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Both The Moka Pot and pour-over coffee devices represent “low-tech” ways to achieve very high-quality cups of coffee at home on a daily basis.
While both of these popular designs have great reputations within the coffee community for providing high quality with long-term durability, there are many differences between them.
Each device uses a different method to achieve a different style of coffee, and in this article, we take a closer look at Moka Pot Vs pour over coffee makers while highlighting the most important components of each.
Things To Consider Before Buying a Coffee-Making Device
With so many different brands and styles of different coffee makers on the market today, it is easy to quickly become confused or overwhelmed.
There are many different factors that need to be taken into account when buying a new coffee maker, and we have highlighted the most crucial factors to help simplify your shopping experience.
Cost and Brand
Coffee makers come in a wide variety of different styles and prices, and everything from basic machines to fully automated “coffee robots” can be found at many different retailers today.
Choosing the right coffee-making device for your home comes down to pre-determining a set budget, and sticking to that number throughout the shopping process.
Both the Moka Pot and pour-over coffee devices are fairly simple and straightforward in terms of design, and neither of them is known to be expensive. In fact, pour-over coffee devices are some of the most affordable options on the market when it comes to high-quality home-based coffee makers.
Bodum is one of the most highly regarded producers of glassware in the kitchen industry, and its glass pour-over coffee devices have become extremely popular within the coffee community. Bodum glass is very durable, and the company has a good reputation when it comes to customer service.
When it comes to Moka Pots, the Italian brand Bialetti is by far the most recognizable and trusted name on the market. They offer a handful of different designs and models, but the six-cup Bialetti Express Moka Pot is the top-selling Moka Pot on the market by a wide margin.
Coffee Style
There is some confusion when it comes to what kind of coffee beverage the Moka Pot actually produces, as many people believe the false rumor that the Moka Pot is actually an espresso maker.
In reality, the Moka Pot makes a concentrated and flavorful style of coffee that is very flavorful and high in caffeine content.
Pour-over devices are used to make a more traditional style of coffee, as hot water is poured over the top of coffee grounds much like with the majority of other coffee-making devices.
Pour-over coffee is both mild and smooth and contains an average amount of caffeine compared to regular drip coffee.
Size and Weight
Both the Moka Pot and pour-over coffee makers are favorites among coffee enthusiasts with limited kitchen space, as both options are compact, hollow, and lightweight. This makes them very easy to stash away in a drawer or cupboard between uses.
Pour-over devices and Moka Pots both make for great options when it comes to coffee on the go, and many people who travel often for work choose to bring one of these devices with them instead of relying on the low-quality coffee machines at hotels or gas stations.
Ease of Use
The Moka Pot and pour-over coffee-making devices are both fairly simple in terms of design and operation, though there is a bit more work involved with each option when compared to pod-based coffee systems. Many people do not mind the bit of extra work involved each morning to achieve a higher quality cup of coffee.
One of the most important differences between these two coffee-making options is the way that water is heated and incorporated into the coffee grounds. The Moka Pot has a reservoir in the bottom where water is added, and the use of a traditional stove or single burner is required.
With pour-over coffee makers, hot water is added to the top of the coffee grounds, which are held in the top end of its hourglass-like design.
Most people who use a pour-over coffee maker each morning use an electric or stovetop kettle, which makes it simple to have boiling hot water on demand with very little waiting.
Presenting the Moka Pot and Pour Over Devices
Moka Pot
- The original moka coffee pot: Moka Express is the original stovetop espresso maker, it provides the experience of the real Italian way of preparing a tasteful coffee, its unique shape and the...
- Made in Italy: it is Made in Italy and its quality is enhanced by the patented safety valve which makes it easy to clean and its ergonomic handle, available in many sizes and suitable for gas,...
- How to prepare the coffee: fill the boiler up to the safety valve, fill it up with ground coffee without pressing, close the moka pot and place it on the stovetop, as soon as Moka Express starts to...
- One size for each need: Moka Express sizes are measured in Espresso Cups, coffee can be enjoyed in Espresso Cups or in larger containers
- Cleaning instructions: The Bialetti Moka Express must only be rinsed with clean water after use, with no detergents, the product is not to be washed with a dishwasher as it will be irremediably...
The Moka Pot is a traditional Italian coffee-making device that has been around for over 80 years. It utilizes a unique process where trapped steam is forced upwards through ground coffee beans for a truly unique coffee-making experience.
This steam-based process results in a finished product that is much more concentrated and less diluted compared to more traditional designs of coffee-making devices like pour-over or french press models.
Many people enjoy having a Moka Pot in their homes due to the fact that it produces a one-of-a-kind coffee that is both very flavorful and highly concentrated in terms of caffeine content.
Many people choose to enjoy a smaller portion of Moka Pot coffee compared to traditional drip or pour-over coffees.
Pros:
- Produces a unique style of coffee that is very flavorful
- Makes a very caffeinated style of coffee that delivers a morning boost
- “Tried and true” design is very durable and simple to keep clean
Cons:
- Requires the use of a dedicated stove burner each morning
- More labor-intensive to operate compared to other coffee-making models
- The strong style of coffee the Moka Pot produces is not for everyone
Pour Over
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of...
- Does not trap essential oils of your Coffee in a paper filter, and makes a beautiful slow-brew
- Includes a Permanent stainless steel mesh filter; no paper filters or capsules needed
- Mouth-blown borosilicate glass, dishwasher safe
Pour-over coffee-making devices are as simple as they are beautiful, and the resurgence of the pour-over device among coffee enthusiasts and at cafes and coffee shops has been significant over the past few years.
Many people have become accustomed to the high-quality coffee that is achieved with the pour-over each morning, and many believe that using a pour-over device along with high-quality coffee beans is one of the best ways to make cafe-quality coffee at home.
Pros:
- Simple design that is easy to operate and keeps clean
- Produces one of the highest quality cups of coffee in terms of flavor
- “Low tech” design that does not require the use of an electrical outlet
Cons:
- Some people prefer a more highly concentrated cup of coffee
- Requires a bit more labor to operate each day compared to other models
- Coffee must be enjoyed fairly quickly as there is no warming element
Alternatives
While the Moka Pot and pour-over are both very popular coffee house options that produce very delicious cups of coffee consistently on a daily basis, they are far from the only options on the market.
We have chosen three other popular styles of coffee makers to help you get an idea of what else is out there.
1. Traditional Coffee Machines
- Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use
- On/off indicator light lets you know when your coffee maker is on or off
- Grab-A-Cup Auto Pause stops cycle if you need a cup before brewing is finished
- Easy cord storage eliminates counter clutter
When most people picture a coffee machine, the first thing that comes to mind is a generic electric drip coffee maker with a boxy design and a glass carafe.
This is by far the most common style of coffee maker on the market and is the style of machine used to make “regular” coffee at diners and restaurants across the United States.
Mr. Coffee is one of the top producers of traditional coffee machines on the market, and they have been in the kitchens of many families for decades. There are many different Mr. Coffee models to choose from, though their 12 cup coffee maker is by far the most popular option.
2. French Press Coffee Makers
The French Press is a simple and popular coffee-making device that is used to make what some people refer to as “cowboy coffee.”
The hot water is poured over the top of the coffee grounds in a cylindrically shaped body, and then a plunger-like filter is used to push the grounds to the bottom of the carafe.
Bodum is one of the top producers of French Press devices, along with pour-over coffee makers and other kitchen glassware. They have a handful of different French Press models to choose from, though the Chambord is by far their most popular option.
3. AeroPress Coffee Makers
The Aeropress is a fairly recent innovation that has become extremely popular within the travel and camping communities. It takes up the least amount of space of nearly any design of coffee maker, and it is made of durable plastic so it is sure not to crack or get damaged.
The AeroPress uses a unique tube-like design with a pressurized plunger to make a truly unique style of coffee. Its producers claim that it makes a coffee that is “less bitter” than other options on the market, and many people are very loyal to the AeroPress design.
Moka Pot vs Pour Over – Conclusion
On the surface, there are many similarities between the designs of the Moka Pot and pour-over coffee-making devices. They are both hollow, light, durable, and easy to keep clean, though there are many differences in terms of the way they produce coffee.
Those who enjoy particularly strong and flavorful coffee will enjoy using a Moka Pot, while fans of more traditional styles of coffee usually prefer to use a pour-over coffee maker.
