Perhaps at least partially linked to the surge in stovetop coffee-making, in October, Bialetti also released “Perfetto Moka,” a packaged coffee toasted and ground specifically for the Moka pot.

E&B Lab, which crafts coffee makers and creates an artisan Moka-style pot, has already noted a 40% increase in Moka sales between January and October 2020 compared to all of 2019. Bialetti was not able to share lockdown sales figures with Sprudge, but did note that consumption of homemade coffee is expected to stay higher than usual as many Italians continue to work remotely and social distance. The switch to home brewing during the national quarantine was notable. I usually have four coffees a day-which means my Moka got a lot of love in lockdown!” So, during the national closures, I definitely used it more. “I have a Moka at home, but I barely use it. “I actually normally only drink coffee at the bar, because for me, drinking coffee is more about the experience,” Sophie admitted. When she found herself quarantining in the Umbrian countryside, the rural setting and strict rules on outings meant her usual coffee and chat at the bar were impossible. Sophie Minchilli, who leads food tours around her native Rome as well as throughout other regions of Italy, agrees. That experience has completely changed my relationship with the Moka,” says Fiumara.įabio Dotti, Italian Cup Taster Champion 2020 and World Espresso Italiano Champion 2017, sees the return to the Moka during Italy’s extended lockdown as driven by the extra time at home and the desire “perhaps, to relive that unmistakable emotion of enjoying a coffee together, as we once did.” In the quiet time of the lockdown, it was a coffee that came from the heart. “Most importantly, it meant I could start the day with my partner. “Working from home meant more time to enjoy breakfast,” she tells me. But instead, during the lockdown, the Moka became what she calls “a true gift during a difficult moment.” So when the 2020 lockdown snatched away the tradition of coffee (and a chat) at the counter, Italians once again turned to the trusty Moka.īefore the national shutdown, Linda Fiumara, a teacher and travel writer, had a 50-minute commute to her job near Milan, so the first caffè of the day was an essential espresso at the bar early in the morning. Almost bankrupted by the popularity of capsule coffeemakers in 2018, Bialetti managed to recover and survive to brew another day. With an estimated 200 million sold since its invention, most Italian homes-around 70%-have at least one Moka pot hanging about. The Moka’s first massive popularity surge came at a moment when Italy’s economy was struggling, and regular Italians were cutting out luxuries like a simple espresso at the bar. Bialetti the junior decided to redirect the production line at the family’s kitchenware factory to create only one item: the Moka Express. The iconic coffee maker was created by Italian engineer Alfonso Bialetti in 1933 but didn’t really take off until the 1950s when Bialetti’s son Renato honed in on its potential. The result is a strong, espresso-like coffee that can easily be made at home.

As the water rises to a boil, it brews the coffee, which then passes through a filter and a spout into the upper chamber. The upper chamber is screwed onto this bottom, which is then placed overheat. The base gets filled with water, and a small basket of ground coffee is placed just above the surface. Available in a variety of sizes for brewing anywhere from one to ten cups at a time, it sits directly on the stovetop. Even if you don’t have a Moka pot, you’ve surely seen one. The eight-sided aluminum Moka pot is simple and durable-and highly recognizable.

I am of course referring to the Moka pot. In these trying times, allowed outside only for weekly trips to the supermarket or pharmacy, homebound Italians have rekindled an old love affair in search of a sense of solace. And as of November 2020, coffee bars in Italy’s “red zones” of high contagion are closed again. So when the country shut down every single restaurant, pub, and apero lounge and standing bar in the country for 68 days between March and May of 2020, the greatest loss of normalcy for many people was the daily caffè at the local bar. And there’s no shortage of choice for where to get one because Italy is home to around 149,000 bars, cafes, and coffee shops slinging espresso (many for just €1.00 a shot). 80% of Italians drink coffee, with the average person consuming 1.5 espresso-based drinks a day. Coffee may not be an Italian invention, but the country’s love affair with the beverage runs deep.

Stovetop expresso pot