Earlier, espresso machines were not that common in households, while moka pots were not expensive and could still make a fairly strong coffee liquid. That is the reason for the moka pot's existence. 

As coffee has become more and more popular, the moka pot, as an affordable coffee device, has become widely loved. More and more people keep a moka pot at the office or at home so they can enjoy delicious coffee at any time. But many friends are not familiar with how to use a moka pot, so after buying one they find themselves at a loss, and the coffee they extract does not taste right either! Therefore, what Qianjie wants to share today is: a guide to using the moka pot! I hope it can help everyone make delicious moka pot coffee!

The structure and working principle of the moka pot

The moka pot is mainly divided into three parts: the lower chamber that holds water, the filter basket that holds the grounds, and the upper chamber that receives the coffee liquid.

The principle of the moka pot is very simple. By heating the lower chamber, the water inside reaches boiling point and turns into steam. With no place to escape, the steam slowly builds up, filling the pot with pressure. Once the pressure accumulates to a certain level, it pushes the remaining hot water up to the upper chamber. Just before the hot water reaches the upper chamber, it first passes through the filter basket, so at this point it extracts the coffee grounds, then seeps out through the upper chamber carrying the coffee substances. The liquid that finally emerges from the spout is the coffee liquid.

The grind size of coffee grounds for the moka pot

Compared with other brewing methods, the coffee grounds used in a moka pot do not have such high requirements for grinding! An extra-fine particle size close to espresso makes it easier to achieve a quasi-espresso coffee!

Particles like the coarse sugar granules of pour-over coffee and the flour-like particles of Turkish coffee are not recommended! Too coarse a grind makes the resistance of the coffee puck too low, which causes the hot water to pass through too quickly and fail to extract enough coffee substances, meaning it is prone to under-extraction; while too fine a grind makes the resistance too high, and the hot water accumulates in the filter basket for a long time without being able to get out, creating a risk of explosion!!! So if you find that the water has been boiling for a long time but the liquid still has not emerged, then it is best to turn off the heat source, readjust the grind, and then extract again. Safety is the most important thing!

The amount of grounds to use in a moka pot

Different sizes of moka pots use different amounts of grounds, and coffee grounds of different coarseness have different volumes. At the same weight, the finer the grind, the smaller the volume of the coffee grounds! Changes in volume will affect extraction, so many times, when we use the officially recommended amount of grounds but cannot extract delicious coffee, this is exactly the reason: differences in grinding create differences in extraction!

Therefore, we can directly fill the filter basket with coffee grounds, leveling them off. This ensures a higher margin for error during extraction. The amount of grounds used to level off the filter basket is the most suitable extraction amount for that size of moka pot and the current grind. Then Qianjie suggests that everyone record the numbers, to make it easier to adjust the extraction plan later~

The amount of water to use in a moka pot

The amount of water in a moka pot is also a matter of greater concern to everyone. You can take out the lower chamber of the moka pot. Inside the water reservoir of the lower chamber there is a metal valve, and this thing is called the "pressure relief valve."

Its function is to prevent accidents where the pot explodes due to excessive pressure caused by too fine a grind or some other factor. If too much water is added and it goes above this valve, then the pressure relief valve may lose its pressure-relieving effect, increasing the risk of the pot exploding. So Qianjie suggests controlling the water amount below this valve as the most suitable. Likewise, in order to better adjust extraction, Qianjie suggests measuring the amount of water poured in.

What kind of coffee beans are suitable for a moka pot

Qianjie can say very frankly that the moka pot is suitable for extracting all coffee beans. As for the specific beans to use, we can choose according to our own needs. If you want to use moka pot coffee to make a latte, then a dark roast that can produce rich crema and whose bitterness will not be overpowered by the milk flavor is your first choice! If you want to use moka pot coffee to make a cup of refreshing black coffee, then choosing a light roast with floral and fruity notes will be even better! The specific choice depends on your own needs.

These are the points that need attention. Now let us move on to the tutorial for making moka pot coffee!

Steps for using a moka pot

Prepare the materials needed to make coffee: coffee grounds, water, a moka pot, and a heat source for heating.

1. Add water: First we add an appropriate amount of hot water. Because hot water can shorten the time needed to boil the water, letting us get a cup of moka pot coffee faster!

2. Fill with coffee grounds: Put an appropriate amount of coffee grounds into the filter basket, then place the filter basket into the lower chamber.

It should be noted that after pouring the coffee grounds into the filter basket, we should preferably gently tap the filter basket. The purpose of doing this is to allow the coffee grounds to be pressed downward naturally, fill the gaps, and reduce the occurrence of channeling. After filling, just use your finger to level the surface of the coffee grounds. Note that if the coffee grounds used are too fine, then it is best not to tamp them, because this will increase the resistance of the filter basket and make it even harder for the hot water to pass through.

3. Tighten the upper chamber and lower chamber together: The point to note in this step is that if hot water has been added, then it is best to use a wet cloth for insulation to avoid burns.

4. Place on the heat source and start brewing: There is not much to say about this point. Just place the moka pot on a heat-conducting heat source to heat.

5. Turn to low heat and wait for the coffee liquid to seep out: When we have brewed until the moka pot makes an obvious sound, it means that the hot water, pushed by the steam, is about to overflow with the coffee substances. At this point we need to lower the heat.

Otherwise, high heat will continuously produce steam, strengthening the pressure, and then because the pressure is too strong, the hot water will flow out faster and be unable to extract enough coffee substances, ultimately making the whole cup of coffee taste thin and weak. So when the coffee liquid is about to overflow, it is best to lower the heat.

6. Stop heating and wait for extraction to finish: When the coffee liquid has come out halfway, we should turn off the heat source, because the residual heat inside the moka pot is already enough to "urge" out the remaining hot water.

7. Tasting the coffee: Once the moka pot stops dispensing liquid, we can pour out the coffee to taste it!

If, when drinking moka pot coffee, we taste a strong burnt bitterness, that indicates over-extraction, and we need to appropriately reduce the amount of liquid extracted; next time, simply end the extraction earlier! If it tastes too sour with some off-flavors, it is very likely under-extracted, and the grind can be adjusted. If the grind cannot be adjusted, then we can increase extraction by slightly increasing the amount of water in the moka pot. After several attempts, you will know how to extract a delicious cup of moka pot coffee~