Last Updated on March 14, 2021 by YourBestCoffeeMachine
Updated: March 13th, 2021
What is a stovetop coffee maker? In my opinion, it is the best way to brew coffee. These makers are called stovetop because they work on the stove, or the hob. No other electronic coffee machines can beat this traditional way of brewing coffee. In this post, we are going to review some of the best stove top coffee makers on the market. You may also want to see some other espresso maker reviews here. If you want to learn more about the stovetop moka pot, you should take a look at our complete guide.
Kitchen Craft Le’Xpress Coffee Maker
The Le’Xpress coffee maker is a price conscious choice for a first time buyer, while still being a good performer. The overall design is very similar to other manufacturers’ in size and form. It fits neatly on the hob and quickly makes your coffee. Simply, remove the top and filter fill with water, replace the filter with the coffee of your choice screw the top back on and your hot fresh coffee is on its way. This maker is a nice compact size and will not dominate the kitchen space. Being able to sit out in plain view or stowed away in the cabinet for easy storage. The Standard Moka pot design allows for familiarity and use by anybody who has ever used an Italian Coffee maker.
The Le’Xpress is a solid performer in the Italian coffee maker world; it makes a great cup of coffee and has a very reasonable price point. This alone is enough to make this a recommended purchase for any lover of Italian Moka pot coffee. Not only that but the construction is meant to last with features such as high temperature silicone gaskets and a see through lid so you can enjoy watching your coffee maker at work.
With this being said there are some drawbacks to this model; the construction while solid has some fit and finish issues expected from this price point. In addition this maker is not suitable for use on induction hobs and depending on the size of the gas hob may require an adaptor.
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- Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars
- Reviews on Amazon: 89 reviews
- Style: traditional
- Size: 3 cups
Grunwerg Cafe Ole Coffee Maker
The Café Ole is a representation of a decorator look, a break from the traditional Moka pot style. This maker is a sleek, black chrome model capable of making 9 cups of coffee. This is accomplished in typical Moka Pot fashion by disassembling the maker, filling the bottom with water, adding the ground coffee to the filter and then placing the reassembled unit on the hob. This Italian style coffee maker makes a solid cup of coffee in a short amount of time. As found with most machines of this style they are compact and will fit into most kitchens no matter how small. Although hiding this sleek piece of artwork will be hard to do and even leaving it out the Café Ole is capable of holding its own as a functional decoration in the kitchen.
The Café Ole is a well-built stainless steel unit that is suitable for use on induction hobs as well as gas and electric units. This makes this coffee maker stand out above some other similar designs, allowing the greatest flexibility of use. While it is not the least expensive, the price point is fair for the size and quality of the construction. The stainless steel construction is an added benefit as it is a more durable metal than aluminium.
When considering this unit for use on an induction hob, the heating times will be noticeably longer, potentially up to 15 minutes to enjoy a great cup of Moka pot coffee. It has been noticed that the spot welding on the lid hinge could be a point of potential failure and should be watched for safety.
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- Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 stars
- Reviews on Amazon: 10 reviews
- Style: streamline
- Size: 9 cups
Kitty Nera Espresso Coffee Maker by Bialetti
The Kitty Nera by Bialetti is a huge departure for the manufacturer that brought the world the traditional Italian coffee maker or Moka Pot as it is commonly called. This 10 cup maker has very clean and elegant lines more representative if a fine Italian sports car than a coffee maker, and it performs just as good as it looks. Similar to the sports car the process for brewing coffee is performed manually, by opening the Kitty Nera , adding your water and ground coffee to the filter, place it on the hob and then in no time a steaming cup of coffee is made. The only way it would be faster would be a sports car ride to the local coffee shop with no guarantee of the coffee quality. The Bialetti coffee maker delivers both style and quality.
This stovetop coffee maker follows in a long line of Bialetti products since they invented the original Moka Pot brewer. If any company knows how to make Italian coffee makers it is Bialetti and the Kitty Nera is no exception, this maker is well constructed out of stainless steel and has a good fit and finish. This unit is suitable for use on gas and electric hobs and is large enough to not need an adaptor.
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When looking for weaknesses in the Kitty Nera they are hard to find. This unit is almost perfect. The Kitty Nera is not rated for use on induction hobs and its volume will more than likely make for a little longer wait to get your coffee brewed.
- Rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars
- Reviews on Amazon: 10 reviews
- Style: modern
- Size: 6/10 cups
Vev Vigano Italia Stovetop Espresso Maker
The Vev Vigano Espresso Maker is one of many offerings from Vev Vigano. This coffee maker proudly touts its Italian design and construction with the bold line “Made in Italy”. The Vev Vigano efficiently makes stovetop Italian coffee and looks great doing it. The design is along the looks of the traditional coffee pot and will sit on the hob making daily coffee for many years to come. This is a traditional aluminum design that resembles the original Moka pot designs from an older time. Operation is similarly traditional, open the pot, add water, ground coffee, re-assemble and heat it on the hob. This Italia Stovetop will make a full flavored aromatic Italian coffee in just a few minutes for your enjoyment.
When using the Vev Vigano you have a time tested and proven design made out of aluminum for years of reliable service. This model is suitable for use with gas, ceramic and electric hobs giving a wide range of operation. The base is large enough to sit on most hobs without the use of an adaptor.
The Vev Vigano could fill the needs of the beginning enthusiast without breaking the bank.
- Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars
- Reviews on Amazon: 1 review
- Style: traditional
- Size: 6 cups
Vev Vigano Nouva Kontessa Stovetop Espresso Maker
The Vev Vigano Nouva Kontessa is an elegant solution to tradition sitting on the hob. This stovetop coffee maker is stainless steel with a hefty handle and heat resistant knob on the lid. Vev Vigano has created a masterpiece in modern Moka pot design with smooth flowing lines and function built in. This unit is stainless from the lid to the base and suitable for use on all hobs; gas, electric, and induction. The Nuevo Kontessa is like all Vev Vigano products, proudly made in Italy. This unit has traditional function hiding in its form, preparation is still the expected disassemble, fill the bottom with water, load the coffee in the filter, re-assemble and heat on the hob. The Nouva Kontessa will make a beautiful pot of Italian coffee for years to come.
Between the full stainless construction, and ability to use on induction nobs this unit finds itself as a great choice. The Nouva Kontessa makes a perfect pot of coffee and has the construction to last for years as well as grace any kitchen with its modern lines.
With all that the Nouva Kontessa has going for it, there are a few detractors, it is at the higher end of most price scales but the quality is there. When using the Nouva Kontessa on induction hobs it could take a considerable time to brew based on the 12 cup size of the water reservoir.
<< This product is no longer available. We will be adding more independent reviews of current models soon to the site.>>
- Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars
- Reviews on Amazon: 2 reviews
- Style: traditional
- Size: 4 cups
Bodum Chambord StoveTop Espresso Maker
There is only one major manufacturer that can come close to eclipsing the inventor of the Moka pot and Bodum is that company. The Chambord espresso maker is a testament to the Bodum ideal of future forward without sacrificing function. While this carries a large price tag, the Chambord has the finish and pedigree to back it up. Making a pot of excellent Italian Coffee begins with loading the Chambord with the water and coffee grounds then placing it on the hob to boil. Depending on the type and output of the hob the coffee should be ready in 3 to 5 minutes. This unit fits smartly in most kitchens and with the shiny aluminum finish should become a centerpiece or focus. As in typical Bodum fashion the Chambord is built to last for many trouble free years of use, making good coffee day in and day out.
The Chambord is a top shelf offering, worthy of having a home in any kitchen. It makes excellent Italian Coffee and has the construction to last for a long time. The Chambord is useable on gas or electric hobs and has a large enough base that an adaptor should not be required.
When considering a purchase of this type of coffee makers, Bodum is definitely a great choice.
<< This product is no longer available. We will be adding more independent reviews of current models soon to the site.>>
- Rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars
- Reviews on Amazon: 3 reviews
- Style: streamline
- Size: 3 /6 cups
Conclusion
In looking at these offerings from the various manufacturers, the styles and choices are only the tip of the decision. As with all purchases there is personal choice that should be considered after the need is identified.
In looking at the pure specifications of this lot all make an acceptable cup of Italian style coffee, some better than others. All the units have metal construction both stainless and aluminum, where the stainless has better benefits in terms of durability.
The overall design ranges from the traditional Moka pot to sleek new models that are on the cutting edge of the industry trends.
There are coffee makers that fit on the various hobs from gas to electric and even induction. The form factor of the traditional Italian coffee maker is compact even in the larger cup sized to facilitate storage but with the beautiful lines presented they could just as easily be centerpieces on the supper table.
These machines all have strengths and they all have weaknesses, please use the provided information to make an informed decision that will suit both the needs and the budget of the purchaser.
As a recap for the entry / budget minded consumer the Kitchen Craft Le’Xpress is a good choice. The intermediate user would be benefited by the Grunwerg Cafe Ole Espresso Maker or the Vev Vigano Nouva Kontessa. Whereas the advanced to aficionado would be better served by the Bialetti Kitty Nera in Stainless Steel or the Bodum Chambord.