Brew Like a Spaniard: Our Favorite Coffee Makers from Spain

There are numerous ways to make coffee in the United States, the United Kingdom, and around the world, but the Spanish brew their coffee in a very unique and different way to satisfy their taste buds with strong coffee sips and aroma.

Spaniards can drink coffee at any time of day, and when I say “anytime,” I mean it. They’ll have coffee to start their day, during their mid-day break, to finish their lunch, and even in the middle of the evening.

Some will make coffee to end their long day without even using decaf. Coffee is a form of communication and love for the Spanish. Are you new to their country? They’ll invite you to coffee to introduce you to their culture and ethnicity in the most humble way possible.

They’re so obsessed with the caffeine fix that they put it in everything. Need to talk about something? Let’s get together for a cup of coffee. Do you want to be stress-free? Let’s get some caffeine and listen to your heart.

Coffee, without a doubt, lives rent-free in their heart and mind. Native Spaniards never had a standard automated coffee maker. Instead, percolators, also known as cafeterias italianas or simply ‘cafeteras,’ are the norm.

Short Answer: Moka Pot is the best Spanish coffee maker.

Let me walk you through the fundamentals of Spanish coffee, including everything you might be curious about.

Table of Contents

What Is A Spanish Coffee Maker And Its Parts?

Unrecognizable woman pouring espresso into a cup from a Moka pot. — The Spaniards have a unique method of brewing espresso at home.

The stovetop coffee maker used by Spaniards differs from those used in the United States and the United Kingdom in that it allows them to make coffee quickly, and another advantage? They’re capable of making authentic, rich espresso for themselves.

The Spanish coffee maker or the cafeteras consists of three parts:

Part	Function
The base	Where the water is filled
The middle funnel, the filter	For placing coffee grounds
The top chamber	Where the brewed espresso shows up

The Spanish coffee maker’s parts along with their function

The Spanish have discovered various methods for tailoring their coffee to their swinging modes. You seem curious about their ways, don’t you? Let me go over some of them with you.

The Un Espresso way: If you want an espresso shot in Europe, ask the barista for ‘Un Espresso.’ Unlike other states, you’ll be served rich coffee in a small shot glass.

Café con Hielo: An iced coffee variation. A shot of espresso and a glass of ice. But there’s a catch! You must drink it quickly or the ice will dilute the coffee and make it taste bad.

Café con Leche: It consists of half but equal parts espresso and milk (is usually heated). It’s served with a pastry for breakfast (un-bullo). If you’re in a hurry, go for Leche del Tiempo (room temperature milk) or leche fria (frozen milk) (cold milk).

What Is A Spanish Coffee Maker Called?

Alfonso Bialetti invented it in 1933.

An 80-year-old traditional Spanish coffee maker is known by various names such as Moka pots, stovetop espresso makers, and macchinetta, but in Spanish, it’s known as ‘cafetera,’ which translates to the coffee maker.

It’s a three-piece coffee maker with a water-holding base, a metal filter for coffee grounds, and a top for brewed coffee. Every Spanish kitchen has at least one cafetera. Moka pot is their preferred coffee brewer for a hard brewed espresso taste.

Can You Make Spanish Coffee With A Regular Coffee Maker?

NO, you cannot brew Spanish coffee in a standard coffee maker.

Finely ground coffee, bar pressure (above 8), and hot boiling water are required (up to 85 or 95 degrees Celsius). However, unlike real espresso, you can have an espresso-like coffee experience made in Spanish coffee pots.

Are you wondering why? Because a drip or regular coffee maker lacks the pressure required to completely extract espresso from coffee beans. In contrast, an espresso machine uses 9 bar pressures to extract hard-pressed espresso faster and more consistently.

Best Spanish Coffee Maker

Stovetop espresso makers, also known as Moka pots, are similar to espresso machines in that they produce pressure and deliver rich, aromatic, and strong coffee without the addition of crema or thin bubbly foam.

Spanish coffee makers or espresso machines do this work without cost, mess, or taking up a lot of space on your kitchen counter. Espresso pots haven’t changed much since their invention in 1933.

However, in today’s market, you can find these pots in a variety of designs and materials that perform the same function as old pots. To give you an idea, I’ve gathered some of the best options available to you. Let’s start:

Best Overall Moka Pot: Grosche Milano

the top of a Moka pot — Spanish coffee maker

Grosche Milano, the brand name alone represents high-quality products. This pot is made of thick, hard, and durable aluminum, with a silicone gasket and heat-resistant handles for your safety. Grosche Milano is designed for long-lasting coffee servings at an affordable price.

Best Moka Tops For Stovetops Induction: Stovetop Espresso Maker

Gas Stove Top Coffee Percolator In A Kitchen

Stovetop Espresso Maker by LuxHaus. This is a beautiful machine made of stainless steel with a narrow chimney for better temperature regulation and a careful serving of hot brewed espresso from the induction stove. This company is said to offer a lifetime satisfaction guarantee to their customers. So, what are you holding out for? Take one for yourself and one for your bestie.

Best Budget-Friendly Moka Pots: Imusa Aluminum Stovetop Coffee

Here is an all-in-one Moka pot that will be your bud in all aspects. Imusa Aluminum Stovetop Coffee Maker, made of the same tough materials and with a stylish design. You may be wondering what aspect I was referring to. Then believe me when I say it saves you four times the price of all other models on the market while serving you high-end extracted espresso. This low-cost pot will be light on your wallet but heavy on your taste buds.

How Do You Make Coffee In A Spanish Coffee Maker?

The shallow focus of coffee cups and motion blur of people in the background. — Mastering the Moka pot is both an art and a memorable experience.

This is the stage at which your taste buds may come into contact with your worst to the best handmade coffee cup. Isn’t this a long-lasting part?

However, you’ll most likely have to make pots over and over again to perfect your espresso-making skills. Still hesitant to give it a shot? Don’t worry, this isn’t rocket science; I’ve got you covered. To make your first espresso cup, follow these steps:

What you need:

Moka pot
Dark roasted coffee beans
Burr coffee grinder
Scale or tablespoon for measuring coffee
Electric or Stovetop kettle

Once you have collected all the needed materials, you’re all ready to make your very first Moka pot espresso cup:

Measure 20-22 grams of coffee and grind it until getting a fine, caster sugar-like texture.
Fill the water in the bottom part of the pot till the water filling line, don’t overfill the water. It’ll make coffee grounds soggy and can affect the coffee taste
Add the coffee grounds in the middle part a.k.a filter basket on the pot
Attach the Moka pot’s top part.
Assemble the pot carefully and then place it on a stovetop burner over medium heat. The water will boil as it heats, and the pressure will push a coffee stream through the filter and into the upper chamber.
Hear the pot giving off a hissing sound and look for the thin hazel brown foam on the coffee surface which is released right after the coffee is completely brewed
When the Moka pot is filled with coffee, give it a little stir and serve

Here is a video for better understanding:

Learn to make great coffee with a Moka pot

Final Thoughts

Making Spanish coffee itself is an art and it requires contentment as well as attention like Spaniards to make an impeccable coffee cup. The absent mind would ruin your time, mood, kitchen space, and coffee too, who wants to have this anyway?

The peace of mind is what you need to brew a pure espresso shot. The Spanish households may not go for advanced coffee brewers like Delonghi, Nespresso, or Aero-press but they have an authentic go-to coffee brewer and a lot of different recipes to make their day much better.

So if you feel a little adventurous every morning for your cup of coffee then you definitely should put your hands on the cafetera, stovetop espresso maker, or Moka pot, whatever you like to name it.