Image: The Bialetti Moka Pot Express
If you have the classic version of Bialetti - The Bialetti Moka Pot Express, then it is made of aluminium and the following tips will be helpful in maintaining it:
It is not dishwasher safe.
Let it cool before washing it. But do not leave extracted coffee grounds in the funnel for a long duration.
After each use, wash the upper & lower chamber and the funnel with warm water, mild soap and a soft sponge.
After washing, dry immediately with a dry cloth or paper towel to prevent limescale formation.
In addition, depending on frequency of use, you need to take apart & clean the following parts once a fortnight or at least once a month. This will help you get rid of coffee grounds stuck between the filter plate, rubber gasket and upper chamber and prevent bitter tasting brews.
Filter Plate
Rubber Gasket
Funnel
An additional tip for long term storage is to partially screw in the upper and lower chambers together, ie to leave them a bit loose. Tightly screwing the two chambers exerts pressure on white rubber washer which can then develop cracks.
Pro tip: Apply the same cleaning logic as the backflushing routine for espresso machines & portafilters:
Dissolve about 1 teaspoon of dish wash liquid in a small pot of hot water and soak all the parts of the Bialetti overnight. This helps to get rid of coffee oils and the stale coffee smell.
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