--- title: "The Moka pot: the most iconic cafetiere, and how to use it to make a great coffee" description: Discover the art of brewing with a moka pot, its history, design, and the perfect techniques to create a rich, aromatic coffee experience. image: https://illyworld.illy.com/hubfs/Moka_Featured_1200x630_1.webp --- [![illy\_world](https://illyworld.illy.com/hubfs/IllyWorld/illy_world.svg "illy_world")](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/) [![illy\_world](https://illyworld.illy.com/hubfs/IllyWorld/illy_world.svg "illy_world")](https://illyworld.illy.com/it-it/) - [Coffee basics](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/coffee-basics) - [The vocabulary of coffee](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/the-vocabulary-of-coffee) - [Traditions](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/traditions) - [Icons](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/icons) - [Coffee Preparation](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/coffee-preparation) - [Preparations](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/preparations) - [Rituals](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/rituals) - [Coffee Lifestyle](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/coffee-lifestyle) - [Habits & Wellness](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/habits-wellness) - [Occasions](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/occasions) - [The places of coffee](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/the-places-of-coffee) - [Coffee Planet](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/coffee-planet) - [Origins & Supply Chain](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/origins-supply-chain) More results UK - UK - [IT](https://illyworld.illy.com/it-it/magazine/la-moka-la-caffettiera-piu-iconica-e-come-usarla-per-preparare-un-ottimo-caffe) [Shop](https://www.illy.com/en-gb?from=illyworld) [Shop](https://www.illy.com/en-gb?from=illyworld) - [Coffee basics](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/coffee-basics) - [The vocabulary of coffee](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/the-vocabulary-of-coffee) - [Traditions](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/traditions) - [Icons](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/icons) - [Coffee Preparation](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/coffee-preparation) - [Preparations](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/preparations) - [Rituals](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/rituals) - [Coffee Lifestyle](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/coffee-lifestyle) - [Habits & Wellness](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/habits-wellness) - [Occasions](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/occasions) - [The places of coffee](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/the-places-of-coffee) - [Coffee Planet](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/coffee-planet) - [Origins & Supply Chain](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/origins-supply-chain) [Shop](https://www.illy.com/it-it/?from=illyworld) [Preparations](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/preparations)[Rituals](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/tag/rituals) # The Moka pot: the most iconic cafetiere, and how to use it to make a great coffee by [illycaffè Editorial Team](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/author/illycaffe) 6 min 26 October 2026 The Moka pot: the most iconic cafetiere, and how to use it to make a great coffee 8:44 *Ever since Alfonso Bialetti invented it, drawing inspiration from a late 19th century laundry machine, it has changed the habits of millions of people; although it takes just a few steps to use, it is important to understand them properly, starting with the basics. Everything you need to know about making coffee with the moka pot.* Since 1933, it has been a feature of Italian cuisine, the design is in the collections of MoMA in New York and the Triennale in Milan, and in 2026 multicoloured versions danced at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. The moka pot is more than an icon, it’s a legend. But do we really know much about it? And more importantly, how to use it to make a flawless coffee? ## Moka preparation: doses, timing, steps It is one of the most familiar activities carried out in Italian homes, a ritual passed down from generation to generation, yet there are still some doubts about brewing and myths surrounding the moka pot. The first rule to follow regards the dose of coffee, always calculated in relation to the amount of water used. The so-called “coffee to water ratio”, or the proportion of these two ingredients that make up any coffee drink. For the moka pot, this ratio is 1:10. For every gram of ground coffee, 10 ml of water is required. The moka pot is cleverly designed for this purpose: the amount of coffee needed to fill the filter and the amount of water needed to fill the base below the valve, respects the exact proportions. In practical terms, this means that there is no need to create a little mountain of ground coffee in the filter, and nor should it be pressed; rather, the coffee must be distributed evenly and its surface levelled with a teaspoon. Ensuring the water stays below the level of the valve in the base, is, in fact, a safety issue. It is this valve that allows the steam to be vented in the event of excessive pressure being created internally. Another key parameter for the success of the drink is to use coffee with the right grinding. A medium grinding is ideal for the moka pot: this powder grain offers the correct resistance to the water as it passes through it, enabling it to extract its precious aromas. Preparation timings are also critical. The first drops of coffee rise up when the water temperature is still around 60°C, and it is exactly within the time lapse prior to boiling temperature that the coffee releases most of its aromas. The later boiling point is reached, the better the result is in the cup. This is why the flame should be kept low and the brewing should be stopped just before the typical gurgling noise begins. Not everyone knows that, when prepared properly, the coffee doesn’t completely fill the upper part of the moka pot. These are the steps, in detail: 1. Fill the base with cold water to the level of the valve and not above, then insert the filter. 2. Fill the filter completely with ground coffee, but don’t press it down but level it off with a teaspoon handle. 3. Tightly screw the two parts of the moka pot together. 4. Place the moka pot on the stovetop over a low flame. 5. Remove the moka pot from the fire just before you hear the gurgling. This way only the finer parts of the coffee are extracted. 6. Mix the coffee with a teaspoon before pouring into the espresso cups. 7. Serve the coffee. ## How does the moka work? It takes history, physics... and volcanology The origins of the moka pot are well documented and can be summed up as an early demonstration of “lateral thinking”: it was 1933 and Alfonso Bialetti, while designing his cafetiere, did not look at the other machines that made coffee, but at the lisciveuse, an early pressure laundry machine with a central tube. This element conveyed the hot soapy water up and out at the top where it rained down onto the laundry. And in the blink of an eye (in a manner of speaking), Bialetti reproduced that same tube structure in miniature, inserted a filter for the ground coffee and created an upper container to collect the freshly extracted drink, separating it from the remaining water in the base. Coffee with the moka pot brews via percolation: meaning that the hot water passes through a certain dose of coffee and extracts its substances. In this instance, driven by pressure (not, as for filter coffee, by the simple force of gravity). Contrary to the usual perception, it is not the boiling that drives water, but the air trapped inside the base, which expands and presses on the underlying water pushing it upwards into the filter. The moka pot operates at a pressure only slightly higher than atmospheric pressure. When the water in the tank drops below the pipe inlet, the steam finally has a clear path to exit, pushing the last drops out by force. The mixture of air and liquid this creates causes the typical gurgling sound, affectionately known as the Strombolian phase, likening it to the - much more menacing - mix that erupts from the Sicilian volcano. The secret is to halt extraction just before hearing this noise, which occurs when the steam is in danger of scalding the coffee. ## The moka aesthetic: from industry to home to museum More than a small technical prodigy, the moka pot is also an design piece. Nowadays it’s viewed as a classic kitchen tool, but its design came about through a series of choices that were by no means obvious yet also expressed the spirit of the times. The octagonal shape is based on functional requirements, such as optimal heat distribution and structural strength, but also reflects a geometric style reminiscent of the formal synthesis of Art Deco. However, the moka pot does not conceal its industrial origin, which is clearly visible and recognisable. The angular geometry and use of aluminium the emblematic metal of the era, which enabled the mass-production of a lightweight, replicable object destined for household use on a large scale place it squarely within its historical context, and explain why its design has remained substantially unchanged. The moka pot has been reinterpreted over time, but never radically questioned. Alessi, in particular, over the years has entrusted this object to very different designers: Richard Sapper, with the 9090, rethought its use by introducing a lever closure; Aldo Rossi, with La Conica, treated it as a small piece of architecture made of pure geometric shapes; Mario Trimarchi, with Ossidiana, worked on the surface and ergonomics. Michele De Lucchi’s Pulcina came from research into coffee extraction, working on the internal geometry of the base, to better control the final phase, and the exterior, immediately recognisable for the spout that resembles a chick’s beak which enables a perfectly dripless pour. Again for Alessi, the renowned architect David Chipperfield introduces a new aesthetic to his moka pot as well as functional details such as the flat lid with space for heating the coffee cups. ## The moka pot taste The materials change, each stage is refined, details that have a direct effect on the final coffee are reworked, but the piece remains essentially the same, and so the characteristics of the coffee that comes with it. A coffee that stands out for an intermediate-level of body: less than that of an espresso but more than that of filter coffee. From a taste and aromatic standpoint, when brewed using the Classico illy blend, it partially loses some sweetness, but its chocolate notes remain unchanged and the floral notes lessen. ## The most frequent concerns, i.e. a checklist for flawless preparation ### The water - must be cold - must be colourless, odourless and tasteless - must fill the base of the moka pot to the valve level and no further ### The coffee - must have the correct grinding: medium - must fill the filter to the brim - must not be pressed or compacted ### The flame - must be low - must be turned off at the first hint of gurgling, or even earlier ### The moka pot - can remain open during preparation: nothing changes in terms of taste, but it allows you to monitor extraction - it is not true that it should not be washed! Instead, it must be cleaned with water and a neutral detergent, otherwise the fatty substances in the coffee deposit on the walls of the moka pot and give the drink a rancid taste - If it is new, it is good practice run it through three times with just water and twice with half a dose of coffee before making a “proper” coffee ### Serving - it is advisable to stir the coffee with a teaspoon before pouring ## FAQ How much water do you put in the moka pot? Water should be poured into the base of the moka pot to just below the valve level and no further. This ensures steam can escape if there is an excessive build up of pressure inside the moka pot. Should coffee be pressed in the moka pot? No, ground coffee should not be pressed. The filter should be filled to the rim and the surface levelled, with something like a teaspoon handle. Too much pressing affects extraction.   What is the right grinding for the moka pot? Medium is the ideal grinding for the moka pot. This coffee powder offers the proper resistance to the water that passes through it, thereby extracting its substances as effectively as possible  When should I remove the moka pot from the flame? The moka pot should be removed from the flame just before the typical gurgling sound, or at the first hint of it. This way, only the finer parts of the coffee are extracted.   Should the flame for the moka pot be high or low? Flame must be low. Slower extraction allows the coffee to better release its aromas before the water reaches boiling point. Should the moka pot be washed? Yes, the moka pot should be washed. It is not true that it should never be cleaned: it is advisable to use water and a neutral detergent, because the fatty substances of the coffee can deposit on the sides and alter the taste of the drink. ![21909\_High\_1x\_01](https://illyworld.illy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/21909_High_1x_01.png?length=300&name=21909_High_1x_01.png) 6-cup coffee pot – the Alessi Pulcina moka pot [Learn More](https://www.illy.com/en-gb/espresso-machines/moka-pots/6-cups-moka-pot-pulcina-red/21909.html?from=illyworld) Share this [Share on X](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/the-moka-pot-the-most-iconic-cafetiere-and-how-to-use-it-to-make-a-great-coffee&text=The+Moka+pot%3A+the+most+iconic+cafetiere%2C+and+how+to+use+it+to+make+a+great+coffee) [Share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/the-moka-pot-the-most-iconic-cafetiere-and-how-to-use-it-to-make-a-great-coffee&t=The+Moka+pot%3A+the+most+iconic+cafetiere%2C+and+how+to+use+it+to+make+a+great+coffee) [Share on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/the-moka-pot-the-most-iconic-cafetiere-and-how-to-use-it-to-make-a-great-coffee&t=The+Moka+pot%3A+the+most+iconic+cafetiere%2C+and+how+to+use+it+to+make+a+great+coffee) Previous story [← Chemex, V60 and others: manual techniques for making coffee](https://illyworld.illy.com/en-gb/magazine/chemex-v60-and-others-manual-techniques-for-making-coffee) Next story [Coffee beans or ground coffee? 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