- Steel stovetop coffe makers with an essential style and harmonious shapes
If you want a coffee maker that makes coffee how it was made in the days before you had a thousand different options to choose from and you don’t want to have to save up for it or take a loan out to cover the cost, then the Bialetti Venus espresso maker may be exactly what you are looking for.
Sometimes it just feels better to do something in its purest form. The last 20 years have seen an explosion in all sorts of different ways to brew the perfect cup of coffee and you can now easily spend upwards of £1000 on a state of the art bean to cup coffee machine.
But what if you don’t want to spend £1000 or £100 or even £50? What if you don’t even want anything that plugs into a socket on the wall BUT you still want a decent cup of coffee?
Long before any electrical coffee machines were made or even thought of and way before anyone else started to make cheap Chinese rip-offs, Bialetti were producing coffee pots that have now become an iconic design that is recognised all over the world.
90 years, and several hundred million coffee makers later, the original Bialetti Moka Express still looks the same as it did in 1933. How many things can you think of that were made 90 years ago and they are still selling exactly the same thing 90 years later?
However, the original stove top moka express by Bialetti is a very traditional design and may not be to everyone’s taste so how about you get everything the heritage and tradition that the Bialetti brand stands for but in a new and modern design for the 21st century
Let’s see if the Bialetti Venus Espresso maker fits the bill.
Overall Score 9.8/10
Design 10/10
Finished in a shiny chrome stainless with a black handle Bialetti have converted an all-time classic into what may become a modern classic.
It has a wonderfully clean look and feel making it a great fit for any kitchen but has a definite slant towards a more modern and contemporary design.
The unmistakeable man with his arm and finger-pointing in the air is the mark of the Bialetti brand and is how you know that you are getting a product that has stood the test of time over the last 100 years.
Functionality 10/10
This works in exactly the same way as the one designed by Alfonso Bialetti in 1933 and the fact that there are so few parts is what makes it so great. The fact that there is nothing to it and the coffee is produced by using the laws of nature is to use one of its biggest selling points.
As a general rule, the fewer parts there are, the less chance there is that something can go wrong and with 3 parts to this coffee maker there is a pretty good chance that it will last you for many years and thousands of cups of coffee before you need to think about replacing it.
You get a base where the water goes and a basket to put the coffee in. The basket goes into the base and the jug then screws on top.
When it comes to this type of coffee maker the main piece of advice that we would give is to stick with Bialetti. There are a whole bunch of cheaper Chinese versions that you can go for but this is already a very inexpensive product.
In our opinion, there is no point in saving a few pounds (and that is literally what it will be – a couple of quid) and risk getting something inferior when you can get something that you know will stand the test of time and will not let you down.
This review is for the six cup version but it also comes in a 2 cup, 4 cup, and 10 cup. Go for either the 6 cup or the 10 cup as the smaller ones are very small and you may not actually get 2 or 4 cups out of it especially if you like a mug of coffee.
There really is nothing much to the actual appliance but how you go about actually making the coffee can make a real difference to the flavour so next are some tips on how to get the best out of the Bialetti Venus.
Ease of use 10/10
Following these tips will ensure you get the best possible coffee in your cup:
- Keep it clean. Some say that you should just rinse it out and any residue coffee will enhance the overall flavour over time. This is not true. Any old coffee left in the basket or pot will just make the flavour bitter over time so just wash it out with a little bit of soap after each use and keep it clean.
- Don’t pack the coffee down. Just loosely place the coffee into the basket until its almost full. If the coffee is too tightly packed it will be harder for the pressurised water to force its way through and create an uneven extraction
- Grind whole beans yourself and add the ground coffee to the basket just before brewing. the fresher the coffee the better the taste. A blade coffee grinder is cheaper than you think.
- Use hot water to start with. Not boiling, just hot from the tap will do. It will be ready quick and taste smoother.
- When it starts to “bubble” in the pot take it off the heat. The coffee will still come through and will avoid any spluttering.
Quality of coffee 9/10
Use good coffee! Try and avoid the cheap supermarket ground coffee and buy the best coffee that you can afford. As a general rule with coffee, the more you spend the better it will be.
Value For Money 10/10
If you use good coffee and follow our tips above on the best way to prepare your coffee then you will get a high-quality cup of coffee that is miles better than instant and on a par with other electric powered coffee machines at a much higher price.
Great value for a modern update to an all-time classic.
- Steel stovetop coffe makers with an essential style and harmonious shapes
Last update on 2024-04-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
