IMUSA 12 Cup Cast Aluminum Stovetop Coffee Maker with Cool-touch Handle

It's make good coffee. I have purchased the more expensive name brand one and burned it twice, so I wanted to try a cheaper model. This one isn't as heavy as the name brand, but it works well and the coffee tastes the same. I've been using it for a few years and it still works great. I would buy it again and I would recommend it.

Great for making more than 1 cup at a time

I wanted to like this coffee maker. It leaked, both during brewing and during pouring, but it made a good cup of coffee, and it was simple to use, so I figured it was just a learing curve and I'd get better at it. Then the handle fell off, about 3 seconds after I picked it up off the burner about 8-10 inches above my glass top stove with a full load of extremely hot coffee in it. At this point my opinion of this item dropped massively. If you have one of these, be extremely careful with it, I was shocked at just how the handle on this was put together. Really surprised it didn't fail immediately during first use. The mfg really need to look at the handle design and structure it's dangerous.

Son de muy buena calidad estuve enviándola a mis familiares

A friend gave me the "6-cup" version of this espresso maker a couple months ago. How did I live so long and stay unaware of this gem?! Since I started using it I haven't turned on my drip coffeemaker once. Every morning I make espresso, heat some milk and mix them together to enjoy cafe con leche. I'll never go back to drip coffee. The construction of the IUMSA product is simple and elegant. Solid aluminum pieces that are easy to assemble, take apart, clean. Just ensure (according to the directions in the box and contrary to what some reviewers claim) not to tamp down the coffee grounds in the basket too densely. Also, ensure to use very fine grounds. Coarse grounds won't give you a proper espresso because of insufficient exposed surface area on the grounds to the steam that is forced up through them to brew the espresso. Finally, note that the "6-cup" version holds 1-1/8 cups of water in its reservoir (9 ounces/265 ml) while the "12-cup" version holds 2-1/4 cups of water (20 ounces/530 ml). I assume that the manufacturer, when it refers to "cups" is referring to a small dash (1.5 ounces) of expresso. I upgraded to the "12-cup" version this week so I don't have to make multiple batches of coffee in the morning. Am very pleased all around with this product so far. Well made, simple to use and clean, and produces fantastic coffee.

Espectacular

I like this pot. There are one or two issues with it but given the price point, I still give it a 4. It is a pretty well built piece of equipment. Not steel but cast aluminum. Which is why it is so cheap I am assuming. Although it is aluminum, it heats well and is strong. Again, it is not sheet aluminum but cast. So it is thicker. The threading which joins the two halves together is a bit rough. I am not familiar with the process of manufacturing something like this but I assume the threads are created on a lathe. With use I am sure the threads will smooth out. But for now it is a bit fiddly getting them to line up and when you do, it squeaks loudly from the rubbing. Maybe I will apply some graphite powder or a food safe oil to help it along. This issue is no big deal breaker and it does not affect function. However, what does affect function is the leaking. The seam leaks when I pour. Right where the two halves come together. I've tried a little silicone lube on the gasket and that didn't work. You know how sometimes you need to keep a rubber gasket greased to prevent it from drying out and to help the seal? That was my thinking. But it didn't work. I am not sure what to do about this problem. Maybe as the threads smooth out and naturally wear in, the leaking will stop. Maybe it will get worse. That being said, the coffee this thing makes is delicious. I use a dark espresso from New England Coffee Roasters. Fill the basket to the top, about 4 tbsp. Level it off and brew. It took me about 6 minutes on medium high heat to full brew. Split into two mugs with 1 tsp of sugar each. Such a smooth cup of coffee. I've used percolators before and didn't like them. The coffee always burns. That wasn't the case with this. I am guessing since the coffee separates from the heat once it reaches the top vessel, it solves that issue. It can only get so hot after all and when it does it moves upward away from the heat. I am coming from an espresso machine. I have limited counter space and ditched my espresso machine for this. Is this as good as espresso? I would say, possibly. They are two different types of coffee after all. You don't get that delicious crema with a moka pot. Is an espresso snob (I used to be) going to like this as much as their espresso machine? No. They need to justify spending $1000+ on their equipment. Have you seen those guys on the espresso sub reddit? It's an espresso circle jerk I went to espresso over drip coffee because I like dark, strong, toasty coffees. I've never found a drip coffee that did it for me. My espresso machine was very inexpensive. $200. And it made a fine drink. I honestly believe that a moka pot comes really close to an espresso. At least as far as smoothness and having a strong flavor. I mean I am no coffee scholar. Just as a normal coffee drinker who needs something better than a drip coffee (opinion) I would never go back to an espresso machine or drip. I've tried it all. French press, pour over, Aeropress, drip, espresso and even Keurig. A moka pot is a great setup for me. Coffee is very subjective though. And all it takes is too much grounds or a poor grind or too much heat and you end up with a bitter cup. I can nail a great cup consistently with a moka pot. And a cuban style preparation is the bomb. I would caution against lifting the lid while the pot is on the heat and actively boiling. It makes a mess and you could possibly burn yourself. Remove it from the heat for about six seconds first if you must look inside. Which you sometimes need to do. Learn from my mistake. And they aren't joking about moving the pot to the edge of the burner with the handle hanging away from the heat. It gets wicked hot. And you risk melting it. But it won't be a problem if you just get in that habit. I use my smallest burner. Which is something you should do anyhow. Don't use a burner that is too big for your pot. I would also caution against leaving the coffee or the grounds inside for too long. All it takes is a couple hours and the acid could weird up the aluminum. You probably wouldn't have to worry about this with steel but you do with aluminum. When you pour all of your drink just knock the grounds into the trash and rinse everything quickly. This thing is easy to clean and the grounds come out nicely with a sharp knock on the trash can. I really like this pot and depending on the leaking issue, I don't foresee having to upgrade to anything expensive. Such a good deal for such a great cup of coffee. One of my better purchases.

I used this espresso maker twice and it already broke! It was a waste after a month and no way to get proper help or replacement! Don’t waste your money getting this.

Si quieres tomar café, de a de veras: esta cafetera italiana está muy, pero muy bien, y es de calidad.

Esta cafetera debería en teoría sacar 12 tazas de café exprés pero no lo hace, al menos la qué a mi me llegó. Sube muy poco café en realidad, cuando mucho un par de tazas y lo demás del café se quema.

Si bien puedo hacer café correctamente y su precio es bajo las terminaciones son muy malas, el cierre no es perfectamente hermético y no es posible servir con la tapa cerrada. No la volvería a comprar pero admito que es funcional.

La caja venía dañada y el producto traía roto el mango. Tuve que devolverlo. Le doy 2 estrellas porque no tuve la oportunidad de probarlo

El tamaño de la cafetera es adecuado para 4 tazas grandes aproximadamente, el sabor del café se conserva, sin embargo el cierre falla la mayoría de las veces, en ocasiones es muy difícil abrirla y otras el café escurre por el lateral al servir, si mejora el cierre sería ideal para el uso diario.