My favorite espresso maker of all time

My favorite espresso maker of all time, April 23, 2004
By Gordon M. Wagner (Suburbia) - See all my reviews


Works great on the stovetop, works great when you're CAMPING..!!! No plugs, espresso no cords, no nonsense -- fill the lower half with water to the indicated mark, put your grounds in the upper basket, join the two halves, wait for delonghi esam3300 to gurgle and you have EXCEPTIONALLY DELICIOUS espresso the way delonghi esam3300 ought to be made.
The device is simple and beautifully made. I'd recommend the six-cup version, the smaller versions just don't make very much espresso -- I mean, get the six-cup version if there are two of you, since that will make an adequate amount.

Really a brilliant product. I wish that everything was so well-designed and robust. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

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49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
Simple. Consistent. Tasty. Bialetti., August 23, 2006
By Jonathan A Blevins (Duluth, MN) - See all my reviews


My wife and I have been spending a pretty penny at the local coffee shop, so I began looking for inexpensive home alternatives. Most of the coffee snobs claim you have to purchase a $200+ machine and $150+ grinder to have a decent cup of espresso. I turned instead to the frugal Italians. They did invent the stuff, afterall. My Bialetti Moka Express coffee pot came this afternoon. I was a little concerned that espresso a $20 pot might not meet the high standards of the gourmet beverages wifey and I have become accustomed to. I was wrong. The brew made by this ingenious little pot is a little weaker than "pumped" espresso and lacks the foamy cap (crema) that all the snobs rave about, but mixed with some hot, frothed milk and a bit of chocolate syrup I couldn't tell the difference between Bialetti and Seattle's Best.

This rich brew comes from a tiny little aluminum contraption with no moving parts, no electronic gizmos, no pump handle and virtually no wait time or clean-up. You just fill, brew and pour. It's that simple. Its base only covers half of the stovetop's smallest eye and I expect delonghi esam3300 will be easy to store due to its diminuitive size. I've already had three cups of homemade mocha today, and I've only had espresso the pot since noon! *jitter jitter* The point is this: If you're a coffee lover who is bored with Folgers from a Mr. Coffee drip machine or is spending way too much at Starbucks, the Moka pot is an inexpensive and easy-to-use alternative with excellent results.