Bialetti - New Brikka, Moka Pot, the Only Stovetop Coffee Maker Capable of Producing a Crema-Rich Espresso, 4 Cups (5,7 Oz), Aluminum and Black

Best moka pot I've owned. It took me a while to learn how to get great testing coffee from it, but after that it's pure coffee magic.Better results if using freshly ground especialty coffee beans.I bought the 2 cup one.120ml of filtered water in.Approx 18g of ground coffee (it may vary depending on roasting level and variety). Ground setting: fine but never espresso fine.I stop the brewing process by submerging the bottom half of the pot in water.I get 60ml out .

The media could not be loaded. Having used this for the last couple of months, I have to give high marks for this moka pot. It is designed to produce a foam 'crema' top on the espresso it brews. I use it to make caffe d'orzo (toasted barley drink) and it works beautifully for that. I use two heaping tablespoons of orzo, the specified amount of water and put on a simmer burner on medium heat. Watch it with lid open for the brew to flow. Once flowing, close the lid and when foam starts REMOVE FROM HEAT! There is enough pressure in the pot to complete the cycle. It makes only two small espresso cups of brew, but I use the whole pot for one larger cup of caffe d'orzo. Beautiful crema (not as good as an espresso machine, but very acceptable). There will be a bit of liquid left in the bottom of the pressure tank, but that is normal. Great Moka Pot!

I was following the directions using the correct amount of water and coffee level amounts . To get consistent results from cup to cup use a Brikka 2 cup. Its better than the Moka express for consistency.1) Correct water amount2) Same gas flame size or on stove setting knob3) Always use one aeropress paper filter each time.If you don't clean the rectangular orifice or valve near the spout you get no coffee flow and it plugs up very easy . Finer ground coffee will plug it up also ,I use one aeropress paper filter bottom of pitcher to prevent that from occurring and from coffee bursting out through the top If your dreaming of crema its all in your head, its advertising.The directions don't tell you on the valve. Just take it out and clean it just finger tight.(O ring seal)...rather than doing all the maintenance required each time of taking it all apart.I prefer using just 3 oz hot milk with 3 oz Cuban (La Carreta) brand with a little condensed milk. It suits me fine but everyone has their own preference.Beware: First thing you will need to replace the handle attached to the lid that does get hot. HANDLE, KNOB, COVER Made of anti-scald nylon. Check this item's best price before you buy! Why I rated this item 1 star. Parts are a problem for this item. You might just need to buy another one for parts. You may need to make your own 3 inch metal handle better than what is provided on this item.An aeropress is much quicker making coffee and less maintenance than this item. I would say, save your time cleaning up the mess and doing high maintenance . Don't buy this product you will regret it!

The media could not be loaded. Love this little pot! I bought the 4-cup one and it’s just perfect! The brewing was easy and just took a few minutes to get it brewed. If you love espresso, but don’t want to spend a ton on a machine or pods, this is perfect for you! The taste is exceptional…reminds me of being in Italy! I even it pour it over ice and milk and make an iced latte. I used Allegro Dark French Roast ground coffee but you could use any fine espresso or coffee.

Let me start with saying this is not a great appliance for expresso made-easy. If you want easy then do yourself a favor and go for a nespresso pod machine. The Bialetti Brikka is the complete opposite of easy. It requires precise timing, patience, and a lot of experimentation to get the flavor you want out of an inexpensive, solid, yet sometimes flawed piece of equipment. It's built like a brick (pun intended).The Brikka is solidly built with a cheap plastic handle that begs for something better quality. Not sure how this will hold up over time, especially under heat. Now, you might be wondering why the Brikka over a standard moka pot? One word: crema. To get good crema you need a combination of good, balanced extraction with fine grains (but not expresso fine) and the right coffee beans. Dark roast is preferred or you'll more likely get the sour, bitter taste of over-extracted coffee. An aeropress round filter applied wet under the top pour piece filter helps with filtering bitterness and bean oils. Exact water measurement is a must, and thankfully the Brikka does come with a small measuring cup.So why the hate for this little tool? It's the prep and kitchen cleanup. Grinds are small and get everywhere, not to mention you need to top-off the grinds to get the exact amount you want. It's not simple, and requires a lot of patience and stubborn persistence to get it right. It took more over 20 tries to get the large amount of crema I wanted (see photos). Also, the odd angular shape makes wiping dried coffee difficult and takes a good, thorough wash under water.In short, this is a cute, wonderful piece of equipment that sits in my cupboard and gets frequent use on the stove. If you want ease-of-use, get an expresso pod machine, but I can guarantee you it won't taste the same. Expresso is a way of living and an experience so if you want your coffee like an Italian this definitely something worth considering.