The eight-sided pot that has lived on Italian stoves since 1933
Bialetti moka pots, induction models, seal kits and funnels, stocked in Sydney
TL;DR: Bialetti is the Italian maker of the aluminium Moka Express stovetop pot, made since 1933. Its Moka Induction, Brikka Induction and stainless Venus add induction-ready and stainless options.
Bialetti is the Italian company behind the Moka Express, the stovetop pot first made in 1933, with more than 200 million built since. A moka pot uses steam pressure in its base to push hot water up through the coffee and into the top chamber, giving a cup stronger than filter but gentler than modern espresso. Below are the pots we stock, how to choose one for your cooktop, and the parts that keep it brewing.
How a moka pot actually brews
Every pot on this page shares the same three-part design: a water chamber at the base, a funnel basket that holds the coffee, and a top chamber with a filter plate and gasket. As the base heats, pressure builds and drives water up through the coffee bed and out of the central column into the top. That pressure is far lower than an espresso machine's, so expect a dense, strong cup without crema.
Heat and timing decide the taste
Moka brewing water runs very hot, and that heat pulls bitter compounds from the coffee. Keep the burner on medium with the flame no wider than the base. When the pot starts to hiss and splutter, the base is empty: take it off the heat straight away, because the tail of the brew over-extracts. A light espresso roast suits the method better than a dark one.
Aluminium or stainless
The Moka Express and Moka Exclusive are aluminium, the Moka Induction pairs a stainless steel base with an aluminium top, and the Venus is polished 18/10 stainless throughout. Old worries about aluminium have not held up; there is no evidence linking it to Alzheimer's disease. What does spoil flavour is a film of old coffee, so clean the pot regularly. Stainless and aluminium pots take different funnels, so match parts to your pot's material.
Which Bialetti is right for you?
Start with your cooktop, then pick a size and a finish. A cup on a moka pot means a small espresso-style serve, not a mug, so size up if you pour longer drinks or brew for two. To compare other makers side by side, browse our stove top and moka pot range.
Gas or electric cooktop
The aluminium Moka Express is the original. We stock the Bialetti Moka Express 6 cup in its standard version plus black and red, and the 3 cup in black and red. The Moka Exclusive keeps the same aluminium pot but adds a super glossy finish, a silicone gasket, an internal protective boiler lining and a diamond-shaped knob styled on the 1960s pot. It is made in Italy, in 3 cup cream, black, silver and pink and in 6 cup black. For an all-stainless pot, the Bialetti Venus is polished 18/10 stainless steel with a heat-resistant nylon handle; the 2 cup we stock is made for gas and electric hobs only.
Induction cooktop
For a moka pot induction setup, choose a pot built for it. The Bialetti Moka Induction pairs a stainless steel water chamber with an aluminium upper chamber, and it also works on other stovetops. The 2 cup black has a gold-finish top and a soft-touch silicone handle, the 6 cup comes in black, and the range also includes a 3 cup. The Bialetti Brikka 4 cup Induction is engineered for induction hobs and uses a column with a silicone membrane for a creamier cup. Some induction cooktops are zone sensitive and only switch on above a minimum pot diameter, so check yours before buying a small pot. If you would rather keep an aluminium pot, a Bialetti induction plate, a stainless disc that sits between hob and pot, is the other route. The Venus looks the part, but the 2 cup is not induction compatible.
Grind, dose and water
Grind medium-fine: coarser than espresso, finer than a plunger. Fill the base with water to just below the safety valve, and never put the pot on the heat empty. Add your dose to the basket, level it gently, and wipe the rim clean so the top threads on square and seals. A coffee scale keeps the dose repeatable, and a hand coffee grinder lets you grind fresh at the right setting.
Two Bialetti frothers turn a moka brew into a milk drink. The Cappuccinatore is a 330 ml glass plunger frother: heat the milk to between 60 and 65 degrees, not boiling, then pump the plunger vigorously several times. The Montalatte, also 330 ml, uses a double froth screen with a silicone edge that seals against the jug for consistent, creamy foam, and it also ships with a Minipresso NS or GR in our Wacaco bundles. See every option under milk frothers, and keep a spare gasket in the drawer for the morning the old one gives out.
We've been supplying, servicing and repairing espresso machines since 1999, and the moka pot is still the brewer I suggest when someone wants proper coffee without a machine on the bench. It is honest engineering: a gasket, a filter plate, a funnel and heat. When a part wears out, replace the part, not the pot. That is why the seal kits and funnels sit right beside the pots on this page. Our team uses and tests the products we sell, and a well-kept Bialetti earns its place on any stove.
— Pedro Lara
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Bialetti replacement parts fit my pot?
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Match the material, then the size. Aluminium seal kits and funnels fit the Moka Express, Dama, Mini Express and Break; stainless INOX funnels fit the Venus, Musa and Kitty. To confirm size, measure the old gasket: the 6 cup ring is 55 mm inside and 71 mm outside, and the 9/10 cup is 63 mm and 81 mm.
Does the Venus work on induction?
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The 2 cup Venus we stock does not. It is polished 18/10 stainless steel but is designed for gas and electric stovetops only. For an induction hob, choose the Moka Induction or the Brikka Induction.
What is the Bialetti 18/10 stovetop?
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That is the Venus, made entirely from polished 18/10 stainless steel with a heat-resistant black nylon handle. It takes the stainless INOX replacement funnel, stocked in 4 and 10 cup, not the aluminium funnels.
How many drinks will a 6 cup pot make?
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Six small espresso-style serves, not six mugs. In practice that is a few short drinks, or fewer once you stretch them into longer milk drinks.
Do you stock parts for 1 cup and 9/10 sizes?
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Yes. We stock a 1 cup seal kit and filter plate (40 mm inside, 51 mm outside), a 9/10 cup seal kit and filter plate (63 mm inside, 81 mm outside), a 9 cup aluminium funnel and a 10 cup stainless INOX funnel.
Will the aluminium Express heat on an induction hob?
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Not on its own. Either place an induction plate, a stainless disc, between the hob and the pot, or switch to the Moka Induction, which has a stainless steel water chamber and is made for induction cooktops.
How does the Moka Exclusive differ from the Express?
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Both are aluminium stovetop pots. The Moka Exclusive adds a super glossy colour finish, a silicone gasket, an internal protective boiler lining and a diamond-shaped knob styled on the 1960s pot, and it is made in Italy.
