Origins
The moka pot, also called Italian coffee maker or macchinetta (literally « small machine »), is a stovetop coffee maker, which uses the expansion of hot air to prepare coffee. Patented by Alfonso Bialetti under the name of Moka Express in 1933, the Bialetti company continues to produce the Moka Express coffee maker.
This coffee maker is mainly used in Europe and has become a design object exhibited in modern art museums such as the Science Museum in London. These coffee makers are sold in different capacities, from 1 to 18 cups of 50 ml. The original model is made of aluminum with bakelite handles.
Design
The invention of the Moka coffee maker brought espresso from cafes to homes. Before this coffee maker, only wealthy people could have espresso at home because quality espresso machines were expensive and used by baristas.
The flavor of the coffee produced by a moka pot depends greatly on the variety of bean, the roasting, the heating temperature, and also the grind: it is advisable to use finer ground coffee (for coffee purchased ground, this criterion is generally specified on the package). Due to the pressure, water remains liquid at a temperature above 100°C; this passing more quickly through the grind, the coffee obtained contains more volatile aromas and less caffeine (massive molecule) than that obtained with a filter.
Moka coffee makers have a similar coffee extraction ratio to espresso machines. Depending on the coffee used, Moka coffee makers can produce the same froth as espresso machines.
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