Are you wondering what's the best coffee for a Moka pot you can currently buy? We tried many different options and came up with a list of the best coffees in our opinion that are sure to give you a delicious cup of joe. Let's get on with it.
7 Best Blends for Moka Pot Coffee
1. Illy Classico Ground Moka Coffee
These coffee grounds were especially picked, roasted and ground for stovetop espresso makers and achieve the optimal extraction for your cup of coffee. We wouldn't usually recommend pre-ground coffee as usually the more time passes between the moment your coffee is ground and the moment you brew a cup, the more flavor will be lost and the less caffeine there's going to be.
Fortunately, though, Illy knows how to take care of that and this coffee blend comes packed in a pressurized air-free can that seals the flavor and actually enhances the oils and aromas so you can get a delicious shot of coffee. The Italian coffee maker has also made sure the coffee beans are 100% Arabica so you're going to get a cup of strong coffee.
In fact this Illy coffee is a blend of nine types of Arabica beans from around the world. They were expertly roasted for a balanced taste that's not too bitter.
What socially conscious coffee drinkers will also appreciate is that Illy is among the most ethical coffee producers out there. They provide detailed instructions to their growers and use a direct-trade model building long-lasting relationships. This means that you can enjoy your delicious coffee knowing that it also does good.
2. Sulawesi Kalossi
The Sulawesi Kalossi is a blend of Indonesian coffee beans grown on the small island of Sulawesi. You might also find it labeled as Celebes Kalossi coffee as Celebes is the Dutch name of the island.
This medium roast blend only comes as whole bean coffee so you'll have to get a coffee grinder and make sure you've set it to the correct grind size. If you do that correctly you can expect cups of coffee with a heavy body, rich texture and rich flavors.
3. Coffee Bros. Espresso Roast
This Coffee Bros. blend of coffee beans is the perfect mix between Colombian and Ethiopian that any coffee lover would enjoy. It is roasted with extreme attention to detail and manipulating the roasting process to get a sweet blend with exceptional body.
Even though it is advertised as an espresso blend, if you buy the whole bean option, it'll work wonders with stovetop coffee makers as well. Medium roasted, these Arabica beans will give you a vibrant coffee brew with a bold and strong flavor with a note of strawberry and even vanilla.
The Coffee Bros. company was founded in 2019 by, you guessed it, two brothers - Nick and Dan Hunnewell. They're based in Brooklyn and they're both nothing short of coffee experts. All their coffee blends are shipped in small amounts as this way more of the flavor is preserved and all coffee enthusiasts appreciate that.
One more thing worth mentioning is that all their blends can be found as coffee beans and coffee grounds. If you're planning on brewing coffee in a Moka pot we recommend going for the whole bean option and grinding it yourself. This is because the grounds for espresso machines are finer than the ones you should use in a Moka pot.
4. Death Wish Coffee Dark Roast
Do you like strong dark coffee? Death Wish is the strongest coffee blend you can find as its name shows. In fact the hit of caffeine in a shot of espresso (be it the usual one or a stovetop espresso) is taken very seriously by the company and they will give you a full money-back if it's not the strongest you've tasted.
They offer a blend of top-notch coffee beans. They were grown on coffee trees in India and Peru which gives them a perfect balance of sweet and bitter that any coffee aficionado will appreciate.
Even though the coffee is very strong, the taste is surprisingly smooth and perfectly drinkable even if you're not a big fan of bitter brew. In fact, it has a rather soft but complex flavor with a note of chocolate and cherry. Be careful, though, as we mentioned this aromatic flavor brings a ton of caffeine.
One more thing that we absolutely loved about this coffee is that the beans are sourced from Fair Trade plantations and every single bean is organic and this is what helps the dark roast keep its bold flavor. Additionally, Death Wish is also USDA certified.
All of this comes with one downside - its price. This is the most expensive coffee on our list but the good news is, if you're not satisfied with the blend you can get your money back.
5. Peet's Major Dickason's Blend
Peet's original goal was to bring European-style dark roast coffee to the American market so it's no surprise that this blend has a rich and smooth flavor with no bitterness. This is why it's their best selling coffee blend of all time. The roasting process gives you the perfect beans for Moka pots.
You should know that while not as strong as the Death Wish coffee, the pressure a high-quality Moka pot can give you is enough for a very strong brew. It's also perfect for when you want to make a milky coffee drink like cappuccino or latte.
Major Dickason's coffee has a rich, bold and a cardamom-spicy flavor with a full body and a syrupy mouthfeel. We also tasted some dark chocolate and a touch of red berries that left us wanting more.
One thing that Peet's offers is to give you your beans grounded for your particular use. This means that even if you decide to buy the coffee pre-ground you'll know that it hasn't been sitting around for ages.
6. Lifeboost Espresso
Lifeboost claims to be producing the healthiest coffee for Moka pots out there. All their coffees are grown in a single estate high in the Nicaraguan mountains. They hand-pick only the best beans and process them in spring water. Later they're hand-roasted in small batches and each bag receives a certificate for being organic, fair trade and mycotoxin-free.
This is the company's darkest coffee but despite that it doesn't have a charred flavor. Instead you'll be able to taste chocolate and caramel notes with a hint of fruit which is what pushed us to include it in this list.
This natural sweetness and heavy body make it one of the best coffees for Moka pots you can currently buy. Additionally it tastes even better when made into a latte.
7. Mondo Moka Ground Coffee
This Mondo coffee is made of 100% Arabica beans that are medium roasted and offer a fantastic flavor and heavy body. When drinking it you'll be able to feel a note of nuts, chocolate and vanilla.
Mondo offers pre-ground coffee for Moka pots in vacuum bags which make sure almost none of its aromatic flavor is lost by the moment you brew it. In fact the packaging is award-winning, sealed by premium Italian machinery.
The Mondo coffee company was founded in 1998 and since then it has become a synonym of quality Italian espresso. The business is family owned and the coffee is roasted in Georgia (the European country) and are sold worldwide so they should be easy to find.
Choosing the Best Coffee for Your Moka Pot
Needs
Choosing the best coffee for your Moka pot can be a very overwhelming task at first. With all the different types of roast, grind and origin and mixes of all these three you might end up with a burnt coffee. That's why we're going to give you some advice on how to get the best coffee for your needs.
Roast
The roast is mainly up to personal preference. One advice we can give you is to keep in mind that the stovetop espresso is quite strong so if you're not used to it you might want to stay away from light roasts.
A light roast is roasted for a significantly shorter time than a medium and a dark roast. This means that more of the natural flavor of coffee is preserved in addition to a higher caffeine level. As the coffee is roasted some of the caffeine is burnt and stops giving you energy. For this reason a light roast gives you a stronger coffee.
A medium roast is the middle ground between a light and a dark roast. Just like popcorn, coffee starts to pop when roasted. A coffee that is made into a medium roast is removed from the roaster after the first pop.
A dark roast is achieved by letting the beans stay in the roaster after the first pop. This way the coffee gets a smokey and slightly burnt flavor. In addition to that there's also a lower caffeine level than the previous options.
Grind Size
The grind size is the thing you shouldn't experiment with. This is because the Moka pot was especially designed to work with a fine to medium grind. If you try to brew a cup of coffee using a finer or coarser ground you're either going to end up with a burnt or under extracted coffee.
Origin
Most coffees out there were grown in either South America, Africa or Southeast Asia. Generally speaking, African coffee has a light and sweet flavor and a full body. The South American sorts, on the other hand, have something of a dark chocolate flavor and are less acidic. Asian coffee is usually described as silky, rich, earthy, spicy, savory, and wild.
We'd recommend you try a round of each to find out which one suits your coffee needs best.
A Blend or No Blend?
As you probably noticed, most of the blends available today are blends of several origins. You can choose from single origin blends, double origin blends, etc.
If you don't know what kind of blend you prefer, we suggest you start with a single origin blend. These are blends of only one type of coffee. They tend to be lighter and sweeter than their multi-origin counterparts.
In case you want to go further, you could try a double origin blend. It's a good idea to use a darker coffee in combination with a lighter one.
Triple origin blends often include a darker coffee in combination of a lighter and an even lighter coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Moka Pots Make Espresso?
If by espresso you understand strong coffee made at a high pressure, then yes, Moka pots make exactly that.
Most coffee enthusiasts only take proper espresso from an espresso machine as real espresso, though. This is because an espresso machine can generate up to 5 times as much pressure as a Moka pot which gives you a lot of foam.
Are Aluminum Moka Pots Safe?
Yes, aluminum Moka pots are definitely safe. Unfortunately, though, you'll have to make a few rounds of coffee and throw them out to season the pot. This is because the first 2-3 brews will have a metallic taste. Once you go through them, though, there will be a thin layer of coffee buildup on the pot that will stop your coffee from having a metallic taste.
Will My Moka Pot Explode?
Probably not. Most modern Moka pots come equipped with a safety valve that will let the excessive pressure out. You should be careful, though, as if there's something wrong with the valve on yours or it doesn't have one you might end up with coffee all over your ceiling.
Our Verdict
Moka pots are great for making a quick cup of coffee. One of the crucial things you should do right is pick a good coffee to brew. You can be sure that if you try any of the coffees on our list you're going to be more than happy with the results.
One more thing you should do is make sure you own a high-quality Moka pot. Get your food safe stainless steel pot now.