Hi folks,

I once met an Italian tourist who carried with her
a portable electric espresso maker in her backpack.
Yes, she was a serious espresso addict.

Now I want to buy one of those myself for use
at work. But that was 10 years ago and I've forgotten
who made it. I was curious if anyone knows of a good
portable machine like that.

The only one I've been able to learn of so far is the
La Pavona Velox, which supposedly heats the water
to 180 degrees. But is that hot enough?

Thanks for any info.
CG

I travel-brewed with a Velox/Bertone for a few years
(http://www.coffeegeek.com/reviews/vacpots/travel_kits). That model
was better than hotel/motel coffee, but not stunning. That was my only
electric mokapot experience. For bike, cycle, boat and auto trips it
was replaced with a backpacking burner and mokapot which makes
excellent brew. Not suitable for airplance trips, however.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...e/4b227285.jpg)

Velox is indeed the best known maker of "travel" moka pots. AFAIK, Velox
has no connection with La Pavoni. There is no company named Pavona. It's
impossible for a moka pot (the correct name for steam pressure based
"espresso" makers - true espresso requires a pump to achieve the necessary 9
bar of pressure) to brew at 180F because they use steam pressure to push the
water thru the coffee. No steam pressure is possible until at least 212F (at
sea level) and the general critique of moka pots is that they brew too hot,
not too cool, for this reason. The Velox machines may be underpowered
(especially the 12V "car espresso" machines) and take a long time to get
there, but they do get hot eventually - again they wouldn't work at all
unless they heated the water to boiling plus.

In addition to Velox, Bialetti and Delonghi make self-contained electric
moka pots. There are a little bigger than "travel" size and don't come in a
neat carrying care like the Velox but there's really no reason why they
can't be used in an office setting. Or you could use a small hot plate and
a traditional moka. There have been attempts over the years to make mokas
that heat the water by sticking them in a microwave oven but none that
really worked well AFAIK.

"Coffee=Good" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi folks,
>
> I once met an Italian tourist who carried with her
> a portable electric espresso maker in her backpack.
> Yes, she was a serious espresso addict.
>
> Now I want to buy one of those myself for use
> at work. But that was 10 years ago and I've forgotten
> who made it. I was curious if anyone knows of a good
> portable machine like that.
>
> The only one I've been able to learn of so far is the
> La Pavona Velox, which supposedly heats the water
> to 180 degrees. But is that hot enough?
>
> Thanks for any info.
> CG
>

CVS/Pharmacy (no affilitation)sells an electic Moka pot called
"Espresso Express," (also no affiliation) for about $20 -- on sale at
times for $15. Works great! I like mine, and use it regularly at
work. The power cord is magnetic. A nice feature that allows you to
easily unplug it. The moka turns itself off once the coffee is brewed.
The upper part is clear plastic, and it's fun to watch the coffee
brewing. Well, at least if you like that sort of thing. And I take it
by your posting to this group that you are a likely suspect for that
type of activity. It looks to be sturdy, lightweight (plastic and
aluminum), and should travel well.
I think (and feel certain that I'll be corrected if need be) that water
has to reach a good brewing temperature for any moka to work. This one
gets hot enough so that the moka whistles while it brews, as the steam
escapes from the brass safety valve.

Sure, some people worry about aluminum oxide from aluminum mokas. This
Chineese moka, unlike the Italian ones I have at home, hasn't developed
any aluminum oxide. The lower chamber has some sort of metal insert.
At first I thought it was steel, but it's not magnetic, so it's
something else. Maybe anodized aluminum? (BTW aluminum oxide quickly
disolves in amonia. Also, the rumor that cooking in aluminum
contributes to Alzheimer's is unfounded.)

I couldn't find the ExpressoExpress on the CVS website. I have Model:
WM6102. Date code: 0705. phone: 800-645-3867. email:


Regards,
Larry

P.S.
Brews 12 oz.

LF wrote:

> CVS/Pharmacy (no affilitation)sells an electic Moka pot called
> "Espresso Express," (also no affiliation) for about $20 -- on sale at
> times for $15. Works great! I like mine, and use it regularly at
> work. The power cord is magnetic. A nice feature that allows you to
> easily unplug it. The moka turns itself off once the coffee is brewed.
> The upper part is clear plastic, and it's fun to watch the coffee
> brewing. Well, at least if you like that sort of thing. And I take it
> by your posting to this group that you are a likely suspect for that
> type of activity. It looks to be sturdy, lightweight (plastic and
> aluminum), and should travel well.
> I think (and feel certain that I'll be corrected if need be) that water
> has to reach a good brewing temperature for any moka to work. This one
> gets hot enough so that the moka whistles while it brews, as the steam
> escapes from the brass safety valve.
>
> Sure, some people worry about aluminum oxide from aluminum mokas. This
> Chineese moka, unlike the Italian ones I have at home, hasn't developed
> any aluminum oxide. The lower chamber has some sort of metal insert.
> At first I thought it was steel,

Stainless steel is often nonmagnetic.

> but it's not magnetic, so it's
> something else. Maybe anodized aluminum? (BTW aluminum oxide quickly
> disolves in amonia. Also, the rumor that cooking in aluminum
> contributes to Alzheimer's is unfounded.)
>
> I couldn't find the ExpressoExpress on the CVS website. I have Model:
> WM6102. Date code: 0705. phone: 800-645-3867. email:
>
>
> Regards,
> Larry

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

I've seen that pot advertised in their flyers but they were not in stock at
the CVS I visited. Gives you a good idea of the potential for price cuts on
espresso equipment once the Chinese get going on it - the comparable
electric Delonghi retails for as much as $120 and $15 would barely buy you a
non-electric aluminum moka. The magnetic cord is a safety feature so that
if a child yanks on the cord it doesn't bring a hot pot of coffee down on
his head. I wonder if the gaskets are interchangeable with the standard
Bialetti?

The whistling safety valve seems strange - most mokas have a one time fuse
type of safety valve that is supposed to remain sealed normally and melt if
overheated, whereupon it needs to be replaced. A spring loaded reusable type
is superior but usually are out of the moka pot price range.


"LF" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> CVS/Pharmacy (no affilitation)sells an electic Moka pot called
> "Espresso Express," (also no affiliation) for about $20 -- on sale at
> times for $15. Works great! I like mine, and use it regularly at
> work. The power cord is magnetic. A nice feature that allows you to
> easily unplug it. The moka turns itself off once the coffee is brewed.
> The upper part is clear plastic, and it's fun to watch the coffee
> brewing. Well, at least if you like that sort of thing. And I take it
> by your posting to this group that you are a likely suspect for that
> type of activity. It looks to be sturdy, lightweight (plastic and
> aluminum), and should travel well.
> I think (and feel certain that I'll be corrected if need be) that water
> has to reach a good brewing temperature for any moka to work. This one
> gets hot enough so that the moka whistles while it brews, as the steam
> escapes from the brass safety valve.
>
> Sure, some people worry about aluminum oxide from aluminum mokas. This
> Chineese moka, unlike the Italian ones I have at home, hasn't developed
> any aluminum oxide. The lower chamber has some sort of metal insert.
> At first I thought it was steel, but it's not magnetic, so it's
> something else. Maybe anodized aluminum? (BTW aluminum oxide quickly
> disolves in amonia. Also, the rumor that cooking in aluminum
> contributes to Alzheimer's is unfounded.)
>
> I couldn't find the ExpressoExpress on the CVS website. I have Model:
> WM6102. Date code: 0705. phone: 800-645-3867. email:
>
>
> Regards,
> Larry
>

| work. The power cord is magnetic. A nice feature that allows you to
| easily unplug it.

Um...does this mean that if the cord pops off, maybe onto your bare foot
while you are making your breakfast coffee, you now have a fully exposed
pair of electrodes leading directly to the wall outlet? Yikes!

| Sure, some people worry about aluminum oxide from aluminum mokas.

Actually, the oxide forms a protective layer over the otherwise bare
aluminum, so that even aluminophobes should almuminumoxideophiles.


--
Less information than you ever thought possible:
http://www.demitasse.net

I bought the CVS $14.99 pot Saturday morning and returned it late in
the day. It's a highly not-recommended piece of junk; only a matter of
time before the flimsy plastic handle (or entire upper) or barely
attached electric/plastic-housed lower element snap upon tightening.
With a larger-than-small-hand 10-oz pot you need to get a good hold of
the whole upper to screw it down to a proper seal. Instructions
recommend 1.5T with a 10-oz fill - that was undrinkable; I monkeyed it
around and found anything approaching an adequate fill was impossible
because it created compression suitable to blow the safety valve (once)
or cause a burp strong enough to blow the lid up on its hinge (twice)
and spray hot coffee/water. It ran hot, fast, and shut off (more than
once - starting with a cool pot) before a pot was complete.

It took 15 minutes of on-button mashing to get the first cycle to run -
bad switch I think. It also shut off in mid-cycle. I give the
magnetic power cord about 90/10 rating on risk vs. safety. It's a good
idea but I can imagine a kid figuring out how to get electrocuted if
it's left plugged up on the counter. Instructions say the only way to
shut the machine off is pull the plug from the wall, not the brewer,
FWIW.

I got a look at one in the store but did not buy because I already have an
adequate Moka. No aluminum bialetti type moka (and this looked like more or
less a bialetti clone) should be tightened by the handle or it will break
off . The Bialetti instructions make this clear. Nor in this machine should
you hold the bottom section by the element housing. Place one hand on the
upper body and one on the lower and tighten. People with small hands should
ask a friend or maybe get some rubber strap wrenches.

http://www.shop.com/op/aprod-p14494194?sourceid=3


The overall quality looked about the same as the traditional moka, which is
not that terrific. Same rather crude aluminum casting. Whaddya want for 15
bucks? Yours may also have had a bad thermostat. Chinese quality control I
guess. Next one might have been better (or worse). I suspect that you could
open the thing up and bend the contacts to change the setpoint.

I would ignore any instructions as to quantity and treat this like a normal
moka - the normal coffee fill is to the top of the basket without tamping.
The water fill should be just below the safety valve. If you are blowing
the safety, your grind is probably too fine or you have tamped. If the
thing is brewing too fast, I suppose you could try to run it off a lamp
dimmer, but this is more than should be necessary.

I suppose if you stuck some pointy metal object in the holes at the brewer
end of the cord you could get juiced but this is no different than a wall
outlet. Magnetic cord is now pretty standard safety feature on deep fryers
and other heating appliances that could bring hot liquids down on Jr.'s head
(and lawsuits down on the maker) and I think it's an overall good idea. How
would you make it better? Again I wouldn't pay much attention to the
instructions - obviously if you pull the cord from the brewer the machine
will shut off the same as if you unplug it at the wall end.

I'm not defending this pot - it is clearly a pretty cheap piece of Chinese
manufacturing. But I'm betting that it could be made to work or will work
out of the box at least some of the time. My recommendation is, if you are
interested, buy one for yourself and don't rely on this negative review. If
your experience is just as bad, then take it back to CVS.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>I bought the CVS $14.99 pot Saturday morning and returned it late in
> the day. It's a highly not-recommended piece of junk; only a matter of
> time before the flimsy plastic handle (or entire upper) or barely
> attached electric/plastic-housed lower element snap upon tightening.
> With a larger-than-small-hand 10-oz pot you need to get a good hold of
> the whole upper to screw it down to a proper seal. Instructions
> recommend 1.5T with a 10-oz fill - that was undrinkable; I monkeyed it
> around and found anything approaching an adequate fill was impossible
> because it created compression suitable to blow the safety valve (once)
> or cause a burp strong enough to blow the lid up on its hinge (twice)
> and spray hot coffee/water. It ran hot, fast, and shut off (more than
> once - starting with a cool pot) before a pot was complete.
>
> It took 15 minutes of on-button mashing to get the first cycle to run -
> bad switch I think. It also shut off in mid-cycle. I give the
> magnetic power cord about 90/10 rating on risk vs. safety. It's a good
> idea but I can imagine a kid figuring out how to get electrocuted if
> it's left plugged up on the counter. Instructions say the only way to
> shut the machine off is pull the plug from the wall, not the brewer,
> FWIW.
>

Exactly. Mine works great. I do follow the usual moka preparation
methods, and ignore the instructions that came with the machine. And,
in fact, the moka did stop blowing the safety when I started using a
coarser grind. And, it makes much much better coffee than what is
available in the cafeteria at work.
Jack, too bad the moka manufacturing industry in China didn't get you
to write the instruction manual.
Regards,
Larry

"Jack Denver" > wrote in message
...

>I got a look at one in the store but did not buy because I already have an
>adequate Moka. No aluminum bialetti type moka (and this looked like more
>or less a bialetti clone) should be tightened by the handle or it will
>break off . The Bialetti instructions make this clear. Nor in this machine
>should you hold the bottom section by the element housing. Place one hand
>on the upper body and one on the lower and tighten. People with small hands
>should ask a friend or maybe get some rubber strap wrenches.
>
>...My recommendation is, if you are interested, buy one for yourself and
>don't rely on this negative review. If your experience is just as bad, then
>take it back to CVS.

Not to dispute LF/Larry posted he owns, uses and likes his, but my pleasure
didn't equal his. Obviously one user likes it more than I do.
I've not handled a Bialetti or equivalent electric Jack- are you saying the
CVS/China is in the same material/construction ballpark?
Agreeing a pouring handle is not a snugging lever, if you impact or pressure
this one at the hilt during tighteneing, which I think is unavoidable, it's
going to be short-lived;
the lower pot holds a not-too-robust heater housing - same as above.
bad thermostat is bad thermostat - I modded grind from fine to moderately
coarse and the thing, as purchased, brewed too fast to make a decent cup of
coffee - yes, fine blew the lid , a modereate grind popped the safety valve
and too coarse made a watery pot - I didn't like the feel of the thing badly
enough to fiddler with the thermostat;
$15 = you get what you pay for.
For the price it's a nice paperweight.

Yes, I'd say roughtly speaking that the Bialetti is the same quality in
terms of material and finish. Bialettis were always mass production objects
and never made any pretense at being highly finished. The bottom 1/2 pot is
almost identical to a Bialetti. In fact I'd hope (and expect) that the
Bialetti gaskets would fit. I haven't seen the electrical internals of
either so I can't comment. Again on a regular Bialetti stovetop you do
have to try to avoid using the handle as a lever as well. The CVS one is no
different except that the top is executed in clear tinted plastic instead
of cast alu. Probably the plastic will not last as long as alu. but it
looks cool and you can watch the brewing process. This pot is not the 1st
to use a plastic top - these have been around for a while.

Overall, this is probably one of those "not quite there" Chinese products.
Larry probably got a good one and you got a lemon. Maybe in another year
or two they will iron out the QC bugs and the chance of getting a good one
will be greater than 50/50.

"Dan Nathan" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> "Jack Denver" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> I've not handled a Bialetti or equivalent electric Jack- are you saying
> the CVS/China is in the same material/construction ballpark?
> Agreeing a pouring handle is not a snugging lever, if you impact or
> pressure this one at the hilt during tighteneing, which I think is
> unavoidable, it's going to be short-lived;
>

"Jack Denver" > wrote in message
...
> Yes, I'd say roughtly speaking that the Bialetti is the same quality in
> terms of material and finish. Bialettis were always mass production
> objects and never made any pretense at being highly finished. The bottom
> 1/2 pot is almost identical to a Bialetti. In fact I'd hope (and expect)
> that the Bialetti gaskets would fit. I haven't seen the electrical
> internals of either so I can't comment. Again on a regular Bialetti
> stovetop you do have to try to avoid using the handle as a lever as well.
> The CVS one is no different except that the top is executed in clear
> tinted plastic instead of cast alu. Probably the plastic will not last as
> long as alu. but it looks cool and you can watch the brewing process. This
> pot is not the 1st to use a plastic top - these have been around for a
> while.
>
> Overall, this is probably one of those "not quite there" Chinese products.
> Larry probably got a good one and you got a lemon. Maybe in another year
> or two they will iron out the QC bugs and the chance of getting a good
> one will be greater than 50/50.

Roger that. I was circumspect enough about a $15 electric but still
underwhelmed; will fall back on my battered stovetop 2cup until Chinese
plant manager replies.