Espresso is one amazing way to enjoy coffee. But another illustrious mode of coffee is coffee prepared in the stovetop coffee pot, or as it is also known, a Moka pot! Moka pot coffee is a chic, fun, and very Italian way to enjoy your coffee. 

The stovetop coffee pot, or Moka pot, is named after the Yemeni city of Mocha. Mocha was an important trading hub, especially when it came to coffee. This is why coffee is sometimes also known as “mocha”! The Moka pot itself, though, was invented in 1933 by the Italian inventor Alfonzo Bialetti. From its inception, the Moka pot has become a real powerhouse of both the Italian coffee world in particular and the global coffee scene in general. If one travels to Italy today, it is difficult to find a home lacking a Moka pot! Espresso is certainly a popular mode of coffee at cafes, but at home, the Moka pot, or stovetop coffee pot, is king. 

The pot is a real work of science, and functions in an interesting way. The pot is itself actually several different unscrewable components. The bottom chamber contains the water, the middle section with its convenient filter part is for the coffee grounds, and the top part with the spout is for the final coffee brew. When the water is heated, it rises and infuses the coffee grounds in the central chamber and together they “erupt” out of a spout inside of the central top chamber of the pot. This eruption can be a bit too volcanic if your heat is too high, so be mindful when brewing!

What you will need

• A stovetop coffee pot
• Your chosen coffee beans, like decaf coffee, for instance!
• Filtered or purified water
• A stove

Step 1

If your pot is fully assembled, unscrew each component, because they will need to be prepped separately. 

Step 2

Fill the bottom chamber with your water.

Step 3

Grind your beans of choice. Decaf coffee beans will yield rich, tasty, and aromatic coffee with a stovetop pot. Go for a coarser grind to your beans for a Moka pot, and grind enough beans to fill your central filter basket component.

Step 4

Screw your components together and place your pot on your stovetop or another heat source. One important note here, Moka pots are popular not just because they brew great coffee but because they can also be brought camping or traveling. This is because you can brew with alternative heat sources, too! But for today we will assume you are brewing on the stove. Turn it on and keep a medium-high heat on your pot. Too cold and your coming will dribble out bland and nasty, too hot and it will explode spraying hot coffee everywhere. Once you hear your pot begin to gurgle and spurt out some coffee, turn off your heat and remove it from the stove immediately or you risk burning your coffee.

Step 5

Enjoy some rich, flavourful, and robust decaf coffee, right from your own stovetop!

Hot off the Stove

The stovetop pot or Moka pot is a fabulous invention that can be used at home or out camping or traveling. It is a fun and interactive way to prepare a hot cup of joe, and once you give a stovetop pot a try, you will find a new favorite mode of coffee preparation. Decaf coffee in particular is great in a Moka pot because the pot helps to unlock the rich, vibrant, and truly robust flavors of coffee, but with much less caffeine than a standard cup. So get ready to enjoy some choice coffee hot off your kitchen stove!