Stove top espresso makers can be intimidating little devices, but they’re actually a very easy and convenient
way to make espresso on the stove, without all the fancy and expensive equipment that comes along with
at-home espresso barista systems.
Stove top espresso makers are very poplar in Europe, especially in Spain, and
can be found in most Spanish households because they make a much stronger “cafe” than what we’d normally
drink in America. An espresso maker makes very strong, small shots of co ffee that are used to make popular
drinks like cafe con leche, cappuccino and the traditional espresso or “cafe,” which isn’t doctored with milk or
sugar. Now that you’ve bought a brand new stove top espresso maker, here’s how to get it set up and use it
properly.
1 Set up your espresso maker. A stove top espresso maker is made of three parts. The top part is the kettle, the
small middle piece is the funnel and the bottom is the water base. Set each piece on the counter and
familiarize yourself with each part.
2 Wash the devices. If the machine is new, you need to wash all the parts. Never use a product straight out the
box without rst washing it. Make sure that each part is carefully rinsed of all the soap, so you don’t get soapy
espresso. Thoroughly dry the espresso maker.
3 Grind your coff ee. Whole bean co ffee that you grind yourself is the surest way to a fresh cup of espresso. Buy a
dark bean and pulse in your co ee grinder until it is a ne powder. Espresso grinds should be ner than normal
co ee grinds. For ne espresso grounds you should use a burr co ffee grinder, but if you don’t have a grinder
you can ask your coff ee specialist to grind the beans for you, or you can grind them yourself at most grocery
stores.
4 Fill the base with water. The water should come to just below the steam valve, which is the small hole on the
outside of your base, near the top. Do not fill the base with water past this hole. Water content is dependent on
the size of your espresso maker. If you have a 12 shot maker, you must make all 12 shots, even if you only want
two. There are small and large size makers, so buy the size that best ts your drinking style.
5 Fill the co ffee lter with espresso grounds. Place the funnel into the base and ll it with your ground espresso.
It should completely fi ll the filter. Level the grinds, but do not pack them.
6 Attach the kettle pot to the base. Screw the kettle onto the base and make sure that it is tight and secure. At
this point the kettle should be empty and dry.
7 Heat your espresso. Place the espresso maker on the stove and heat on medium to medium high heat. Don’t
be alarmed when you hear gurgling or steam spray, this is normal and means that your machine is working
properly; forcing fresh espresso into the top kettle. In about ve minutes, the gurgling will subside. Once the
sounds have stopped, you may check the espresso, by carefully and slowly lifting the lid. Do not lift the lid if
you still hear gurgling, as the co ffee may spray out. The espresso is ready when the top kettle is full of fresh
espresso (about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on size).
8 Immediately remove the espresso maker from the stove top using the handle and an oven mitt. Do not touch
the metal, it will be very hot. Be careful; the pot, co ffee and steam will be very hot. Serve and enjoy!