ononno

I have begun to notice on various UK TV films/ soaps etc. that an Italian Bialetti type espresso pot being flourished in the kitchen scenes. Is this something new that is suddenly catching on? Or is it just me hadn't noticed it before?. I've not been to UK for quite a while now, so am not au fait with what is in and what is out :-)

Pipistrelli

I have two of these! The old aluminium ones that sit on top of a stove. I have matching coffee bean grinders as well.
Mine are about 15 years old at least though. I have a proper coffee machine which grinds beans etc but I love the old aluminium ones so much that I just can't part with them!

Couldn't comment about a possible sudden popularity though as I've never ever seen anyone else with them. People usually look weirdly at mine.

Isakat

I have an old aluminium one for 6 cups.
Just changed the rubber ring and now it is so difficult to close it and no coffee comes out.
Still, I prefer it to the coffee machine that was a nuisance to clean and noisy and gave it away.
All my friends here have the same espresso coffee pots.
The worst thing was, I did not know it was for 6 cups as I use mugs and milk with the coffee( no it is is not disgusting, it is lovely)and had all that caffeine in a day-6 espressos!

ononno

Every household in Italy I know has at least 1. We have 3; a 6 cup one for early morning espresso, a 2 cup one for the odd espresso during the course of the day, and an 8 cup one for when we have visitors. They are all Bialetti,at least 40 years old. Repair kits for new rubber rings, filter plates, and even new handles or lid knobs, are easily available locally.
My query was about their (to me) apparent sudden popularity in UK.
ciao for now,
'o nonno

Sancho

Is it like this, the Bodum Chambord -

http://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/bod...sso-maker-12oz

because if it is then I may have been making the same mistake as you. Mine makes a mugful.

ononno

That looks like a modern streamline version of the traditional Italian Bialetti version.

Isakat

Yes, mine is the old fashioned one, same principle. However, it does take 400 ml/one large mug, so you have been overdosing on caffeine like me=6 espresso cups a day!

ononno

My Bialetti family

Garbatellamike

nice family I have only your middle child

duffer

Yeah I was making half a mug of coffee only from the 3 cup Moka so I upgraded to a used 6 cup Moka to make myself a full mug of coffee. Lovely.

Lorna at Vicenza

I've got the same family, but coffee makes me sick. I don't mind the smell of coffee and I'm happy to put the moka on for other people but I won't touch it in any shape or form including tiramisu, chocolates, yoghurts etc.

Have you all been told never to wash your moka pots with detergents, just rinse with water?

Garbatellamike

oh yes

Sancho

On the subject of coffee pots, I wonder if anyone here can give me an answer to these:

1. Is it socially OK to use the same ground coffee more than once, just putting more water in the bottom bit and making some more coffee ?

2. Is there any reason why one shouldn't fill the bottom bit up with water just, say, halfway, to get just half a mugful of coffee ?

Isakat

I do not see a problem, but you must put less coffee, otherwise you will still get the caffeine of 6 espressos, but in half a mug!

ononno

1)No
2)Yes, it just gives you dirty water; and you risk it exploding.