Bialetti Musa moka pot review

Product recommendation

Bialetti Musa – 4 cups

A clumsily designed moka pot that produces bad tasting coffee.

2out of5

Pros

• Easy to find spare parts

Cons

• Makes bad coffee
• Impossible to clean
• Difficult to use

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Taste

We tested the Bialetti Musa multiple times and compared it with other moka pots. It just doesn't make good coffee. The coffee tastes bitter, astringent, and metallic.

When using the Bialetti Musa as instructed, the basket doesn't fit enough coffee compared with the amount of water that goes in the lower chamber. This leaves an undesirable coffee to water ratio.

Could you find a way to make this moka pot produce good coffee? Probably, if you reduce the amount of water to below what Bialetti recommend. However — a well designed moka pot should make great coffee when used as intended.

If you're looking for a really fantastic moka pot made by Bialetti, take a look at the Moka Express range.

If you're interested in the Bialetti Musa for its induction compatibility — consider getting a Moka Express model with an induction stove adaptor.

Usability and cleaning

The Bialetti Musa, as well as not making good coffee, also has major and minor design flaws.

Un-cleanable groove

There's a thin trench running around the inside perimeter of the upper chamber (pictured). This feature is shared with the Kitty and Venus models makes the moka pot extremely difficult to clean. Dregs and old burnt coffee build up in the gap. Gross.

The rest of the design isn't too bad for cleaning — the thin upper chamber is a little difficult to fit a sponge in though.

Thumb danger zone

The lever on the lid is designed so you can open the lid with the same hand you're holding the handle with — however many people just don't have long enough thumbs to do this — and missing the lever sets your thumb down on the potentially very hot metal of the moka pot.

Minor usability issues

• It's not clear how high you're supposed to fill the lower chamber. The instructions say you should fill it to just below the safety valve — but it's difficult to see the valve while filling it.
• Smooth bottom chamber means theres less grip when screwing or unscrewing the chambers — especially when wet. Other moka pots — including Bialetti's original design, have a polygonal shape giving better grip when unscrewing.
• It's strangely difficult to get the right angle to screw the top and bottom together.

Good usability features

• It has a big comfy handle.
• The spout at the top of the upper chamber point downwards — so any sputtering coffee stays in the upper chamber, even if the lid is open.

Aesthetics

We think the Musa looks okay. It has bubbly design with smooth edges and mirror finished surfaces — and it's made with good quality materials.

Sustainability and repairability

Like most Bialetti moka pots — replacement parts are easy to find and are widely available. Meaning you won't have to throw out your entire moka pot just because the valve or funnel have worn out.

Moka pots are generally a sustainable coffee brewing option, as they require no disposable parts like filters or pods.

Of course, an argument could be made that any poorly designed product is unsustainable — as it will end up in landfill when you change your mind and buy a better one.