Well, do you hear it hiss? Ever since it was invented by Bialetti, the Moka Express has been the ultimate symbol of Italian coffee. Almost every household in Bella Italia has such a device. How does it work? And what distinguishes coffee from the Moka from espresso from other machines? Mamis Caffè will give you the answers.

La Moka: How Bialetti created the Italian classic

Anyone who speaks of caffè in Italy means either espresso – or coffee from the so-called moka. The octagonal device for preparing coffee is even more widespread there than the filter coffee machine in Germany.

It was invented by Alfonso Bialetti, who patented his “Moka Express” in 1933. Until now, Italians could only drink their beloved espresso outside, in bars with the appropriate machines. Bialetti then had the idea of ​​not producing espresso under high steam pressure, but of forcing the water through the coffee using little pressure in the pot. That’s why the Italians sometimes simply name their favorite kitchen utensil after its inventor: Bialetti.

Incidentally, according to stories, he was inspired by a method of washing clothes that was common at the time. Because in Italy in the 1920s, dirty clothes were washed in buckets with a pipe in the middle. This tube pumped the soapy water up and distributed it over the laundry.

How does an espresso maker work?

Each classic Moka consists of three parts:

Can top with pouring spout
Boiler that is filled with water
Funnel insert with coffee powder
As soon as the water in the boiler begins to evaporate, overpressure is created. This pushes the hot water up through the ground coffee in the funnel insert. The top part of the jug has a fine sieve on the underside that filters the coffee from the coffee grounds. The filtered coffee rises in the riser pipe and flows into the espresso maker’s pot.

The important role that the Moka plays in Italian households is also shown by the many colors and designs in which the kitchen classic is available. Because the device is also an eye-catcher. The Moka is often in sight on the stove or on the shelf. Hardly anything has changed in the basic form. However, designers keep adapting the look of the Moka to harmonize it with different kitchen styles.

Already knew?

The father invented it, the son spread it: the Moka only became widely known after the Second World War, when Alfonso Bialetti’s son Renato marketed his invention professionally. The entrepreneur built the world’s largest factory for coffee machines – and as a “man with the mustache” himself became an advertising star for “La Moka”. He was associated with the octagonal coffee pot even after his death: his ashes were buried in an oversized mocha in the family grave.

This is what distinguishes coffee from the moka from espresso

Unlike the Moka, which has evolved primarily around aesthetics, home espresso machines have changed a lot over time. Depending on your budget, you can now choose between fully automatic coffee machines, portafilter, pad and capsule machines. All of the good quality machines deliver great-tasting espresso.

But what exactly is the difference between “caffè dalla moka” and espresso? Even if “la moka” is often referred to in German as an espresso maker or espresso pot, this does not quite describe your method of preparation. Strictly speaking, the Moka is not an espresso pot, but a coffee pot. Incidentally, this is also the name of the Italian synonym Caffettiera. The reason: The Moka works with a maximum pressure of 2.5 bar. However, real espresso requires a brewing pressure of between 8 and 10 bar, which can only be achieved by machines.

Caffé from moka and espresso also differ in terms of:

Caffeine content: With the same amount of coffee, a cup of moka contains around 50 mg caffeine and an espresso around 68 mg.
Crema: The classic moka brews intense coffee with little to no crema. However, there are now versions with a special crema valve that produce a nice crema. All espresso machines usually produce espresso with crema.
Price: The Moka is already available for little money. The original from Bialetti costs between 15 and 30 euros, no-name cookers around half that. Good espresso machines, on the other hand, quickly cost a few hundred euros or more.
Size: The Moka takes up little space. It is easy to transport and can also be made to run on the go, for example with a camping stove.
Incidentally, various studies on the coffee consumption habits of Italians show that moka is still the most common way of preparing coffee in Italian households – a preference that is probably passed on from generation to generation. Most Italians even have two pots of different sizes in order to be able to brew the right amount of coffee for different occasions. And even if a modern espresso machine is available, the majority also have a moka at home.