Moka pots operate at 1 to 2 bar, not 9. The bed must offer far less resistance.
The setting
Medium-fine. Finer than filter, distinctly coarser than espresso.
Roughly the texture of table salt, or slightly finer.
What happens with espresso grind
The pot chokes. Pressure builds in the boiler with nowhere to go, and either the brew comes through in a violent spurt at the end or the safety valve vents.
Neither produces good coffee, and repeatedly triggering the safety valve is not something to make a habit of.
What happens with filter grind
Weak, fast, thin coffee. The water passes through without extracting much.
The other rules
Do not tamp. Fill the basket, level it with a finger, and leave it. Tamping raises the resistance to espresso levels and creates the same problem.
Fill the basket completely but level. Not heaped, not compressed.
Adjusting by result
Comes through very fast and tastes weak — grind finer. Sputters, takes ages, or the valve hisses — grind coarser. A steady stream over 30 to 60 seconds — right.
Pre-ground
Coffee sold as “moka” or “espresso” grind in Italy is usually correct for a moka pot. Coffee sold as “espresso” by a specialty roaster for a machine is usually too fine.
Check the texture rather than the label.
Last reviewed 8 August 2026