Does my Italian coffee maker work on an induction hob? Which are the best induction coffee makers? What details should I look at before buying an Italian induction coffee maker? Are there induction coffee makers with 12 cups?
Today’s article is especially for you if you have ever asked yourself any of these questions. We’ll tell you which Italian coffee makers are suitable for induction cooking and why.
Before we start, here is a summary table with the most popular induction coffee makers in our country at the time of writing.
How does an induction cooker work?
We must start at the beginning, and the first thing is to understand how an induction hob works. An induction cooker generates magnetic fields, which in turn create electrical currents responsible for producing heat on the elements that we place on top.
Since we are talking about electrical currents and not real fire or another heat source, it is essential to know what material the component we are going to place between our food and the induction cooker is made of.
Why? Very simple: for the heat to act on the liquid or food, the electric current must pass through the container that contains it. If the material of our vessel is a good conductor of electricity, the induction cooker will not heat the food but the container.
For this reason, the container we use must contain some ferromagnetic material at its base. Usually, it is enough that this is made of stainless steel, although there may be very old steel cooking utensils that do not contain this component and therefore do not work with induction cookers.
If, however, this material does not conduct electricity, it will pass directly to the food, and therefore induction cookers heat the food much faster than others. It’s easy to understand.
OK, with this introduction, let’s go back to what we like: coffee makers. Italian coffee makers need a heat source to heat the water and to function. Typically, that heat source is our kitchen fire. What if the kitchen is induction cooking? According to what we have explained above, for the water to be heated and for the coffee machine to work correctly, its base must be made of a material that does not conduct electricity. Like, for example, stainless steel.
As a general rule, and this is not just a rule for coffee machines, aluminium utensils are unsuitable for induction cooking. You should use stainless steel accessories and appliances whenever possible. Of course, there are also no 100% aluminium induction coffee makers.
At most, you’ll find models of aluminium induction coffee makers with a diffusing bottom (made of another material) that allows heat transmission.
So the conclusion is simple: if you’re interested in buying a coffee maker for an induction hob, you need to look at its material. Buy only Italian stainless steel coffee makers, and avoid those made of aluminium or other materials. An Italian aluminium coffee maker conducts electricity too well to generate enough heat on the water inside it.
My induction coffee maker doesn’t work
An Italian coffee maker does not have an electrical operation, so you have to qualify this as “it doesn’t work”. What can happen is that an induction coffee maker may not be able to absorb the heat from your hob for whatever reason.
If this happens to you (your induction hob doesn’t detect the coffee maker), check the specifications of the mocha well, and make sure that, if it’s not made of stainless steel, at least it has a diffusing bottom ( Induction Hob Adapter) at the base.
If you’ve made a mistake and your Induction Italian coffee maker doesn’t work because it’s not suitable for this type of hob, you may not be able to return it (because of the shipping costs). Consider buying an Induction hob adapter of the right diameter for your induction hob.
How do I know what material my Italian coffee maker is made of?
The question is not unimportant. Often the manufacturer does not specify the coffee maker’s construction material. Or the base and the rest of the Moka have different components and materials (what interests us in these cases is always the material of the base). Or we are not sure if the coffee maker is coated with some strange alloy that conducts electricity more than it should. How do I know if I have an Italian coffee maker for induction cookers?
In all of these cases and any other that raises doubts, there is a homemade way that never fails: the magnet test. It sounds very enigmatic, but it’s not a big deal (although it is 100% effective): if a magnet sticks to the bottom of your Italian coffee maker, you can ideally use it on your induction cooker. It’s an authentic Italian induction coffee maker. You can also test it with any other kitchen utensil.
NOTE: Learn more about the material of Italian induction coffee machines in this article: What is 18/10 stainless steel?
What if my coffee maker is not suitable for induction cooking?
If you’ve already figured out what material your brewer is made of, and it turns out that it’s not suitable for induction cooking, then you have two options.
- Buy a brand new Italian coffee maker for induction cookers.
- Use an induction adapter.
What? Did you say an induction adapter? Some accessories are called induction diffusers, like small adapters that make it easier to use electrically conductive utensils on an induction hob.
These are flat discs, which heat up when placed on an induction cooker, and when they are hot, they allow another utensil (in this case, your coffee maker) to be placed on them and traditionally benefit from their heat. The heat will pass directly from the induction diffuser into your coffee maker.
Best Induction Moka pots 2023
And to finish our report, here is a list summary of some good coffee makers for Induction. Not all of them are here, but we have already analysed some of the most exciting induction coffee makers on our website. Any criteria do not necessarily order them:
- Bialetti: Musa Restyling Stovetop 6 Cup Espresso Coffee Maker -Induction
- Oroley 215070500 Espresso Maker for 12 Cups, Induction, Red
As you can see, the list of Moka induction coffee makers is extensive. Bialetti induction coffee machines are the best (there are other models we haven’t mentioned in the list). Still, we must also pay attention to Bra induction coffee machines or less-known brands, such as Valira.
We even have induction coffee machines with colours, such as the Bialetti Moka Induction (in 5 colours available).
Best induction Moka pot: Alessi 9090
If we were to recommend an Italian induction coffee maker, it would undoubtedly be the Alessi 9090. It represents, together with the WMF Barista, the highest range on the market and is unbeatable, although we understand that it does not fit all pockets. But it is the best coffee maker for induction cookers, without a doubt.
If you are looking for a more affordable option, you can look at the Bialetti Venus or the Kela Latina, which have similar features.
The Jata range of induction coffee makers is also trendy because of its variety. It has six different models, and each is available in a variety of sizes.
With a diffusing bottom and available in three sizes (4, 6 and 9 cups), the Italian coffee maker Quid Genova is one of the models growing the most in the sales lists of our country. The knob and handle are made of bakelite, in black.
There are many traditional induction coffee makers that we have not yet analysed on our website, so look for yourself, too and compare the features of each one.
You can find Italian induction coffee makers at Currys or an Italian induction coffee maker at Argos. Go to the display and see its features, materials and differences from other Mokas. And if you have any doubts, remember, for induction kitchens, always look for Italian stainless-steel coffee makers.
Induction coffee makers at Argos
As we pointed out in our article on Argo’s coffee makers, you must tune-up if you’re looking for an induction-grade Italian Moka in this store (or any other general store). They have a lot of them, but they’re usually not separate from the rest or distinguished in any way on display.
Usually, you will find on the bottom shelf of some shelves a lot of Mokas of different brands and sizes, and it is your task to check the packaging or box of each model to know if it is valid for induction hob or not.
Induction coffee makers 12 cups
Our article could not miss this selection of 12-cup induction coffee makers, the largest in their segment, so you can serve many guests from your induction hob.
As you can see, all the major Italian mocha brands include the 12-cup size, which more or less corresponds to one litre of coffee, in their coffee machine models for induction cookers.
Related: Bialetti Troubleshooting.
