When Renato Bialetti passed away recently at the age of 93, his ashes weren’t placed in a typical urn. Instead, they were placed in a moka pot per his wishes.
Why? Bialetti is widely considered the businessman who popularized the moka pot, an invention his father came up with back in the 1930’s.
Although the espresso machine buying guide on this very site warns espresso enthusiasts not to buy a moka pot, credit where credit’s due: it’s certainly a clever invention and easily the cheapest way to make espresso at home. In fact, at that time a moka pot could make espresso that was just as good as what you’d find at the best cafes of the era. So hat’s off to Bialetti and his father for helping to revolutionize the espresso industry.