Why Is Your Moka Pot Sputtering? (And Here’s How To Fix It)

Is your Moka pot sputtering? A Moka pot is always a handy and easy-to-use option. Plus, it only takes a few minutes to brew aromatic espresso with a Moka pot. But as it happens with every gadget, a Moka pot might start malfunctioning over time, and one of the most common Moka pot issues you’ll probably face is sputtering. Stick around, I’ve compiled a comprehensive guide with the possible reasons that cause this and I also share secret tips on how to fix this issue once and for all. Let’s dive in. 

Why is actually your Moka pot sputtering? 

When your Moka pot is sputtering it’s because there’s too much excessive internal pressure. Another reason that sputtering happens is that the upper and lower part of your Moka isn’t sealed properly. A third reason can be the rubber seal ring as it weakens over time and needs replacing. 

How pressure causes sputtering

Let’s go over 2 different scenarios that cause sputtering.

Low pressure

As you probably already know…

…an espresso machine needs high pressure (around 9 bars, depending on the coffee machine brand) to pull an espresso shot.

Similarly, pressure needs to be created on the inside of a Moka pot, so the water in the lower chamber moves up and through the coffee funnel to brew espresso. 

But…

… what happens when the parts aren’t sealed properly? You guessed it, the pot starts to sputter and obviously the brewing process last longer. 

Plus, you’ll have to endure the annoying noise. 

High pressure

How can high pressure cause sputtering to your Moka pot? 

Like I said a Moka pot needs pressure to brew coffee. But it doesn’t need too high pressure as it’s NOT an espresso machine; it’s just a small gadget. 

Particularly, here’s the ideal pressure a Moka pot and an espresso machine need for brewing: 

• Espresso machine → 9 bars
• Moka pot → 1.5 bars

See the difference? 

If you turn the stove to its max, the odds are you’ll overheat your Moka pot. So, the water can’t really move through the funnel and that’s why it ends up sputtering.

It’s to key to finding the sweet spot between having enough pressure for brewing with a Moka pot and at the same time not overheating it. 

5 ways to prevent your Moka pot from sputtering

Let’s go over 6 different practical ways that will help you avoid sputtering. 

1. Keep your Moka pot in boss condition

This is probably quite obvious way, but still makes a whole lot of difference. 

I can’t stress enough the importance of cleaning your Moka pot regularly. It’s wise to give all the components a good wash with washing-up liquid right after brewing (of course you need to dismantle it). When it comes to descaling it to remove hard water minerals stuck on the inside, you can mix hot water with white vinegar (ratio 2:1 preferably) and add the mixture to the Moka pot as if you were to brew coffee. You don’t need to add coffee to the funnel.

You can do this once or twice and your Moka pot will be like brand new. 

Why cleaning will stop sputtering? 

Coffee residue stuck on the inside blocks the water from moving up and the pressure goes higher than it should which causes sputtering. 

2. Keep the surfaces free of coffee grounds

It’s so important to keep the sealing surfaces clean.

Here’s why:

When there is coffee residue on the sealing surfaces, the chances are that the upper and lower chamber of your Moka pot hasn’t sealed properly; the Moka pot can’t reach enough pressure to brew coffee and starts sputtering. 

Use a kitchen roll to clean the inside and outside surfaces and remove used coffee grounds from your Moka pot.

3. Turn the stove down 

It’s a great idea to brew coffee at a low heat.

First off, there’s not going to be excessive pressure which would block the water from moving up. Secondly, coffee brewed at a heat tastes better as more flavours are extracted during the brewing process. 

A great rule of thumb is to turn the stove up to its maximum when starting brewing, so the water will be heated fast, and since you can tell that the water is warm enough, turn the stove down. The ideal temperature is between 30-40°C. To achieve this temperature use about 75% cold water and 25% hot water.

This is some simple tips to remember that are going to make a difference. 

4. Don’t put too much water 

We can tell that brewing espresso with a Moka pot is more of a science.

For that matter, you need the lower chamber with no more than 150g of water, otherwise, you give your Moka pot a hard task and it will start sputtering. 

What if you can’t measure the amount of water? 

A great rule of thumb is to fill the lower chamber with water just right below the pressure valve. This way in case there’s excessive pressure, it can come out through the valve. 

And of course, there are Moka pots that have a mark on the inside indicating the ideal level of water. 

5. Don’t put too much coffee in the funnel

Similar to the amount of water, the amount of coffee needs to be just right.

Particularly, you need to fill the filter basket with ground coffee which is 15017 grams or 2.5 tbsps. 

What happens if you overstuff it?

The water won’t move through the coffee and the Moka pot will start sputtering.

So, it’s wise to put in the amount of coffee you need. 

Let’s wrap it up 

Is your Moka pot still sputtering? If you have already applied the tips I shared in this guide but your gadget is still sputtering, it’s high time you throw it away (unless it has sentimental value). There’s no point in keeping your Moka pot, and the good news is that buying a new Moka pot is pretty affordable, you can get a decent one for just 10 bucks. 

FAQ

Let’s go through a couple of burning questions on the topic to help you learn more about how to stop your Moka pot from sputtering. 

How do you stop your Moka pot from sputtering?

Luckily, that’s an easy one.

Just turn the heat down. But what if takes longer to brew now? Like I said above, you can turn it up to full until it start boiling and then turn it down to allow it to brew your espresso properly. 

Should you tamp Moka?

The answer is: NO

You WON’T be able to brew espresso with your Moka pot if you tamp the coffee grounds; you’ll block the coffee filter and the water won’t move through it. 

Tamping a key step for brewing with an espresso machine, but you don’t need it when brewing with a Moka pot. Do you know how to clean an espresso machine with vinegar the right way?