To someone who is not familiar with them, it might appear that a Moka pot and a percolator are essentially the same thing. After all, they both make coffee, right? Well, there are some similarities, but they are mostly surface level.
Moka pots make small batches of strong, concentrated coffee. They are often called stovetop espresso makers, but this is not quite accurate. Percolators make large pots of coffee that are of average strength.
The percolator is a coffee machine that was commonly used in restaurants and diners before the modern drip coffee machine became more popular.
We will be looking at the similarities and differences between Moka pots and percolators. Even though they look similar on the surface, the two options are very different. We’ll go through each one in detail so you can decide which one is right for you.
If you are not familiar with the term, a spoiler alert is a warning that a story contains information that could spoil the enjoyment of reading it. In this case, the author is saying that most people could use a spoiler alert, meaning that most people could use a warning that they are about to read something that could spoil their enjoyment. Let’s get started!
Moka Pot
Moka pots have been around for a long time and are one of the ways you can make coffee. Percolators work by passing hot water through coffee grounds, rather than letting the grounds soak in water like a French press.
Moka pots are unique among percolation brewers because they rely on pressure to function.
To make coffee with a Moka pot, you need to pack finely ground coffee into the small chamber at the base of the Moka pot. After that, you need to fill the bottom of the pot with water. You place the Moka pot over a heat source, such as a burner on your stove, and wait for the coffee to brew.
As the water heats up, it begins to boil and turn to steam, and the pressure builds up. When the pressure is high enough, the water starts to look for a way out and gets forced through the coffee up into the main chamber of the Moka pot.
When all the water has boiled away or been forced through the coffee grounds, your coffee will be ready.
Moka Pot Coffee Taste
Moka pot coffee and espresso might seem similar, but they are actually quite different. Both methods of brewing coffee use pressure, so they are very similar. The main difference between coffee made in an espresso machine and coffee made in a Moka pot is that the Moka pot doesn’t have as much pressure.
In order for coffee to be considered espresso, it must be brewed with nine bars of pressure. This is not possible to do with a Moka pot.
Even though Moka pot coffee is not made in an espresso machine, the coffee is still similar to espresso. Moka pot coffee is strong and concentrated, so it is usually served in small doses.
Moka pot coffee doesn’t have the smooth, creamy layer of microbubbles called crema on top like espresso does. The main reason espresso is so popular is because of crema, which is also the main reason why Moka pot coffee is less well-known.
Some refer to Moka pot coffee as “faux-spresso” because both espresso and Moka pot coffee are strong and consumed in small amounts.
Percolator Work
Percolators are similar to Moka pots in many ways. The coffee makers resemble large Moka pots but have a different method of brewing coffee.
Percolators and Moka pots may seem to work in the same way, but there are some differences. To use a percolator, you will need coffee, water, and a heat source. So far, that sounds pretty similar.
A Moka pot and a percolator both use grounds coffee, but a percolator uses a medium to medium-coarse ground coffee while a Moka pot uses a fine ground coffee. Despite seeming like a small difference, it actually alters the coffee’s flavor significantly.
Another difference is where the coffee sits. In a percolator, the coffee is held in a basket near the top of the percolator by the lid. The water fills the percolator and then is heated, either on a stove or by electric coils in the base. The water then rises through a small tube in the center of the pot and begins to percolate, or drip, through the grounds.
As the water heats, it is forced up through a pipe-like structure attached to the basket where the coffee sits.
The water heats up as it travels through the pipe and comes out of the spout into the coffee basket. It then slowly goes through the coffee grounds and you have coffee.
The percolators don’t use high pressure to force the water through the coffee grounds like the Moka pots do. The water moves slowly through the area and only flows downhill because of gravity.
You might think that no one likes percolator coffee after our last remarks, but that’s not the case. Percolators make large batches of coffee quickly and consistently better than any other method.
Percolator coffee can be quite bitter, but it’s not undrinkable.
A percolator would be a good choice for someone who regularly needs to brew large batches of coffee. While a standard coffee maker will not produce the same quality coffee as a specialty coffee maker, it is perfectly adequate for after dinner coffee drinks.
A less important consideration is aesthetics. Percolators have a unique look and feel that makes them great for starting conversations if you keep them on your kitchen counter.
It is not important what a brewer looks like to make quality coffee, but some people consider it a factor.
Another point in favor of percolators is the price. Many people see them as old and obsolete, so they tend to be cheap. We think that coffee makers that have a capacity and are convenient still have a place in a modern coffee arsenal.
Percolator Coffee Taste
Percolator coffee is just like your regular cup of coffee. Some people don’t like percolator coffee because it can be over-extracted and bitter.
Bubbling coffee through a pipe and spilling it onto the coffee grounds is an imprecise process. You can’t control where the water goes, which can lead to water being channeled and extracted too much.
Moka Pot vs. Coffee Percolator
History
The Moka pot and coffee percolator have different origins, and they have been used differently throughout history.
Moka Pot
Alfonso Bialetti, an Italian engineer, created the Moka pot in 1933. Everyone in Italy started using it to make coffee. It also spread across Europe and Latin America.
After World War II, coffee makers became very popular because people could make coffee at home.
Coffee Percolator
In 1880, American inventor Hanson Goodrich created the coffee percolator. He based the name of his coffee brewing method on the way the water percolates through the grounds, as opposed to the other methods of brewing coffee that were popular at the time, which were infusion and decoction.
They started by using heat from a stove burner, but eventually new models came out that used electricity to power an internal heat source.
The Design and Construction
Moka pots and coffee percolators have distinct designs, but both have a spout for pouring coffee and a handle for holding the pot. However, their interior construction varies greatly.
Moka Pot
The Moka pot is made of aluminum or stainless steel with a Bakelite handle. The exterior of the electric kettle greatly resembles a coffee percolator, as they both have a stylized kettle appearance.
Moka pots are composed of three sections: a base compartment, a filter basket, and a top chamber. The bottom chamber of the coffee maker is where you put the water before starting the brewing process. The coffee filter basket is where the finely ground coffee goes. It fits over the lower chamber. To brew coffee, the upper chamber is screwed onto the bottom, pressing the coffee filter into place.
Some of the best brands of Moka pot include:
- Bialetti
- Alessi
- Grosche Milano
Coffee Percolator
A coffee percolator looks like one large kettle. It’s aluminum, stainless steel, enamel, or glass. They can look very different according to the manufacturer.
Glass percolators are advantageous because one can see the evolution of the bubbles while the coffee is brewing. Enamel percolators come in many colors.
The coffee pot and handle are attached, but the coffee basket and tube are inside and separate. The percolator kettle should be filled with cold water before brewing. The coffee basket is sitting on top of the tube that goes down into the water.
Some of the best brands of coffee percolators include:
- Coletti
- Primula
- Farberware
- Cuisinart
The Brewing Process
The Moka pot and coffee percolator both use brewing processes that result in very different cups of coffee, though they have many similarities.
How Does a Moka Pot Work
A Moka pot brews coffee using pressure. Fill the bottom chamber of your Moka pot with water. To make coffee using a coffee maker, add ground coffee to the filter basket and gently tamp it down. Put the filter over the bottom chamber and screw the top chamber on top.
Place the Moka pot on the stovetop burner and turn on the heat. The water in the bottom chamber is turned to steam after about five minutes and pushes the coffee grounds in the filter.
If you press the grounds down firmly, they will form a tight puck as the boiling water pushes through and turns to coffee in the upper chamber.
The brewing process is complete once the coffee enters the top chamber. The coffee maker will finish brewing your cup of coffee without needing to be turned off or on again.
There should only be a small amount of coffee residue in your cup since the coffee grounds are below the top chamber. You can wait to throw the used coffee grounds away until the pot cools down.
How Does a Coffee Percolator Work
Add water to the kettle compartment of the coffee percolator. Put the tube in the kettle and add the filter basket. Add your coarsely ground coffee to the filter and press it down lightly.
The percolator should be placed on a stovetop burner over medium-low heat. Boiling water goes up the tube and gets to the coffee grounds, then falls back to the bottom and starts over again.
You should pay attention to the rate of bubbles when you are making coffee. If there are too many bubbles, it means the water is boiling and this will make the coffee taste bitter. If there are no bubbles, that means the water isn’t hot enough.
After five minutes have passed, hot water will be poured over the coffee grounds in order to make a pot of coffee. However, since the water is still in the chamber on the heat source, you can let it go for 10 minutes before needing to refill it.
If you want a stronger coffee, brew it using a method where the coffee runs over the grounds continually.
Coffee Grind Sizes
Moka pots require finely ground coffee because they operate more like an espresso machine, using pressure to brew the coffee. The water extracts more flavor when the grounds are fine.
A percolator, on the other hand, uses coarse grounds. One of the reasons for the coffee tasting bitter is because the coffee basket doesn’t have a filter. This causes small coffee grounds to end up in your coffee, making it taste bitter.
Since the brewing process is continuous, coarser grinds have fewer contact surfaces and are harder to extract. This reduces the risk of over-extraction.
The Coffee They Make
The Moka pot and percolator may look similar and have the same heat source, but they make different coffee.
Moka Pot Coffee
Moka pots make a small amount of strong coffee, so people often call them stovetop espresso makers. You can get a taste similar to espresso coffee without needing an expensive espresso machine or understanding of how to pull an espresso shot.
Percolator Coffee
Percolator coffee tastes richer than drip coffee. The water and coffee run over the grounds continually, so the longer you let it brew, the stronger the taste will be. This option allows you to brew an entire pot of coffee at one time, similar to a drip coffee machine. After you finish making the coffee, you can add cream and sugar like you usually would.
Affordability
Both base models of Moka pots and percolators are relatively affordable. If you want an electric option for either a car or a bike, you’ll have to pay more for the technology.
Durability
Moka pots and percolators are both durable because they’re often made of aluminum or stainless steel. This material heats up quickly when placed on a stove. Be careful with these pots and pans; even the handles can get hot.
Coffee percolators are available in enamel or glass. If you select one of these designs, you will need to take more care of it.
Portability
Both a Moka pot and percolator are portable and convenient and loved by outdoors enthusiasts. Stovetop versions of coffee makers are easy to transport because you don’t have to worry about cords and extra parts.
You can make them using a fire, which makes them great for morning coffee while camping.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this article comparing Moka pots and percolators. Each type of coffee maker has its benefits, so it depends on your personal preference and how you plan to use your coffee maker as to which one is right for you.
Moka pots make a tastier cup of coffee, but only in small batches. Period. Moka pots can be a pain to make coffee for even a small group.
Percolators do not make the best tasting coffee, but they are able to make a large quantity of coffee at one time. This would be enough to satisfy a large group of people who crave coffee.