How to Make Espresso in a Stovetop Espresso Maker

This is certainly the most economical way to make yourself a steaming hot cup of espresso coffee at home! (Stovetop Espresso makers, also often referred to as a Moka Pot, can cost as little as $15.00! Or...even less if you get one for free from a friend who's replacing theirs with a pricey mechanical model!)

Here are a few
Easy Steps to Making Espresso at Home with a Stovetop (Moka) Espresso Maker:

1. Unscrew the two sections of the pot.
2. Fill the bottom of the moka pot with fresh, cold water. Some people prefer to use filtered water for this. Ensure that you don't fill up past the little pressure release opening on the side of the pot.
3. Add the espresso coffee grounds in the filter funnel on the top of the pot. You can also buy espresso coffee pods for this purpose, which are very handy - the pods hold freshly ground coffee, almost like in a teabag format. This ensures that you never get any loose coffee grounds in your finished espresso drink. (A co-worker recently told me about this and I thought it was brilliant, and makes homemade espressos really fast and easy to make!) If using loose coffee grounds, tamp down the coffee a bit with a coffee tamper meant for this purpose.
4. Experiment with the kinds of coffee you use in the pot - anything from a mild roasted coffee to a super strong blend...different times of day you'll also want to have different types, a stronger blend in the morning and a milder cup in the afternoon or evening...
5. Twist the two parts of the coffeepot together.
6. Place the espresso maker on the stove to get that coffee brewing!
7. Remove the moka pot from the stove once the espresso is finished - the pot will now have finished, brewed espresso coffee for you to enjoy!
8. Enjoy your espresso - either as is, or as the basis for all sorts of the delicious drinks in this blog...

Use a low or medium heat setting or flame on your stove when making stovetop espresso...it helps to prevent scorching and burning of your Moka pot. :)