What To Do If Your Moka Coffee Pot Is Leaking

Brewing the perfect cup of coffee takes some practice, especially when you're working with a moka pot. Even if you've followed all of the dos and don'ts necessary of moka-made java, occasionally, things can go awry. Cue, unexpected leakage. While your first instinct may be to assume the worst, the reality is that a leaky moka pot can be remedied. In most cases, all you need to do is take a closer look at the state of your the pot's parts.

A moka pot boasts a bunch of interconnected mechanisms. Should any become damaged, this can have a ripple effect on functionality, resulting in issues like leakage. This is why it's important to closely examine each part of your moka pot in between brewing, if you notice a leak. To save you some time, however, a faulty gasket is often to blame for a loss in liquid. When working properly, the rubber ring joins both halves of the pot together, allowing it to withstand steam pressure and let the moka work its magic. But, when the gasket is compromised, it loses these abilities, prompting liquid to seep from the sides of the pot. The solution? Simply replace the gasket.

Whether a gasket is cracked or torn, the easiest (and most foolproof) way to deal with an old or defective gasket is to swap it out for a new one. Just like that, leakage will become a problem of the past — well, hopefully. 

Along with ensuring that the gasket and other pieces of the pot are in optimal condition, keeping components clean is a must since grit and grime can also cause a moka pot to malfunction. For example, even filters with blockages from coffee grinds or calcified water may prompt liquids to drip from the sides. Spotlessness aside, there are a few other tricks that minimize leaks and spills. 

Knowing how to use and handle each part of the moka pot is vital. All components should be properly and securely attached. Likewise, they should be well tightened (especially, the gasket) as failing to do so can result in unintentional leakage. Additionally, bear in mind that overfilling your moka — with too much water or coffee — may also trigger liquids to leak and prompt grounds to spill into the coffee chamber, resulting in a messier and a less delicious outcome. In fact, even using the right coffee grounds may reduce the risk of any mishaps.

Since leaks can also be the result of sputtering as coffee drips into the collection chamber and down the pot, rethinking the way in which you brew can prove helpful, too. Rather than crank up the heat, a low and slow approach greatly limits liquid from escaping the moka pot before it should. The only other thing to remember when avoiding leaks and spills is to pour the moka-made coffee into a cup, carefully!