Alessi Moka review
Table of contents
Not recommended
Pros
- Iconic design
Cons
- Cheap plastic parts
- Bitter over-extracted coffee
Taste
When reviewing the Alessi Moka, we had some problems with producing good coffee — it was producing very bitter brews with evidence of over-extraction. We thought that it might have been a channeling issue, so we tried to prepare the coffee as evenly as possible, but in vain.
Similar to the Bialetti Venus, the Alessi Moka may be suffering from a water to coffee ratio imbalance, where there's too much ground coffee capacity to the amount of water. Like with the Venus, you could reduce the coffee dose, but a well-designed coffee maker shouldn't have to make the user change their habits without any guidance.
Although bitter, the coffee is still good if mixing with milk – those who like a 'strong' coffee may have no issues with the coffee this stovetop brewer produces.
Usability and cleaning
This moka pot passes the cleaning test for us, with few components and easy to rinse parts.
There is no clear indicator for the amount of water needed in the base, so we recommend always filling up to just below the pressure valve.
The lever action for the lid works well, although it doesn't feel as good as the classic handle in the middle, like you find in the Bialetti Moka Express.
Aesthetics
Designed by the architect David Chipperfield, the Alessi Moka scores well for its looks, with its reflective faces and sleek flat lid. One downside we wanted to point out was the plastic handle, which although doesn't look bad does feel a bit flimsy and cheap.
Sustainability and repairability
Moka pots stand out as one of the more sustainable coffee brewers — they're normally very durable. The Alessi Moka is very durable, although it's made of aluminium so it's not nearly as strong as a stainless steel alternative.
Maintenance primarily involves replacing the gaskets. These can be bought directly from Alessi. One drawback of Alessi moka pots lies in the somewhat confusing naming convention, which can complicate the process of finding replacement parts.
