An Italian Design Classic |
24/03/19
One of the most successful products to come out of Italy following the second world war, the Moka Espresso maker became a piece of iconic design worldwide. But in the era of pods, is it becoming an endangered species?
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Bialetti, grandfather of Alberto Alessi, developed his Moka stovetop espresso maker in 1931 apparently inspired by a washing machine. The innovative design brews coffee by using steam to push boiling water through ground coffee. Pressure forces hot water through ground coffee, and the cleverly shaped pot lets the resulting syrupy liquid bubble up into a top chamber through a chimney. It comes in three main parts: The bottom section holds the water for boiling. The top section will receive the coffee. In between is a metal funnel with a perforated disk set into it. This is where you put the coffee grounds, before dropping the funnel into the mouth of the water boiler and letting the thin end of the funnel submerge. It was more efficient than using a pan, but also affordable to the masses. |
At first, the Moka Express was sold at local markets and it was not until after the war, when Bialetti's son Renato joined, that sales took off after an advertising campaign using l'omino con i baffi ("the little man with the moustache"), a caricature loosely based on Alfonso Bialetti. Its success lies not only in its ability to produce a decent cup of coffee but in its appearance, which is instantly recognisable. It has a distinctive faceted aluminium body. The crisp geometric lines owe much to the Art Deco style popular at the time of its invention and have survived decades of styles without modification. The amount of times it has been copied and redesigned proves it’s success. Variants have evolved, in steel and copper, and with slight shape modifications. |
“Italian as a bowl of spaghetti and every bit as satisfying.”
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It’s an early example of Italian design. The Moka pot left its mark on the public, especially but not only in Italy, an effect that still lasts today. It formalised a new domestic ritual that was contemporary and intimate. It was a complex and well-performing object that became readable and comprehensible, a machine that needs no instructions and no invitation to be part of domestic life. It remains a symbol of that Holy Trinity of design—stylish to look at, cheap to make (and buy) and efficient at its task.
But is it at risk of becoming endangered? Coffee has gained huge popularity recently. With the popularity comes a new generation of high-tech espresso machines and one-dose coffee capsules - could the Moka pot be left behind? I don’t know, it remains a cool, inexpensive, highly functional example of mid-century modern design. The attention of coffee nerds perhaps gives hope of revitalisation and trendiness. It seems impossible, or at least undesirable, for such an iconic design to die. |
Images: Me enjoying Bialetti's Moka Pot
Sources:
https://www.dezeen.com/2019/04/02/david-chipperfield-moka-espresso-coffee-maker-alessi/
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/blueprintforliving/iconic-designs:-moka-espresso-maker/10458950
https://www.dezeen.com/2019/04/02/david-chipperfield-moka-espresso-coffee-maker-alessi/
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/blueprintforliving/iconic-designs:-moka-espresso-maker/10458950