Last Updated on September 27, 2025 by admin

The Italian coffee maker, known as a Moka pot, may just be the number one household staple in Italy. 

In the nearly 15 years that I’ve lived here, I’ve never been to a home that didn’t have one (or more than one, given that they come in different sizes depending on how many cups you want).

This makes sense given the importance of coffee in Italy’s food culture.

When renting an apartment in Italy, if that apartment is furnished, it may come with a Moka pot on the “catasto,” which is a list of all the items that the owner is providing and that the tenant is responsible for, right up there with big items like beds and sofas. That’s how essential they are.

If you’re moving to Italy or visiting and staying in a vacation house or apartment, you’ll inevitably see one and may even be required to use it, so I decided to write this post to help you out.

I also think a Moka pot is a great souvenir. Bringing one home is a great way to keep a little piece of Italy with you, especially if you’re interested in making your everyday life a little more Italian, regardless of where you live.

Many foreigners are perplexed by these little pots. I’m sure I would have been, had I not grown up with an espresso-loving dad who had one of his own and taught me how to use it.

Let’s take a look at the history of the pot, some tips from locals, and the exact steps you’ll need to take to make espresso in an Italian Moka pot.

Ready? Andiamo!

How to make coffee in an Italian Moka pot

History of the Moka pot

Inspired by an early model of the washing machine that forced hot water and lye through a central tube and onto dirty clothes and linens in a surrounding drum, aluminum worker Alfonso Bialetti patented the Moka pot in 1933 with an inventor named Luigi De Ponti. 

The Moka gained popularity thanks to a nationwide push towards aluminum production and because of Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia, a coffee producer, causing an increase in coffee consumption. 

It also meant that people could enjoy espresso in their homes, a luxury at a time when it had previously been reserved for restaurants and coffee bars only.

Alfonso’s son Renato grew the Moka-production business, primarily after the second world war (their factory closed during the war itself), to a point where the company was producing 4 million pots a year.

Bialetti still makes Moka pots today, but many other brands produce them too.

Although their use has dipped owing to the ubiquity of Nespresso and Keurig machines that utilize pods and capsules, Moka pots have an environmental advantage: They’re much more sustainable. 

With a Moka pot, there are no plastics to dump, and you don’t even need to use a paper filter. Disposing of one that’s past its prime is easy too, given that aluminum and stainless steel (some models are made with the latter) are recyclable. 

The parts of a Moka pot

There are three pieces to a Moka pot: the water chamber on the bottom, the filter, where the coffee goes in the middle, and the pot, where the coffee comes out, on top. 

Once the water heats up, steam pressure forces it up through the tube on the filter, where it covers the coffee grounds. The coffee then travels up through the central tube in the pot, where it drips down to fill the pot with fresh coffee.

Lessons I have learned from Italians about making coffee in a Moka pot

1. Mound the coffee in the filter
2. Don’t mound the coffee in the filter
3. Tamp the coffee down with a spoon
4. Don’t tamp the coffee down with a spoon
5. Wash the pot with soap
6. Don’t wash the pot with soap

As you can see, everyone has their ways of making espresso in a Moka pot. 

Jokes aside, I’ve learned a few key tips for making the best coffee possible. Here they are:

7. Use cold water, otherwise you risk burning the grounds. Interestingly, when I was doing the research to write this post, two US sources (Starbucks and Food and Wine) specifically said to use HOT water, whereas every Italian source I consulted said to use cold. This is why it’s important to get your info straight from the Italian’s mouth. 
8. Stir the coffee in the Moka pot before serving. This ensures uniformity in taste and temperature.
9. Don’t use soap when cleaning your Moka. Some sources say to clean it with baking soda and water and others with just water, but one thing is sure: using scented dish soap can impact the flavor of your final brew.
10. Leave the lid of the pot OPEN while the coffee is being made. This is done for a few reasons: to prevent the coffee from getting too hot in the pot; to keep condensation from forming and dripping into the coffee, diluting it; and to help the maker hear when the coffee is ready.

Ok, now that you have all the pro tips for making coffee in a Moka pot, let’s get down to it.

How to make espresso in a Moka pot

1. Start by unscrewing the top from the bottom.
2. Remove the filter and fill the base with cold water, just until it hits the underside of the valve.
3. Put the filter into the base. Fill it with coffee.
4. Screw the top of the pot back on, and place the pot on a low burner. Remember to leave the lid open!
5. The Moka will wheeze as the coffee comes through. You know it’s ready when you hear a gurgling sound.
6. Enjoy your coffee!

Make your own coffee from a Moka at home!

Start your day the Italian way with your own Bialetti Moka pot, Illy ground coffee, and espresso cups, all made in Italy.

Want another cup?

Here’s my post about Italian coffee.

Here’s one about regional Italian coffee drinks.

And here’s one about Rome’s specialty coffee scene. Happy drinking!

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