After, what seems a very long wait, we finally have the Brikka stove-top espresso maker back in stock.

In February, our supplier announced they were discontinuing the Brikka model. As this is one of our best sellers, you can imagine we were pretty upset. But luckily for us, after some negotiations, we manage to do a deal with our supplier to order these directly from Italy. So we will continue to stock the Brikka for the foreseeable future.

So what’s so special about the Brikka?

For me, the Brikka is the king of stove-top espresso makers, as it generates more pressure than any other model. For those who don’t know much about stove-top espresso makers, they don’t actually make true espresso. They do brew coffee under pressure, but as they rely on steam (to generate pressure) they can’t produce anywhere near high enough. The average stove-top will brew coffee under around 1 bar of pressure. Whereas for true espresso the coffee needs be under between 7-9 bar.

The Brikka is different from other stove-tops as it has a special weighted valve which allows it to build 1.5 times more pressure. Brewing at around 1.5 bar makes a big difference. The resulting coffee has extra depth and flavour; and wait for it, a crema!

Now some people write off the Brikka as the crema isn’t all that great; it’s quite thin and quickly dissipates. But the crema shouldn’t be the focus. Yes it looks pretty, but it’s the extra pressure that enhances the flavour. The crema is just a by-product.