Customer Reviews

Villaware 275-06 Moka Express 6-Cup Espresso Maker

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I've been using my Bialetti 6-cup moka maker for a couple years now and it sure beats the mess of an actual espresso machine and if you make the coffee correctly you don't sacrifice any of the great flavor. I'm not sure why this product is listed as Villaware because it is a Bialetti maker from Italy. Anyway, it makes great coffee. How to use: 1. Fill the bottom half with water up to the release valve so the water level is right under the release. 2. Place the filter in the bottom half and fill with espresso coffee very carefully. You need to spread the coffee to the edge of the filter and then get a good mound of coffee in the middle. Do not tamp the coffee in the filter like you would an espresso handle filter. 3. Screw on the top tightly. 4. Put on burner under low heat so the water can seep through the coffee slowly. 5. Once you hear it percolating you are done with this portion. For a simple cup of espresso just add sugar. Once the coffee is done there are a variety of recipes which you will have to look elsewhere for. Cleaning this pot is also very important. After it has cooled down you can take it apart, dump the coffee (I use an old coffee can), and clean the pieces with cold water only. DO NOT use soap to clean this pot. I like to wipe dry my pot because scum can build up if you have hard water, but you can let it drip dry. Do not put the pot back together while it is wet. In fact you don't even need to put it together again until you are ready to make another pot of coffee. Buona Fortuna.

There is no better way to have coffee without an industrial espresso machine. Everytime we make coffee for guests they are delighted by the wonderful flavor of coffee made in by this little guy.

It says that it makes 6 cups, but I believe they are talking about little italian espresso cups. My partner and I make one of these and split it every morning. (It's just the right amount!) We add a little whole milk and it becomes a religious experience. What's that you say? You're not married? You'll want the smaller size, the "3 cup". Although, if I have alot of housework to do, I'll make a "6 cup" and drink it all myself {:^).

Oh, and there's one last thing: Never, Ever, Ever, wash out the inside of the pot, a simple rinse will do. You see, the coffee residue that builds in your pot will only add to the flavor. Trust me on this one, think Italian!

Over twenty years ago, one of my roomates had one of these and we enjoyed a little cup of espresso every morning to get the day going. I never forgot the great coffee his little pot made, but I hadn't gotten around to getting one of my own until recently. I had about given up on espresso at home after several disappointing "cheap" plug-in machines.

The way this works is so simple; you put the water in the bottom with the coffee in a funnel like device with a stem that almost touches the bottom of the pot. Screw the gasketed top on and put it on the fire. As the water heats and starts to boil, the accumulating steam pressure forces the boiling water up the stem, through the coffee and into the top pot through a vented post. When you see steam start to come out of the spout, shut it off and enjoy!

The only trouble with this pot is its small size. It will fill one coffee mug full, so if my wife is home we have to split the pot. That's not all bad if you pour your half over a scoop of vanilla ice cream with a touch of Kahlua to fill the mug (after work, of course). I know they make larger pots like this, and as soon as Amazon has one, it's mine!

There is nothing wrong with the Bialetti. It is excellent.
BUT...you really don't want to go with an aluminum stove top coffee maker. You want to go with stainless steel.

Over time, there will be calcium buildup in the pot; unless you're smart and use distilled water (which results in better tasting coffee anyway). When you go to use one of the decalcifiers on the aluminum, an oxide will form that is impossible to clean.The inside will lose its shininess and possibly some of the metal, allowing aluminum to leach in to the coffee.

This problem is avoided with a stainless steel stove top unit.

Ask my wife, I love coffee, and I love espresso even more. It is rare to find a good cup of espresso, even at a fine shop, but this little machine does it. Trust me, I am picky. It does a wonderful job of bringing out a rich, even flavor from any bean. My first cup with it (about 4 months ago) was an experience of it's own. Since then, I literally have brewed 2 or 3 pots of regular coffee. I shun coffe wherever I go, and I compare "professional" espresso to what the Moka Express can do. Buy it. I have nothing to gain, except to know I have ended your search for a great cup of espresso at home, without the dissapointing results of the under $100.00 steam espresso makers. PS. My son asks me to pack it whenever we travel.

I have been drinking coffee from this machine for 5 years now, and let me tell you, it's a new level of coffee. My roommate and I swear this is the best coffee in the world (I've recently been to Paris and Italy and nothing compared!).

The capacity is somewhat small, but it's good for one or two people, and hopefully amazon will soon offer the 12 cup version.

I've found that flavor has more to do with the type of beans, a certain bean that tastes great in a drip coffee will not necessarily taste great in this machine. So do lot's of experiments. And don't grind the coffee too finely as the machine will clog and sputter out of the sides...

I drink regular size mugs of this every morning with half and half (regular milk has no effect). Note that 6 cups refers to the tiny espresso cups. this thing will fill about 1.5 normal size mugs with very strong coffee (with room for cream)... Definitely buy it!

You will adore this pot - trust me. I am a coffee addict and I love it! It makes "out of this world espresso" that tastes just as good or better than Starbucks! You can order seals for this pot at www.fantes.com A set of 6 seals costs $2.49. They also have 1,3,6,9 and 12-cup pots like this one. Search for "stovetop espresso" and scroll down page to find seals. They also have thousands of other kitchen items, offer impeccable service and quick shipping too. I've ordered from them many times and have never been disappointed.

To brew espresso in this pot - put water in bottom to just below the steam valve, insert the coffee filter/funnel, spoon 2 Tablespoons espresso into the filter and gently smooth top (don't tamp or press down), screw top part on and brew. Or do this at night for morning brewing. I have an electric stove and use a medium high setting - sit the pot towards the side of the burner with the handle away from the heat. It takes about 6 minutes to brew. Cleaning is just a quick rinse!

If you grind your beans - make them comparable to cornmeal, not too fine and not too coarse. If you're unsure, then buy some already ground so you can see what it looks like. I found a can of ground espresso at the local grocery that had been imported from Italy - it even had a photo of this pot on the can.

My favorite espresso drink is Cafe Mocha: fill your cup 2/3 ways with warmed chocolate milk, 1/3 with espresso and top with a squirt of whipped cream. Enjoy!

The description says it's a 6-cup capacity, but it's not -- the bottom reservoir only holds a little over a cup of water, so that's the most it makes. Even in small cups served like true espresso, it wouldn't be enough for 6. Other than that, it's a GREAT way to make coffee. I've been considering buying an espresso machine, but am reluctant to spend that much right now. So instead, I decided to try a low-tech approach and get the Moka Express. I got it on sale at Amazon for $(...), and it has proven to be a great value. The coffee is rich and dark -- not quite true espresso, but MUCH better than drip coffee. I do wish the pot were a bit larger -- it's perfect for one medium-sized cup of coffee, or for making two lattes or cappucinos, but if it had a little bit larger capacity, it would be great when I have friends over. I might still use this little one just for me, but I wish Amazon offered one of the larger Villaware models as well. One tip: be sure to clean out the pot as soon as it has cooled down -- especially if you use tap water in an area with hard water. Since the pot is aluminum, it's susceptible to corrosion; I left it overnight without cleaning it and ended up with some green scaling of the metal in the bottom, which is hard to reach and clean given the petite size of the pot. I suppose if I splurged for a stainless steel stovetop pot, I wouldn't have the problem. (I did buy a stainless milk frother as well, which has proven well worth the money, as I can heat it on the stovetop while the coffee is brewing and haven't had any problems). Overall, I'm very pleased with this purchase.

I love coffee. I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted the fantastic
deep rich aroma and flavor that cost me [a bit] a cup.
Freshly fine ground French Roast is my coffee - and this is
my coffee maker.

From Italy, this very sturdy cast alluminum marvel will last
a lifetime. I admit I do not know how the water from the bottom
gets through the coffee in the middle and ends up in the pot
above. The mystery only adds to the allure. But it makes a very
delicious mug of "cafe' serioso".

The "Pot" separates from the bottom in the center. You twist
and unscrew it. In the bottom is a water well, fill to the line.
An aluminum insert goes on top of it. It's much like a percolater
in the way this insert holds the coffee, with a
long stem that extends down into the fresh water. Pour ground
coffee into the coffee well, and go ahead and tamp it down.
It's not really possible to pack it too hard, nor can you do it
wrong. It's quite simple and foolproof.

Attach the pot back on, screw it on tightly. I put it on a 4"
burner at 375­ degrees, and walk away. The water heats and in
a few minutes, and if you stand there and listen closely, you can
barely hear it, but something magical occurs, and suddenly the
pot is full of coffee, the water well is empty, and there are no
loose grounds inspite of not using a filter.

They tell you to toss the first cup. I suggest you toss the first 5 cups.
It seasons the pot while allowing you to perfect

your process. The clean up is a lazy person's dream. Unscrew it,
shake the used grounds into the trash, rinse if desired. My old
...brand name top of the line coffee maker that never
could make a GOOD cup of coffee is history. I wouldn't even
consider using it again. This Bialetti is the real deal. On a
flame, on an electric burner, on a wood burning stove, this pot
makes a good cup of coffee.

Because I do use a very fine grind, there is a bit of super-fine
"dust" in the coffee. I don't mind it at all. They say
not to use a fine grind because of this. But it works for me,
and it tastes better than the [a bit] per cup stuff.

When I showed it to my Italian friend he said, "Oh, you got one
of those. Now you never have to sleep again!" There's a bit
of truth in that statement.

In all I say is this is a design that stood the test of time for
good reason. You can pay much more for a fancy machine, it's
not about money, it's about getting that coffee you want. I am
so glad I opted to try this before buying something complicated,
high maintenance and expensive. This classic design has been
making fast and satisfying coffee for generations. It will
no doubt continue to do so.

I really give it 4-1/2 stars - not a 5 because I have to deal
with loose grounds. I made quite a mess the first week until
I got it down. Now it's absolutely tweaked to my exact specs,
and worth the 30 seconds this lazy person needs to shake the
grounds out and rinse it. You really need to try it.

I love Starbuck's coffee and was looking around the internet for an Espresso machine. Anyone knows they run anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars. I found this coffee pot and thought, "The Italians have been using this one for ages, so why not give it a try?" I sure am glad that I did! It makes the BEST coffee that will rival any machine out there. Just grind, fill with coffee and water, screw it together, put it on the stove. Very Easy. And the price cannot be beat.

Here's how I make a Cappuccino that rival's Starbucks:
Grind some Espresso roast beans fairly fine (I used Starbuck's Espresso roast). Fill funnel with coffee and pot with water. Screw the two pieces together. Put coffee pot on stove and turn on High.
Get a milk frother. (I bought one on Ebay for $4.25. The hand held kind.)
Heat 1/2 mug-ful of milk in the microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes on high. When milk is finished, froth it until nice and bubbly.
Pour up coffee. Pour in milk and froth.
Sprinkle with McCormick's Cinnamon Sugar!
Spectacular!