I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I love coffee. Anyone that knows me well would have you believe I have a thermal stainless steel coffee tumbler surgically grafted to my hand. It’s my American Express — I don’t leave home without it. I don’t fiddle around and mess it up with cream, sugar, or milk. A cup of coffee, if done just right, is best au naturale. The saddest part of all this is that I’ve become accustomed to good coffee. I rarely order any at a restaurant since it’s usually weak, not made very well, and, to be blunt, tastes like dishwater.
Over the years I have tried many different methods of brewing the perfect Cup o’ Joe at home. In my experience, the regular “set it and forget it” coffee makers just do not cut it. Sure, they may be a little more convenient, but the quality of brew they produce is — in my personal opinion — just plain awful. Continually running out to the local Starbucks for a cup (or 10) of coffee was just out of the question. First, it wasn’t convenient to drive out any time I had the urge for a cup of coffee. Second, $3 a cup adds up! What I ultimately found allowed me to make coffee at home that put my local Starbucks to shame, saves me money, and allows me to feed my addiction for good coffee all at the same time.
If you enjoy a really good damn good cup of coffee, then you owe it to yourself to check out Bialetti. Why? Keep reading young coffee-lovin’ grasshopper…
Alright, let’s back up just a little bit so I can convey what brought me to discover the Bialetti line of coffee/espresso makers. Just over two years ago I purchased my last “set-it-and-forget-it” coffee maker, the Cuisinart Grind-N-Brew for $150. It had nice ratings on Amazon, and I was looking to kick the habit of purchasing a cup of coffee daily. Yes, I love coffee and have a serious caffeine addiction…stay with me. I used the Grind-N-Brew faithfully for months, but each morning I grew a bit sadder trying to enjoy what I found to be a truly poor cup of coffee. I added extra beans to the grind, and even double-brewed (where you take the coffee that was just brewed and pour it back into the coffee maker for a second run to get an extra boost). By the time it started leaking when I tried to make coffee in the morning, I had already been scoping out other brewers of all shapes, sizes, and styles.



I use a Brita pitcher for my filtered water, with great results. (Don’t worry, the water is clear 😉 . The reservoir gets some of the “coffee color” after longterm use from the coffee oils and the brewing process. Just don’t stick it in the dishwasher! Mild dish soap and water only.

3. Insert the permanent coffee funnel / filter into the water reservoir, and fill it with your freshly ground coffee.

4. Screw the top portion of the Bialetti to the reservoir. It’s a bit like a percolator, but the end result is soooooooooooooo much better (IMHO).




