Moka Pot Pump

Our pump remedies the fundamental flaw inherent in stovetop espresso makers like the Bialetti Moka pot. Using the brew water at boiling temperature scalds the subtle flavor elements in the coffee, and more readily extracts the bitter tannins from the cellulose in the remains ("spent grounds") By replacing steam pressure with air, our pump preserves  the subtle flavors in the beans. In fact, it adds a whole new dimension to moka pot coffee, because you can find the brew temperature that matches your personal taste.

Made in the USA. Price includes shipping.

How to Use the Moka Pot Pump (first time):

 1. Remove and save the pressure relief valve on the side of the tank. You will need a pliers to do this. Insert the red fixture in its place. Though it has ribs instead of threads, it will grip adequately. On newer Bialetti products, the valve is larger; make sure you don't insert so far that it abuts the funnel and closes off the air path. On other products, the valve is smaller and about 1mm showing inside the tank is enough to seal.

2. Add hot water to the tank to pre-heat it. Return the water to your kettle and re-boil, then add again to the tank. (Water temperature is an important subject; see our website.)

3. Add your coffee grinds to the funnel and place inside the tank. (Start with the way you already do it. Another big subject discussed on our website.)

4. Use a towel or jar grip to grab the bottom tank. Twist on the top tank to seal the espresso machine. We sell silicone replacement gaskets too. Ours are softer than others and easier to seal.

5. Connect the air line to the fixture. Make sure it clicks.

6. Turn the power switch to  "on". Because air carries less energy that steam, IF you are in the habit of cramming the maximum amount of grounds into the funnel, you may have to reduce the amount. It should take a few minutes for the first flow to appear in the carafe. If it the coffee isn't extremely dark, you're not using enough and the result will be over-extraction. The moka pot is a SLOW, low-pressure espresso brewing method.

7. Sample the first blush coffee when it barely covers the bottom of the carafe. Even though it may seem much too strong for you, note the complexity of flavor (assuming you're using decent beans), and especially the lack of bitter AFTERTASTE. Pour all of the beverage into your cup.

8. Repeat this sampling process. Note the gradual decrease in strength and complexity. You'll learn a lot about your beans this way.

9. Repeating Step 6, the brew eventually will not only lack rich flavor, at a specific point it will have a bitter AFTERTASTE. This means it is no longer coffee, it's water run through spent grounds. Discard, and dilute the COFFEE to your desired strength with hot water. 

10. If you aren't using stovetop espresso-fine grounds, you might be surprised at how little rich coffee you made. This shows the rationale for espresso: pressure percolation will allow the use of finer grounds than gravity-fed pour over methods, extracting more of the good stuff from the same amount of grounds.

Check out our instructional video on YouTube. 

If you have any questions, please contact us at purist@thecoffeepurist.com