bialetti venus safety valve factory

The devil is in the details. It is often the smallest things, the particularities, that make all the difference. This is also the case in regards to the preparation of a good coffee, a ritual in which all the steps and every single component play a fundamental role. Among all, one of the most important elements is the Moka valve. Often ignored, it is vital not only for the quality of the coffee, but also for the safety of those who prepare it.

The valve was born with the invention of the Moka Express in 1933. It is a safety valve positioned on the bottom chamber. To better understand the importance of the valve and its use, we need to take a step back and illustrate step by step

This is where the valve of the Moka comes into play. It must open when the pressure is too high. By doing so, it allows the steam to escape regularly, without causing any damage. In short, the Moka’s safety valve provides security. Hence, it should only intervene when the coffee maker is used under abnormal operating conditions.

A long-standing and debated question: how far can you fill the bottom chamber for a state-of-the-art coffee? The Moka valve can come in handy to answer this dilemma. Another important role of the valve is that it acts as a "measuring cup". Its position on the bottom chamber is not accidental. Rather, it indicates to those who prepare the coffee the correct amount of water to use. The only exception is for some special coffee pots that are already equipped with a measuring cup. Ideally the water should reach just below the safety valve.

The Moka valve, therefore, is not a decoration or a mere design element. Rather, it is a very important component for the correct functioning of the coffee maker. It guarantees safety and plays a part in the making of an excellent coffee.

Consequently, it is necessary to keep it clean and maintain it regularly. For example, using tap water to make coffee brings with it the risk of limescale deposits obstructing the hole in the valve. The resulting danger is that it could get clogged.

We have seen that one can simply use hot water to clean the Moka valve. To avoid limescale obstructions, simply move the piston that comes out of the valve along its axis when washing it. To ensure the Moka functions correctly, it is recommended to repeat this checkup periodically.

How to prepare coffee: fill the boiler up to the safety valve with water, insert the funnel tank and add the ground coffee for moka without pressing; close the moka pot and place it on the hob. Wait for coffee to gurgle as it rises to the collector (upper chamber), turn off the gas and, finally, enjoy your delicious coffee!

A size for every need: Bialetti Venus sizes are measured in espresso cups; coffee can be enjoyed in espresso cups or larger cups, according to your needs. This is why Bialetti Venus is available in different sizes (2 (no induction), 4, 6 and 10 cups). Number of ml per format: 85 ml - 170 ml - 235 ml - 460 ml

The most popular of our stainless steel stovetops, the Bialetti Venus produces the same authentic Italian espresso, using the same brewing technique, as the original Moka Express.

This stovetop espresso pot is made from 18/10 stainless steel and is compatible with all cooktops including induction* (Venus 2 cup size is not suitable for induction cooktops).

A functional style with a practical, drip-less pouring spout, it is constructed from food grade 18/10 stainless steel and has an ergonomic, heat-resistant handle with secure anti-slip grip and features Bialetti’s patented safety valve.

To produce an authentic espresso in minutes, simply fill the bottom with water to just below the valve, add your favourite espresso ground coffee to the funnel and gently heat on your stovetop.

Maybe your moka pot is hissing and spitting steam or your coffee is too weak. Here are the ways to fix the most common problems with a Bialetti to make sure your morning brew is everything you expect.

Three possible reasons: Either the safety valve is clogged, you’ve filled the reservoir above the fill line, or the filter may be clogged up so that the water isn’t escaping into the jug part of the pot as it should.

What to do: Take the whole pot apart, including the gasket and filter, and rinse thoroughly, wiping off any stray or stuck coffee grounds with a sponge. Also, check to see if your safety valve has a tiny protuberance (like a little metal stick that you can push from the inside)—some of my older pots had this, but my newer one doesn’t. If so, push this in a few times (it springs back again) to dislodge the blockage. If the problem continues, you might have to send the pot back or buy a new one, depending on whether it’s still under warranty.

It"s not hard to make a great cup of coffee with these machines, but there are specific things you must do, including seasoning it, loading it properly, and keeping it clean. Read How to Make Perfect Stovetop Espresso Coffee With a Bialetti Moka Pot to learn more.

Bialetti’s legacy of quality and reliability lives on in these lines of coffee makers crafted in high-quality 18/10 stainless with ergonomic, heat-resistant handles. Now everyone can have the beverages they crave and a look they love.

The timing couldn"t have been better, as the Great Depression meant many Italian coffee-lovers had to give up their afternoon caffeine fix at the local cafe. But the Moka pot allowed them to replicate the ritual at home. Bialetti"s coffee maker has three chambers that are assembled quickly and intuitively. The lower chamber boils the water, forcing hot water through the ground coffee and filter within the center chamber. The top pot collects the finished brew. It also includes a patented safety valve to help prevent accidents.

Why was the Moka Express so successful? Probably because it was easy to use, simple to maintain and reliable enough for daily use. Well that, and Alfonso Bialetti"s son, Renato, took over the family business. He was a shrewd marketer and also took advantage of the post-War glut of aluminum and skilled factory workers in Italy to boost production. Where his father sold about 70,000 coffee pots in the company"s fist six years of business, the younger Bialetti did those same numbers in just one.

New Venus is an updated version of one of the most popular moka pot models by Bialetti, the world’s leading manufacturer of coffee makers. Compared to the previous version, the new one includes new upper part, lid knob and handle design as well as increased lower part thickness by 20%. Bialetti Venus 2tz model it used to brew 2 cups of espresso at a time (approx. 50ml each). The total capacity is 100ml.

Its streamlined shape and original design make Bialetti Venus a great decoration of every kitchen. This amazing look is combined with functionality. This device is made of polished stainless steel with a black plastic handle. Stainless steel has less effect on the coffee taste than aluminum and the ergonomic shape of the handle allows for comfortable pouring of the prepared espresso.

Bialetti Venus is suitable for gas, electric and induction hobs (4tz size and more). Put the product on the hob so that the handle is beyond the reach of heat.

The coffee maker constists of a top sealed tank, a filter and a bottom tank. Put ground coffee beans in the filter, pour water into the bottom tank below the safety valve level and connect all the elements. Put the coffee pot on the stove and wait a few minutes. Hot water moves to the top tank, flowing through ground beans. Your delicious and aromatic espresso is ready!

The first Bialetti espresso maker for private households is the Moka Express , which from 1933 brought extremely tasty coffee to the cucina italiana, which previously could only be enjoyed in the coffee bar.

With the portafilter machines in the catering industry, espresso could be made under high pressure and the inventor Alfonso Bialetti came up with the idea of forcing the water through the coffee in his aluminum pot using only the low steam pressure. It is believed that Bialetti copied this percolator principle from early washing machines. “The little man with the mustache”, “omino coi baffi”, has conquered the world.

The Bialetti logo shows the inventor Alfonso Bialetti as a caricature and nostalgic head of the family, who ordered his espresso with a raised finger in the caffè. With the invention of the “Moka Express” it was possible to prepare an espresso at home as in the catering trade: “a casa un espresso come al bar”.

What Alfonso Bialetti sold personally and regionally at market stalls from 1933 onwards, his son Renato Bialetti patented it on the Italian market after the World War and built the world’s largest factory for coffee machines.

Bialetti is a company that invented moka pots. However, today many other brands offer Italian stove top coffee makers for 2 or even 3 times lower price. Is there any real difference between them except the famous ‘little man with the mustache’ logo, which Bialetti proudly put on its models? (Spoiler: yes)

I decided to compare stainless steel versions, since my new kitchen is equipped with a induction stove (classic aluminium moka pots like Moka Express or Brikka can’t work with it). I choose a Bialetti Venus by Bialetti (‘Made in India according to Bialetti’s quality standarts’ was written on the box) and a similar moka pot by some unknown brand from China (almost 3 times cheaper). Both are for 4 cups, which equals to 160ml. Here they are:

So let’s investigate the differences between cheap Chinese moka pot made of steel vs original Bialetti Venus.I will not describe the unboxing process (though Bialetti packaging was better) and focus on the materials, construction, coffee taste and temperature:

Both coffee makers are made of stainless steel. However the thickness of the metal is different, Chinese one definetly has more slim edges (hereinafter on photos the Bialetti is on left while the Chinese one is on right):

The fact that Bialetti uses a lot more metal while producing their stove top espresso makers is also proven by the weight. According to my kitchen scale it’s 544 grams (19.2 ounces) in the case of Bialetti vs 330 grams (11.6 ounces) in the case of its counterpart. Both measurements are made without boxes:

❕ The main thing, that dissapointed me was the weirdly coated bottom section in Chinese moka pot. While the Bialetti has a equaly shiny polished steel both outside and inside, the bottom chamber of the second coffee maker has a layer of some strange material:

My last observation is about emergency valve that is located one the side of the bottom chamber and that is used to lower the pressure if the funnel would be clogged. They are different:

The Bialetti inspection valve is a patented valve, which has been designed to guarantee the use of the coffee maker in complete safety. Using the coffee maker with drinking water entails the risk of formation of lime scale in the hole of the safety valve, causing the clogging of the valve itself and the malfunctioning of the product.

With the Bialetti inspection valve, it is very simple to avoid clogging arising from lime scale: just move the small piston coming out of the valve along its axis when washing the coffee maker.

As I mentioned above the fact that Chinese has thinner metal body affects the brewing proccess. Bialetti’s upper chamber stays cools longer, while all parts of Chinese coffee maker becomes hot very soon. That means that temperature of extraction is higher on Chinese one. It’s generally condidered to be bad for the coffee taste (because it may become bitter), however it’s better for lovers of hot coffee.

Here are photos of coffee temperature measurement in Bialetti Venus and in ATWFS moka pot just after brewing on gas cooker (photos kindly provided by my reader kroleg-m):

The moka pot is a stove-top or electric coffee maker that brews coffee by passing boiling water pressurized by steam through ground coffee. Named after the Yemeni city of Mocha, it was invented by Italian engineer Alfonso Bialetti in 1933 and quickly became one of the staples of Italian culture.Bialetti Industries continues to produce the same model under the trade name "Moka Express".

The boiler (marked A in the diagram) is filled with water almost up to the safety release valve (some models have an etched water level sign) and the funnel-shaped metal filter (B) is inserted. Italians generally do not preheat the water used, though established baristas such as James Hoffmann and Tristan Stephenson recommend using preheated water in the base.

A gasket ensures a tightly closed unit and allows for pressure to safely build up in the lower section, where a safety valve provides a necessary release in case this pressure should get too high.

Moka pots require periodic replacement of the rubber seal and the filters, and a check that the safety release valve is not blocked. When the rubber seal is new, it might alter the coffee taste, so a couple of "dry runs" can be made, without coffee or with used coffee grounds to "prime" it. It is an urban myth that leaving coffee stains in a moka pot is preferable – the rancid coffee should be scrubbed out of all parts of the pot. Moka pots are generally not dishwasher safe.

The moka pot comes in various sizes based on the number of 50 ml (2 imp fl oz; 2 US fl oz) espresso cups they produce. The following table are the standard sizes for the Bialetti Moka Express.

A few companies have introduced variations to the Moka pot design. One such design has incorporated a weighted valve called Cremator or Cremavent as a pressure regulator on top of the nozzle that allows pressure to build up inside the water tank in a manner similar to a pressure cooker. As pressure builds up more quickly in this method (since there is much less leakage of vapour) compared to the standard moka pot, it reaches the level required for water to rise through the ground coffee in a shorter time. The result is coffee brewed at a higher pressure and temperature than the standard pot, making it more similar to espresso and therefore with more visible crema.

While some claim that the highest quality percolators are made in Italy – which is no wonder, they are often simply called Italian espresso pots or ‘Bialetti’s’ – we don’t find this necessarily to be the case. On average, it’s fair to say that whenever it says ‘Made in Italy’ you can be rest assured the quality will be great, while China is more of a mixed bag. To boot, having an authentic Italian stovetop espresso maker does add to the charm a bit, doesn’t it?

Bialetti is the number one player in the stovetop espresso maker market, which is not a surprise once you see the thousands of happy customer reviews on their Moka pots. Due to its features, the Bialetti Moka Express has long been dubbed as one of the best coffee makers. The octagonal shape of the coffee maker allows the heat to distribute perfectly while your coffee brews, resulting in a strong Moka pot coffeein under 5 minutes (4).

I personally only use this Moka pot nowadays – I’ve been through other models and the consistency you get is unbeatable. Read my Bialetti Moka Express review if you wish to learn more. The Bialetti Brikka, a modern alternative to the Moka Express is also worth checking out.

The Bialetti Venus features soft lines and a harmonious design that gives it just as the name suggests an elegant look. It’s a beauty to the eye. It also produces great tasting coffee. Its stainless steel construction means it’s suited for induction cooktops. The handle is insulated to resist high temperatures, hence you can use the unit without having to worry about burning yourself when pouring.

Moka pots, however, aren’t so durable. Even with a release valve, too much pressure could cause the pot to explode, which can lead to injuries from hot water or flying pieces. And the 1-2 bars of pressure moka pots create isn’t enough pressure to force water through the finely ground coffee if it’s packed tight.

In this review, I’ll give you an overview of manufacturers and variants for different types of stoves. I’ll compare stainless steel and aluminum moka pots, as well as look at whether the original Bialetti still comes out on top.

Depending on the moka pot model, the liquid still has to pass through a more or less resistant valve. In some cases, it’s called a “crema valve” intended to produce the coffee foam that we appreciate so much in espresso.

Still, even with a super valve, a stovetop espresso pot doesn’t get close to the 9 bars of pressure needed for an optimal espresso — or any espresso, for that matter. On average, it only reaches 1.5 bars.

Let’s not forget: the moka pot’s basic principle has never changed — why should it when it’s so easy to achieve such clear results? Plus, good espresso makers from Bialetti and others are practically indestructible and can be (thoroughly) cleaned in seconds. An espresso machine, on the other hand, will have a hard time keeping up with that!

Melitta is the filter coffee (or a better coffee filter), Kleenex is thefacial tissue and Bialetti is thestovetopespresso maker. Not only does the Italian company hold the title of the inventor, but it also has a huge product range — even if all the versions are more or less the same.

I hardly need to explain the polygonal classic with the Bialetti man on the side. It’s even in the kitchens of people who don’t drink espresso. This lightweight aluminum model is available in all sizes, ranging from 1 – 18 cups and costing $20 – $130 on Amazon.

As the mother of all stovetop espresso makers, the Bialetti Moka Express isn’t suitable for use with an induction cooktop due to its material, nor does it keep the coffee at temperature for particularly long.

Equally important, from my point of view, the Bialetti Moka Express is also available in colorful covered versions, ranging from Italian names to trendy pastels — for example, Bialetti Rainbow. Even though these moka pots aren’t coated on the inside, I would advise against buying one. In my experience, color coatings have a tendency to peel off over time.

Despite all reservations, the Bialetti Moka Express has rightly earned its classic status. However, on the subject of aluminum as a health risk, I’ll refrain from giving my personal opinion. You can decide for yourselves whether it’s right for you or not.

For around $10 more, the Bialetti Venus is a stainless steel stovetop update that has no issues with an induction cooktop. It also doesn’t have any of the aluminum drawbacks. What’s missing, though, is the iconic Bialetti design.

The current version is called the New Venus,and the price on Amazon ranges from $32 (for 4 cups) to around $50 (for 10 cups). If you already have a Venus espresso maker, you definitely don’t need to buy a newer version. Either way, I consider the Venus to be the best moka pot in my review — even though my review selection is very limited.

This device is the realreason for renewing this review and comparison because no one could understand why I wanted to test the Bialetti Brikka. After all, it is supposed to solve the problem of nonespresso from an espresso maker.

It has the previously mentioned crema valve built-in, which offers more resistance to the bubbling coffee, making for a drink that’s supposed to approach espresso both visually and taste-wise.

Still, my reservation hasn’t changed: coffee prepared in a moka pot is already at a higher-than-optimal temperature. The crema valve builds up additional pressure, which, in turn, shifts the boiling point of the water. This shortens the preparation time (good), but increases the risk of over-extraction (bad).

All owners know how long these devices last. However, if you need spare parts, they’re readily available and cheap. You can also order a matching manual milk frother (the Bialetti Tutto Crema) to go with any stovetop espresso maker. The Italians really consider manual preparation a system and have thought it out from start to finish.

From IKEA’s Metallisk model to the popular Groenenberg stovetop espresso maker, stainless steel is currently the material of choice. Only some “traditionalist” Italians from Bialetti or Lavazza continue to make models with aluminum.

DeLonghi (and others) also provide offerings built like a Bialetti but which stand on a detachable base. This is not only bulky, but it never looks particularly high-quality, either. Plus, some of these representatives obviously don’t use stainless steel.

Fill the lower part of the moka pot with water — preferably warm or hot to shorten the brewing process. If there’s no fill line indicated, always stay below the safety valve.

Another tip from the community (from David): “The safety valve is used to relieve excess pressure if the funnel is clogged — e.g. by coffee that’s too finely ground! So, if steam escapes from the valve, remove the moka pot from the stove immediately.” Amen.

According to my research, a moka pot "cup" refers to a fill volume of around 60 milliliters (2 fluid ounces) -- at least for a Bialetti. Theoretically, a "cup" is, therefore, a double espresso. Still, the exact milliliters don"t matter. It"s much more important to buy an espresso maker that matches your actual consumption per brew. Generally, the smaller the maker, the better the results, and that"s only if you fill it to the brim every time -- especially with regard to the ground espresso. So, a two-person household certainly doesn"t need an 18-cup stovetop espresso maker.

In most cases, you only need to replace the rubber gasket, which is available as a spare part for around $4 (or less). This is worthwhile even for low-priced espresso makers. However, if the safety valve in the lower chamber is defective or the crema valve no longer wants to work properly, it’s usually necessary to replace the entire moka pot.

If the safety valve is immersed in water, the rapid rise in temperature on a gas, electric or induction stove will cause espresso boilers to quickly overflow. Using less water should solve the problem.

Before even a drop of coffee ends up in your cup, you should clean the espresso maker thoroughly. This is best with hot water and even better achieved through several boiling processes. At the same time, check whether the safety valve works and the rubber gasket seals.