Has anyone got a Bialetti?

[JacknDiane]

Would you recommend it? I like latte and cappuccino, dont like espresso.

I can't afford a bean to cup machine, which is what l want.

How does the Bialetti work??

Thanks

Are you talking about the stove-top coffee pot or the electric machine for pods and ready ground coffee?
The first is a classic, the second is a rickety piece of crap.

I thought Bialetti ONLY made stovetop espresso?

Yes I have a stove top bialetti. It's brilliant and makes as good a cup of coffee as an espresso maker at a few hundred pounds less. It forces the hot water through the ground coffee at probably the same kind of pressure as an espresso maker but 'up' rather than down.

You can either be fancy and grind your own beans as well if you like. Just be aware that you'll need espresso ground beans for the bialetti - not regular coffee that you could use in a press.

DH is from Milan so we have 5748392 moka pots in all manner of sizes (slight exaggeration).

They’re a faff but worth it for the coffee. It’s far better than bean to cup which we also have.

I had this one about 15 years ago. The first one leaked water from the start. Took it back. The second one lasted about 6 months but the water tank was made of very fragile plastic. Replaced it twice and gave up.

Its the stove top one i was meaning. Is it only for making expresso? I wanted to make flat white or latte, maybe bialetti is the wrong thing for me.

I have a stove top coffee maker and it makes by far the best coffee in my view. But I drink it black and strong!

I suppose you could have a separate milk frothing thing if you want to make cappuccinos. (I find the lavazza milk frother the best).

Espresso is the basis of all types of coffee - latte is just espresso and milk, cappuccino is espresso with hot milk and foam, americano is espresso with hot water.

A good espresso is essential to build on.

There’s this thing but it hasn’t been a huge success. I often see them in second hand shops here in Italy. Edited to add, try watching the “How to…” video.
mukka

I have used my stove top for years & also either use a milk frother or just slightly warmed milk to make it into a latte each morning. I buy ground beans for espresso & I think it's a great cup of coffee

You don’t need a bean to cup machine. If you’d rather not spend so much would something like this be in your budget? Maybe Black Friday sales?

I found this at John Lewis & Partners. What do you think?
https://www.johnlewis.com/delonghi-stilosa-espresso-ec260-coffee-machine/cream/p110800343?tmad=c&tmcampid=7&s_share=jlappios_Y29tLmFwcGxlLlVJS2l0LmFjdGl2aXR5LkNvcHlUb1Bhc3RlYm9hcmQ=

you can put a jug under then pour the espresso into your cup and top with steamed milk/foam. A stove top mokka pot would work for the coffee part of what you want but you need something for the milk too.

I adore my Bialetti. By far my favourite way to make coffee.

@SparrowFeet

what are espresso ground beans?

Im in my 60’s and have used a Moka since I was knee high….. I buy the ground coffee that is suitable for all coffee makers. Have I been doing it wrong?🙂

I think I must live with someone very similar - I swear he stashes them in all rooms of the house 🤣

I use the general stuff when here but do buy the espresso grind when I’m in Italy and bring it back - it’s nice but not necessary!

A Bialetti will make the espresso for your latte or cappuccino.

If you go down that route then you might want some sort of milk frother for the milk part of the drink.

I have a manual coffee machine that comes with a steamer so I can make my coffee. I’d love a fancier one but budget and space is an issue plus I think that pod coffee is disappointing so a manual machine is the best compromise for me. I watched YouTube to learn how to steam milk and my lattes are pretty good now.

All the drinks have an espresso base so a bialetti stove top would be fine. It’s the only coffee we can make someone as we don’t buy instant coffee.

Both lattes and flat whites are made with espresso. A stove top bialetti makes espresso. To make a latte or a flat white you froth the milk to the appropriate level and add to the bialetti espresso shot/s (depending on how strong you want it). A bialetti is good, but it doesn’t make a crema on the espresso itself for which you would need an espresso machine. It’s probably not that important if you never drink straight espresso though, but there is a slight difference in taste.

I’ve got 4, classic silver from my student days (the valve has failed but it’s kept for sentimental reasons) a green one, a red one exclusively for decaf and a yellow one just because …..

I have a stove top one suitable for an induction hob. It's a revelation plus better environmentally than pods

I really like my Bialetti. I use it to make espressos to which I usually add quite a lot of milk. So effectively a latte. You don't need a fancy frother machine if you want cappuccino. The little handheld whisk type ones do fine.

The KEY think in keeping moka pot coffee lovely is to keep the pot VERY clean. I usually make a pot with just water after I have washed it in the ordinary way, to superclean the inner tube.

I have a stove top Bialletti and use Illy ground coffee - it makes far nicer coffee than any of the expensive artisan places near me. I think it’s about £50 but it’s so worth it.

Don’t put it in the dishwasher though - my sister did this and it looks like it’s been in a fire! It just needs rinsing in warm water each morning and the occasional hand wash.

Italian beans are often dark roast so they have an oily appearance but not necessarily. I prefer a stainless steel mokka pot as opposed to the aluminium ones. However the machines you see put the water through the coffee at a higher pressure than the pot can achieve.

I have this one too (although we're yet to get around to actually getting the induction hob). I love it, so easy to use and I don't feel the need to buy an expensive "proper" coffee when I'm out and about because it doesn't usually taste as good as the one I can make at home.

OP - I sometimes drink it quite strong, with just a splash of milk, but I also like to heat half a cup of milk and add it to that. It works really well. I'd second the advice to get a milk frothing thingie if that's how you like your coffee. Also, mine is small enough that I can take it on holiday if we're self catering - I think you'd struggle to do that with the larger machines 😁