8 Common Reasons
Causing Your Moka Pot To Stop Working Normally:
Coffee leaking from the two parts of the moka pot and only a trickle of coffee pushed to the collector are two most common complains when it comes to the moka pot. However, there could be a number of possible causes, so here are 8 the most common reasons causing your moka pot to stop working normally.
#1 Wrong Coffee Grind Size
Getting coffee grind size right for the moka pot could be a little bit tricky, using too fine of a grind may clog the center pipe and weight, while too coarse ground may clog the filter and prevent the water from travelling upward causing your moka pot to stop producing coffee. So you want to get the grind size just right. If you are not sure start by buying moka pot compatible coffee ground, when you get used to using moka pot than you can start grinding your own coffee. In terms of consistency, it's a little finer than table salt.
Just Right
Too Coarse
Too Fine
#2 Wrong Coffee/Water Measures
Moka pot is designed to be used with full measures of water and coffee, and will not work properly if funnel is filled with too much or too less coffee. The same goes for the water, fill the boiler with cool water just below the fill line. Never ever fill above the pressure release valve, unless you enjoy occasional explosions in your kitchen.
Wrong
Right
#3 Tamp or Overfill
Under no circumstances should you ever tamp the grounds in the moka pot, tamping and overfilling increases the pressure required for the brew to travel upward so there might not even be enough pressure to force the water through the grounds.
Too Less
Just Right
Too Much
Fill the funnel with precisely 16 grams of coffee ground, slightly mounded, and level the surface off with your finger. Use the kitchen scale If you are not sure about the amount of coffee until you get used to using the moka pot and have a pretty good idea what 16g of coffee feels like.
#4 Grounds On Edge Of The Collector
Make sure to remove all the loose grounds on the top edge of the funnel and in the grooves of the screw parts of the boiler and collector. Loose grounds will not allow to make a complete seal which often leads to coffee leaking from two parts of the moka pot.
#5 Moka Pot Isn’t Tightened Securely
Make sure your moka pot is securely tighten during each usage. Tightly screw the upper part of the pot on to the boiler, avoid using the handle for leverage. For the safety reasons the pressure valve is designed on the opposite side of the base display, it should be within dimensions shown in the video.
#6 Deformed or Worn Silicon Ring
Worn filter and silicon gasket won’t allow moka pot to build the pressure to force the water through the grounds. Make sure to replace the filter and silicon gasket regularly.
Also make sure that your silicon ring is placed properly in the moka pot.
Right
Wrong
#7 Grounds On the Plate
Coffee grounds on the heating plate or bottom of the moka pot will lead to poor heating and lack of pressure to force the water through the grounds. Remove any coffee grounds from the heating plate and keep it clean during each usage.
#8 Clogged Filter/Weight
Make sure to clean the center pipe and weight of the moka pot every 2 weeks, clogged filter and center pipe will block the coffee from flowing to the collector so you moka stops producing coffee. Check out how to clean center pipe and weight of the moka pot here.
