BIALETTI BRIKKA REVIEW: IS IT BETTER THAN THE MOKA EXPRESS?

Bialetti took a risk updating the Moka Express. Does the new Brikka succeed?

The Bialetti Brikka is a novel alternative to the Bialetti Moka Express, the famed coffee maker popular in Italy and around the world for generations. The Brikka adds a pressure valve to the original, promising a result closer to true espresso – including a rich layer of crema.

Does it work? I was keen to find out, so I picked up a Brikka and put it to the test. 

In this review, I’ll give you my honest thoughts on this coffee maker, including how it stacks up against the classic model and if I think it’s worth adding to your coffee arsenal.

The Full Bialetti Brikka Review

The Bialetti Moka Express is an iconic symbol of Italian coffee making (1). The simple but effective design has changed little since its invention in 1933, remaining the top stovetop espresso maker (2).

So why mess with a good thing? Is the Bialetti Brikka a step forward? Or is it trying to solve a problem that never existed? Let’s find out.

How We Rated It

• Ease of Use
• Coffee Flavor
• Build Quality
• Cleaning and Maintenance
• Value for Money

3.7

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Using The Bialetti Brikka: As Simple As Ever

Using the Bialetti Brikka is akin to brewing with the Moka Express – and certainly far easier than a real espresso machine. The addition of the valve system doesn’t change the user experience.

The basic technique is straightforward, and a few handy tips and tricks will help you make a delicious cup of coffee. Moka pots have a reputation for yielding over-extracted, bitter, or burnt-tasting coffee, but this is easily avoided with a bit of care.

1. Fill the bottom chamber with water to below the level of the pressure release valve.
2. Place the filter basket in the lower chamber, and use the included measuring cup to fill it with finely ground coffee. Unlike an espresso machine, you don’t need to be too picky about dose and distribution, and there is no need to tamp. 
3. Screw on the upper chamber and set it on a heat source, like an electric or gas stove top. Heat it slowly over medium or low heat. 
4. Take it off the heat as soon as it nears completion to avoid overheating.

James Hoffmann, the world-renowned coffee expert, says that this step is even more critical with the Brikka.

You can even run the Brikka under cold water to cool it down faster, which I found especially valuable when brewing darker roasts.

The aluminum Bialetti Brikka doesn’t work on an induction cooktop. However, Bialetti sells an adaptor for this purpose.

How Does The Coffee Taste?

Now, to the the heart of the matter, does the Bialetti Brikka really deliver something close to espresso?

The valve is designed to stay closed until a certain pressure builds up. Coffee then bursts through the valve, creating a frothier brew. It’s essentially the same concept used in pressurized filter baskets for espresso machines.

Two inherent problems with this design negatively impact the results. 

• First, if you’ve ever used a pressurized filter basket, you know that the crema isn’t the real deal. It’s bubbly, thin, and dissipates quickly. The same holds true with the Brikka.
• Second, it takes about 1 to 1.5 bars of pressure to open the valve in the Brikka, and as the pressure builds, some of the waiting coffee is inevitably over-extracted.

Who Should Buy The Brikka?

This isn’t an unqualified rejection of the Brikka because it delivers on its promise. It yields a frothier cup of coffee than the Moka Express (3).

I found the Brikka produced a more intense tasting coffee than a traditional Moka pot. So if you enjoy the taste profile and mouthfeel of classic Italian espresso – I’m talking medium-to-dark roast, maybe with some Robusta in the blend – this is a better way to mimic that gut punch of bittersweet flavor (4). 

On the other hand, if you prefer lighter roast coffee beans, the brightness and acidity can overwhelm the palate if you’re making coffee with a Brikka.

Note: The original Brikka worked on the same principle but had a different valve design. Many reviewers declared this system flawed, so Bialetti completely reworked the valve in 2020. Take older reviews of the Brikka with a grain of salt.

Built To Last

Unsurprisingly, the Brikka is very well made. It has a simple and functional design with very few parts, so you should expect years of loyal service. The silicone valve is the only new potential point of failure, but I haven’t encountered or heard of any problems.

The Bialetti Brikka has a few aesthetic differences from the Moka Express, though it keeps the iconic Bialetti logo, the instantly recognizable mustachioed man (5). 

It replaces the famed octagonal base with a round one and sports a cut-out top, presumably to watch the frothing action without lifting the lid. This strikes me as a solution lacking a problem. Now there is no way to close the lid if the coffee starts sputtering everywhere, which is not uncommon with this brewing method. 

The Brikka pot is made from cast aluminum and is available in a 2-cup and a 4-cup version, both with a silver upper and matte black base. The 2 cup Brikka brews 3.4 ounces of espresso, and the 4-cup brews 5.7 ounces – essentially a double shot and a lungo. In comparison, the Moka Express comes in more colors, designs, and sizes, as well as being offered in aluminum or stainless steel.

Cleaning and Maintenance Requirements

Stovetop espresso makers have an unfounded reputation for being difficult to clean. In my experience, they’re much easier than a French press – and need far less maintenance than an espresso machine.

Just knock the wet ground coffee out of the filter basket into a knock box or the compost, then wash the three parts with warm, soapy water. It’s an old wives’ tale that you shouldn’t use soap on a Moka pot. An entire generation mistakenly believes that it should be “seasoned” with years of rancid coffee grime. This is false. 

The Bialetti Brikka requires a bit of extra care because of the valve. Every few weeks, it’s worth taking the two valve pieces apart to give them a quick clean and make sure no coffee grounds are stuck in the silicone.

There is no maintenance to speak of. Moka pots are incredibly durable, which is why you’ll often find them in Thrift Shops and yard sales. The silicone gasket that seals the upper chamber to the lower will likely be the first point of failure, but you can replace it.

Is The Brikka Worth It?

The price of the Bialetti Brikka has varied substantially over its lifetime, making it hard to assess its value. At present, the 4 cup Brikka costs about $30 more than the 3-cup Moka Express. That’s a notable but not insurmountable price difference, in my opinion. If you want extra body and froth in your coffee, the price shouldn’t dissuade you.

However, for the extra cost, the Brikka isn’t making more delicious coffee. One could even argue that the coffee’s rich flavor suffers compared with the Moka Express. If you just want a classic Moka pot brew, I’d probably steer you toward the 3-cup or 6-cup Moka Express.

Don’t Buy A Bialetti Brikka If…

• You don’t care about crema: If you’re just looking for a strong espresso coffee, stick with the classics. Check out my original Moka Express review or this Cuisinox Roma stovetop espresso maker review.
• You want an electric coffee maker: If you want something more hands-off, check out the unique DeLonghi Alicia. This cleverly designed Moka pot includes an electric heating element and user-friendly options like a keep-warm mode.
• You want true crema: For better crema, you need true espresso, which means 9 bars of pressure (6). However, you don’t need an expensive coffee machine. Manual espresso makers like the Cafelat Robot, Rok, or Flair are perfectly capable and much more affordable than electric home espresso machines.

The Verdict

I promised at the outset of this review to tell you if the Brikka coffee maker was better than the Moka Express. My verdict is no; it’s not inherently better. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t the better choice for some coffee lovers. 

If you want a foamy froth atop your coffee, you’ll enjoy the Brikka. And the fact that it brews a more intense shot of concentrated coffee makes it an ideal choice if you want to prepare milky drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. Otherwise, save some cash and stick with the Moka Express.

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