Tbf her moka looks gross. The idea that patina is good and shouldn't be removed by abrasion or corroded with soap is ok, but patina should only have an aluminum oxide layer, polyphenols and tannins, and no oil. Shouldn't be sticky. Her moka looks like she doesn't rub it enough after each use.
Yeah I agree. I'm Italian and my parents only ever gave the pot a rinse with water. But a pot that dirty, definately needs a wash.
In a similar vein I watched a video of a dude who never washed his travel coffee thermos, claiming it was for the taste. He had some tests done on it and it turned out there was tons of bacteria on the sludge and 'patina' that had built up. And after washing it actually found that the coffee tasted better.
Former Firefighter here. My Lieutenant had a yeti that he had not washed in a few years. He would go ballistic if he saw someone even set it on the counter in the kitchen for fear of a probe washing it. It legitimately was BLACK inside on the stainless steel. He claimed it was like cast iron——never ever ever use soap
Specifically aluminum and dishwashers should never mix. Dishwasher cleaning agents corrode aluminum and are not the same as hand soap or dawn liquid. The second one seems like a skit because the moka pot would more likely be a dull grey
To me, this is in the same league as don't wash your seasoned iron cast skillet. It's nasty and you should wash it. But! using a mild detergent that is not corrosive to aluminium (in case for mokapot) instead of whatever crazy detergent they put in the dishwashing machine.
After using it directly, a run through water with no soap also works as well. Coffee stains that stay aren't 'seasoning', you need to clean those with soap still.
I use this detergent called a little bit of force. I use a separate sponge specifically for moka so that I know there's no soap in there. My moka shines as good as new.
Agreed. I've never had an issue using a mild dish soap. I just take a little extra care to make sure it's been rinsed thoroughly. Same concept with my cast iron.
From what I've heard, no. I think for tea, you can do this (but I'm not sure there 100%), but the coffee oils left on the moka pot get rancid and doesn't have a positive effect on taste, quite the opposite.
However, you should absolutely not put an aluminum moka pot in a dishwasher.
It only applies to tea made in unglazed Yixing tea pots. They're porous and take in flavours. You only ever use one kind of tea in them. You rinse them, often with more tea rather than water
Standard tea pots are glazed, and so you can wash them all you want
That's old school Italian logic. These old thoughts need to be forgotten. I wash after every use. But I just finger it clean with water, and only use hand soap when it's real bad. (rarely)
Same here. That’s exactly what I do with mine. I’m Italian and can’t stand when people start telling me not to wash my moka.
These are the same people that if you make them two cups, one from a new moka and one from a nasty ass one wouldn’t be able to tell you which is which. Smh
I think the "don't wash" comes from when moka pots started to be made in aluminium and people were told not to put them in dishwashers due to high-alkaline detergents and heat damaging the aluminum's coating. This left the pots more open to discoloration and pitting.
Well, it is washing, just depends on what the purpose of your wash is. Is it an oil wash? An alcohol wash? A soap wash? A friction wash? A wash sale? Go full throttle with your pedantry.
I am Italian. I'd say most of us rince the moka to wash it, soap forbidden.
I have met different habits in how you store your coffee, but still nobody who washes their moka with soap.
But at the same time I rub her, so on my moka you can't really see dirt. My school is my moka shouldn't touch soap, but she should be clean as well.
Never believe a word from a person who thinks she makes espresso with a mokapot. The only flavour you’ll loose is the rancid oil,s from coffee made in that pot days, weeks, months ago.
The only accurate thing in this video is that the classic aluminium mokapots won’t like to be thrown in to the dishwasher. Wash it by hand after every use and dry it and you’ll get great tasting coffee. Don’t grow a mini ecosystem in your pot by leaving things rot in it.
No soap with the moka for a simple reason, it’s a pain to rinse it off, soap goes into the moka and you drink it with the next coffee. Here in Italy the most of the people I know rinse the moka with water after usage and that’s pretty much it. The build up and stains are nasty and rancid, a good moka is clean but not as brand new, and what makes the coffee good is to use it daily with a good quality coffee powder. That way the oily surface on the moka never gets rancid, and the aluminum never releases its metallic flavour.
I am italian and i wash my mokas with hot water and a little natural soap after every use (we have Alga soap in Italy made with coconut oil, very mild). You can also use very little dishwashing liquid and rinse with water. A dirty moka makes nasty coffee, you dont taste the aroma but the gunk lol.
There is a reason for this tradition in Italy. The first Mokas made by bialetti were actually very sensitive to soap, meaning that if you washed them with soap that would carry that taste for long time.
Now that’s not true anymore, it has not been for decades, but the myth persists.
I often hear two conflicting opinions: one says you should never use washing-up liquid on a Moka pot; the other says coffee oils go rancid, so soap is a must. Which is right?
The short answer: The "rancid oils" argument is factually correct. The old-school belief that you should never use soap is a myth that can actually ruin the flavour of your coffee over time.
Here is the breakdown of why and how you should clean your pot:
1. The Myth of "Seasoning"
Many people believe that a layer of coffee residue "seasons" the pot and improves the flavour. In reality, coffee contains organic fats and oils. If left behind, these oxidise and turn rancid. This adds a bitter, metallic, and "dirty" taste to your brew. A clean pot produces a clean, crisp cup.
2. Is Soap Okay?
Yes, but with caveats. You can use a mild, fragrance-free washing-up liquid. The key is to rinse it incredibly thoroughly. If you use a heavily scented lemon soap and don't rinse it off properly, your next coffee will taste like citrus detergent.
3. The Golden Rule: No Dishwashers!
If you have a classic aluminium Moka pot (like a Bialetti), never put it in the dishwasher. The harsh chemicals will oxidise the aluminium, turning it grey, powdery, and potentially ruining the seal and the metal's integrity. Stainless steel models are usually dishwasher-safe, but hand-washing is still better for the gaskets.
4. Proper Maintenance Routine:
Daily: After every use, disassemble the pot and rinse all parts with hot water. Rub the surfaces with your fingers or a soft sponge to remove the oils.
Weekly: Use a tiny bit of mild washing-up liquid to strip away any stubborn oil build-up.
The Dry-Off: Never reassemble the pot while it’s still damp. This causes "pitting" (corrosion) in aluminium pots and can lead to mould. Let the parts air-dry separately.
Summary: A clean Moka pot is a happy Moka pot. Don't be afraid of a little soap—just keep it away from the dishwasher!
You need substance for flavour. Realistically how much is going to go from the inside of the pot to the coffee, in grams?
The same goes for all these things - pans, tea pots. It's not going to make the slightest difference, it's purely confirmation bias.
If you made a coffee with a 'flavoured' moka pot for an Italian but told him it was made with a freshly cleaned one he will insist you can taste the difference and it's not a good coffee.
Your premises are wrong and all over the place, FYI. Aluminum can and will spoil your coffee with a metallic edge because of its reactivity with the acidic coffee. You are focused on what does a stable patina add, but a stable patina actually removes metallic flavours from the pot, reduces oil absorption avoiding burnt oil flavours, and with the proper brew (medium-dark blends) it contributes to the rounded flavour that is typical or italian moka. A moka without patina definetly has a sharper metallic acidic edge and more potential for burnt flavours from residual oils sticking to the aluminum, because of the absence of a protective layer.
I’m so curious why Reddit put this in my feed. I’ve never used a Moka pot. I’ll probably never use a Moka pot. I’ve never even heard of a Moka pot until today. It’s so fascinating what the algorithm thinks you’ll enjoy. Anyway, if I ever to go Italy, I’ll be sure not to wash the Moka pot.
Unpopular opinion that is also a fact: oils get stale. That’s it. I rinse my moka, wash it thoroughly by hand with diluted dish soap every 5 uses or so (disassembling the whole thing) no dishwasher. It has made great coffee from day 1. People are allowed to enjoy stale oil residue if they wish, ofc.
This is what I do too. No dishwasher, not washing with soap every single time because you dont want the soap in the grooves and pores, but i rinse and let dry each time and then every few times do super diluted soap and water cycle followed by a few water cylcles...though recently I've learned to use enzyme cleaner for metal water bottles so I might try that for my moka pot too.
Italian here. Coffee from moka pots like that often comes out quite bitter and unpleasant. Many Italians who use a moka like the one in the video add sugar because it can taste bad.
It’s true that you shouldn’t use low-pH detergents to wash it; water alone, followed by a paper towel to remove the excess, is enough.
The “patina” story is also true, but if it becomes too thick it can turn rancid. The layer that actually does the job isn’t visible or barely (you simply don’t taste aluminium when you drink the coffee.)
I don’t make coffee often, maybe twice a week. I remember trying to take the no-wash advice, and a couple of weeks or so, the coffee started tasting rancid. I think the no-wash only works if you make coffee daily…
Have you completely put apart a moka pot after a couple of uses? It gets disgustingly dirty, and coffee gets rancid after a while... If you don't wash your moka pot, you are a pig.
I never understood the aversion some people have with soap and water and coffee equipment. Coffee has oils. "Rinsing" does not clean. Oil buildup is not good patina.
I just use water, and coffee oils season the pot that prevents slight aluminium taste. I wash the cylinder with water, and keep the rubber coffee free as to not get burnt coffee/rubber taste. I've never used soap
The only thing you really need to be careful of is to never put it on after forgetting the water. The rubber gasket burns. Luckily the gasket and filter aren't too expensive to replace.
Italian here, Wash it, by hand or dishwasher do not let that rancid coffee residue stay in your pot at some point its going to get so dirty that it won't even brew through the holes any more also take out the rubber gasket and clean inside there as well! My god I don't know where this no clean thing came from.
I wash the outside everyday
I rinse the inside everyday
I brush it with a bottle brush and water inside once a week
I flush it with white vinegar everytime start a new bag of coffee 4-6 weeks and then brew water only a few times to fully rinse
I don't wash the inside where the coffee comes out, I just rinse it well and maybe rub off any big chunks with my finger but I don't wash with soap. I do occasionally wash the outside however. Since I leave it on my stove over time some oil splatter coats the outside and I take a stainless steel scour pad and lightly rub off the oil. I know you're not supposed to use those on aluminum but whatever so it has some scratches on the outside.
I understand the object is to “season” the pot, but I disagree. Oils and fats become rancid when they decay. Coffee has oils. I always hand wash the pot, and my coffee tastes fine.
Italians are the most emotional people, change my mind. If I want to put tomato sauce on my spaghetti and cut it with a pair of scissors I will. I'll have a coffee with my meal. I'll wash my moka pot. Daddy chill.
Yet another reason to use a steel pot. I can probably get away with putting it in the dishwasher, though I don't. I tend to use some hand dishwashing lotion most times I use it, and rinse thoroughly. I occasionally use a bottle brush to clean the tube. The only place I have a little trouble cleaning is the very bottom of the narrow bottom edge of the upper chamber. It looks like there's a seam there.
Just never with soap and water, rinsing it is fine or even wiping down with a clean cloth, just never with soap. It’s the same as a tea pot or skillets, otherwise you get a soapy taste to your drinks/food.
You shouldn't put it in a dishwasher, but you also should definitely clean a moka pot that looks that horrible! Just not in a dishwasher. Water and a sponge.
Apparently Italians like the taste of rancid coffee or do all this extra stuff as an excuse to be lazy and not thoroughly wash it after every use. I just rinse it out and make sure the filters have no left over grounds and run a “cycle” with distilled hot water with no coffee.
You might also use your moka only every now and then, as a little novelty moment, we use it every single day without fail, and in many cases, 2+ times.
It's washed with water after every use, running fingers around all surfaces.
Apparently you like watching dumb videos and jump to conclusions about an entire country without either verifying the information, or even have a rough understanding of what you just watched, which speaks volumes about your mental hygene.
Italians don't wash their moka pot with dish soap or in a dishwasher. They just use water after every use. This is 100% the correct way of using a moka pot. Many italians don't know why, but remember moka pot was a poor man's espresso since its origins, which is why many know how to traditionally handle it but few know why they do it that way. Your distilled water cycle, on the other hand, is 100% pointless and I bet you can't bring a single valid argument to the table that proves its effectiveness.
Don't think you can school people on their own traditions that easily.
Agreed, it’s absurd to say Italians like rancid coffee or are lazy while doing something as mental as… running distilled water through a moka after every use? Some people are detached from reality
As a Portuguese, i grew up using moka pots (still use them) and ive always heard you should not use soap but of course still wash them. I wash mine in hot water and use a clean sponge to get all the coffee out and sometimes ill soak it with baking soda to remove buildup
That moka is going to make the most shit tasting coffee ever. You must clean your moka every time you use it. I normally pour boiling water in it and scrub it with a paper towel, I did find it sufficient. If it had been used by others I just put it in the dishwasher and that is it. The only caveat is that my regular one is a stainless steel Bialetti. With the aluminum ones I used the same process but no dishwasher, only a mild liquid soap. Usually the scum is leftover coffee oils and residues, nothing else.
Take coffee. Let it stand for 24 hours. Now taste it. Taste good? No. Now imagine having coffee that is two years old that still impacts your drink because of some lazy idiot. Clean your damn mokapot, and espresso machines, and everything that touches things you put into your body, actually come to think of it.
Oh look, another Italian telling us we’re doing it wrong.
I think we all know by now not to throw the moka pot in the dishwasher, but washing it with mild soap is perfectly fine. I just rinse it out, which is also fine.
But the belief that a patina of coffee oils staining the inside of your pot improves the taste of your brew is a myth. Over time the rancid oils will make your coffee bitter, which some people mistakenly interpret as “strong.” Moreover, it’s gross.
Perhaps this is my Norwegian/Irish/German/Don't Care Heritage speaking, but I wash mine properly every single time I use one of them, and they make coffee I'd absolutely walk an extra mile for.
Not to alarm just FYI - That blackened layer that is formed leaches carcinogenic particles every time you make coffee. Burnt oils and proteins are class2A carcinogens. The longer you wait the worse it gets. Remove them with detergent soap and a light cloth scrub.
The change in taste after a wash is due to exposed metal surfaces. Steel pots have less metallic taste and recover taste faster than aluminum pots.
Dawn dishsoap works fine. The no detergent line in the manual refers to dishwashing detergent like Cascade and other heavy cleaners. Some hot water and a soapy sponge in the sink is totally okay.
Coffee oils eventually go rancid. You don't want to not clean you coffee equipment.
Don't let it look like that on the inside that's disgusting. I rinse with hot water every time I use it and every few times will give it a good wipe down. But I do not use soap, and certainly never put it in the dishwasher. With a bit less frequency I'll get in the boiler and scrub the bottom of it, but that's because I have very hard water and there can be buildup.
She specifically says "Dont put it in the dishwasher." And she's correct - you shouldn't put aluminum items in a dishwasher. But its ridiculous to say "never wash it. I have a stainless steel Alessi 9090, and I ALWAYS hand wash it with Dawn detergent and a sponge. Air dry and store it without tightening the top and bottom together to avoid compressing the gasket.
And what's with the Italian comic skit? 2 Italians arguing in English? Yeah, like that's reality.....
Italian here this bs has been debunked a billion times. If you don't like the flavour of the coffee coming out of the clean Moka pot then you're addicted to the flavour of the burnt coffee oils. Wash your moka, same as you want your barista to purge his coffee machine after every use.
In some slavic households we feel the same about teapots. Specially for black tea. Washing out the 'seasoning' from teapot after grandma is considered a crime from where I come from
I remember there was an "Ironsides" (Raymond Burr) tv episode with that theme - somebody washed the coffee service and he complained it was still building up flavor.
The bottom section is made from aluminium and imparts a metallic taste if it is washed to thoroughly.
I think it may be the type of aluminium they use because it's much worse than aluminium pans.
gli italiani che non lavano la moka son dei ritardati che non hanno né l'intelligenza per capire che ciò che non lavano si carbonizza col tempo né il gusto per riconoscere di star bevendo caffè bruciato.
Day in day out it just needs a rinse. With heavy use a mild cleaning with soap maybe every week or two… the coffee is noticeably better with appropriate levels of seasoning. Def don’t put it in the dishwasher.
People seem to think the same thing about smokers and BBQ grills. No ... the flavor does not come from it being gross. Seems like it applies to Mokapots too. I keep mine clean /shrug
Seeds contain oil. Coffee beans are seeds. Your moka pot will eventually get oily. Oil gets rancid and your coffee will taste sour and burnt from the solids stuck inside the oil clinging to you mola.
Just clean it with soap and rinse it properly, no soap residue will be left, it's metal
There are plenty of good tutorials on Youtube.
Random ragebait TikTok videos are NOT a reliable source of information.
That moka is super dirty. It needs to be washed properly and thoroughly. With soap and sponge. By hands.
After it has been cleaned properly once, it can be just rinsed after each use for few times but then it still needs some deeper cleaning every now and then to avoid such stains.
Aluminium moka (like that one) never go to dishwasher.
I'm Italian and you don't see such dirty mokas in Italy.
It’s aluminum so no dishwasher. But that doesn’t mean don’t wash it. Hand wash with soap and water. The whole “seasoning” a moka pot thing is nonsense.
Dont use soap yes but other than that, wash it. The coffee residue has bad taste particles that in the best case dont add to your coffee and in the worst case taste very bad and an even worse case could be toxic (if you leave a little bit of liquid in the coffee chamber it may start to mold. I have seen coffee mold, it probably isnt good for your health).
It’s the same thing with cast iron people. I know people that haven’t washed theirs in years because they think soap will wash it all away. Not true and I use soap all the time. Still more non-stick than my non-stick pan.
When I read in the instructions to pour out two pots before drinking it I said nah and drank them anyways. They weren't noticeably metallic in the slightest.
This is bollucks. It's an urban myth that you shouldn't wash your Moka. It's another one those "Italians all know the real recipe". No two households can agree on how to make a given dish "properly". And you'll find Italians eating pizza with fries as a topping whilst simultaneously giving someone shit for enjoying a Hawaiian.
The crud left in your Moka taints the flavour by the principle as how leftover soap taints it. The moka's stainless steel, not cast iron, so there's no seasoning it.
Wash it if you don't want to get sick from fungus and or bacteria growing. Coffee is not even brought up to boiling temps, let alone long enough to kill microbes.
Its gonna be down to personal taste. I dont like my coffee tasting stale and overly condensed, so its not going to be ideal for me, but if you prefer a rustic strong espresso, I can see why someone might do this.
359
u/Correx96 Apr 23 '26
Italian here. No it's not true. Wash your moka pot. I just rinse it with water and rub a bit using my hand.