Bialetti Moka Express Caffettiera in Alluminio, 6 Cups, Acciaio Inossidabile, Argento,270 milliliters, Silver

I am moved to write a review of the Bialetti Moka Express 6 cup expresso maker as I don't recognise the comments from some of the poor reviews it has received. Overall the 210 5* ratings out of a total to date of 258 should speak for themselves and be enough of a recommendation. Follow the instructions that come with the Moka or that are available online and you should fine.I purchased this item new from Amazon in Feb 2009 and have used it multiple times a day since. I also have a second one which I keep at work. Both perform perfectly every time without fail and also spare parts are easily available. In all the time I have used the Mokas I have only needed to replace the rubber seal twice. I have never had a handle break but when assembling the two chambers together ensure that you do not use the handle as a lever because then it probably will fail.An important point to note is that the Moka is made from aluminium which may oxidise rather than rust if not taken care of properly. Wash it only using hot water and never use detergent. Dry it with a paper towel and ensure it is completely dry before putting it away unassembled. The Moka does not need to be on a red hot stove to boil with a low to medium heay should be sufficient. The Moka will improve over the years with age and use. Prove it prior to first use by brewing at least 3 times and throwing the coffee away. If your one has oxidised it may be rescued with water and vinegar but will need to be proved again before use.It is an expresso maker first and foremost so when cup size is stated it is refering to the little single expresso cups. The 6 cup size is suitable for one single average sized mug of americano style for which I use one heaped tablespoon of coffee. Again it is an expresso maker so use coffee ground for expresso use only however please note that it does not produce a crema.It is very important not to overfill with water or leave on the stove for too long. If the coffee boils then it will taste burnt and bitter. Also ensure no coffee grounds are caught between the rubber seal and the lower chamber. You will get to know when the coffee is ready by sound and smell. As soon as the Moka starts to burble and spit it is ready to come off of the stove. Wait for a few seconds to let it settle down and then pour for the perfect coffe.I am a big, big fan of this little coffee maker for its simple design, ease of use, longevity, availability of spare parts and for the fantastic coffee it produces.

Brilliant. Love it. Follow the instructions and nothing shall go wrong.Bought the 6 cup size which gets me two decent mugs of coffee ☕.So easy to clean too.Remember don't use the handle to turn for attaching the parts

Love it.The piece of kit has transformed my coffee drinking experience.I like a good strong brew of black, no sugar, Americano or Expresso and usually have 2 heaped teaspoon of instant. Mostly Carte Noire Decaf (as I am supposed to keep off the caffeine). Which is about the only decaf I can stand.A few weeks ago I saw some whole bean instant coffee tins in my in my local Asda and tried a few. Better that normal instant but a bit grainy/powdery. Tried Carte Noire & Nescafe Azera (the better of the 2 I.M.O).Next we bought a Tassimo pod coffee maker, again another step upward, my wife loves it, easy to use and nice creme in the head. Not bad at all but limited by the range of pods available.Then after doing lots of googling I decided to give this bit of kit ago. After all it's cheap and all of Italy must know a thing or 2 about brewing coffee.Wow. I can now make coffee I want, to a strength I want, with aroma's and tastes I did not know existed.So many varieties of Beans to choose from and such a variety of tastes. I am now sorted and eagerly trying different recommended brews.Buy one its worth the risk.Pros:Cheap as Chips.Easy to cleanSolid, should last & looks niceTasteWide variety of beans (with a coffee grinder) & ground coffee to choose from. So many different tastes.Cons:No creme if that's the right word for the coffee head.Not for your grab a quick brew on the run.Have to spend time messing about putting water in the bottom half, ground beans in the coffee holder, screwing on the top and waiting for it to brew on the hob.Have to open it up later, when cooled, dispose of the used coffee grains in the bin & clean the parts (just wash in water).There is a removable filter with a gasket which sits in the base of the top half. This will need replacing in time.I also got the gas reduce ring as we have a gas hob. This helps keep the flame under the pot & not up the sides.