Bialetti Venus 'R' Stovetop (no induction) Coffee Maker (2 Cup)

I bought this three years ago. I have used it once or twice daily since, and it is as good as new. What other coffee maker can you get for less than £20 which makes very good coffee and doesn't go wrong?!My advice is this: take a little care to clean old grinds off the rubber seal. This is not difficult to do, but it makes the seal last much longer. My seal will need replacing in the next six months I should think, which is not bad going really, and will cost just £4 delivered.I also can say that this CAN be used on an induction hob (indeed, mine always has been). The footprint is too small for the hob to recognise that there is an item on the hob, so a very simple and quick trick is required: place a steel item (I use the lid of a small saucepan) over the hob, turn on, and then slide the Bialetti on, pushing off the lid. Easy! I suspect part of the reason that my Bialetti is as good as new is that the induction hob does not create excess heat to go up the sides and heat up the handle, and if you use gas you should be careful about this - a smaller flame would be better (and doesn't really take longer, because so much of the larger flame is lost heat).My parents-in-law have a leading brand espresso machine, it cost six times what this did, it takes up worktop space, they are tied into one particular company's coffee (which is not fair trade) and it will go wrong before this one does. It makes lovely coffee, slightly stronger coffee than my Bialetti, a proper espresso while this is more like 3/4 strength, but I prefer this, which still makes a very passable espresso and is ideal with a little extra hot water for an Americano. This '2 cup' machine makes ONE double shot coffee. If you want to share coffee with friends, you need the 4 cup, which makes 2 double shot coffees. I also have one of those.Finally, there is some talk of what speed to make the coffee - what level to dial up on the hob. Someone else said that they thought that a more gentle heat, taking longer, led to a smoother coffee with more oils. I have experimented with this, and find no difference between a medium-low heat (4 on my hob) and a medium highish heat (6 on my hob). However, I suspect they are right about very high heats making harsher tasting coffee (7 upwards), but I doubt it is because the water is hotter, because I think the water would be the same temperature due to the physics of this - but it would be forced through faster, and that might make the difference they have noticed. Nice and gently also has an added advantage - there will likely be some water in the screw threads from cleaning it out (I use mine so regularly I just clean it out immediately prior to using it). If you heat it very harshly, this water will also get to boiling point, it is forced out of the screw and runs sizzling down the side of the base, leaving water marks. If you use a gentler setting, this doesn't happen.Sorry for the long geeky review, but as you can tell, this is one of my favourite kitchen items, and everyone tells me how much they like the look of it and the coffee it makes.

Ok, I read all the previous reviews and then went ahead and purchased this (the 2 cup model) to work on my induction hob. These are my experiences:1: Does it work on an induction hob? Well, it works on mine, but mine has a specifically designed area for coffee pots and small pans. If you look at the picture I’ve added you’ll see it actually shows an outline of a coffee pot on the hob. My hob is a Zanussi. However, it does clearly state in the manufacturers instructions that only the 4 & 6 cup work on induction hobs so my guess is that it’s an issue of the size of the pot registering on the hob. If you’ve bought one and it doesn’t work, try standing it inside a saucepan that does work or buy an induction plate. I haven’t tried the magnet test, I don’t need to because it works on mine.2: Does it leak? Nope.3: Does hot water / coffee collect in the handle? Nope and I’m not sure where it would.3a: Does it do any of the other weird things that people have experienced? Nope. If you don’t know how to use a Moka pot, check google ond YouTube. Or even go freestyle and read the damn instructions.........4: How much coffee does it make? It makes exactly 2 cups of espresso. If you look in the picture you’ll see the size of an espresso cup compared to an egg cup. They are small cups. If in doubt, ask your local coffee shop to make you a single shot espresso.5: Does it make good coffee? That’s a personal question because the answer is a question - Do I make good coffee? There are many variables in coffee making. Feel free to google “how to make the perfect espresso” and be prepared to lose days of your life. Or find a good barista in your local coffee shop and ask them, or just go and experiment

I really like this coffee maker. I bought the 2, 4 and 6 cup to replace my old traditional aluminium Bialetti cafetières, which don't work on our new induction hob. Some reviews that they don't work on induction hobs, but I took a chance and bought the 4 cup one. I tried it on my induction hob with no success, as the hob decided it wasn't big enough. I was about to send it back when I decided to try it on the smallest hob, and it worked there. Hurray!! I then bought the 6 cup and 2 cup, although I wasn't very hopeful that the 2 cup would work, as it is actually quite small, but it works too! For your reference, my induction hob is an AEG IKE84441FB. The cafetière is definitely made of stainless steel and makes an excellent coffee. Just make sure you don't overfill it with water. Follow the instructions and fill with water up to the valve. Like with all Moka cafetières make sure you brew the coffee at a low heat to get more strength and flavor. It's easy to clean and always shiny. So, the final verdict is: definitely an excellent and stylish machine that makes a lovely Italian coffee, but it might not work on all induction hobs. ☕🙂

Bought this a few months ago after replacing a cheap broken aluminium one I bought in Spain and have to say I quite like it. I have been using it every day and it has (so far and touch wood) lived up to the job well. The only thing that put me off initially was that the top and bottom don't seem to close like the picture, although others on here said that appear to be normal. However, this has not caused any issues and it seems to work fine. Can't complain for less than £20, especially when I was looking at one around the £40 mark initially. Glad I got this one. A metal heat resistant handle would be nice (not much problem with this, but just need to be careful), but I guess that is what you pay the extra for...