Distinguishing features
The moka maker doesn´t have any similarities with the other espresso machines, and doesn´t really produce real espresso.
The moka maker has as an advantage that it doesn´t take up any space in your home since it is so small, and that it is very easy to use. The brewing is made directly on the stove, usually one cup at a time, even though there are bigger makers that will brew up to ten cups at a time.
Components
The moka maker has three components, the bottom where the water is placed, the filter with the ground coffee in the middle and a small coffee pot on top, where the moka ends up after brewing. It is usually made of aluminum or other light metals.
Procedure
To make coffee with a moka maker is a lot easier than with any of the other machines, but the finished result cannot be compared. You always start by grinding the coffee beans, it is ok to use a slightly coarser grinding degree for the moka maker, and the filter is to be filled up completely but not tamped as it might make the whole thing explode when the pressure builds up but has nowhere to go. The bottom is to be filled with water and the three parts screwed together. Then you place the moka maker on the stove at the highest temperature, you keep the lid open and wait for the moka to start flowing up through the filter. When it does you remove the moka maker from the stove, still keeping the lid open to avoid any condensed drops of water falling into the coffee.
The pressure in a moka maker doesn´t reach higher than 1-2 bars, which is far from the 9 needed to make a good espresso, besides that, the water is boiled at 100 centigrade instead of the recommended 93, so one can never expect to make a coffee as good as an espresso with the moka maker. It can be quite tasty anyway and significantly more interesting than a normal drip brew coffee – some even manage to produce a little bit of crema on the top.
Size
This is the smallest coffee maker you can come across and will fit among your coffee cups. There are also bigger varieties, brewing up to 10 cups at a time, but they are still not bigger than a tea pot.
Price
The price for a moka maker is 10-100 €, depending on size and brand.