Baratza Encore Moka Pot: The Right Grind Settings for Stovetop Espresso

The Baratza Encore can absolutely grind for a moka pot, and it does a solid job at it. You'll want to set the grinder somewhere between 12 and 18, depending on your specific moka pot size and the beans you're using. This puts you in the medium-fine range, which is coarser than espresso but finer than drip.

I use my Encore to grind for a 6-cup Bialetti moka pot about three times a week, and it's taken some experimentation to find the sweet spot. The grind size matters more for moka pot brewing than most people realize, and getting it wrong leads to either bitter, over-extracted sludge or weak, watery coffee. Here's what I've figured out through trial and error.

Why Grind Size Matters So Much for Moka Pots

A moka pot works by pushing steam pressure through a bed of ground coffee. The pressure is much lower than a real espresso machine, typically around 1 to 2 bars compared to 9 bars for espresso. This means the grind size needs to allow water to pass through at the right rate without either choking the flow or letting it rush through.

If you grind too fine (below setting 10 on the Encore), you risk:

Channeling. The water forces through weak spots in the coffee bed, creating uneven extraction.
Bitter, harsh flavor. Over-extraction pulls out compounds you don't want in the cup.
Safety concerns. A clogged basket can cause pressure to build in the lower chamber. While moka pots have pressure relief valves, I'd rather not test mine.

If you grind too coarse (above setting 20), you get:

Weak, thin coffee. Water passes through too quickly and doesn't extract enough flavor.
Sour, acidic taste. Under-extraction leaves you with sharp, unpleasant acidity.
A sad cup. There's nothing worse than waiting for a moka pot to brew and ending up with something that tastes like hot water with a memory of coffee.

My Recommended Encore Settings for Moka Pot

After dozens of brews, here's where I've landed for different moka pot sizes:

3-Cup Moka Pot

Setting: 14 to 16
Smaller moka pots have less coffee in the basket, so the water contact time is shorter. A slightly finer grind compensates for this.

6-Cup Moka Pot

Setting: 15 to 18
This is the most common size, and the sweet spot for my Bialetti is setting 16. Your mileage may vary depending on your specific pot and beans.

9-Cup and Larger

Setting: 16 to 18
Larger pots can handle a slightly coarser grind because the deeper coffee bed provides more contact time.

These settings are starting points, not gospel. Every Baratza Encore calibrates slightly differently from the factory, and your beans, roast level, and water temperature all affect the result. Start at setting 15 and adjust from there.

How to Dial In Your Grind

Here's the process I use whenever I switch beans or want to fine-tune my moka pot grind:

Start at setting 15. Grind 18 to 20 grams (for a 6-cup pot), level the basket without tamping, and brew.
Taste the result. Bitter and harsh? Go one setting coarser. Sour and weak? Go one setting finer.
Adjust one click at a time. Each number on the Encore represents a meaningful change in particle size. Don't jump 3 or 4 settings at once.
Evaluate after 2 to 3 brews at the same setting. Moka pot brewing has some variability from batch to batch, so one cup isn't enough data.

The Tamping Question

Do not tamp the grounds in a moka pot basket. This is the most common mistake I see people make. Unlike espresso, where you tamp a compact puck, moka pot grounds should be leveled off with your finger or a straight edge. Tamping restricts water flow and can cause the safety valve to activate.

If your coffee is too weak, the fix is a finer grind, not a harder tamp.

How the Encore Compares for Moka Pot Grinding

The Baratza Encore is one of the most popular home grinders for good reason. It's affordable (around $150), reliable, and produces decent consistency across its grind range. For moka pot specifically, here's how it stacks up:

Strengths

Enough grind range. The Encore covers everything from fine to coarse, and the moka pot sweet spot sits right in the middle of its range where it performs best.
Consistent enough. The conical burrs produce good uniformity at medium-fine settings. You'll get some fines, but not enough to clog a moka pot basket.
Easy to adjust. The numbered dial makes it simple to return to your preferred setting after grinding for a different method.

Limitations

Stepped adjustment. The Encore uses numbered steps rather than continuous (stepless) adjustment. This means you can't land between, say, 15 and 16 if your ideal grind is somewhere in between. For moka pot brewing, this rarely matters, but perfectionists might find it limiting.
Some fines at finer settings. Below setting 12 or so, the Encore starts producing more dust-like fines. This isn't a problem for moka pot settings (14 to 18), but it's worth knowing if you're also considering espresso.

If you're shopping for a grinder and moka pot brewing is your primary method, the Encore is one of the best coffee grinder options in its price range. For a broader look at what's available, check our top coffee grinder roundup.

Moka Pot Brewing Tips Beyond the Grind

Getting the grind right is half the battle. Here are a few other things I've learned that improve moka pot coffee:

Use pre-heated water. Fill the lower chamber with hot water from a kettle, not cold tap water. This reduces the time the coffee grounds are exposed to heat on the stove, which cuts down on bitterness.
Use medium-low heat. Blasting the moka pot on high heat causes the water to push through too aggressively, over-extracting the coffee. Medium-low heat gives a gentle, even extraction.
Remove from heat at the first hissing sound. When the upper chamber is about 80% full and you hear sputtering, take the pot off the burner immediately. The residual pressure will push the remaining coffee through. Leaving it on the heat burns the coffee.
Don't overfill or underfill the basket. Fill it to the top and level off, but don't pack it down. The coffee bed should be loose and level.
Cool the base with a wet towel. After removing from heat, wrap the bottom chamber in a cold, wet towel. This stops the extraction and prevents residual heat from pushing steam through the grounds.

FAQ

Can I use the Baratza Encore for espresso too?

The Encore can grind fine enough for espresso in a pinch, but it's not ideal. The stepped adjustment doesn't give you enough precision for dialing in espresso shots, where small changes make big differences. For moka pot, the Encore works great. For real espresso, consider the Baratza Sette or a dedicated espresso grinder.

How much coffee should I grind for a moka pot?

For a 6-cup Bialetti, I use 18 to 20 grams. For a 3-cup, 10 to 12 grams. Fill the basket to the rim and level off without tamping. The exact amount depends on your specific basket size, so weigh your first few fills to establish a baseline.

Why does my moka pot coffee taste burnt?

Three likely causes: heat is too high, you're leaving the pot on the burner too long, or you're starting with cold water (which extends heating time). Try pre-heating the water, using medium-low heat, and pulling the pot off the stove as soon as you hear sputtering. These three changes together made the biggest difference in my own moka pot brewing.

Should I use a paper filter in my moka pot?

Some people place an AeroPress paper filter on top of the coffee basket to reduce fines in the cup. I've tried it, and it does produce a cleaner, smoother cup. The trade-off is slightly less body. If you like a cleaner moka pot brew, it's worth experimenting with. If you prefer the traditional thick, rich texture, skip the filter.

Wrapping Up

The Baratza Encore and a moka pot make a surprisingly good pairing. Start at setting 15, adjust one click at a time based on taste, and don't tamp. Pre-heat your water, keep the heat low, and pull the pot off the stove early. Those five things will get you 90% of the way to great moka pot coffee without spending another dollar on equipment.