This aluminum espresso maker has a couple design flaws.

1) Soft aluminum cup on the inside can often become bent due to people banging the cup against the waste bin to remove the coffee grounds. When it becomes bent, steam will leak around the cup, it is almost impossible to get it to reseal properly.

2) The gasket material burns at a very low temperature.

The Ikea RÅDIG [0] is one of the most indestructible best engineered espresso maker I have ever used. All steel construction (except the handle) and the elastomer seal has never warped or burned. I know people who have melted the handle off and still can use the espresso maker w/o replacing the seal.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30149839/

How does the Ikea handle hold up after years of use?

My concern is that every time I unscrew a Moka pot, I'm pressing against the (plastic) handle and worry one day I'll snap it off (or mess up the lid hinge). I wish someone would come up with a better shape for a user to grip and unscrew the Moka-style coffeemaker or a different type of attachment.

I know Alessi's 9090 clamps to the base, but it's also 5x more expensive than the original (and lacks the simple beautiful of it).

I have been using the RÅDIG for probably 5+ years, if one doesn't melt the handle off, I think it will be there forever. I gave away the working Moka pot and then recycled the 3 unrepaired, burnt o-ring Moka pots sitting in the cupboard as I am never going back. The filter cup in the RÅDIG is indestructible. We also have a spare incase Ikea decides to discontinue it.

Thanks! I'll try to remember picking one up the next time I'm at Ikea.

What if you have a gas stove? :)

But I agree, it's a good product and design. Never read wiki, I always thought it comes from Spain, not Italy.

It was invented in the 1930s. Did electric stoves even exist then?

They were just starting to become mainstream (though still outnumbered by gas) at the time. The first electric stoves date to the 1880s, and hotplate burners (about the simplest electrical device you can imagine) were likely more common from early days.

http://inventors.about.com/od/ofamousinventions/a/oven.htm

everyone I know uses them on a gas stove

you need the little wire thingy so a small one can sit comfortably on the stove stand

I have an induction stove and I use a diffusion plate like these http://www.frabosk.it/ita/prodotto_scheda.jsp?idprodotto=099 to be able to use my moka brewer. They work for gas stoves as well.

Bialetti make stainless steel versions that are suitable for induction hobs.

Just have to be careful with a gas stove. My first time using mine I put it on high and melted part of the handle. But as long as you keep the flames medium-low it's fine.

As long as your cooking device subclasses AbstractHeatEmitter it should work - I tested two implementations, ElectricBurner and GasBurner and both worked very well.

I always, always burn the coffee with those things.

How? If you use the proper type of coffee and keep an eye on it you will never burn the coffee. Besides, if it's filled full capacity with water they will spill the coffee from boiling before burning it.

Use a timer.

Should be about 6 minutes on most stoves, though adjust for experience.

Turn off the heat when the spitting starts (or turn it low for another 30-60s).