I am a coffee addict. So is my mother, who got me hooked in middle school when she would let me have a cup of her coffee as a treat. By high school, I needed a cup every morning. Over time, my addiction to the brew was not just a caffeine addiction, but an aroma addiction. I was hooked on the pleasant fragrance of the beans and the feeling of a warm mug in my hands while sipping my morning joe before a busy day.
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However, by the time I was in college, I realized my love for java had become an actual caffeine addiction. I cycled between cutting back, being exhausted and then letting myself have 3-4 cups a day. It was not only expensive, but lousy for my health.
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In the summer after my first year I traveled to Denver, Colorado to visit one of my best friends from college in her hometown. Little did I know the trip would change my view of coffee forever.
Her mother made us our morning brews from a little stove top device I vaguely recognized from movies. Having only ever really drank drip coffee from a coffee pot, Keurig K-cups and Americanos or lattes from coffee shops, I was hooked after one sip of the magical liquid.
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Soon after I returned home, I bought myself the little stove top percolator called a Moka Pot. Here’s why I’ll never go back to using anything else.
1. It tastes amazing.
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As someone who drinks coffee for not just the caffeine but also the taste, coffee brewed from a Moka pot is by far the best tasting. It’s rich and strong without being bitter, and always just the right temperature.
2. I only need one cup a day.
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A mug of this stuff is magnificently potent. The Moka pot makes enough for about one normal sized mug and packs the amount of caffeine of four servings of espresso. I only have one cup in the morning and I’m basically good to go for the day. Long gone are the days where I need a cup of bland drip coffee every 3-4 hours.
3. It’s cheap.
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The Moka pot itself was only $25 at TJ Maxx, as opposed to a Keurig which easily costs over $100. My favorite brand of espresso grounds, Café Bustelo, is only $5-6 depending on where you get it, and it can last me 2-3 weeks depending on if I’m sharing or just brewing for myself.
That’s about 40¢ per cup, whereas a K-cup is $1 or more. I no longer need to go to the coffee shop in my library and spend $3 on a second or third cup of caffeine either. Just think about all of the things you could buy with the money you save.
4. It’s better for the environment.
Photo by Abby Reisinger
Everyone knows K-cups aren’t great for the environment. Inventors may be working on recyclable K-cups (or you can use the one where you put in your own grounds which is great), but still…Think about all the K-cups that people are throwing in the trash every day.
The Moka pot is super eco-friendly—zero waste. The tin I buy my grounds in is recyclable. And you can compost your old espresso grounds.
5. I appreciate my cup of coffee more.
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There’s something about the act of making and preparing your morning joe, watching it brew, smelling the strong aroma, and feeling the steam from the pot that makes you appreciate it more. The five minutes of prep time is so worth it.
6. I have cut back on sweeteners.
Photo by Katie Walsh
Yes, this brew is bold. I do admit that at first, I had to dump almond milk and Stevia in it to get used to it. Now, I am able to appreciate the richness of the coffee without them; this is what coffee is supposed to taste like.
Studies show that artificial sweeteners—even natural ones like Truvia and Stevia—aren’t the best things for our bodies. I’ve cut them out as much as possible, and a dash of almond milk is now enough for my stove-top brewed coffee.
Choosing between dumping cream and sugar in my coffee to make it tolerable or forcing down a watery cup of black coffee is a thing of my past.
7. It’s easy.
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Some people say they’re too lazy to use anything other than a Keurig. As I already mentioned, the act of putting a bit of labor into making my coffee makes it even better. However, being lazy isn’t an excuse against Moka pots.
It’s a simple contraption, and only takes about five easy steps from start to finish. Fill it with water, fill it with grounds, screw on the top, place it on the hot stovetop and then pour when done. Boom.
8. People are extremely intrigued by this method of brewing.
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My roommates, friends, family, relatives and guests are all interested in what the heck I’m doing whenever I make my coffee in front of them. They almost always want a cup and end up being hooked, which makes me feel like a boss coffee connoisseur.
Now do yourself a favor and go invest in a Moka pot. Don’t be afraid of embracing your inner coffee snob; your taste buds, wallet, friends and caffeine addiction will thank you.