If you’re looking to buy a coffee maker which is affordable, built to last and you have a limited counter space.
This page will quickly guide you through a comparative review of two of the most popular coffee markers made by Bialetti on the market today.
Models – The Electric (Bialetti Venus Induction 6 Cup) and Stovetop (Bialetti Moka Express Espresso Maker 6 Cup) : Advantages, Disadvantages, and Final Verdict.
Are you still here… Great ! We’ll be quick.
A Comparative Review of the Electric (Bialetti Venus Induction 6 Cup) and Stovetop (Bialetti Moka Express Espresso Maker 6 Cup) Models: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Final Verdict
Contents
- 1 A Comparative Review of the Electric (Bialetti Venus Induction 6 Cup) and Stovetop (Bialetti Moka Express Espresso Maker 6 Cup) Models: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Final Verdict
- 2 Bialetti Moka Express 6 Cup
- 3 Bialetti Venus 6 Cup
- 4 Comparative Review Analysis of the Bialetti Moka Express 6 Cup vs. Bialetti Venus Induction Moka Pot
1-Value for Money/ Price
Both model prices are reasonable considering their various feature advantages
2-Cup Capacity
Both the Bialetti Moka Express and Bialetti Venus have a brewing capacity of up to 6 cups
3-Construction Material
The Bialetti Venus has a stainless steel construction
The Bialetti Moka Express has an aluminium construction
4-Rating
Bialetti Moka Express has a rating of 4.6 stars
Bialetti Venus has a rating of 4.0 stars
Bialetti Moka Express 6 Cup
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
Bialetti Venus 6 Cup
PROS
– Brews tasty espresso
-Solid stainless steel construction
-Sleek and modern-looking
CONS
-Slightly tedious to clean as the unit’s gasket is pretty susceptible to damage during the process
-Can only be used over induction hobs
Comparative Review Summary/ Final Verdict
All in all, the Bialetti Moka Express Espresso Maker 6 Cup beats the Bialetti Venus hands down. For starters, it is a perfect fit for individuals who enjoy rich, strong coffee and have a limited counter space (in spite of the fact that it is slightly larger than the Bialetti Venus).
Moreover, coffee lovers looking for a coffee maker which is affordable and built to last will find the Bialetti Moka Express 6 cup quite dependable.
You will also enjoy the advantage of owning a versatile Moka Pot (since this specific unit can be used over gas, ceramic, or electric hobs) that makes a large mug of java and is available for purchase for a pretty small price tag.
Click HERE for a closer look at Bialetti Moka Express, 6 Cup at Amazon.com – today !
READ on… For a…
Comparative Review Analysis of the Bialetti Moka Express 6 Cup vs. Bialetti Venus Induction Moka Pot
Recently, we have been bombarded with questions regarding the differences (and similarities) between the Bialetti Moka Express 6 cup (for a full review Click HERE) and its close cousin the Bialetti Venus 6 Cup Induction Moka Pot.
To be specific, the main questions relate to which of the two Bialetti coffee making units is best, why, and why one would want to purchase one over the other.
We must admit that these were questions that had once crossed our minds but had been quickly forgotten/ ignored over time (but soon became an obsession after getting so many queries on the subject).
Of course, rather than look to the internet for answers (we all know that some of the reviews available are not only inaccurate but also illegitimate right?), we took it upon ourselves to conduct brewing experiments suing both units in order to find out the answers to these questions for ourselves. This is what we found out!
Why the Bialetti Moka Express 6 Cup will ALWAYS be Better than the Bialetti Venus (it’s Upgraded Stainless Steel “Sister”)
A Side by Side Unit Comparison
The first step we took when performing our brewing experiments was to take both units apart in order to study them. When placed side by side, the most notable difference between the two units was that their coffee baskets had different sizes, that is, the Bialetti Venus’ coffee basket was visibly smaller than that of the Bialetti Moka Express 6 Cup.
To find out how much larger the Moka Express’ basket was in comparison to that of the Bialetti Venus, we opted to weigh both baskets before, and after, putting in coffee grinds in a way that ensured the grinds were both evenly distributed and levelled out.
According to the measurements provided by my trusty scientific calculator (and after deducting the weight of the empty baskets) the coffee grinds contained in the aluminium basket (Moka Express) weighed 26 grams whereas the stainless steel (Venus) basket weighed 24 grams.
Naturally, the findings of our weight test analysis made me wonder whether the brew produced by the Bialetti Venus (since the coffee basket weighed less than that of the Bialetti Moka Express 6 Cup) was better, or equally as good, as the one produced by the Moka Express. We also wondered how long each unit would take to complete their brewing cycle.
In order to find out whether these weight differences actually affected brewing speed or the resulting brew quality, we decided to test both units by starting their brewing cycles simultaneously.
In order to dispel the myth that aluminium units tend to make metallic tasting brews, we used two different brewing cycles. It is worth noting that I have zealously insisted and stated that when any unit produces a metallic tasting brew, the brewer probably made one of these three errors:
- a) Heating the unit for a lengthy period of time (prolonged brewing) or
- b) Heating up the unit at too high of a temp setting or
- c) Using an extremely new/ clean unit to make a fresh home brew
With this fact in consideration, we used extra clean (uncured) units to make java during the first experimental brewing process and during the second cycle, we used seasoned/ cured units.
For both brewing cycles, we placed both units on a stovetop (making sure that both burners were the same size and that both units were placed in exactly the same positions on each burner). We then set the burners to a heat setting that was slightly less than the stovetop’s maximum setting.
To make sure that my experiment was accurate, we also used the same water source (cold tap water) and the same coffee grind brand (high-quality to make sure that the results would not be affected by the disadvantages of cheap grinds).
We then left both units to do their thing (click here to view Bialetti Moka Pot instructions with tips and tricks for making devilishly delicious cups of java using your unit) and removed them from the stovetop as soon as each unit started to make the characteristic whooshing Bialetti Moka pot sound.
Brewing Speed Comparison
What we noticed was that the Bialetti Moka Express 6 cup completed its brewing cycle 9 seconds earlier than the Bialetti Venus Induction 6 Cup. Although this time may seem insignificant, the fact of the matter is that the Bialetti Moka is capable of brewing faster than its upgraded counterpart.
Then came the time to conduct the last test, which is, finding out whether there was a quality difference between the brews each unit made.
Brew Quality Comparison
Now here’s where things got interesting. The results of the first cycle (according to my experienced taste buds) indicated that both uncured units produced metallic tasting brews!
The results of the second brewing cycle indicated that both units produced great tasting and highly flavourful cups of espresso! However, the java produced by the Moka Express was slightly richer than that produced by the Venus (perhaps it was a result of the extra grams of coffee contained in its basket).
Final Verdict
Based on the results achieved from my experimental comparative analysis, the Bialetti Moka Express 6 cup truly outshines the Bialetti Venus 6 cup. For starters, the Moka Express’ brewing speed was clearly 9 seconds faster than that of its counterpart.
Second (and third), the unit’s basket could clearly contain more coffee grinds (an indicator which I have come to supposed to be the reason why the Moka produced richer cups of espresso) and produced exceptionally high-quality espresso.
So, if you are looking for a unit that is not only affordable but also built to last, you will find that the Bialetti Moka Express 6 cup to be quite dependable.
You will also enjoy the advantage of owning a versatile Moka Pot since this specific unit can be used over gas, ceramic, or electric hobs (unlike the Venus which can only be used over induction hobs!)
Click here for a closer look at the Bialetti Moka Express 6 Cup at Amazon.com – Today !