Sobertooth

The Smilodon · 3-cup moka pot

Begin the ritual

Four minutes of reading, and the pot will outlive you.

Before anything else

The base is tight on a new pot. Warm water for 30 to 45 seconds, then a towel for grip. This is the single most common first-day question we get.

1

Loosen the base

Straight out of the box the base is screwed tight. Stand the bottom in warm water for 30 to 45 seconds, grip it with a towel, and turn. It loosens easily once it is warm. Never force it dry.

2

Fill the base

Water to just below the safety valve, never above it. Warm water gets you there faster and keeps the grounds from scorching.

3

Fill the funnel, close the lid

Medium-fine grounds, level to the rim. Do not tamp. Brush the rim clean, screw the top on firmly by the handle, then press the lid down until it gives a soft click.

4

Low flame, and stay with it

Do not leave the side of the pot while it brews. The moment it starts to gurgle, remove it from the heat. Pour straight away, and sit with it.

Do

  • Brew on a low to medium flame, on gas or an electric coil.
  • Take it off the heat the moment it gurgles.
  • Handle it gently. It is aluminium, and it dents.
  • Hand wash with warm water and a soft cloth.
  • Dry fully and store the parts apart, lid open.
  • Check the gasket every few months.

Don't

  • No induction hobs. The aluminium body will not work on them.
  • No dishwasher. It strips the finish.
  • No soap left standing, no bleach, no steel wool.
  • Never fill water above the safety valve.
  • Never tamp the grounds, and never run the pot empty.
  • Not in the oven, the microwave or the freezer.

Before the first cup

Wash every part in warm water, then brew two throwaway pots — water and grounds, poured away. It seasons the aluminium and clears the metallic note of a brand-new pot.

Questions, care advice, a pot that misbehaved — write to care@sobertooth.in.
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