LuxHausMoka Pot - 3 Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker - 100% Stainless Steel Italian and Cuban Mocha Coffee Maker

First of all, this makes a fine cup of coffee. I've used just about every kind of coffee pot there is including the classic Bialetti aluminum model. Stainless steel is a far better material in all respects. I've only had mine for a month or so, I used it every day and it is a pleasure. The aluminum pots degrade over time, they stain, easily accumulate scale, and look sadder and sadder over time. I expect this stainless pot will hold up much better, and it cleans up completely. It is well manufactured, the thread to screw the top and bottom together is finely cut and polished so it goes together easily.The coffee starts to rise through the funnel quickly and smoothly, it sputters (as expected) only at the very end when the majority of the water has passed through the grounds. It takes a bit of trial and error to grind your coffee properly: if the grind is too fine and packed, it will take longer to rise, may not make as much coffee as there is water in the base, and may sputter a lot. If the grind is too coarse and/or is not sufficiently filling the basket, the water will rise too quickly and not extract as much flavor from the bean. Once you get that right, it performs very consistently. I like the width of the base which sits on the cast iron flame tamer I use on my gas burner very squarely and isn't at all tippy. The rounded spout is a great improvement over the classic triangular pouring spot which always seemed to dribble on my old Bialetti. I was a little dubious about the spring loaded basket, imagining that it might cause the dry grounds to be bounced out of the basket, but that hasn't ever happened and having the spring hold the basket above the rim of the base makes it much easier to take out, you don't have try to get your fingernail between the lip of the basket and the edge of base to take it out to empty the grounds, it just lifts right out. It doesn't interfere with tightening the top onto the base. I had one very minor problem which was that the fitting that holds the hinge for the lid cracked on one end and fell off. I was still able to use the top--but not to worry the Luxhaus customer service was stellar! Stefan replied the very same day that I emailed, and they have set on a free replacement hinge at no cost to me. If only all products were so well made and so well supported!

Coming from the Bialetti 6-cup for a bit more capacity when guests are here.Update: I've used this for several months as my main coffee maker. One day, I made the mistake of installing the filter upside-down, which caused a burnt flavor and a lot of "muddy" water left in the lower chamber. Other than that, it's been great. Faster brewing, easier cleaning, more coffee per bean, and cleaner pouring, with the same or better flavor than my Bialetti. Upgrading from 4 to 5 stars. I still would like if the lid and grounds basket sat more securely and accurately every time, but those are my only small gripes.The pros:• Aesthetically, this looks much nicer and doesn't pick up tarnish from the gas stove nearly as quickly.• The pour spout doesn't spill if you want more than a trickle.• The stem inside doesn't mist you with coffee if you get impatient and open the lid mid-brew.• The handle is further out, which makes it pick up less heat and reduces chances of burning yourself on the metal.• The wider grounds container seems to improve extraction efficiency slightly. This takes about the same amount of grounds as my Bialetti for what feels like twice the coffee at the same strength.• The little spring under the grounds container makes cleaning a little easier.• The silicone seal is much more durable than the rubber Bialetti seals, but you can get silicone gaskets aftermarket.• Brewing time is about half that of the Bialetti, but this may be due to the increased base size allowing more heat to transfer.Now, the cons:• The smooth body is harder to screw and unscrew. I can put together and take apart my Bialetti just holding the handle and pressing down slightly on a hot pad on the counter. For the LUXHAUS, this is a two-hand operation.• The seal is inconsistent. Even when I try to be careful with the assembly and get it nice and tight, I occasionally get a leak either when brewing or pouring (see picture). (No longer a problem after about 50 uses. The original problem was likely the spring causing the grounds basket to occasionally sit wrong. In exchange, the spring no longer is quite as helpful during cleaning.)• The lid arrived off-center and took a little time messing with the screw to get it aligned with the top, and I don't like how far outside the radius of the pot the lid edge comes. I keep pushing on it when I pick it up while cool or screw/unscrew the base, and it worries me that the plastic or pin will get damaged over the course of a few years.