Bialetti Moka Crem, 3-Cup

Some people complained about not getting foamy coffee with this product.Do not follow Bialetti's instruction book with regards to the proper water level in the bottom black reservoir.The manual mentions to fill the water above the pressure valve and I say NO!!

Just fill water just below the pressure valve because you do not want to brew too much coffee at a time.The top chamber needs room for the foaming action of the plunger to work effectively.

*****************Updated Information (March 1,2013*******************************

Cappucino-Making -IF you want a cappuccino then warm 5ounces of milk in metal pan or microwave just under the boiling point and add a little less than one teaspoon of white sugar into the milk and stir. Then proceed to the coffee brewing steps below.

How to propering use the "Bialetti moka crem pot":This is for making plain stove top coffee foam(what this machine was designed for )

Materials Needed:

1-Lavazza Crema e Gusto coffeedesigned for moka pots and is "Made In Italy"-tastes like cocoa with a pleasant flavor and not bitter.

2-Cool filtered water-this is important;tap water will ruin any coffee in my opinion

3-Bialetti Moka Crem Pot-keep this pot clean by running moderately hot water on all the pieces of the unit.Never use soap!!! The pot will smell of coffee grounds in the bottom black chamber but this is normal.This "seasoning" of the pot is a good thing.

Also, remove the rubber gasket and filter plate and wash them at least a week. You want all the pieces of the moka pot to be dried off for a few hours before assembling the pot and putting it away in storage.

Set the heat on a 3 out of 10 heat setting if using an electric stove top and leave the plastic lid of the pot. If using this method you must be sure to watch the pot the entire time it is brewing. Wait around 3minutes and you will notice the coffee slowly trickle down the metal rod out of two holes in the in the middle rod of the top chamber. Wait for the the coffee to come out and brew until the "brewed coffee" level reaches about halfway up the top chamber. This is the point when you notice some coffee bubbles coming out and it is finised brewing.Now take the moka pot off the burner and carefully put the plastic frothing lid on the unit. Now plunge to froth the coffee roughly 50 times. You will notice that the coffee turns into a whipped cream-type consistency. Now remove the plastic frothing lid again so the coffee foam does not get disturbed (and deflated) when pouring. Pour into coffee cup and enjoy.

I have had the cute little Moka Crem for 1 week and continue to try to get a crema, but have not been sucessful. I pump and pump and I get the crema, but when you pour it in my cup it disapears. I am returning it. I love my other Bialetti Moka pots.

Buy Bialetti Moka Crem, 3-Cup Now

I received this little pot as a gift and I count myself amused by it. Filling to the recommended mark makes a 3 cup (6 oz American) pot of coffee that you can just barely get a crema on. My Bodum cups are 4 oz, so this is roughly 2 actual espresso cups.

There are several problems with the crem: one, if the pot fills all the way there isn't enough air under the plunger to make much froth and two, most importantly, the crema gets *stuck* under the lid when pouring out. I've chosen to find this funny, but I might not be so amused if I'd paid extra for it.

As noted elsewhere on the Internet, there is also a difference depending on the coffee you use. I started with my usual pre-ground espresso and got very disappointing results. Using a fresh, store-ground bag of coffee produced the results in my photos and is acceptable. Some reviewers claimed the best results with robustica coffee blends because they have a higher fat content, but I prefer arabica so I haven't experimented with that.

The Bialetti Moka Crem is a cute novelty coffee maker, but if you want a real crema, you'll need a real espresso maker.

Read Best Reviews of Bialetti Moka Crem, 3-Cup Here

Makes good expresso but disappointed that the valve started leaking after the third time it was used. Didn't really need to moka crem. The base model would have been sufficient.

Want Bialetti Moka Crem, 3-Cup Discount?

La Cafetiere TQ080200 Thermique 35 fl oz Coffee Press, Stainless Steel

After weeks of searching for a stainless steel coffee press and reading every review submitted--I really appreciate product reviews: good and bad--I finally found a press that I thought would work...and it does! In fact, it makes an excellent pot of coffee. It is also very beautiful. It looks like a silver coffee pot you might find on the room-service tray at a 4-star hotel: classic art deco design. The generous spout allows you to pour the coffee without dripping and the large handle makes it easy to hold securely. The pot is polished stainless steel, made in China by a British firm with, obviously, very exacting standards; there are no flaws, dents, or unfinished surfaces. It has a smooth and seamless appearing surface throughout: inside and outside and it can sit proudly on any tray or table.

Following my accident with my glass Bodum press (it exploded and I received 1st and 2nd degree burns), I was a little leery about pressing down on the plunger when I made my first pot. No need to worry; it slid down like a dream: smoothly and easily. So easily that I thought it might not have captured all the coffee grounds. (The one drawback in using a metal pot is not being able to see the grounds being pressed.) No need to worry, as I discovered when I cleaned the pot, all the grounds had been captured by the stainless, mesh filter and there was little if any water with the grounds in the bottom of the pot. By the way, this press must be hand washed and dried: it cannot be put into a dishwasher.

The only feature that did not seem to "work" for me was the keep-warm feature. I did not make a full pot (which probably contributed to the cooling down of the brew); but, I did make enough for two mugs of coffee--about 20 oz.--and I drank the second cup within ten minutes. The second cup was not as hot as the first one. I did rinse the pot with very hot tap water before putting the ground coffee into the pot and I placed it on a hot pad so my tiled counter would not cool the pot. However, this pot is double-walled and the air pocket is what "keeps the coffee warm"; it is not a thermos pot. The pot is hefty; but, not as heavy as it would be if it was a thermos or glass-insulated pot. Not having the glass insulation might be a good thing: nothing to break should I drop it; therefore, it should last a very long time. I think the warming aspect would be better triggered if one was making a full pot and using--as the instruction booklet suggests--water "just off the boil." That is, the water for this coffee press should be boiled; it will cool down when it hits the pot and the heat is absorbed by the air pocket.

Oh, yes, the coffee from this elegant press--it was the best! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this great press to anyone. Yes, it is a little more expensive than the glass presses; but, I don't have to worry about it exploding or breaking.

July Update: I have made many full pots of coffee since my initial review and I can safely say that my coffee did stay very warm; that is, very drinkable--for up to 2 hours--and the pot stayed cool to the touch. I did use water just off the boil; I think that certainly helped. I really do like this coffee press!

After trying out (and reviewing) several other stainless steel coffee presses, I guess I'm keeping this one. It's all metal, (unlike the awful new Bodums that use a plastic frame for the screen) solid enough, and does the job for less than half the price of some of the other presses. It's pleasing to the eye, from a distance at least.

Is it well made? No, not really. The brazing that connects the handle with the pot is sloppy, the join is cut at an uneven angle and bent, and the metal of the pot is rippled and distorted at the handle join. The polish job is very rough. It's obvious that this thing was put together in a Chinese sweatshop without a lot of pride in craftsmanship. I find it absurd to compare this cheap, tinny pot to a real handcrafted silver serving vessel. It's like people have lost all understanding of quality... Don't kid yourself; this is a low-quality item that will do the job, period. And considering that the Frieling press, while more substantial, also suffered from low quality metalworking, I'll stick with this one and save a couple bucks. The strainer on this pot is a cheap imitation of the Bodum piece with a looser, thinner screen, but thankfully shares the same thread size, so a real (old-school) Bodum 3-piece stainless screen can be screwed on in place of the stock one.

On the positive side, the spout works very well and does not drip, unlike some others. You can rotate the lid and it will cover the opening, presumably keeping your beverage hotter even longer. The handle sits nicely in the hand, and the pot balances and pours well. Although not a vacuum thermos, the double wall design does keep your coffee hotter longer than a single-wall.

So, although not of the quality I'd like, (which apparently does not exist anywhere, at any price) I will be keeping this one, although I am sure every time I see that wonky handle join, I'll cringe a little. Those less fastidious about metalworking will probably like this pot just fine, and I will give it my qualified recommendation as being the best option on Amazon at the moment, for the price, IMO. Good luck!

Buy La Cafetiere TQ080200 Thermique 35 fl oz Coffee Press, Stainless Steel Now

While this product does hold up to its claims of keeping coffee hot, it has poor seams several places throughout the stainless where there are pin holes allowing liquid to get trapped between the stainless thermal layers. For sanitary reasons, I am not using and have ordered a competitor's stainless french press as a replacement. Very unhappy with my purchase.

Read Best Reviews of La Cafetiere TQ080200 Thermique 35 fl oz Coffee Press, Stainless Steel Here

All metal filter...no plastic or rubber. I preheated the thing with hot tap water, then made my coffee using fresh ground coffee from a burr mill. Kept the level 1 inch below the spout as instructed. Let it sit for 4 minutes with the lid on and filter up, then pressed it. Poured coffee. Taste was acceptable, similar to Bodum glass carafe.

Twisted the lid closed again to hold in heat. Angled the filter a little to keep the lid sealed better...it isn't a very tight fit, but the angle sealed in the steam acceptably well.

One timed hour later, spun the lid to the pour position and filled another mug. Perfectly hot, even after adding cream. Room temperature was 73 degrees F. Coffee bitterness after grounds stomped to the bottom did not noticeably increase after the one hour.

You'll get at least one hot hour from this maker. That's plenty.

The lid has a hole in the top and bottom for the filter rod to pass through. In theory, you could get gunk in this space, and find it hard to get out. I say poo on that. Flush with hot tap water, hold it upside down, and work the filter rod...the water comes out fine, as would any grinds that get up there if you get carried away with your filter plunging.

Stays hot, makes good coffee, all metal. Go get one and be happy you aren't breaking glass carafes when your guests come over. If you're a glass carafe aficionado, then keep this one in the cupboard for a backup.

If you like my review, send me one million dollars and I'll send you a thank-you card.

Want La Cafetiere TQ080200 Thermique 35 fl oz Coffee Press, Stainless Steel Discount?

I spent a good while seeking a replacement solution for the last french press when the press itself had broken. I was determined to find another press that was klutz-proof (so not glass), was not plastic, operated with easy pressure, poured cleanly and easily, and made enough coffee for at least two large cups in the morning (cuz some mornings are just rough like that or I'm fortunate enough to have good company to share with). Sounds impossible, right? Until you look at the product I'm reviewing and notice it satisfies all of those parameters!

What makes me even more giddy about investing in this particular press is that the construction is S-O-L-I-D. The metal has heft to it it is at least 18/8 stainless, but unmarked and the handle and the spout are very artfully, cleanly welded onto the body, and chased back to smooth, as you would expect of a piece of jewelry. And the double walled feature of this product doesn't stop at the pitcher; even the lid is an enclosed air pocket, making not only for better warmth retention, but also a more pleasant cleanup experience. Can you imagine having permanent dampness caught in the thickness of the lid? Doubtless infuriating.

Total bonus that it's damn pretty and I want to leave it out in view. The only disparaging things I have to say about it are that it's not dishwasher-safe (which is understandable), and not USA designed & manufactured (...which is sadly expected: UK-designed, Chinese-manufactured).

Save 6% Off

Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker

Every family in Italy owns one of these machines. Here are a few tips:

1. In Italy this is NOT called an espresso machine, but a Moka machine. An espresso is what you would drink in bar made with a steam or high pressure machine with the crema on top.

2. Smaller size Moka machine tend to make better coffee.

3. Never wash the Moka with detergents, just rinse it under tap water

4. You've gotta use it often for a good coffee.

5. If you haven't use it in a while, make a weak coffee ("lungo") and discard

6. DO NOT put the MOka in the dishwasher.

7. Use drinking water. Avoid tap water especially if very chlorinated

8. Never compress the coffee.

9. For a strong coffee fill the filter with ground coffee and make a small cupola that slightly protrudes beyond the rim. Do not press down.

10. For best coffee, heat at very low heat. It's ok if it takes 10min.

11. As soon as coffee reaches the top, remove from heat

12. Do not let the coffee boil

13. Use good quality coffee, not too strong, medium grind (try Illy for a good commercial brand)

14. Sip while still hot, enjoy!

15. (Added Nov 2012) Wait until all the water has reached the upper chamber before removing from the heat. You will be able to tell by the sound (takes some practice) or simply visually. As soon as no more coffee reaches the upper chamber remove from heat. Do note let the coffee boil. With practice, you may remove from the heat even sooner, by just using the residual heat in the lower chamber.

16. (Added Nov 2012) Some times you may put too much coffee, or the coffee is too finely ground, or it's been packed too hard. In all of these situations, the end results is typically that the coffee struggles reaching the upper chamber. You can tell by the spouting noise occurring too early, the foam occurring too early, and how slow the whole process is. You can try increasing the heat if that helps. However, you will likely end up with a coffee that is too bitter and tastes burned. Back in the old days, this was dangerous business with many machines exploding (they had no safety valves). Regardless, your coffee is ruined and I would suggest removing it frmo the heat immediately, let it coold down and starts all over.

17. (Added Nov 2012) What kind of coffee should I use? Experiment, experiment, experiment! Here are some tips I have learned by experimenting. Until you become confortable with the operations of the machine, you can use a good commercial brand like Illy (although it's quite expensive). I wouldn't want you to blame the machine, just because you happened to use a bad coffee. Then start trying different varieties from different roasters. If there are independent roasters near you, why not giving them a try? I haven't had good experience with roasts marketed towards Espresso machines (I find the roast too excessive). Try to buy whole beans and grind them yourself. I find the cheap and popular brands pretty bad for Mokas, even if they happen to make good American style brews. I have had pretty good luck with small roasters and Colombian varieties (or Costa Rican). I have also had outstanding African coffees (Ethiopian). Unfortunately, I found they are seldom consistent.

About 12 years ago I was in Milan, and a friend gave me one of these to take home. I have used it nearly every day since (I don't take it out of town), so that should give you an idea of how sturdy it is. It is the best coffee maker I have ever owned. To compare, I also have a high-tech espresso machine with frother; a state-of-the-art automatic drip coffeemaker; a French Press; and a different style of stovetop maker, which, surprisingly, makes a different brew. But I ALWAYS go back to my Bialetti Moka 6-cup for the best espresso and lattes. You even will get a crema effect with this simple pot. For lattes, I simply fill half a coffee mug with milk, heat it in the microwave until it's hot, and then top it off with espresso. It's low-maintenance -every once in a while I replace the internal rubber gasket, which costs a buck or so, depending upon where you buy it. If you like your coffee like the Italians and the Cubans, then you will like the brew this serves. I am loyal to this simple little pot, and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Buy Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker Now

Works great on the stovetop, works great when you're CAMPING..!!! No plugs, no cords, no nonsense -fill the lower half with water to the indicated mark, put your grounds in the upper basket, join the two halves, wait for it to gurgle and you have EXCEPTIONALLY DELICIOUS espresso the way it ought to be made.

The device is simple and beautifully made. I'd recommend the six-cup version, the smaller versions just don't make very much espresso -I mean, get the six-cup version if there are two of you, since that will make an adequate amount.

Really a brilliant product. I wish that everything was so well-designed and robust. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Read Best Reviews of Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker Here

***DO NOT OVERHEAT!***DO NOT OVERHEAT!***DO NOT OVERHEAT!***

There. I've done my good deed, and passed along the warning for the next person. Reading the translated-to-English directions, it's easy to miss this important cautionary note. In fact, it's not even IN the directions. It's written on the side of the box.

But fortunately, before my Moka Express ever arrived, I read another reviewer's cautionary note about avoiding HIGH heat (which can destroy the rubber gasket), so I didn't have any problem from the get-go.

And speaking of 'get-go' here's the deal. The FIRST time out (actually the second time, because the directions recommend that you dispose of the first batch), I had THE *BEST* ESPRESSO I EVER HAD. PERIOD. BAR NONE.

Using some Columbian coffee (that a friend had actually hand-carried from Columbia a few weeks ago), and setting my smallest burner (it's a ceramic-top stove) to just under "5" (10 being the hottest), the espresso that came out of this coffeemaker was INCREDIBLY smooth, and totally without the bitter taste that it can sometimes have.

If this is the result after using it ONCE, I'm looking forward to seeing how good it gets after I've had a chance to figure out the best combination of type of coffee/amount to use/fineness of grind/etc.

Also, for the price, it absolutely cannot be beat. The full pot yielded about six double-shots, so after just one use, it's almost half paid for!

I'm going to be drinking a lot more espresso. And cappuccino. And cafe-au-lait.

Oh well. Who needs sleep? It's overrated anyway! ;-)

-Jonathan Sabin

UPDATE... We put it in the dishwasher today.

DON'T make this mistake!

When we pulled it out at the end of the cycle, the shiny aluminum exterior had turned into a pretty ugly, uneven, dull finish. I'm sure it'll still work just fine, but it sure doesn't look as nice as it did before.

(ONE other review, among the 48 thusfar, mentions the dishwasher issue, but doesn't say why.)

UPDATE TO THE UPDATE... It's taken about 3 months, but a BUNCH of hand-cleaning has finally reverted our Bialetti to its former shiny state! It's STILL making the best espresso/cappucino I've ever had!

Want Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker Discount?

My wife and I have been spending a pretty penny at the local coffee shop, so I began looking for inexpensive home alternatives. Most of the coffee snobs claim you have to purchase a $200+ machine and $150+ grinder to have a decent cup of espresso. I turned instead to the frugal Italians. They did invent the stuff, afterall. My Bialetti Moka Express coffee pot came this afternoon. I was a little concerned that a $20 pot might not meet the high standards of the gourmet beverages wifey and I have become accustomed to. I was wrong. The brew made by this ingenious little pot is a little weaker than "pumped" espresso and lacks the foamy cap (crema) that all the snobs rave about, but mixed with some hot, frothed milk and a bit of chocolate syrup I couldn't tell the difference between Bialetti and Seattle's Best.

This rich brew comes from a tiny little aluminum contraption with no moving parts, no electronic gizmos, no pump handle and virtually no wait time or clean-up. You just fill, brew and pour. It's that simple. Its base only covers half of the stovetop's smallest eye and I expect it will be easy to store due to its diminuitive size. I've already had three cups of homemade mocha today, and I've only had the pot since noon! *jitter jitter* The point is this: If you're a coffee lover who is bored with Folgers from a Mr. Coffee drip machine or is spending way too much at Starbucks, the Moka pot is an inexpensive and easy-to-use alternative with excellent results.

Holstein Housewares H-08007 6 Cup Stainless Steel Espresso Maker

I've been using this type of stove-top espresso makers for 30 years and wanted to get away from the aluminum pots... just received this last night as a Christmas gift... this morning i made my first pot of coffee in it... the pressure valve blew out with the first pot... it is rather light weight, i was hoping for a bit heaver duty... I guess you get what you pay for... too bad, it looks good in the picture...

so it has now been a few weeks of use... I replaced the valve with one from an older pot I still had... I also changed out the basket with the old one... reason? I cut my self on the one that came with it... none of the edges on the steel parts are finished, just stamped out and assembled... about the 3rd day as I was making my coffee the bottom popped and now the pot sort of wobbles when setting on the counter... the steel is VERY light gauge...

i will be replacing this ASAP...

It works well enough, just be sure you are sitting right in front of it to adjust the heat at any given moment. Tends to overcook/burn the coffee no matter how low you have it on. The design is nice and sleek, but using this on a gas burner, we tried various temps and got burnt coffee every time. We got another brand aluminum maker for Christmas, and have had no issues with it at all. I would recommend getting one of those before spending the extra ten bucks on the stainless!

Buy Holstein Housewares H-08007 6 Cup Stainless Steel Espresso Maker Now

I got this as a gift and it works great! My kitchen smells delicious after I brew the coffee and it takes no time. I like the handle design and material.

Read Best Reviews of Holstein Housewares H-08007 6 Cup Stainless Steel Espresso Maker Here

This espresso maker is great! It makes really great tasting coffee and it takes very little prep time.

It's super easy to clean and I love having some espresso anytime I want!

Want Holstein Housewares H-08007 6 Cup Stainless Steel Espresso Maker Discount?

I like it , it is not as heavy as my other one though. I wish I had bought a spare since they are hard to find.

Save 34% Off