Ripped From The Headlines Coffee Edition

[Mordechaj]

Am I the only one here that uses a moka pot? It's got a bad rep, for sure, but it's because people mostly don't know how to use it properly.

I am a strong arabica fan, and I like the espresso-like consistencies. At home I use a miniature 1 (espreso) cup moca, at work a cheap Ikea french press. I'd like an areopress which is more versatile than the moka, but that's not happening any time soon. I'd like to grind my own too, but that's on indefinite hold also.


p.s. When it's too late for coffe but I'd like something similar in texture - I make pure chickory instead.

 

[user 2031]

Am I the only one here that uses a moka pot? It's got a bad rep, for sure, but it's because people mostly don't know how to use it properly.

I am a strong arabica fan, and I like the espresso-like consistencies. At home I use a miniature 1 (espreso) cup moca, at work a cheap Ikea french press. I'd like an areopress which is more versatile than the moka, but that's not happening any time soon. I'd like to grind my own too, but that's on indefinite hold also.


p.s. When it's too late for coffe but I'd like something similar in texture - I make pure chickory instead.

Moka pots... :evil: :evil: :evil:

I tried to like one, but the sucker had a steam leak that I could not stop, even with a new gasket. Plus, I have an electric stove which seems an ill fit for a Moka pot; I would think gas would be much easier to control. All I ever got out of mine was aggravation and a so-so cup of bitter coffee. I've gone back to peculating.

 

[Mordechaj]

Yeah, gas offers much better heat control. You can achieve good results on electric stove too, but with a bit more patience (minimum heat, barely cooking...).

 

[George Kaplan]

The moka pot takes some trial and error to get it right, and even then you never really get the crema from a good pull from a coffee shop espresso machine. Espresso's all about the crema. Without that it's just a tiny cup of burnt coffee. I do like the moka pot for Cubanos or Americano, but at home I usually just French press it and call it good.

 

[nismo270r]

Am I the only one here that uses a moka pot? It's got a bad rep, for sure, but it's because people mostly don't know how to use it properly.

I am a strong arabica fan, and I like the espresso-like consistencies. At home I use a miniature 1 (espreso) cup moca, at work a cheap Ikea french press. I'd like an areopress which is more versatile than the moka, but that's not happening any time soon. I'd like to grind my own too, but that's on indefinite hold also.


p.s. When it's too late for coffe but I'd like something similar in texture - I make pure chickory instead.

I have a small moka pot as well, but haven't used it since we got the machine at home. I was kind of intrigued by Bialetti's electric version and came close to grabbing one for work, but I already have too many coffee gadgets. Kettle, small Chemex, and a Lido 3 for work do the trick!

 

[Mordechaj]

@nismo270r: It's a good thing that you didn't buy the bialetti's electrical pot. While the timer function is a gift from heaven (you can set it so that the coffe wakes you up) - it will always produce an inferior cup in comparison with non-automated pots, because the electrical one never swiches off in time, thus producing a burnt brew.

@George: It's a mistake (or rather - a simplification) to present the moka as "a stove espresso machine". It's a moka - in it's own right. It can achieve a bit over 1 bar of pressure, nowhere near 10+ bars of espresso machines, so normally it can't have same results. Upside is the cost, an order of magnitude less than for a decent machine, and if you dunk the lower half of your moka pot in some cold water just as it's finishing (BEFORE all the water has gone through the ground coffe) and if you kept it on low flames all the time, then it won't be burnt. French press is practical for work, but it makes a much more watery drink than moka*.

*If I had a grinder then french press would be much more interesting for me than it is now.