Bialetti Moka Express 1-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker

I decided to go with this instead of a fancy pants espresso machine. I bought the 1-cup maker (makes 1 shot of espresso, not 1 cup of coffee fyi) and a frother, and I am so glad that I did!

When I first opened the espresso maker, I wasn't exactly sure how to use it. Not all of the directions are perfectly clearI didn't know how high to fill the water (it says to the "lines," but I didn't see any lines), how much espresso to put in, or how long to let it sit for. I skimmed through a bunch of reviews and slowly pieced together all the info I needed....which I will put in one convenient place for you!

When you first get it, clean it with water. Everything I readfrom the instructions to other reviewssay not to use soap. The instructions say to make your first batch and throw it away, which I did since I wasn't able to use soap to clean it.

If you get a larger maker, obviously you will need to adjust your measurements. For the 1-cup, put the water in the bottom piece up to the bottom of the valve (the thing on the wall of the base when you look in it). Put the metal filter in next and put 1 tbsp espresso in. Again, this makes one espresso shot. Screw the top on and put it on low-medium heat (I put it on 3 or 4 on my electric stove and that worked just fine). My burners are pretty big so I set it off to the side of the coils where it was directly on a few of them; I set the handle so it wasn't over the coils because I saw a lot of reviews about the handle melting.

When I made my first batch, I wasn't sure how long to wait; needless to say, I didn't wait long enough. With the 1-cup, it took about 5 minutes to see the espresso start to brew. As it brews, you can definitely open the top to take a peek. You have to guestimate when all the water has gone through (trial and error from using it a few times), and when it's all done, pour out your espresso into whatever you are drinking it from.

For an easy mochaI heated 1/2 cup or so of milk in the microwave. I used Hershey's syrup (about 1 tbsp) and added it to the milk. I used my $7 milk frother (IKEA Produkt Milk Frother...if you live by IKEA, buy it in person for $2!) to mix the milk/syrup. I poured the espresso in a mug and added the chocolate milk to it. It was much more delicious than I expected for using plain ol' Hershey's syrup!!!

In conclusion, it's an awesome espresso maker. It's better than a machine because there are less parts to break, it's easier to clean, and it's definitely authentic!!

Enjoy :D

A previous reviewer complained that the 6 cup version only makes 1 1/4 cups. This is an espresso maker, as such, the cups are measured in "espresso cups", which happen to be 1oz or 30ml. So the 6 cup make 6oz, which is plenty of espresso to have anyone climbing the walls. I love mine, I have the 3 and 6 version (work and home).

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This is your basic Italian single shot espresso maker for the stovetop. I used practically the same model for almost a year while in Florence. I'm tracking down some killer Illy dark coffee to run through this puppy and am salivating until I can find a can.

It works very well. This unit produces a very small amount of very strong coffee. About the same as a single espresso from that corporate giant in Seattle.

***** The keys to success are: 1. fill water no higher than the nut (pressure relief valve) on the side of the bottom section, and 2) use only low to medium (at most) heat to keep it from boiling over.

Yum!

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I've had the 3-cup model for 5 years, using it on average 3-4 times per week. It makes absolutely fantastic espresso and I've become so spoiled that I don't care much for espresso in coffee shops any more. It's quick, simple and wonderful! One caution that several reviewers mentioned -make SURE it is COMPLETELY dry before storing away. My wife put it away several times without it being completely dry and now I have that "corrosion" that a few reviewers have mentioned. As long as it's dry COMPLETELY dry this won't happen. BUT, even though I'll now be ordering a new (and bigger) one, 5 years from an inexpensive little pot that has blown me away with its coffee quality isn't bad at all. For now, I've found that if I scrub out the interior with a steel wool SOS pad before using it, I'm getting by until I get a new one. I LOVE this pot! My advice -buy one now! Oh, for a really special treat, put a small piece of lemon rind in the cup before pouring in the coffee. HEAVEN!

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Since I'm Italian I can claim a good experience in moka coffee.

There's nothing wrong with this one, you cannot expect the same quality as espresso. Using good coffee beans, well ground and packing it right you'll have a good coffee. Just a matter of pratice. Remember: you don't need soap to wash it, keep the fire far from the handle and change the O-ring periodically.