Physical Address

304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124

Meet The $20 Amazon Espresso Maker That Reviewers Prefer To Their Keurigs

HuffPost and its publishing partners may receive a commission from some purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently curated by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.
When it comes to the many methods of coffee making, people are very particular about their techniques and tools of choice. But for anyone who is open to expanding their arsenal of java tools, look no further than one brewing system that’s possibly one of the most laid-back options we’ve ever found.
The Primula coffee and espresso maker is a 4.4-out-of-5-star gadget that’s amassed well over 21,400 5-star reviews on Amazon and is by no means a recent innovation. It’s actually a replica of the traditional moka pot, which has Italian origins dating back to the 1930s and has remained an adored tool of choice for its capacity to rapidly brew flavorful and great-tasting coffee, with only a stovetop. (The original moka pot, The Bialetti, is also available and highly rated on Amazon, but for nearly twice as much as the Primula.)
Aside from its supreme functionality, this display-worthy apparatus is also the choice of many coffee lovers because it can be used to create virtually any type of beverage; be it a potent espresso shot for home lattes or cappuccinos, regular coffee and Cuban-style coffee. This is because it works well with any type of ground beans plus, it uses a reusable filter system, which means no need to repurchase packs of paper filters every month.
And like its predecessor, the Primula is crafted with cast aluminum that promises to be durable and offer “thorough and even heat distribution for enhanced flavor, aroma and consistency.”
According to its maker, each time you want to make a coffee with the Primula, simply fill the lower chamber with water, add your ground coffee or espresso to the filter portion, screw the pitcher part back on before heating over a stovetop at a slight angle, making sure that the handle is not directly above the heat source to prevent it from getting too hot or melting. It’s compatible with all electric, ceramic and gas stovetops so it’s perfect for camping or other traveling.
You’ll know that your coffee is done when the heating process has pushed the freshly brewed coffee into the above pitcher through a safe stainless steel valve and it’s ready to pour right into your cup through the non-drip spout.
Clean up also promises to be as equally as low-maintenance. Though the Primula isn’t dishwasher-safe, you only need to rinse out the components after each use.
Now on to an important note about size. You’ll notice that the Primula comes in five different cup-capacities ranging from one to 12 cups, but this isn’t measured in the traditional cup sizes that you would use for baking. Rather, its referring to demitasse or espresso cup sizes, which roughly equates to one fluid ounce. So, if you’re wanting to use this for larger cups of traditional brewed coffee, you’ll want to opt for the larger Primula size.
There’s also a selection of four different colors and an option that includes a frother for crafting rich foamy milks to accompany all your creamy lattes and airy cappuccinos.
The general consensus among reviewers is that this straightforward and iconic essential is worth the purchase because it’s affordable, consistent and even “makes coffee better than” pour-over methods and even a Keurig, which is arguably the most no-fuss coffee contraption of all. Read these endorsements and more up ahead or order a Primula of your very own.
Promising Amazon reviews:
“A must-have for coffee lovers. As a Dominican who loves coffee, the Primula Classic Stovetop Espresso and Coffee Maker has become an indispensable part of my daily routine. This Moka pot, also known as a greca, delivers rich and flavorful espresso that reminds me of the coffee I grew up with.The design of the Primula Moka pot is both classic and functional. Made from durable aluminum, it heats up quickly and evenly, ensuring a consistent brew every time. The 9-cup capacity is perfect for sharing a morning coffee with family or friends, or for making multiple servings to enjoy throughout the day.Brewing with this Moka pot is straightforward and reliable. Just fill the bottom chamber with water, add your favorite finely-ground coffee to the filter, and place it on the stove.” — Rumbo Sin Limite
″I was once a Keurig girl, for many years, actually. I gave that up for the pour-over method because (in my opinion) it tastes better. That was me leveling up my coffee snobbery just a little bit. I have relatives with the fancy home espresso machines with the pods (you know what I’m talking about). No complaints – that stuff tastes great. But I didn’t want to go back to a machine with pods. So, I stick with my pour-over. However, I got this moka pot and sometimes I use it. Not EVERY single day, but usually 2-3 mornings a week. In my opinion (again), this pot makes better coffee than pour-over, which is better than keurig coffee. So I have once again leveled up my coffee snobbery, and I’ve been quite happy with it. Bonus points, the gray blue color is my favorite color…it’s beautiful and functional and I love it. Other reviewers made comments about the plastic handle melting or breaking off. To avoid these things with my pot, I just keep those things in mind and I don’t hold the handle while I’m twisting the pot together or apart. I also have been very careful to position the pot on the stove burner such that the handle is NOT directly over the burner. I have not had any issues and my handle is still intact and has not melted at all. Very happy with my beautiful blue moka pot.” — J Leigh
“I love this pot for several reasons – it’s inexpensive and it makes great espresso for lattes!!!! I’m so happy I got this instead of an espresso machine – this is not a hands off sort of morning coffee but I love making it and I feel like a bit of a scientist. I highly recommend boil water first before filling the lower chamber (trust me you’ll be happy you did! You’ll have coffee quicker and it won’t taste burnt!)—-(adding boiling water to the lower part will make it very HOT so use a hot pad to hold the bottom while you screw on the top) then always fill up the coffee section all the way and you have a great cupa in just a few minutes! This makes my house smell amazing and I love seeing it on the stove when not in use (it’s adorable!) and I get lots of compliments.” — Lind-says
“I have seen these type of coffee makers all my life but have never tried one. Recently I had a friend ask me to bring him one to Mexico that is this specific brand, so I bought one for myself as well. Using it was super simple, it was so simple that I looked at two or three videos online to make sure I was doing the right thing (because it was so simple).You put the water in the bottom, put the filter in, put ground coffee in it without packing it, lock on the top part, put over fire (I tried medium fire so the coffee sips upwards slowly) then pour!Two things:I made the mistake of putting this in a right angle to get the last of the coffee out and that made the ground coffee sip through into my coffee. Boo, totally my fault – lesson learned!My stove has 3 different sized flames – I used the smallest in fear that the black wooden handle might burn if I used the strong flames.Overall, very happy with my purchase! The coffee came out strong and flavorfully, this is the same ground coffee I use on my single-cup-coffee maker, and it tasted completely different! Highly recommended if you like expresso (or just strong coffee).” — Kahlos Mahn

en_USEnglish