Pre-heat your water
Italian tip: start with hot water, not cold. This reduces the time the coffee spends being heated through, which means less bitter extraction. Game-changer for moka pot.
Medium-dark roasts work best
Moka pot is unforgiving with light roasts - they come out flat and sour. Use a medium to medium-dark roast for the rich, chocolatey cup the method is famous for. Re Firma works perfectly.
Don't overfill the basket
Tempting to pack it for more strength - but the basket has the right amount for the water volume. Overfilling causes the moka to over-pressurise and the coffee tastes bitter and burnt.
BEANS FOR MOKA
Which beans to use
Moka pot loves medium to medium-dark roasts. Our Re Firma blend was built for exactly this: bold, chocolatey, rich in the cup.
Other brewing methods
Same beans, different flavours. Stovetop brings boldness. The other methods bring different sides of the same coffee.
