Stovetop Espresso Makers

[JM]

Any suggestions on stovetop espresso machines? I've been using a plug in for a few years, tried an aluminum stovetop but returned after I read aluminum is related to memory loss...

Thanks.

j

[Herb_Master]

I love my Bialetti, and use it a lot, sorry what was the question ?

[tenuki]

I love my Bialetti, and use it a lot, sorry what was the question ?

[JM]

I love my Bialetti, and use it a lot, sorry what was the question ?

What's a Brikka?

[Herb_Master]

By the way, Bialetti also do Stainless Steel models!

Just browsed for Brikka - and

by way of background -

If the barista has packed the coffee grounds sufficently compactly the steam forcing it's way through will not only produce a deep rich black espresso, but there will be a khaki coloured layer of froth on the top. This layer is referred to as 'La Crema' or cream.

In the standard bialetti the steam percolates through the grounds sufficiently well to produce excellent espresso but the 'Crema' is minimal.

the Brikka seems to be a modified form of the classic Bialetti, which ensures production of a good 'Crema'


with a good barista, the crema will last all the way down until the coffee has been finished.

[gingkoseto]

I use a bialetti too, and I guess it's stainless steel.

One thing I never got clear is, once I heard that, if you use a little tool to tamp the coffee powder before brewing, the coffee will turn out good. Then I tried to tamp the coffee powder with a spoon, only to find I had to use larger fire (otherwise water won't go through) and then the coffee becomes tasteless. Did I tamp the coffee powder in wrong way?

[Herb_Master]

I use a bialetti too, and I guess it's stainless steel.

One thing I never got clear is, once I heard that, if you use a little tool to tamp the coffee powder before brewing, the coffee will turn out good. Then I tried to tamp the coffee powder with a spoon, only to find I had to use larger fire (otherwise water won't go through) and then the coffee becomes tasteless. Did I tamp the coffee powder in wrong way?

Tamping down will compact the grounds, making it harder for water or steam to get through, but it will also go through more slowly. If compacted just hard enough then a best extraction will occur. too loose and not enough extraction of an already weak brew. too compact and it should be difficult for anything to get through.

With espresso machines a level of pressure is built up, the models often give details of how many bars pressure can be achieved, to get the correct level of compaction for the best cup you require a machine that achieves 15 bar pressure.

How that equates to stove top models I am unsure, but you should not need to do more than a little tamping, only very light force is needed to just press the grounds in a little more firmly than they would naturally settle.

Not sure, but I suspect that if packed too tightly the steam / water finds it hard to get through, once it has found a small channel through then all that comes through will be through the one small channel rather than percolating through the whole mass of coffee grounds, that would account for it being tasteless. So tamp less hard!

[gingkoseto]

Not sure, but I suspect that if packed too tightly the steam / water finds it hard to get through, once it has found a small channel through then all that comes through will be through the one small channel rather than percolating through the whole mass of coffee grounds, that would account for it being tasteless. So tamp less hard!

Thanks Herb_Master! From the tastelessness, I guess that's what happened! Usually without tamping, after brewing, I still see all coffee powder forms a compact. Maybe I should try tamping much more gently. Maybe I should get a "real" espresso machine (when I get a larger kitchen)

[Herb_Master]

Good ones are expensive

I bought a 'La Pavoni' in about 1972 but it finally expired in about 1995

It looked a bit like this, only less flashy and more like a steam engine.
It only cost £100, now they cost £1,000


I have had several cheaper ones since but they only seem to last a few years with heavy use. Now when not using a Bialetti on the stove, I use a Kenwood Retro



They frequently sell from anywhere between £95 to £199, but I registered an interest on Amazon, and when one week they alerted me, it had come down to £79 so I snapped it up.

[lastcoyote]

an excellent coffee roaster I use in London called 'Square Mile Coffee Roasters' made an excellent video on getting the best from a stovetop/moka pot. quite different from how most people use them..especially in regards to grind size. no tamping done at all..just leveling off the coffee. check it out:
http://www.squaremileblog.com/2009/01/2 ... pmoka-pot/
the owner of Square Mile.. is James Hoffman..former World Barista Champion.

[Salsero]

Now when not using a Bialetti on the stove, I use a Kenwood Retro

It looks like it has a steamer arm for frothing milk ... how would you rate the performance of that feature?

[lastcoyote]

the Bialetti stovetop in the video clip that i linked to in my previous post is actually very good, i bought one myself after recommendations and am very pleased with it. inox 18/10 brushed stainless steal, nice and solid and looks great. the favourite moka pot of 'sweet maria's' too:
http://www.sweetmarias.com/prod.brewers.mokapot.php

i personally wouldn't recommend the bialetti brikka as it's aluminium. if crema is important to you then following the instructions on the video i linked to and use recently roasted beans and grind them just before brewing. this is the key. also make sure you use a nice low heat on the stovetop, after having filled the bottom chamber with off the boil water.

[Herb_Master]

Now when not using a Bialetti on the stove, I use a Kenwood Retro

It looks like it has a steamer arm for frothing milk ... how would you rate the performance of that feature?

adequate

I can't get the same results with semi skimmed milk, so tend to use whole milk. Depending on factors I am not sure of sometimes the froth is not as thick, but frequently it is thick and creamy and will last to the bottom of my glass.

The machine works very well in all respects save 1 flaw

The coffee / espresso works well, but if you then move onto the milk frother which requires a higher pressure, the coffee exit continues to drip while the pressure builds. I remove the coffee cup and replace with an empty cup.

When not drinking espresso, I usually tip the contents of the coffee cup into a large bodum two walled glass then tip the contents of the frothed milk ontop - the two just fit perfectly. This keeps the drink hot/warm for up to an hour