Most of Bialetti’s stove-top coffee makers (aka moka pots) have similar construction and varies only by design and materials. There are classic aluminium models like Moka Express that Bialetti’s factory in Italy has been producing with no changes since 1933. There is also a Bialetti Junior – same design and construction, but made in China and, thus, cheaper. There are many stainless steel versions: cone-shaped Venus or stylish Musa. And many more models including colorful Fiametta series. All of them have the same brewing system.
One well-known model that stands apart is Bialetti Mukka (here it is at Amazon), which is designed to make cappuccino. However, there is one more model – less known Bialetti Brikka. Despite the fact that it looks very similar to other aluminium moka pots by Bialetti, it’s unique because of the pressure valve, that changes the brewing process.
Brikka comes in 2 versions: for 2 cups (👉 see @ amazon) and for 4 cups (👉 see @ amazon). It’s 2 Oz and 4 Oz respectively – see measurements below.
Does Bialetti Brikka really make different coffee if compared to the classic Moka Express?
When I first met Brikka coffee maker it was not obvious to me that it makes different coffee than my usual travel companion (Moka Express for 2 cups) does. However first tests proved that even if the difference is not dramatic, it is still big enough to place the Brikka on the following chart closer to the real espresso machine:
Surely Brikka doesn’t make real espresso like a 15-bar pump espresso machine does. However, the result is much more similar to espresso than on any ordinary moka pot. That’s why now the Bialetti Brikka Elite is a compact coffee maker that I take with me while travelling. Officially, since 2014 🙂
I will summarise key differences between Moka Express and Brikka:
The crema. Brikka makes richer coffee foam. This is quite obvious if you saw some photos on the Web or read other reviews.
The coffee is a bit stronger. Quite obvious too, however, the difference is not dramatic, Brikka gives just a bit more caffeine than Moka Express does.
The taste! This one is not obvious at all (was not obvious to me, at least), however, it’s probably the most effective difference.
When you try coffee made on Moka Express (just after tasting Brikka’s one) you understand that Moka Express gives more watery taste, less rich. Sometimes even more bitter, overextracted flavor.
Even the ground coffee/water ratio is similar to real espresso. My measurements show that the Brikka for 2 cups is designed to brew 60ml (2 Oz) of coffee using 15 g of ground coffee.
Yes, I know that often on Amazon it is written to be 3 Oz. However, it’s a mistake. Lower bowl indeed can fit even more water (up to 100 ml/3 Oz), however, the special “H2O” level inside Brikka shows, that it is recommended to use 65-70 ml of water – output is slightly smaller because ground coffee absorbs some water. Classic moka pots use less coffee and more water.
However, when the third cup is tested (espresso shot made on a classic pump espresso machine, in my case it was Delonghi EC155M), then you realise that Brikka doesn’t make espresso. It makes strong espresso-alike coffee with rich crema and taste, but it cannot compete with pump machines.
Update. The speed of brewing
I completely forget to mention one more difference between Moka and Brikka. The later one is faster. I tested equal-sized models (both for 2 cups) on the same stove. In case of the Brikka it takes 2 minutes 36 seconds to make coffee, while Moka Express needs 3 minutes 50 seconds.
Why some other reviewers say the difference between Moka Express and Brikka is undistinguished?
Common problems with Brikka is possible reasons. Bialetti’s quality control system is not superb (no suprise for me since years ago we had a Fiat in our family). In case of Moka Express or any other ordinary moka pot the construction is simplier and frequent problems are widely troubleshooted. In case of Brikka the are more parts that could be defected and due to lack of information people couldn’t understand that their Brikka is defective.
The most widespread example is a defective funnel. Sometimes it has a tiny hole on the side where the punch is:
This leads to low pressure (because water partly goes back to the lower reservoir) and no (or not much) crema. In Bialetti they probably know about this problem, because a funnel for Brikka as a spare part has different construction: without punches and therefore without risk of getting a hole. However new Brikka moka pots come with old funnel, which can be defected (or can be not, the risk is not high, maybe 1 out of 100).
New funnles are sold on Amazon, however wider available funnels for Moka Express can be used as well. For example, a funnel for Moka Express for 6-cup can be fit into Brikka for 2 cups (as reported in this review).
Pressure/Crema Valve construction and How to Clean It
The method that Bialetti used in Brikka is not innovative. Manufacturers of pump espresso machines use it since 1990s – they discovered that if they will limit the pressure on the exit of the portafilter, then the espresso will have full taste and crema on top. This was particularly important for home users who use cheap preground coffee and do no tamp coffee well; on the espresso makers with pressure valves thay still can get a decent shot of espresso.
No pressure valve
With pressure valve
Today 99,9% home espresso machines come with pressure valve (aka crema filters). The only exception I know is the Delonghi EC145 and EC146.
Bialetti implimented the same idea. However in case of a moka pot where the water/coffee goes upward, the construction of pressure valve could be simplier than on espresso machine (where water goes through ground coffee downwards).
In Brikka it’s just a heavy metal lid on the exit of the upper funnel. When the pressure is low, the water can’t lift it. But as soon as pressure rises, the heavy lid moves up and let the coffee out:
You should clean this valve system time after time. How to open/unscrew Brikka’s upper valve? I made step-by-step photos for you:
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Introduction: My name is Arline Emard IV, I am a cheerful, gorgeous, colorful, joyous, excited, super, inquisitive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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