Ancora.
Redesigning an Italian classic.
What is a Moka Pot?
The Moka pot, invented by Alfonso Bialetti in 1933, revolutionized home coffee brewing with its simple and easy to use design. Its cost effective aluminum body and steam based extraction process made it a cheap and convenient way to brew aromatic and rich coffee at home. As a perfect balance between form and function, this coffee maker offers endless exploration of materiality and mechanics.
Water, Coffee, Fire.
This instructional comic depicts Bialetti mascot, l’Uomo con i baffi or “the Mustachioed Man, showing off the beautiful simplicity of the Moka pot. It’s only requirements are water, coffee, and fire.
(Illustrated by Paolo Campani | 1958)
How can I redesign the Moka pot to add to and improve upon it’s psychological and physical function?
As tool used in a ritualistic part of many peoples mornings, generating the best user experience can be accomplished through improving the coffee maker’s mechanics, sensory activation, and ergonomics.
Opportunities for Improvement:
No screws!
Loose coffee grounds getting in the way can make it difficult to properly screw in the bottom chamber. This change makes for an easier brew set-up.
No need to peak!
Monitoring your brew can be stressful. With a transparent coffee collector you can know exactly what stage your brew is at from across the room.
Easier Opening!
Being able to open the lid to the coffee collector with less effort makes for a smoother and simpler time while cleaning the Moka pot.
Ideation Sketching
Exploring new forms for the Moka pot through patterns, textures, and features of some things that caught my eye.
Detachable Handle:
Loose coffee grounds getting in the way can make it difficult to properly screw in the bottom chamber. This change makes for an easier brew set-up.
Glass Coffee Collector:
Loose coffee grounds getting in the way can make it difficult to properly screw in the bottom chamber. This change makes for an easier brew set-up.
Thumb Flip Lid:
Loose coffee grounds getting in the way can make it difficult to properly screw in the bottom chamber. This change makes for an easier brew set-up.
Color and Texture Exploration
/ Color Palette
/ Glass Texture
/ Aluminum Texture
How does a Moka pot make coffee?
01. Under Pressure
Heat is transferred into the lower chamber where pressure begins to accumulate.
02. Extraction Time.
As water turns to steam hot gases rise into the grounds basket through the funnel.
03. Moving on up.
The steam extracts coffee from the grounds, as it rises through the filter and up the pipe.
04. Running over.
Condensing as it rises, coffee pours out of the pipe and collects in the coffee collector.
05. Time for a cup.
Once all water has turned to steam the extraction is complete and coffee is ready.
Flip Lid
Handle
Coffee Collector
Coffee Pipe
Filter Plate
Grounds Basket
Funnel
Water Chamber
