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Manufacturer | Bialetti |
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Release date | 1950 |
The moka pot [1] [2] is a stove-top or electric coffee maker that brews coffee by passing hot water driven by vapor pressure and heat-driven gas expansion through ground coffee. Named after the Yemeni city of Mocha, it was invented by Italian engineer Otello Amleto Spadini in 1937 [3] [4] [5] who had an agreement with Alfonso Bialetti, an aluminum vendor. It quickly became one of the staples of Italian culture. Bialetti Industries continues to produce the original model under the trade name "Moka Express".
Spreading from Italy, the moka pot is today most commonly used in Europe and in Latin America. It has become an iconic design, displayed in modern industrial art and design museums including the Wolfsonian-FIU, the Cooper–Hewitt, National Design Museum, the Design Museum, [6] the London Science Museum, The Smithsonian and the Museum of Modern Art. [7] Moka pots come in different sizes, making from one to eighteen 50 ml (2 imp fl oz; 2 US fl oz) servings. [8] The original design and many current models are made from aluminium with Bakelite handles.
After the Second World War, the Italian moka pot spread all over the south of Europe and became the standard way of domestically making coffee. Its popularity led to non-Italian south European manufacturers making copies or new designs inspired by the original Italian design.[ citation needed ]
In Australia, the moka pot was traditionally used by Italian migrants who arrived mostly after the Second World War. By 2000, the moka had become popular in the homes of many Australians. Today it is quite popular at breakfast time; often Australians will add the brew to a mug and top up with either water off the boil or warmed milk.[ citation needed ]
Moka pots are typically made of aluminium, though they are sometimes made out of stainless steel or other alloys. Some designs feature an upper half made of heat-resistant glass.
Moka pots are used over a flame or electric range. Stainless steel pots, but not aluminium, can be used with induction cooking.
A number of physics papers were written between 2001 and 2009 utilizing the ideal gas and Darcy's laws, along with the temperature-dependent vapor pressure of water to explain the moka pot's brewing process. [9]
A rubber gasket ensures a tight seal between components, and a safety valve prevents over-pressurization.
The boiler (marked A in the diagram) is filled with water to an etched line (or slightly below the safety release valve). While at-home makers generally do not preheat the water used, it can expedite the brewing process in commercial settings. [10] The metal filter funnel (B) is inserted. Finely ground coffee is added to the filter. How tightly the coffee is packed impacts how quickly the coffee extracts and the strength of the brew. [11] The collector (C) is then attached and the pot is heated, so that the water boils.
The heating of the boiler (A) leads to a gradual increase of the pressure due to both the expansion of the enclosed air and the raised vapor pressure of the increasingly heated water. When pressure becomes high enough to force the water up the funnel through the coffee grinds, coffee will begin to pour into the upper chamber (C).
When the lower chamber is almost empty, bubbles of steam mix with the upstreaming water, producing a characteristic gurgling noise—a signal that brewing should be stopped. Navarini et al. call this the "strombolian" phase of brewing, which allows a mixture of highly heated steam and water to pass through the coffee, which leads to rapid overextraction and introduction of undesirable flavors. [11]
Unlike a standard percolator, the moka pot never sends brewed coffee back through the coffee grounds.
Moka pots require periodic replacement of the rubber seal, a scouring of its removable filter, and a check that the safety release valve is not blocked. All parts of the pot should be scrubbed by hand using a mild detergent, as aluminium moka pots are not dishwasher safe. [12] [13] [14]
The potential for toxic amounts of aluminium migration being created by brewing an acidic beverage in an aluminium pot have been scientifically investigated, and determined to be "negligible" – falling below 1% of recommended total weekly intake level once a new pot has been used. [15] Following the pot's stabilization at below 1% with regular use, migration rose to a maximum observed level of just under 4% after a dishwasher cleaning, resulting in dishwasher use being strongly discouraged.
The moka pot comes in various sizes based on the number of 50 ml (2 imp fl oz; 2 US fl oz) espresso cups they produce. The following table lists the standard sizes for the Bialetti Moka Express.
Espresso cups | Metric units | US units | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Volume (ml) | height (mm) | base (mm) | Volume (US fl oz) | height (in) | base (in) | |
1 | 60 | 133 | 64 | 2 | 5+1⁄4 | 2+1⁄2 |
3 | 200 | 159 | 83 | 6+1⁄2 | 6+1⁄4 | 3+1⁄4 |
6 | 300 | 216 | 102 | 10 | 8+1⁄2 | 4 |
9 | 550 | 254 | 105 | 18+1⁄2 | 10 | 4+1⁄8 |
12 | 775 | 292 | 127 | 25 | 11+1⁄2 | 5 |
All brewed coffee flavor depends greatly on bean variety, roast level, fineness of grind, water profile, and the level of heat used. The moka pot is no different.
Moka pots are sometimes referred to as stove-top espresso makers. However, a typical moka coffee is extracted at relatively low pressures of 1 to 2 bar (100 to 200 kPa), [11] while standards for espresso coffee specify a pressure of 9 bar (900 kPa). Therefore, moka coffee is not considered to be an espresso and has different flavor characteristics.[ clarify ] [16] [17]
Among the variations to the moka pot design that have been introduced are those to expedite brew time, create milk froth, and allow microwave brewing.
To expedite brewing, a weighted valve called Cremator[ citation needed ] or Cremavent has been added as a pressure regulator on top of the nozzle that allows pressure to build up inside the water tank in a manner similar to a pressure cooker. As pressure builds up more quickly in this method (since there is much less leakage of vapour) compared to the standard moka pot, it reaches the level required for water to rise through the ground coffee in a shorter time. The result is coffee brewed at a higher pressure and temperature than the standard pot, making it more similar to espresso and therefore with more visible crema. [ citation needed ]
Another variation allows for milk to be frothed and mixed with the coffee during brewing. [19]
While not producing unsafe levels, brewing with the pot after dishwasher usage results in a larger aluminium content leaching into the coffee.
[H]uman inner aluminum exposure through the proper use of aluminum moka pots is negligible. Even under the worst-case scenario of washing the moka pots in a dishwasher, the uptake amounts to only 4% of TWI. The manufacturers expressly warn not to clean the aluminum moka pots in the dishwasher.Summary: An initially low level of aluminium migration (of under 3% recommended total weekly intake (TWI)) occurs after the first use of a new pot, after which the level stabilizes below 1% TWI, decreasing with each observed use; migration after dishwasher cleaning increases to a maximum observed level of just under 4%, and thus dishwasher cleaning is strongly discouraged.
Espresso is a concentrated form of coffee produced by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely-ground coffee beans. Originating in Italy, espresso has become one of the most popular coffee-brewing methods worldwide. It is characterized by its small serving size, typically 25–30 ml, and its distinctive layers: a dark body topped with a lighter-colored foam called crema.
Italians are well known for their special attention to the preparation, the selection of the blends, and the use of accessories when creating many types of coffees. Many of the types of coffee preparation known today also have their roots here. The main coffee port in Italy is Trieste where there is also a lot of coffee processing industry. Italian coffee consumption, often espresso, is highest in the city of Trieste, with an average of 1500 cups of coffee per person per year. That is about twice as much as is usually drunk in Italy.
A coffee percolator is a type of pot used for the brewing of coffee by continually cycling the boiling or nearly boiling brew through the grounds using gravity until the required strength is reached. The grounds are held in a perforated metal filter basket.
An espresso machine brews coffee by forcing pressurized water near boiling point through a "puck" of ground coffee and a filter in order to produce a thick, concentrated coffee called espresso. Multiple machine designs have been created to produce espresso. Several machines share some common elements, such as a grouphead and a portafilter. An espresso machine may also have a steam wand which is used to steam and froth liquids for coffee drinks such as cappuccino and caffè latte.
Darcy's law is an equation that describes the flow of a fluid through a porous medium. The law was formulated by Henry Darcy based on results of experiments on the flow of water through beds of sand, forming the basis of hydrogeology, a branch of earth sciences. It is analogous to Ohm's law in electrostatics, linearly relating the volume flow rate of the fluid to the hydraulic head difference via the hydraulic conductivity. In fact, the Darcy's law is a special case of the Stokes equation for the momentum flux, in turn deriving from the momentum Navier-Stokes equation.
Gaggia is an Italian manufacturer of coffee machines, especially espresso machines, in addition to small kitchen appliances. The company is owned by the Evoca Group.
Lungo, known in full in Italian as caffè lungo, is a coffee beverage made by using an espresso machine to make an Italian-style coffee—short black with more water, resulting in a larger coffee, a lungo.
The Neapolitan flip coffee pot or cafetière Morize is a drip brew coffeemaker for the stove top that was very popular in Italy until the 20th century. Unlike a moka express, it does not use the pressure of steam to force the water through the coffee, relying instead on gravity.
La Marzocco, founded in 1927, Florence, by Giuseppe and Bruno Bambi, is an Italian company specializing in high-end espresso coffee machines. It is based in Scarperia, with branch offices worldwide.
Rancilio is an espresso machine manufacturer, founded in 1927 by Roberto Rancilio in Parabiago, Italy.
Coffee preparation is the process of turning coffee beans into liquid coffee. While the particular steps vary with the type of coffee and with the raw materials, the process includes four basic steps: raw coffee beans must be roasted, the roasted coffee beans must then be ground, and the ground coffee must then be mixed with hot or cold water for a specific time (brewed), the liquid coffee extraction must be separated from the used grounds, and finally, if desired, the extracted coffee is combined with other elements of the desired beverage, such as sweeteners, dairy products, dairy alternatives, or toppings.
The Caffitaly System is a capsule system for making espresso and other coffee drinks in home espresso machines. The name is a portmanteau of caffè, the Italian word for coffee, and Italy. Caffitaly is based in Bologna, Italy.
Alfonso Bialetti was an Italian engineer who became famous for manufacturing the Triplerapid Miracol 900 which he modified and sold as Moka Express coffeemaker in the 1950s. Designed in 1937 by Otello Amleto Spadini, the coffee pot has been a style icon since the 1950s. While many variations of the Moka have been developed, including the Bialetti cow-printed Mukka Express, the original remains a time-honoured classic. Bialetti was also the founder of Bialetti Industries, now an Italian kitchen-ware company. The Bialetti brand is now owned by Bradshaw International, which manufactures and sells Bialetti brand kitchen-ware.
Caffè americano, also known as americano or American, is a type of coffee drink prepared by diluting an espresso shot with hot water at a 1:3 to 1:4 ratio, resulting in a drink that retains the complex flavors of espresso, but in a lighter way. Its strength varies with the number of shots of espresso and the amount of water added. The name is also spelled with varying capitalization and use of diacritics: e.g., "café americano".
Bialetti is an Italian brand of coffee machines, cookware and small kitchen appliances founded by Alfonso Bialetti. The brand is owned by Bialetti Industries.
Coffee machines sold under the trademark "Atomic coffee machine" existed both as stove-top device, and electrical versions.
Caffè crema refers to two different coffee drinks:
A coffeemaker, coffee maker or coffee machine is a cooking appliance used to brew coffee. While there are many different types of coffeemakers, the two most common brewing principles use gravity or pressure to move hot water through coffee grounds. In the most common devices, coffee grounds are placed into a paper or metal filter inside a funnel, which is set over a glass or ceramic coffee pot, a cooking pot in the kettle family. Cold water is poured into a separate chamber, which is then boiled and directed into the funnel and allowed to drip through the grounds under gravity. This is also called automatic drip-brew. Coffee makers that use pressure to force water through the coffee grounds are called espresso makers, and they produce espresso coffee.
ISSpresso was the first espresso coffee machine designed for use in space, produced for the International Space Station by Argotec and Lavazza in a public-private partnership with the Italian Space Agency (ASI). ISSpresso was one of nine experiments selected by the Italian Space Agency for the Futura mission. It was installed on the space station between 2015 and 2017, when it was returned to Earth.
Media related to Moka pot at Wikimedia Commons