Why the seal matters

A moka pot brews by pressure. Water heated in the lower chamber builds steam pressure that pushes it up through the coffee and into the top chamber. The seal sits between the two halves and holds that pressure in. When it hardens, cracks or takes a permanent set, pressure leaks out at the joint instead, and you get hissing at the seam, a slow or sputtering brew and coffee that tastes thin. The filter plate sits directly above the seal and keeps grounds out of the finished coffee. It clogs with coffee oils and scale over time, so Bialetti supplies a fresh one with every seal.

Silicone or rubber

Bialetti makes seals for its aluminium pots in both natural rubber and silicone. Silicone generally keeps its elasticity longer than rubber, so it tends to go longer between changes, although Bialetti still recommends replacing the seal at least once a year and sooner with heavy daily use. Owners of a 6 cup Moka Express can use either type. Our rubber three-pack is made for the classic octagonal range only, so for a Moka Induction or a Brikka, this silicone set is the one to order.

Which pots it fits

Bialetti lists this set for the 6 cup aluminium Moka Express, the 6 cup Moka Induction and the 4 cup Brikka. The Brikka detail catches people out: its 4 cup size shares a seal with the 6 cup Moka Express, so ordering by cup count alone leads to the wrong part. If you brew with the 4 cup Bialetti Brikka, this is its replacement seal. The set does not fit Bialetti’s stainless steel pots (Venus, Kitty and Musa), which use their own seal and filter profile.

Fitting it

Unscrew the pot, lift out the old filter plate and work the old seal free with your fingers or a blunt tool, taking care not to scratch the aluminium. Rinse the groove with warm water. Seat the new filter plate first, then press the new seal in around it so it sits flat all the way round. A seal that sits proud on one side will leak, so check it before screwing the pot back together. Avoid overtightening the two halves: Bialetti notes that screwing them together too hard shortens the life of the seal. As with a new pot, brew one round and pour it away before drinking from it. This short clip shows the swap from a rubber seal to a silicone one on a smaller Moka Express; the process is the same on the 6 cup:

Specifications

What’s in the box

• 1 Bialetti silicone seal
• 1 Bialetti filter plate