Coffee and Caffeine FAQ

In a moka pot the steam pushes hot water through the grounds. You are not actually making coffee with the steam.

I should also clarify that while a moka pot makes perfectly good coffee it is not espresso. Espresso by definition of coffee made with high pressure. Espresso requires a minimum of about 9 bars of pressure. A moka pot is more in the 1-1.5 bar range. If you look at your moka pot there should be a pressure release valve that will pop long before anything approaching 9 bars. The pot just is not designed for that pressure and without the pressure release valve could actually explode.