Last updated : February 2021.
On this page you’re about to read a comparative review of the Bialetti Coffee Maker 2 cup (with a high recommendation that you opt for the Bialetti 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker as a larger capacity coffee maker) and the Farberware 2-4 cup Percolator: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Final Verdict.
1 – Value for Money/ Price
Both model prices are reasonable considering their various feature advantages.
2 -Cup Capacity
The Bialetti coffee maker has a 2 cup brewing capacity (but its big sister, the Bialetti Moka Express provides a better alternative since it has the same advantageous features and has a higher brewing capacity of 6 cups)
The Farberware 2-4 cup can brew as little as 2 cups or as much as 4 cups
3 – Construction Material
The Farberware 2-4 Cup coffee percolator has a stainless steel construction
The Bialetti coffee maker 2 cup has an aluminium construction
4 – Rating
Bialetti coffee maker 2 cup has a rating of 3.6 stars (but its alternative, the Bialetti 6 cup Moka Express, has a rating of 4.6 stars)
Farberware 2-4 cup percolator has a rating of 4.0 stars
Bialetti Moka Express 6 Cup (best alternative to the smaller Bialetti Coffee Maker 2 Cup version)
Contents
PROS
-It makes an absolutely splendid cup of espresso
-very easy to use and clean
-super durable and built to last
-Economical since the unit does not need electricity to function
CONS
-High-maintenance brewing process.
-It is not dishwasher safe
-Leaves an aluminium residue at the bottom of the unit when used incorrectly
Farberware 2-4 Cup Percolator
PROS
– Detachable power cord
– No-drip spout
– Has a firm support base and is fitted with a cool touch, easy-grip handle
– Easy-brew features such as auto shut off and keep warm features
-Quick brewing process of up to a cup per minute
CONS
-Most critical customer reviews mention that the unit’s heating element is prone to failure
-Not economical since it requires electricity to function
Comparative Review Summary/ Final Verdict
Overall, the Bialetti coffee maker proves to be a great coffee making unit when closely compared to the Farberware 2-4 cup percolator (hands down).
For starters, it is available for purchase at a price that is budget-friendly (this is particularly true for those who opt to purchase the unit’s bigger sister, the Bialetti 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker which offers the same feature benefits with the added advantage of having a larger brewing capacity at a lower cost!).
Also, it brews devilishly delicious and strong java while its size makes it portable and easy to store. The Bialetti coffee maker is also dependable, highly functional, built to last, and does not need electricity to function (a feature which makes it cost-effective in the long run).
If you wish to purchase a coffee maker with the same advantageous features as the Bialetti coffee maker 2 cup but has a larger brewing capacity, you should definitely check out the Bialetti Moka Express 6 cup model.
Click here to purchase the Bialetti 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker at Amazon.com and enjoy fast delivery! It is definitely a worthy purchase for anyone who prioritizes value for money.
Bialetti 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker is priced at under $30 on Amazon while the Bialetti coffee maker 2 cup (Brikka) is priced at $ 48 but brews less cups of java)
It goes without saying that when it comes to making your own home coffee brews, nothing is more important than the type/ model of coffee maker one uses. This is because different coffee maker models brew different quality coffee brews. While some may brew perfectly delicious coffee, others can really disappoint you by brewing ghastly, horrid-tasting cups of YUCK (trust me, I know!).
So, in order to save you from experiencing this fact first hand like we did, we have created this comparative review analysis to showcase the various feature advantages of the Bialetti 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker (the unbeatable Bialetti coffee maker 2 cup alternative) and those of the Farberware 2-4 cup Coffee Percolator (our most recommended electric coffee maker alternative to the Bialetti coffee maker 2 cup).
Comparative Review Analysis of the Bialetti Moka Express 6 Cup vs. the Farberware 2-4 Cup Coffee Percolator
Right off the bat, the most striking differences between the two units are that a) the Farberware is electrically powered and technologically advanced whereas the Bialetti functions over a stovetop heat source, and b) The Farberware is constructed from stainless steel whilst the Bialetti is made out of aluminium and quite simple/basic.
Electrically Powered Coffee Makers (Farberware) vs. Stovetop Coffee Makers (Bialetti): Why the Bialetti Moka Express Beats the Farberware 2-4 Cup Percolator
The mere fact that the Farberware 2-4 cup is electrically powered means that it is fitted with up to date brewing tools such as fast brew technology, automatic shut off, and auto keep warm features.
These features advantageously cut down the amount of time you would normally need to wait for a stovetop’s manual brewing process to complete and ensure that the brewing process requires little to no monitoring.
In contrast, stovetops such as the Bialetti coffee maker 2 cup and its sister alternative, the Bialetti 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker (which I highly recommend), require loads of monitoring during the entire brewing process.
In my humble opinion, this low maintenance brew process monitoring is the only area where the Farberware unit tops the Bialetti Moka pot. For newbies to the coffee brewing world, this might seem more advantageous BUT there are several major drawbacks to buying an electrically powered unit.
First, these units are not economical in the long run since they need electricity to function. Naturally, you can expect to receive a higher electric bill at the end of the month.
Second, electric units need rigorous maintenance and extra careful cleaning processes because you have to constantly make sure that water does not come into contact with any electrical parts (unit base and power cord plug-in areas) as this will definitely cause the unit to malfunction.
Third, these types of units are associated with more safety hazards such as electric shock if the unit’s base or power cord is damaged.
Also, the unit’s power cord can be easily tugged at by mistake and cause the unit to fall off its position on the kitchen counter (spilling all its hot contents). This may result in scalding (plus you will have to clean up the entire mess made!).
Therefore, if you consider the above mentioned disadvantages of owning an electrically powered coffee maker, it is easy to see why we highly recommend stovetops such as the Bialetti Moka Express (in spite of the techy feature advantages offered by the Farberware 2-4 cup unit).
Unit Construction Analysis (Aluminium vs. Stainless Steel)
Regardless of whether or not you are a newbie to the world of personal coffee brewing, we bet you have at least heard of the various health and brew quality concerns associated with aluminium coffee makers such as the Bialetti.
For those who have not, critics of such units post that their brews have a metallic taste to it and that they introduce a small amount of dietary aluminium in a brew that can be harmful to one’s health.
With regard to stainless steel units such as the Farberware, there is no metallic seepage into a brew since stainless steel does not react to hot/ boiling water in the same way aluminium does. However, brews made from these units have also been noted to have a metallic taste to it.
Although it might be easy to generalize this information and deduce the Farberware to be better coffee maker than the Bialetti, this assumption would be terribly wrong.
Why?
First, the issue regarding brew quality (significant metallic taste in brews made by both coffee maker types), this is a result of gross user-error, that is, the brewer failed to “cure” the unit after purchase/ after performing thorough unit cleansing. This is an issue that is fixable with both units and should not be a cause for concern.
Second, studies conducted on the health risks posed by aluminium seepage conclude that the bioavailability of the mobilized aluminium that was ingested from the brew was “yet to be determined”. In fact most studies note that the amount of dietary aluminium consumed in coffee brewed in an aluminium coffee maker is about 0.0024 milligrams per cup.
Accordingly, this amount is not very much especially when you consider that one antacid tablet contains much more than this (approximately 200 milligrams). Therefore, although numerous studies agree with the fact that aluminium coffee makers do introduce a small amount of the metallic element into a brew, there lacks scientific evidence to show that this amount is actually harmful to one’s health. As such, both units are equally great.
The area in which the Bialetti coffee maker’s construction beats that of the Farberware concerns heating. In this regard, aluminium tends to heat up faster that stainless steel. This means that when using the Bialetti coffee maker to brew, you can expect it to be ready within a shorter period of time as compared to that of a stainless steel unit (yes, regardless of the much-hyped “fast brew technology”).
Considering all this information, don’t you think the Bialetti Moka Express makes a worthy purchase? After all, at some point you will probably need more than 2 cups of java and will regret having to repeat the entire brewing process to get it!
Click here to buy the unit from Amazon.com. You won’t regret it!