Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #9010 in Kitchen & Housewares
- Size: 4 Cup
- Color: Stainless Steel
- Brand: Bialetti
- Model: 06968
- Released on: 2007-03-26
- Dimensions: 2.00 pounds
Features
- Easy to Use
- Fits right on the stovetop
- Produces great tasting espresso
- Ready in 4-5 minutes
- Stainless Steel Construction
Bialetti Venus 4-Cup Stovetop Percolator
Product Description
Stainless steel, stovetop espresso maker produces 4 cups of rich, authentic Italian espresso in just 4-5 minutes.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
57 of 57 people found the following review helpful.
Make Coffee Like Italian Houswives Do
By A. M. Marasco
With this sleek little pot, you can make espresso on the stovetop like they do in Italy. The Venus Bialetti is easy to use-- if you use a countertop drip maker, you can handle this. It takes only 3 minutes on my stove to make 4 shots.I have been using this daily for a little over a year, usually one pot for myself and one for my husband and the gasket is still doing well.It does not make the same quality as an industrial espresso maker but it certainly out performs the various countertop models I've tried. I would even go out on a limb and say that a countertop model that outperforms this would be in a price range of roughly 10 times this cost. Those take up a lot more real estate in small kitchen too.The Bialetti Venus is also adorable. Not that I want to marry my espresso pot or anything. . .
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful.
Great- after a return and scaling the learning curve
By Julie
I think you have to be willing to risk some hassle factor, as mine arrived damaged (cracked handle). Amazon was great about the return, sending a replacement immediately. Makes good espresso, but there is definitely a learning curve.A few tips:It's hard to be sure, but from looking at the interior pieces, they may not be stainless steel like the exterior. The instructions are similar to the aluminum model, to make a first pot of coffee and throw it away and to only rinse for cleaning. This is to coat the interior with coffee oils to prevent a metallic taste. If you do wash it, you'll need to throw out your first pot of espresso again, because it won't taste good at all.It's important not to pack the espresso grinds so the steam will move properly into the upper chamber. When I packed the grounds, at least half of the water remained in the lower chamber and quite a lot escaped through the release valve and gasket seal.The grind size is also very important- if it's too fine, steam shoots out the sides.There should be a little water left in the chamber after brewing, maybe a tablespoon or so. This is to prevent scorching and discoloration. This means the 4-cup unit makes about 7 oz of espresso, not 8oz. For us, this is enough for two small-ish cappucinos.It's also important to use relatively high heat, and to remove the maker from the heat as soon as most of the espresso has moved into the upper chamber (this takes a little practice to figure out, but the upper chamber looks about 2/3 full at this point and it is at about the time the unit starts gurlging). The espresso is more bitter if there is prolonged contact with the grinds.I do like Illy brand espresso, and you can froth hot milk with a whisk if you look up the Cooks Illustrated directions. It's basically putting the whisk between hands that are in the same posisiton they'd be in if you had just clapped them, then slide them back and forth in opposite directions (like you would if they were cold).
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful.Fine, High-Quality Stovetop Espresso Maker
By Mark Lee
I've been using my 4-cup Bialetti for nearly a half year now. Unlike other reviewers, I've not had any problem with the gasket. (I don't remove it for each cleaning since the gasket is the weak spot.) My girlfriend has the six-cup model and this smaller Bialetti is perfect for about two cafe-lattes. I enjoy the ritual of making espresso on stovetop on those morning I'm not compelled to rush drip grind through my standard machines. I love coffee. :-)This little unit is also simply a gorgeous work of art. The stainless steel construction is solid, and the components such as the filters are suitable for reasonably heavy use. The Bialetti makes better espresso than my Mr. Coffee four-cup machine.
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