One of the best ways to enjoy coffee is to make it using Moka Pot. This is because a Moka Pot uses steam and pressure to extract the goodness out of coffee grounds, allowing you to enjoy Italian-style coffee straight from home. 

However, they come in many sizes, which may make you wonder which size suits your needs. You do not want to make the mistake of buying a Moka Pot that is too small or too large.

Choose a Moka Pot based on the number of people you most commonly serve at one time. This is because you can make the best quality Moka Pot coffee by filling it to the brim and drinking it minutes after making it. Oversized Moka Pot may waste your coffee ground and make you produce lower quality coffee.

This article looks at the available Moka Pot you can buy from the market before discussing how you can choose the perfect Moka Pot size for your coffee needs.

What Are The Available Moka Pot Sizes?

Moka Pots can vary greatly and are usually measured in cups. The original Bialetti Moka Pot comes in 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12-cup sizes. The Bialetti Brikka Moka Pots have 2 and 4-cup sizes. Other Moka Pot brands may have sizes different from what Bialetti is offering.

When it comes to Moka Pots, people usually gravitate to Bialetti. This is because Bialetti was the original Moka Pot inventor in 1933. However, today, many brands of Moka Pot makers, with brands such as Imusa, Alessi, and La Cafetiere popular. 

With Bialetti, their classic Moka Pot usually comes in 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12-cup sizes. Bialetti also has different lines of Moka Pots with different sizing. For example, if you look at the Brikka series, it comes in 2 and 4-cup sizes. 

Brikka Moka Pots come with additional technology that generates higher pressure inside the pot, which may help to extract more goodness out of your coffee grounds. 

If these Moka Pot sizes are not suitable for your needs, you can always look at brands such as Zulay Kitchen or Grosche. They carry sizes Bialetti does not have, such as 5-cup or 10-cup sizes.

A cup here refers to about 2 fl oz (Fluid Ounce) of coffee, which is about 60 ml in metric. However, different Moka Pot makers may use different volumes for a cup, so you want to confirm this before buying. 

Why Should I Choose The Right Moka Pot Size?

You should care about choosing the right Moka Pot size because you want to make sure you serve the right amount of coffee at the right time. Oversized and underfilled Moka Pot usually produces inferior coffee due to poor extraction. 

Some people uneducated in Moka Pot coffee may approach it with the mindset of ‘bigger is better. To them, larger pots can make more coffee for guests when needed. However, this is a wrong approach.

The right way to select a Moka Pot is to look at how many cups of coffee you will likely serve daily instead. There are reasons for this:

Moka Pots Performs Best When Filled To The Brim

A Moka pot uses heat to build up pressure, which then helps push steam and hot water through the coffee ground, creating espresso. It is a more old-school version of an espresso maker. 

If you want to build up the right pressure to extract the right amount of goodness out of your coffee, you should always fill your Moka pot to the brim, which is where the safety valve is. You may not generate enough pressure to extract flavors from your coffee well if you do not.

However, avoid overfilling the water tank as you may generate too much pressure, resulting in burnt or sour-tasting coffee.

Another thing is the coffee ground. Ensure you fill the coffee ground holder to the brim and do not compress it. If you underfill, there may be over-extraction, causing your coffee to taste bad.

This could happen if you buy a 5-cup Moka Pot, only to usually fill up about half of the water container since you only make 2-cups of coffee regularly. In this case, you should get a 2-cup Moka Pot, fill the water to the brim, and make coffee that way. It should taste much better.

Moka Pot Coffee Is Best Consumed Minutes After Brewing

Some people believe they could make a large batch of coffee with their Moka pot and then keep it in the refrigerator for drinking water. While this may not be a cardinal sin in coffee making, you are losing the opportunity to enjoy the coffee at its best. 

Moka Pot coffee commonly tastes best several minutes after making. The idea is that the crema (foamy layer) on top of the coffee has not yet dissolved. If you leave the coffee for too long, the layer dissolves, taking away the opportunity to stimulate your taste buds. 

This means you should only make enough coffee to be consumed immediately. If you commonly make coffee for yourself, a 1 or 2-cup size Moka Pot should be enough. 

How Do I Know The Right Moka Pot Size I Need?

To judge the size of the Moka Pot you need, look at how much coffee you commonly serve, the most frequently, in cups. Then look for Moka Pots that make the exact number of cups of coffee. You do not need any bigger or smaller Moka Pots.

If you need help making the right decision on your Moka Pot size, start by looking at the amount of coffee you regularly make at home at one time. 

For example, if you live alone, chances are you only make one cup of coffee at a time. If you live with a spouse, you probably make 2 or 3 cups of coffee at a time, with the third cup shared as a second serving. 

From there, you can decide the right Moka pot size for your own use. When possible, always choose the exact size of Moka Pot for your single-brew needs. Avoid buying Moka Pots that are smaller or larger than needed. If you need to serve more people at one go for special occasions, brew twice.

This allows you to always fill the Moka pot to the brim and fill your coffee holder with the right amount of coffee. As a result, you will always have a perfect pressure, steam, and coffee ground ratio to make the perfect cup of joe. 

If you buy a larger size, you will fill the pot and coffee holder to the full and make too much coffee that you cannot drink when it’s hot. In another way, you may try to use less water and coffee grounds, which may affect the taste and quality of your coffee.

Final Thoughts

Based on the size of your Moka pot, you can make a good estimate as to what quantity of coffee grounds will be needed. But don’t stop there. While finding the right amount of coffee is important, pay attention to the grind type and taste too when making your cup of gourmet coffee.

Some may want something less bitter while others may prefer it extra bold. Keep all of this in mind before choosing a new Moka pot and enjoy brewing that perfect cup!