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This cappuccino machine is not a machine!

For the uninformed, this cappuccino machine does not quite look like a kettle, it’s also not a coffee pot or - heaven forbid – a tea pot. The avid and well informed coffee drinker will recognize it for what it is. The Bialetti Moka pot.

This wonderful appliance, with its characteristic shiny finish and hexagonal shape, is regarded as the forerunner of all cappuccino machine.

Given that the foundation on which any good cappuccino is “built” is espresso coffee, the blend produced by the passage of steam through the coffee grounds makes this coffee “machine” the leader in its field. This is so despite the fact that it does not truly qualify in the strictest sense of the word as a machine.

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In the world of coffee makers, there are machines and then there are “machines.” Traditionally, coffee machines will imply moving parts, a mechanism if you will, that will perform a function in order to complete a process or create a product.

A coffee machine such as a Saeco espresso machine has moving parts and components and these are used to make espresso. The Moka pot does not move. The hiss and bubble might stir your soul, but the pot does not move. The unique design allows the steam to pass through the grinds and percolate the coffee to make the finest espresso one can hope for.

If anyone wants to be a serious cappuccino maker at home, then this “device” is essential. It is true that the Moka pot is not a complete cappuccino machine. It does not do everything for you.

The art of a fine cappuccino requires some “handiwork”. It is all well and good to place a cup underneath the outlet of an industrial cappuccino machine and wait for everything to happen. True, adding the frothed milk is hand work.

However, to froth the milk oneself and then carefully slide it on top of a fine espresso made by a Moka pot can, with a great deal of practice, make anyone an expert cappuccino maker. For the purist, this pot is the ultimate coffee machine.

“Strong and black” is a popular way to consume coffee, especially in the Middle East. The variations of different “coffees” on offer in franchise coffee shops seem to grow incredibly.

Nevertheless, a fine espresso or a carefully crafted cappuccino can add value to the day of almost anyone. It is hard to believe that the hexagonal coffee pot design is 76 years old. Then, as now, it continues to fulfill its task effortlessly and provide its important service. One last thought.

Although many first world countries are spared them, power outages are common in many developing countries. Many espresso and cappuccino machine require electricity. The Moka pot doesn’t. It will quite happily perform its duty sitting on a gas plate or even an open fire. Even if civilization itself crumbles, a decent espresso or cappuccino is always possible.