Espresso Pot - A Guide for Pros and Beginners

A true classic among preparation methods that is making a comeback.The inventor Alfonso Bialetti is to thank for the typical octagonal look. His son Renato spread the espresso pot worldwide and is immortalized in the company's logo as the "man with a beard and a raised index finger". He was even so loyal to his father's invention that he had his ashes buried in an oversized espresso pot.

Not enough Fun Facts yet? Here's a little info on the many (not entirely appropriate) names of this curious coffee maker: espresso pot or pot as a name is actually misleading, as the end product may not strictly speaking be called espresso due to the lower pressure (1 - 2.5 bar). Unfortunately, the wide Italian terms do not fit 100% either: Caffettiera actually only means coffee pot and Bialetti in turn only refers to the best-known manufacturer. The more correct term would actually be moka - but don't misunderstand it as mocha, because that would be understood worldwide as a different type of coffee (e.g. traditional Turkish coffee).

No matter what you call it, the espresso pot conjures up a really good, strong coffee. That with little pressure and no crema but a lot of style and charm!