Out of all the different ways you can brew your coffee, one always tends to stand out to each coffee drinker depending on their personal preferences. Some like their coffee dark and strong, while others prefer a lighter creamier taste. And the best way to achieve the exact taste and quality you desire is by using a machine specifically designed to provide that. There is a wide range of coffee makers, and each satisfies a certain type of craving. Out of all these different coffee makers, two that have stood out for a while and battled for the spot of supreme coffee maker in many homes are the Moka Pot and the Siphon Coffee Maker.

Moka Pot vs. Siphon – Main Differences

There are some major differences between these two coffee makers that make their products taste so differently. These differences are seen in the design of the coffee makers and the materials they are made of. To better understand how different they are from each other, we would explain the design and mode of operation of each of these coffee makers.

The Moka Pot

The Moka was invented in Italy, and it is still very popular there and across Europe. It is a coffee maker that divides opinion, with most people either seeing it as an unnecessarily difficult way of brewing coffee or as the greatest thing to happen to coffee brewing. Several distinct features come with the Moka and the coffee it produces.

• The Moka is made up of three chambers that are connected with a metal tube (the whole coffee maker is metal-based).
• Out of these three chambers, the bottom one contains water, the middle chamber (or the gasket) contains coffee grounds, and the top chamber is empty because that’s where the coffee rises to when it is done.
• The chambers are also vacuum-sealed so that when boiling, it creates high-pressured steam that rises through the tube and into the gasket. 
• When it is optimally brewed, the Moka Pot produces a dark, strong cup of coffee.
• It is the closest method to espresso without using a strong espresso machine.

The Siphon 

This is a coffee maker for all the nerdy coffee makers out there because it utilizes the laws of physics in brewing. The Siphon coffee maker looks like something straight out of a physics laboratory, and that is one of the reasons why it is so efficient at brewing. And although it looks quite modern or even futuristic, the Siphon coffee maker has been around for almost two centuries. Operating this coffee machine requires a lot of skill and patience unless it could quickly turn into a horrendous experience. The Siphon also has some distinct features that make its coffee peculiar.

• Siphon coffee makers are sometimes referred to as vacuum pots.
• The Siphon also has three separate chambers (the bottom, the middle, and the upper chambers) just like the Moka Pot.
• It does not require the water to boil before getting in contact with the coffee as it gets consistently heated at a constant temperature. It is this heating that causes the pressure within the Siphon to rise. 
• This method of brewing allows you to extract every subtle fragrance from the coffee that you would normally lose to the boiling process. 
• The Siphon usually takes more time than other coffee makers, but it leaves you with fully immersed grounds and a smooth brew.

Moka Pot vs. Siphon: Which one is better?

Now that you have a better understanding of the features of each coffee maker, it is now time for the showdown to know which is the better machine. As some of the features above have shown, the Moka pot and Siphon have some similarities including both having three chambers. Another similarity between them both is the application of heat to the bottom chamber under the vacuum. But even with these similarities, the Moka Pot and Siphon have several significant differences that make their coffee look very different and taste different as well.

1. Location of grounds: The first significant difference between the Moka Pot and the Siphon is where the coffee grounds are placed, and this seemingly small difference makes the brewing much different. The Moka Pots have the coffee grounds in the middle chamber so that the boiling steam coming from the bottom chamber passes through it and extracts the taste. The Siphon, however, uses a full-immerse system, and the coffee grounds are in the upper chamber.

2. The filtration system: The Moka pots are fully metal-based and this includes the filter which is made of metal. The Siphon, however, has a cloth filter, which will give you a much cleaner and smoother coffee.

3. Brewing Process: In the Siphon, the coffee is never brought to a boiling point because the machine uses a constant pressure and temperature in brewing the coffee. However, the Moka Pots require the water to boil in the bottom chamber. Also, at the end of brewing, the Moka pot makes the coffee rise to the upper chamber so you can pour it out directly. In the Siphon, the coffee goes back down through the filter and ends up in the bottom chamber. 

4. Ease of Use: The Siphon is more difficult to use than the Moka Pot because you have more control over the strength of your coffee and the temperature. The complexity that comes with the Siphon coffee maker also allows you to make your coffee the exact way you want.

Moka Pot vs. Siphon – The Final Verdict

There is no doubt that whichever coffee maker you choose, you will get a high-quality brew. However, you will most likely prefer the product of one coffee maker over the other, and that depends on your personal preferences. If you want a very strong coffee with little to no foam that does not require too much time or skill, then you should opt for the Moka Pot. However, if you want fully immersed grounds with a smoothly brewed coffee, and you are ready to spend the time and resources necessary, then the Siphon is ideal for you. Whichever you choose, be prepared for a great cup of Joe.