I ordered this item because it is described as 18/8 stainless steel. And yet, when you pull this item up on Amazon, the title is Primula "Aluminum" Stove-Top Espresso Maker. I didn't catch that before ordering. It is the main reason I give it three stars. So how can it be both? It looks to me as if it is stainless steel coated aluminum. The inside of the pot looks like aluminum; but if it is not, I'm not sure what that coating is. It sure doesn't look like the inside of my 18/8 cookware. But...I'm not a metallurgist. The grounds holder is definitely not 18/8 if it is stainless steel. I recommend checking out Bialetti Musa Moka Pot. It is much more substantial, definitely 18/8 all the way, and has a 2 year warranty. Right now Sweet Maria's offers it for about 15% less than Amazon. (Sorry big A. But you are the one who taught us that competition is the name of the game, right?) Keep in mind: this is an espresso pot, not a coffee pot. Some reviewers seemed surprised at how little it holds (8 ounces of water in the four cupper, which is only about 6 ounces of brew). It is designed to make little teeny tiny cups of espresso. Although you could use it to make espresso and then add hot water for an Americano. All of that aside, however, how did it work? It works well enough. You'll have to experiment with the level of your heat source--ideal time from start to finish should be 5 minutes. Expect some water to remain in the bottom part--that's how moka pots are designed--you never want any pot to boil dry. I've had a couple fails, where only half of the water brewed, and I think that was because the heat was too low. Taste: You know, with a Moka pot, you have to be able to tolerate some sludge in your coffee. You want to get it off the heat source as soon as the liquid turns clear--some will say when it gurgles, but that was too late for me, and it had a faint burnt taste. Another fail was where I used too coarse of a grind coffee (I don't recommend coffee ground for drip), and the coffee was under-extracted and bitter. If you are careful and follow the tips, you can get a passable espresso. If you want to keep it spiffy-looking, you'll need to dry it as soon as you rinse (never wash) it, because stainless steel is not really stainless of course. But if you aren't OCD, just rinse it and drain. There is a recessed area in the interior that I doubt even the worst OCDs will be able to get to and clean. After 5 brews mine is already stained, and it's going to stay that way. Hopefully, as it gets more that way, it will not affect the taste. Bottom line: As with all things coffee, the first question is: how finicky are you? If you have a blessed palate that can detect subtle flavors, and you enjoy tweaking coffee toys, go for the Bialetti for just under twice the price. If you really don't mind a few flaws, and don't want to tinker much with the toy, this one is a decent plaything. This is definitely an inexpensive step up from the all aluminum Moka pots. On the other hand, if you really love good espresso, you need to save your money, put on your big boy/big girl pants, and move right on by the Moka pots to a good burr grinder ($200 and up) and decent espresso machine ($350 and up). UPDATE AFTER MORE USE AND KNOWLEDGE: It is a nice change periodically from a brewed cup and an espresso cup of coffee, so I am enjoying it. If this is for one person, I do recommend the 4 cup rather than the six--4 cup is just the right amount. Also, it makes a big difference if you heat the water in a microwave and then add it to the pot and then put it on the stove. Really helpful details are here: [...]
