bialetti safety valve replacement free sample

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.

If you do not properly clean your moka pot after every use ground coffee can fall into the chamber, or water residue can build up in the valve. This leads to a blockage which stops the valve from relieving pressure buildup.

To fix this you must take apart the entire moka pot, including the filter and gasket, and give everything a thorough rinse. You can take a toothbrush an clean around the safety valve. Don’t try to disassemble the safety valve, its not designed to be taken apart. For a guaranteed clean, you can descale your moka pot with vinegar and lemon juice. Learn how here.

When adding water to the bottom chamber of your moka pot, you must always fill to just below the safety valve. If you cover the safety valve in water it will malfunction. Its also normal for some water to be left over after brewing.

Your funnel filter must fit neatly into the bottom chamber. If it is bent or worn around the edges it will need to be replaced. Moka pot replacements can be purchased here.

Its normal to have some water left over in a moka pot after brewing. They are designed that way. The steam pressure pushes water up the funnel, in the gap between the funnel and the base of the boiler chamber.  That leftover water also helps protect your moka pot from being heated in a dry state, which could become a safety concern if left unattended.

Every 3-6 months consider changing the gasket and silicone seal that maintains the pressure in the boiler section. Once you begin to have problems with your brew that’s usually a sign that it’s time for a new gasket or seal. Replacements can be purchased here.

The first step to making a fine cup of coffee with a Bialetti Moka Pot is of course acquiring one. I got mine from Amazon, but I’ll let you decide where you get yours.

Fill the boiler or bottom chamber with water. People advocate not to go above the safety valve, but I often do because I purchased the smallest (single cup, 1oz) moka Pot, which does not develop as much pressure as the larger moka Pots do. The water shouldn’t be super-pure, but also shouldn’t be extremely chlorinated. If you are using water that is highly chlorinated, I recommend setting the water open for a couple of hours to let the chlorine evaporate. Otherwise, the chlorine would react with the aluminum and cause dark discolorations.

Note that you should not overfilling or tamp down the permafilter basket with coffee grounds. The moka pot is not an espresso machine; the moka pot can only properly brew coffee at 1.5 bars of pressure, whereas espresso machines use 8 to 9 bars of pressure. So overfilling or tamping impedes the flow of water through the coffee grounds and out of the spout. This causes an increase in pressure, therefore temperature that burns the coffee grounds before it can be properly brewed. The safety valve may release from an increased pressure, and the coffee may either not siphon out from jamming or explode out of the top with force. I find that filling the basket with 4/4 coffee grounds is optimal and allows the water to pass through. Filling all the way is actually prevents the coffee from burning, since more pressure is used instead of more temperature. But be careful when filling all the way, because coffee grounds in the rubber gasket will ruin the rubber.

And so it went with our Bialetti Moka Mukka Express Coffee Maker, in Cow-Speckled White. I found it in our basement a while back, and was excited to try to make a cup of cappuccino – only to find the unit wasn’t working. It was a thrift store find dating years back, so we likely paid less than $10 for it. I looked up replacement valves, and they cost around $40USD – still less than what a new coffee maker costs, but far more than I was hoping to spend on a novelty appliance.

Users have reported that the upper valve assembly, which controls the coffee rising and foaming action, tends to clog and underperform over time. It requires frequent cleaning and careful attention to ensure correct performance. In the event it becomes blocked, the unit simply builds pressure until the relief valve in the base opens, and no coffee ever makes it to the top. See this video for an example (though in this case, he takes the valve off, which releases pressure and blows coffee out):

The first thing to try is taking the valve off, and blowing some compressed air up the exit orifice, to back out the stoppage. You could also take a small pipe cleaner, paperclip, or metal wire, and work it up through the valve to try and clean the insides. I gave this a try with no luck – there was a firm resistance very close to the exit aperture.

After inspecting the valve body closely, I couldn’t identify any obvious way of non-destructively open the stem. The metal exit aperture wouldn’t unscrew, and prying at the sides didn’t open the stem body. So, out came the X-Acto knife:

I made some shallow cuts along the sides of the valve body, right along the seams. It seemed (ha) to be working, and I further used a screwdriver to help pry apart the two halves of the valve body.

I took some fine-tipped tweezers, and started poking and pulling around at the brown wall. I ended up pulling out a lot of fibrous matter, which smelled of burnt coffee. Perhaps some incorrectly loaded filter media had made it up the valve?

I took a look around at what materials I had on hand to help re-seal the valve stem, and unfortunately couldn’t find any epoxy or plastic-weld putty in the garage. I settled on Permatex Red Hi-Temp Silicone Sealant – I couldn’t find a PSI rating for it, but if it can withstand high temperatures and is waterproof, that’s good enough for me. UPDATE: The sealant repair started flaking and flexing after about a month. I went to the hardware store and bought a higher-strength bonder: J-B Weld 50139 Plastic Bonder. This stuff dries hard as a rock, is rated for 3770 PSI, and is also black to match the colour of the valve. Still under $10!

After verifying that the body was still hollow and allowed wire to be fed through, I clamped the valve using some vice-grips, and left the sealant to cure.

The next day, I cleaned everything off with water and isopropyl alcohol, placed a new R-06 o-ring on the coffeemaker body, and reattached the valve. I ran some water through the system, and confirmed the valve was operating fine and not spitting sealant into the coffeemaker. Success!

If you have the right tools, anything is possible. If not, you can always buy a new replacement pressure valve for your Bialetti Mukka Express Coffeemaker on Amazon by using this link.

Fill the reservoir with water up to the fill line. If your pot doesn’t have a fill line, or you can’t see it, fill the reservoir to about half a centimetre below the safety valve.

If, like me, you live in a hard-water area, be aware that the safety valve on the water reservoir can get clogged over time with mineral deposits. I’ve not been able to buy the reservoir separately as a replacement part, so it might be worth buying a water filter: Britta has an excellent range of counter-top filter jugs and pitchers for around £20 to £30 ($20 to $40).

Replacement parts: Over time, the rubber gasket seal will deteriorate, and the filter on the jug will become clogged so you’ll need to replace these. Packs of gaskets + filters are about £/$6 to £/$7.

In fact, it is steam power that conveys the hot water from the bottom section of the pot up to, and through, the filter holding the coffee. From the filter the water, now coffee, finishes its short journey in the upper part of the pot, ready for serving. However, saying this, please don"t for one moment think that the quality of a Bialetti Moka Express stovetop espresso pot isn"t good ... it"s simply exceptional!

A stovetop Bialetti Moka espresso pot can probably be found in every Italian home. The coffee they produce, whilst not technically espresso, is dark and aromatic and served in Italian style espresso cups. The Bialetti Moka espresso pot comes in various sizes ranging from single, 3,6,9, to 12 cups. However, please don"t buy a Moka unless you intend to use it regularly. The quality of the coffee, if the pot hasn"t been used for a week or so, is quite undrinkable. Also, when new use the pot, with coffee not just water, for at least three times before offering a cup to your friends.

Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Espresso Pots, Part of Italian Heritage. For those of you who may not be totally familiar with these hexagonal based pots, let"s take a closer look. Bialetti Moka stovetop espresso pots are, as seen, an authentic part of Italian life. Invented by Alfonso Bialetti back in 1933, the Moka Express coffee pot revolutionized the preparation of espresso style coffee. Bialetti Moka pots feature premium quality construction, that may seem simple but isn"t easy to copy, with a polishes aluminum body made of three components: the bottom part (water well) the filter, and the top part (coffee collector). The pots can be recognized by the cute stylized chubby Italian man with a wonderful moustache that is used as the Bialetti trademark.

Apart from the quality of the pots themselves, over 200 million made, and the wonderful coffee they make, much of their success must be due to their ease of use. Simply pour fresh, cold water into the lower section of the pot until the water level reaches the bottom of the internal safety valve (this is easy to see). Next step, place the filter in position. This fits into the opening of the water section of the pot.

Once the filter is in place, fill it with the ground coffee of choice. Use the back of a spoon to press the coffee until it is level with the top of the filter. Finally, screw on the top part of the pot. The whole operation should take around two minutes, and then your Bialetti Moka stovetop espresso pot is ready for the stove. Heat until you hear it bubbling and the coffee container is almost full. The last and most important step ...sit down and enjoy!

There are many online resources that are able to offer Bialetti Moka pots, and we are pleased to recommend the following merchant:Italian Bialetti Moka Potsand much, much more

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.

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.

Abstract: Equipment (10) for the preparation of a hot beverage comprising a boiler (10) capable of containing a liquid component of the beverage, for example water, a collection container (14) and means (22, 20, 28) defining a delivery path for the liquid component from the boiler to the collection container. The equipment also comprises valve means (40) located along the delivery path for the liquid component comprising a plug (44) which can move between a position in which the delivery path is closed and one in which it is open and means (70, 72; 74, 76; 78) to immobilise the plug in the open position. These means are arranged in such a way that they can be activated and deactivated by a force exerted in the direction of movement of the plug.

I also think you’re not giving the Bialetti a chance. Use low heat and take it off the heat as soon as you hear the bubbling – don’t let the coffee boil as it spoils the flavour. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Not impressed with this blog post at all. Been using moka pots for years and the taste of that coffee vs taste of drip coffee maker is not even comparable and hardly “sub-par”. There is nothing scientific about making it either. You boil the water until it makes its way completely to the top of the pot, let it sit for a minute or 2 off the burner to cool off, then pour and drink it. All this fancy schmancy stuff (If you want to be fancy, put some cinnamon in it beforehand ) with the timers and everything – give me a break. You do not need any of that nonsense, you are completely over-thinking it which is ridiculous – it is coffee. I would recommend going with the Illy brand of coffee if you are committed to a moka pot. I switched from a drip coffee maker to the Bialetti about 5 years ago and the difference is as plain as night and day.

Has your stainless Venus rusted inside? I’m on my third pot, I returned the first two and now with the third one and not only has it rusted but the handle has cracked and the relief valve has failed, it won’t hold any pressure.

I have a smaller Bialetti that I purchased in Italy 5 years ago, it is all stainless no plastic handle, used several times a day and has never rusted or failed in any way. Not sure if I just got a bad batch of pots or if the quality has dropped off and they are using cheaper stainless. Anyways, thinking of getting an aluminium one now.

I contacted Bialetti service today and they are going to replace my pot. Amazing service from them! They replied back right away and are genuinely interested in correcting the problem. So will be staying with stainless!!

Hi Jeff, First of all Thanks for a great blog, I really enjoyed reading this with my husband, we had lots of laughs and also learned quite a lot. I came across your blog after having bought a cheap steel mocha pot in IKEA in Iceland where I was staying in my mother’s apartment and missed a decent coffee. The coffee did not taste the same at all as in my aluminium Bialetti at home in Denmark, so I concluded that buying a copy pot was my big mistake. I then started thinking about the difference between the water where I live (Denmark) where the water is really hard and my own country, Iceland, where the water is really soft. After reading this blog I changed a few things : 1) Cold water instead of warm 2) Low temperature/long brewing 3) No piling coffee and tapping. This has greatly improved the taste of our coffee and I will also stop scouring my pot when I think the top has become too stained. Now we plan on buying a grinder to get even better freshly ground coffee. Thanks again !! Regína Hardardottir

The weld attaching the handle on our stainless steel unit failed within the first year and I simply drilled a hole in the side and used a stainless bolt to fix it. Never knew about removing it the second you hear the gurgle….I’ll have to check our valve and insure it’s not failed as well. Personally we love the strong Italian style over anything you get from a drip or French press unit.

The process was thus. Clean all the elements of the pot (for every brew, even if one immediately after the other) with tap water. Fill with cold water to the valve, using a teaspoon pile the coffee into a mountain as high as you can in the basket, without tamping, clean the edges and put the lid on. Put the pot on a very low heat and wait for it…

I found this post trying to confirm my Bialetti is aluminium, looks like I won’t be using it again, amazed they’re still in production. Alzheimers is real folks, those reservoirs erode, it’s why no one uses tin kettles or pans in this day and age.

Hi, i just decided to buy bialetti moca pot and before paying for it, I was searching on how healthy to use an “aluminium” moca pot. For many years before using such a stuff may be acceptable but what about the disadvantages of aluminium? I’m not sure to heat my coffee in an aluminium pot everyday. What do you thing about it?

Great fast coffee from the Bialetti Moka, when following rules. I fill my 2 cup Moka with water till below the safety valve. I do not pack the not too fine grain coffee, just fill and remove the grains from the basket edges for a perfect seal when I screw on tight, low heat and remove from heat when you hear the noises the Moka does. Perfect coffee every time!!! Also simply love this toy, classic Italian design. Enjoy :-)

After 20 years of using aluminium pot I swapped to the Bialetti Venus Stainless Steel version. After a year, the inside of the bottom pot started to rust and it’s difficult to clean the inside of the top pot due to the design and difficult to reach gap. I don’t recommend it.

His questions triggered the solution. A lot of changes had happened in the month this problem manifested, I kept thinking it would resolve on its own before I went to the specialist 5 months later. As I began to eliminate potential causes, the only one left as my new aluminum Moka express. I had broken my glass french press and wanted an unbreakable replacement that made great coffee. The hives began slowly but escalated until I had to take an antihistimine. I ordered the stainless Bialette and have been hive and antihistimine free for 2 years.

This blog is HILARIOUS and totally USEFUL. I came snooping as a neurotic worried about my alum Bialetti and ended up learning so, so much about making the best coffee possible. Stopped scrubbing my pot (blasphemy) and started lowering temps and slowing the process. I think any good Italian or person of the Catalonia region would agree that low and slow gets it gone beautifully. Again, Jeffrey… this is a fabulous blog… don’t stop the madness!

[…] actually did compare their two versions: Bialetti Showdown: Aluminum vs. Stainless ? Jeff Werner and didn"t find much difference. The stainless steel one lost their antique look. Reply […]

I have managed barista restaurants in London and elsewhere, but at home have used a six-cup Bialetti style aluminum stove top for 25 years. I have found that pre-ground vacuum sealed espresso (Melitta Gusto Milano) works best, tamped down, due to consistent grain size. Home grinders are hopeless at this. Make your first cup (half fill the top basin) by placing on high heat just until it begins spouting coffee then take it off any heat. Later, after you have drank the first divine cup replace unit on low heat for 2 minutes to gently extract your second cup, which you can save for later.

Guys I guys got my first red moka 6 cup aluminium Bialetti. Came home and notice cracks and scratches on the base of my coffee collector. Is that normal? They are like spreading cracks in what looks like a layer of aluminium paint with a little white showing between the cracks. All on the base of the collector. Did anyone see these? Are these dangerous to health? Do you see these in new or used ones? Thank you

I started suspecting that the bottom/tank of the new stainless steel Bialettis (and many other brands) have a magnetic coating -so they work on induction stoves.

This classic stovetop Moka brewer produces 6 two-ounce cups of rich, authentic espresso in just 4 to 5 minutes. It"s made of durable polished aluminum and features Bialetti’s distinctive eight-sided shape that allows it to diffuse heat perfectly to enhance the aroma of your coffee. Flip-up top and side-pour spout provide added convenience.

The brainchild of Alfonso Bialetti, in almost one hundred years of history, the Bialetti Moka has won a place in the hearts and kitchens of all Italians and not only.

Over the years, Bialetti has perfected its characteristic design, maintaining the functional and use characteristics of the Moka: the octagonal aluminium boiler, the exclusive inspectable and easy-to-clean valve, the filter and the collector that holds the essence of the coffee extraction, black, full-bodied and hot. A Moka is the most sustainable