Review: Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup)

Why choose Bialetti 3 cup percolator over others?

Just like I mentioned in the Bialetti Moka Express (6 cup) percolator review, I consider Bialetti to be the gold standard among percolators and stove top espresso machines. Not only are these pots very durable, but they brew delicious and fragrant coffee. In my opinion, a Bialetti Moka Express 3 cup pot offers an incredible value for money.

Bialetti Moka Express 3 cup percolator is among the best sellers in the US. It is placed on the list of top 10 stovetop percolators. Here are some unique things about Bialetti Moka Express 3 cup:

• Brews stronger and richer coffee than other moka coffee makers (due to size)
• Brews much faster than other moka coffee makers (due to size)
• Fantastic design that brews coffee by passing boiling water pressurized by steam through ground coffee
• Lightweight and compact unit that can be taken for travel
• High quality design and great looks
• Brews delicious and high quality coffee and some amazing tea (tea is more difficult, but possible)
• Comes at a wonderful price
• Plastic handle (as opposed to stainless-steel or wood)

Who is Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup) perfect for?

The Bialetti Moka Express 3 cup percolator brews delicious coffee, which, in my opinion, tastes better than coffee at a lot of coffee shops. Further, it costs as much as 4 cups of coffee at Starbucks.

In my experience, Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup) percolator might be perfect for those who are looking for a coffee appliance that has any of the following characteristics:

✓ 3-cup volume should be perfect for 1-2 individuals at a time

✓ Flexibility and ownership in coffee brewing

✓ Simple and easy to use

✓ Brews incredible coffee (better than French press, in my honest opinion)

✓ Desire to learn variables that influence coffee flavor (e.g. brewing temperature, volume of coffee grounds, volume of water, etc.)

✓ Portable (easy to take on camping, for instance)

✓ Great to use on most stove tops

✓ Low cost

✓ Durable (only the gasket, or a second filter, should be replaced for $6/a set of 3 periodically)

Who is Bialetti 3 cup Percolator NOT perfect for?

In the spirit of remaining impartial in this Bialetti Moka Express 3 cup percolator review, I feel like this appliance might not be a perfect choice for everyone:

✗ Does not brew large volumes of coffee

✗ Not a hands-free coffee brewing

✗ Need time to learn brewing in Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup)

✗ Only suitable for stove tops (and not open fire at a camping, for instance)

✗ Desire to brew more complex coffee beverages like espresso or lattes

✗ Manual coffee brewing

✗ Aluminium construction

✗ Not suitable for dishwasher (will make aluminium gray overtime)

✗ Hands-free coffee brewing

Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup) Review and Evaluation 🕵️

→ Appearance

Bialetti Moka Express 3 cup percolator comes in a classy Bialetti octagon design. The Bialetti stovetop coffee maker is what I remember from the kitchen of my grandma. Though traditional in design, this appliance fits perfectly into my modern (yet small) kitchen. I believe that this percolator could fit into a wide variety of different styles and spaces.

The outside is made of polished aluminium and I can say it looks really shiny. The inside is brushed. I was quite disappointed that the unit was made with aluminium. As far as I can recall, earlier versions were made with stainless steel. Though they were a bit heavier, I felt like they were a bit better.

Overall, I was very pleased with the Bialetti Moka Express 3 cup percolator. It looked very well in my kitchen. Because the unit was fairly small (6 inches tall) and lightweight (about 1 pound), I was able to easily put it in the cabinet. However, since I used it daily, it had a permanent spot on my stovetop.

→ Features and technical specs

Voltage: None needed. Only a stove top to heat up water with coffee. Not suitable for open campfires.

Beverage size: The Bialetti Moka Express is good for 3 cups. Since coffee brewed in this appliance is like espresso, this volume was perfect for 1-2 individuals at a time. Coffee brewed in this percolator is very strong and rich, and I was not able to drink more than 2 cups at a time.

This Bialetti 3 cup percolator makes a perfect double shot. I often topped it with hot water for a Cafe Americano.

Weight: This unit weighs about 1 pound. I was amazed how lightweight this appliance was. Made of aluminium, I found it perfect to carry on camping trips, travelling, to work or on vacation.

Unit size: The unit measures about 4 x 5 x 6 inches. This is an extra-small brewer (even smaller than it appears on pictures to be) that can fit in almost everywhere in a kitchen. I found myself carrying with myself on vacations and even on camping. It fits perfectly into my backpack, so I can enjoy some strong and fresh coffee while traveling.

Carafe: The Bialetti’s carafe is unfortunately aluminium. It keeps the beverage warm only for some time, between 5 to 10 minutes. The carafe is easy to use. I found it easy to pour coffee from it. However, when I tilted it too much, some coffee ended up on the table.

Additional perks: As with best stainless steel coffee makers (no plastic) and stove top coffee makers, Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup) percolator is a special type of coffee maker that gives lots of flexibility and ownership in the brewing process. Unlike other coffee makers made for a mass consumer, this one comes with a simple and easy to use feature set.

Though simple and easy to use, I feel like the Bialetti 3 cup percolator comes with a design to brew phenomenal coffee.

✓ I found Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup) percolator’s design to be a key to success. The appliances brews coffee by passing boiling water pressurized by steam through ground coffee. After I have placed cold water in the lower chamber, and filled coffee grounds in the funnel, coffee brewed into an upper chamber thanks to the steam. Coffee was so strong, flavorful and enjoyable!

✓ Unlike most auto-drip coffee makers (including some of the best drip coffee makers and espresso makers), Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup) percolator gives flexibility and ownership in the brewing process. I was in charge of selecting my desired amount of coffee and volume of water, in addition to heat and other aspects.

✓ What I found interesting is that this percolator comes with what I think is a double filtration system. First, there’s the filter basket with the perforations, and then there’s the additional gasket with a second filter plate.

→ Performance

Brewing time: Brewing coffee in Bialetti Moka Express 3 cup coffee maker takes about 6-7 minutes.

Though coffee brewing required some manual work, it was overall quite easy. Each time, I put a low to medium heat to ensure the flames cover the bottom only. I do not recommend that the flames on stove top extend over the sides of the Moka. This will not only damage the handle, but also burn coffee. In addition to brewing, I spent about 2-3 minutes to prepare coffee and water (pour cold water into the lower chamber, place coffee in the funnel, and remove any coffee grounds from the edges). Coffee was ready when there was a loud hissing noise (this indicated there was no more water in the lower chamber).

All these steps were necessary to ensure proper brewing:

• Coffee grounds should be nice and level inside the funnel.
• Should never push coffee grounds down (aka no packed coffee grounds).
• Remove any remaining coffee grounds from the edges.
• Fill the water reservoir first, and only after place the funnel with coffee inside the lower chamber.

Flavor: My Bialetti Moka Express 3 cup percolator brewed better espresso than a lot of other espresso machines, and better than coffee served at a lot of coffee shops. If brewed properly, the flavor was strong, without any bitterness or burning.

I experiemented with various types of coffee grounds:

• Dark Roast Italian coffee – awesome pick
• Light Roast Italian coffee – awesome pick
• Freshly ground coffee (from a coffee grinder) yielded much stronger, fresher and deeper flavors – even a more awesome pick

Because coffee from Bialetti Moka Express is so concentrated, the Bialetti Moka Express 3 cup coffee maker lends itself to many uses. With additional appliances (such as a milk frother), I was able to brew phenomenal lattes and cappuccinos alike. I sometimes even add hot water to make a still-strong full sized Americano mug of coffee. Further, I sometimes pour hot espresso over several ice cubes for an instant cup of iced coffee.

If I could give a recommendation, it would be to get a milk frother along with this 3-cup moka express. This can allow to make blended coffee.

Temperature: In this process, I had a full control of the temperature, which always came out hot enough. Due to Bialetti’s design, water has to reach appropriate temperatures to boil and brew through coffee grounds.

I usually use cold water and I let it heat up to the boiling point on low or medium-low. This way, I ensured that coffee did not burn. Some people use hot water, but I did not see satisfying results. Once I can hear the hissing noise, coffee starts to brew I turn the heat to low. When the sound was loud, it was an indication that there was no more coffee in the lower chamber and it was important to remove the percolator from the stove top. I then stirred coffee in the upper chamber.

Noise levels: There is a natural loud noise in most percolators, including Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup) percolator. When the water reaches the boiling point, water starts rising through the basket and the pump to the carafe. As water enters the upper chamber, there is usually a sizzling noise which turns louder as small bubbles are created and there is no more water to be pumped up.

This sound isn’t annoyingly loud. Merely, it is pleasant and means the coffee is ready. At this time the stovetop must be turned off. It is important to listen to this sound because if the stovetop isn’t turned off, the coffee will burn.

Cleaning: Though Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup) percolator should not be cleaned in the dishwasher, I overall found it rather easy to clean it. After the brewer has cooled down, I took it apart (e.g. remove coffee grounds, disassemble lower and upper chambers). I usually just rinse it a bit with warm water and dry it thoroughly before re-assembling. I never used abrasive cloths or sponges. I’d also suggest to take out the rubber gasket and filter to clean it at least once a week for better coffee flavors.

Customer-reported technical issues

Overall, users are very satisfied with the product. I used this product for several months, and have not had any negative experiences with this coffee maker.

• A couple of individuals reported that their aluminium percolators corroded too quickly. However, the vast majority, however, claims that they have been using this Bialetti for years and no corrosion has appeared. Again, we do not know how people use their Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup) percolator and whether they follow a proper drying process.
• Another user complaint is that water and coffee leak from the sides.I really cannot imagine how water/coffee can leak from this appliance. Again, I always ensured that all parts are tightly assembled.
• One design flaw that I found is that tightening the lower and upper chambers of the brewer can be a bit challenging. Using the handle to create leverage may end up in actually breaking the handle.

→ Health and safety

There is a 2-year warranty for the Bialetti 3 cup percolator. The unit is aluminium. Besides the plastic handle, there’s no plastic. Hence, there is no reason to worry about BPA or some other chemicals used in plastic. However, I am personally a bit concerned about aluminium.

The health effects of exposure to aluminium are still being researched. There have been conflicting results (e.g. some individuals have been found to suffer from Alzheimer’s diseases, while others not, but it has not been conclusively found that aluminium was the cause).

For safety, I always made sure not to touch the hot parts during and after brewing coffee. Further, I paid special attention to the handle when I assembled or disassembled the unit, not to break it.

→ Price to value: is Bialetti 3 cup percolator worth the money?

Bialetti Moka Express 6 cup sells on average in a low- to mid-$ price point. Given the quality, I feel that this appliance offered a good price-to-value ratio.

On the positive side, I was really impressed with the quality of coffee (it was rich, concentrated and deep). Not only was the unit compact and lightweight, but it was easy and quick to use. It presented me with the ownership and control in the brewing process. I feel that Bialetti Moka Express is well designed and built. It should last for an extended period of time.

On the negative side, I feel like the percolator could use more durable materials, such as stainless steel. At this price point, there are some automatic coffee makers (their quality is questionable, though). A small aluminium percolator might be a bit too high of a price to pay?

Should I buy Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup)? Owly’s verdict! 🔨

I feel that Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup) can be a great choice for some, but not everyone. It might be a good choice for those who want to keep coffee brewing simple. It also might be good for those who want a portable product. Most importantly, it might be a great choice for true coffee lovers, who appreciate tradition and excellence in brewing coffee. I was amazed that it was rather easy to make lattes and cappuccinos (with an additional appliances like a milk frother). Because Bialetti Moka Express 3 cup percolator yields such concentrated coffee, it was very easy to make other delicious beverages.

In my opinion, this might not be the best product for those who appreciate a hands-free experience. Further, The Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup) percolator is similar to an espresso maker. It may not be a perfect choice for those who would like to have a cup of regular coffee (like from best drip coffee makers), K-cup coffee, or cappuccinos, lattes, or any other fancy type of coffees.

However, I loved my Bialetti Moka Express 3 cup brewer. It was affordable, and it did an amazing job. I consider this product to be a great buddy of mine now. In my opinion, each person must make up their own mind about whether to buy this product or not.

What do you think about manual coffee percolators? What was your experience with Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup)?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments, under this Bialetti Moka Express (3 cup) review!