Pretty common, but you can’t blame that on this thing’s name. Moreover, the machines that were being used when the term “espresso” was coined were 2-bar steam machines very like the moka pots, at least according to Ian Bersten (who is pretty reliable on coffee machine history).
[quote=“AnthonyI, post:39, topic:89661”]
handle melting and becoming deformed[/quote]
Which is why you can get replacements for nearly nothing at every notions shop in Italy, and possibly why Mark made his replacement from bamboo instead of Sugru.
You can get moka pots where the base is aluminum and the top is ceramic. This effectively solves the handle melting problem, also the tops can be safely cleaned in the dishwasher (unlike the aluminum ones, which react to most dishwasher detergent). I have one where the top is not only ceramic but removable, like a small pitcher, which is very convenient.
A long time ago there was a whole “cooking in aluminium is bad for your health” narrative in the press (this predates the Internet). So when I left my Moka on the stove flame and it melted into somewhat of a modernist sculpture, I decided to replace it with a stainless steel model. I used that one for going on fiteen-twenny years, until one day the water chamber cracked. I guess that’s something that happens to steel when it is heated up and cooled down every single day (sometimes when I needed lots of coffee really badly I would run the maker under cold water to cool it down enough to handle). I replaced it with another one that I’ve had for ten-fiteen years now. The stainless water chamber has turned black from the flames, but it is still going good. I have to replace the gasket about every three years, mostly because of forgetting and leaving the pot heating on the stove until it boils dry. I don’t do that any more, but roommates… sigh
Anyway, I expect this pot will last at least another decade, if not longer. That’s not forever, but it’s a pretty long life expectancy for a kitchen appliance. The only kitchen things I’ve had longer than this are my cast iron cookware and my Chinese cleaver.
Perhaps it’s that the ‘cup’ measurement for coffee is 6oz vs 8oz for the liquid measure? That, and coffee mugs usually run 8-10oz. I gave up and measure coffee in quarts, the most accurate unit for me.
We have some steel pots - including a pretty expensive one from Vev Vigano - but none of them are as consistent as the aluminum pots. I think the heat transfer properties just don’t work quite right. I do like being able to put them in the dishwasher, and aluminum doesn’t work on induction burners. (Bialetti make one version which is aluminum but has a steel layer in the bottom.)
FWIW, Bialetti was mainly an aluminum fabrication company before the creation of the Moka Express.
This is certainly a “6-tazze” caffettiera. The 300ml capacity is right there in the Amazon listing. Your cups might be bigger, our espresso cups are 2oz when filled to the brim, or about 1.5 oz properly filled.
Definitely something i wouldn’t blame a regular US consumer being confused. A cup denotes a specific measurement, though it’s referring to a different type of cup. As you said, the capacity is listed on the product but i may expect for someone to look at it and not fully process what that means.
A “cup” is a miserable reference for volume anyway.
Apparently an official, for-real-certified (pdf link) unit of espresso is 25ml, which makes @d_r’s properly filled cup (~45ml) closer to doppio territory, and about the size of a standard Brazilian cafezinho of olympic scandal fame.
I always drink doubles, and even in Italy the cups are designed to hold a double even if they’re rarely even on the menu; after all, what if you want an espresso macchiatto? In any event, .75 ounces of moka coffee is not very satisfying.
