Are Moka Pots Dishwasher Safe? Here's What To Expect!

Stovetop coffee makers should be cleaned regularly, but are Moka Pots dishwasher safe?

In general, Moka Pots should not be cleaned in a dishwasher. The combination of alkaline dish detergents, heat, and minerals in the water can cause chemical reactions that tarnish and corrode your brewer. Instead, clean your Moka Pot by hand using vinegar, water, and non-abrasive products.

However, many types of Moka Pots are made from various materials. Are none of them dishwasher safe?

And what should you do to fix your Moka Pot if you’ve mistakenly put it in the dishwasher?

Keep reading to find out!

Are Moka Pots Dishwasher Safe?

Generally, Moka Pots are not dishwasher safe.

We say “generally” because the vast majority of Moka Pots are made out of aluminum. This metal is definitely not dishwasher safe and is known for being easily tarnished.

However, there are a few different types of Moka Pots that may react differently inside a dishwasher.

Specifically, there are Moka Pots made from:

aluminum
anodized aluminum
stainless steel
ceramic
glass

Let’s quickly talk about each one.

Dishwasher Safe Moka Pots ( See On Amazon)

Moka Pot Related Articles:

Can You Put Aluminum Moka Pots In The Dishwasher?

Aluminum Moka Pots should never be placed in the dishwasher. If your brewer does end up in the dishwasher, you’ll find it discolored, tarnished, or covered in black/gray grime.

There are two reasons for this.

First, soaps and detergents are alkaline. This alkalinity, which allows the soap to cut through grease, also causes chemical reactions with aluminum. So, when you combine soap, aluminum, water, and high temperatures, the result is often a grimy substance that covers the Moka Pot.

Second, aluminum reacts with oxygen (whether it’s oxygen in the air or water). And oxidation can cause spots and discoloration to appear on the metal.

So, for these two reasons, you should never put your aluminum Moka Pot in the dishwasher.

Are Moka Pot Dishwasher safe? — ***Aluminum Moka Pot On A Dishwasher***

Can You Put Anodized Aluminum Moka Pots In The Dishwasher?

An anodized aluminum Moka Pot is more durable than a regular brewer and should be fine if you put it in the dishwasher once or twice. However, we generally don’t recommend putting them in the dishwasher.

If you haven’t heard of anodizing, it’s basically a process that creates a protective coating on the surface of the metal.

But keep in mind that certain harsh detergents can remove the anodized coating. And while it is scratch-resistant, it can still be damaged if it bumps or scrapes against other items (such as other pots and pans in your dishwasher).

Also, just because your Moka Pot is anodized doesn’t mean that every single part of your brewer has been anodized. Perhaps, the funnel, filter, or some other internal part has been left unprotected.

So, as a general rule, you should just handwash your Moka Pot even if it’s anodized.

Flavored Coffee from Hawaii Coffee Company — ***Hawaii Coffee Company***

Can You Put Stainless Steel Moka Pots In The Dishwasher?

Generally, stainless steel Moka Pots can go in the dishwasher. But before run it through a dishwashing cycle, there are a few things to keep in mind first!

First, Moka Pots are not made to be put in the dishwasher. They’re made to be washed by hand. So, even if your stainless steel brewer isn’t ruined by the dishwasher, you may or may not run into some other issues.

But if you really want to put it in the dishwasher, keep in mind that some stainless steel Moka Pots are not 100% stainless steel. Sometimes the bottom chamber will be stainless steel while the top portion will be aluminum (or vice versa).

Or if the top and bottom chambers are both stainless steel, the funnel basket or filter may be aluminum.

So, before you put your brewer in the dishwasher, make sure you know which parts of actually stainless steel and only put those parts in the washer.

(If you want to learn more about the different parts of the Moka Pot, take a look at our post “What Are The Parts Of A Moka Pot?“)

is moka pot dishwasher safe — ***Stainless Steel Moka Pot***

Can I Put Glass Or Ceramic Moka Pots In The Dishwasher?

Generally, glass or ceramic Moka Pots should not be placed in the dishwasher either.

There are a few reasons for this:

Glass and ceramic Moka Pots are not 100% glass or ceramic. Instead, the bottom chamber, gasket, and funnel are typically aluminum.
A Moka Pot’s glass top chamber also contains metallic parts. So even if you only place the glass top chamber in the dishwasher, the metal components can be damaged.
The ceramic portion of a Moka Pot is more delicate and could chip or crack in the dishwasher. However, you could place this part in the dishwasher if it’s completely ceramic.
Handpainted designs on your ceramic Moka Pot can deteriorate in the dishwasher. However, if you don’t mind this, you could put the ceramic portion in the dishwasher.

So, while some parts may do fine in the washer, you should generally wash these Moka Pots by hand.

single origin coffee whole bean ground — ***Cooper’s Kenya Coffee***

What Kind Of Moka Pot Can I Put In The Dishwasher?

While we do not recommend putting any Moka Pots in the dishwasher, stainless steel Moka Pots can do fine there as long as they’re truly 100% stainless steel.

We’ve searched around and found a few Moka Pots that people have placed in the dishwasher without any issues. (They’re all available on Amazon.)

Dishwasher Safe Moka Pots

We’ve never tried putting these Moka Pots in a dishwasher and we still wouldn’t recommend it. But there are people who have put both the Bialetti Venus and LuxHaus Moka Pots in the dishwasher without any issues.

So if you’re interested, take a look at these brewers.

Related Posts:

How Will The Dishwasher Affect My Moka Pot Flavor?

If you do happen to put your Moka Pot in the dishwasher, you’ll notice that your next brew has a metallic flavor. There was actually a study done (available at the National Institutes of Health) that shows why this happens.

A small bit of metal normally leaches from the Moka Pot into your coffee during the brewing process.

However, the study found that after placing the Moka Pot (either aluminum or stainless steel) in the dishwasher, the concentration of metal in the coffee increased significantly in the next brew.

But the concentration of metal returned to normal for the second brew.

So, metallic-tasting coffee is what you’ll get if you put your Moka Pot in the dishwasher. To avoid this, we’d recommend throwing out the next one or two brews.

Health Concerns After Putting A Moka Pot In The Dishwasher

If you’ve put your Moka Pot in the dishwasher, you may be wondering if it’s still safe to make coffee with it.

These types of concerns generally revolve around one of two reasons:

concerns about the coffee’s metallic flavor
concerns that the discolored metal

Let’s talk about each one separately.

Related Posts:

Moka Pot’s Metallic Flavor And Health Issues

First, it’s important to keep in mind that metal leaches into your coffee during every brew. It’s pretty normal and doesn’t usually cause issues.

However, after putting a Moka Pot in the dishwasher, the concentration of aluminum in the coffee will be higher than normal. However, after the first brew, the coffee’s flavor will return to normal.

There was even a study done that backs this up. (Available at the National Institute of Health). The purpose of the study was to determine if too much aluminum was consumed by drinking from metal containers like Moka Pots.

And even after being thrown in the dishwasher, the metal content of the coffee fell within the tolerable weekly allowance.

However, you can avoid this issue completely by throwing out the first brew after washing your Moka Pot in the dishwasher.

Discolored Metal And Health Issues

If your Moka Pot is covered in metallic grime, you shouldn’t make any coffee or drink any coffee from it, until it’s completely clean and all the grime has been removed.

However, if your Moka Pot has simply oxidized and there’s no grime or residue anywhere, you should be ok.

Because aluminum is highly reactive to oxygen, any new aluminum that’s exposed to oxygen will quickly develop a thin layer of aluminum oxide. This is typically a dark grey color and has no effect on your coffee or its flavor.

Related Posts:

Can I Still Use My Moka Pot After Putting It In The Dishwasher?

Generally, you should be able to use your Moka Pot after putting it in the dishwasher. However, this depends on what exactly happened to your Moka Pot.

For example, if you have a stainless steel Moka Pot that comes out of the dishwasher without any issues, there should be no problem using it.

However, if your aluminum Moka Pot comes out covered in metallic grime, you definitely don’t want to use it until it’s thoroughly cleaned and all the grime has been removed.

On the other hand, even after cleaning your Moka Pot thoroughly, the metal may be discolored due to oxidation. While oxidation spots or discolored metal don’t create any issues for brewing coffee, you may not like the way it looks.

In that case, it might not hurt just to get a new Moka Pot. The one we have and recommend is the Bialetti Moka Express. (Link goes to Amazon.)

Fixing Your Moka Pot After It’s Been In The Dishwasher

If your Moka Pot has been through the dishwasher, there are several things you can try and a few things you shouldn’t try.

What To Do To Fix Your Moka Pot

Try one of the following techniques to clean your Moka Pot:

Use a sponge to wash your Moka Pot with a solution of white vinegar and water.
Use Bar Keepers Friend to clean your Moka Pot (Available on Amazon)
Make a paste with cream of tartar and a tiny bit of water. Use a toothbrush to scrub the paste into the Moka Pot. Let sit for 10 minutes and wipe clean.

Once it’s clean, dry it thoroughly, and be sure to toss out the next one or two brews.

Related Posts:

What Not To Do To Fix Your Moka Pot

Don’t use harsh soaps or detergents
Don’t scrub it with abrasive products like steel wool

Either of these can make the damage to your Moka Pot even worse.

How To Clean Your Moka Pot Without Using The Dishwasher

Instead of putting your Moka Pot in the dishwasher, you should normally clean it with a solution of vinegar and water. And don’t scrub it with abrasive products, instead, use soft sponges or cloth.

To start the cleaning process:

make a solution of 2 parts water and 1 part white vinegar
wash it out with a soft cloth or sponge
if you want a thorough cleaning you can brew the water/vinegar solution which will clean the funnel, filter, and central chamber as well.

Key Takeaways

Moka Pots should not be washed in the dishwasher
Clean your Moka Pot by hand using vinegar and water
Some stainless steel Moka Pots will do fine in the dishwasher although manufacturers recommend washing them by hand
If you need to fix your Moka Pot after putting it in the dishwasher try using Bar Keepers Friend

Cheers Coffee Lovers!

KEEP READING

Oliver Holmes

Oliver is co-owner of Coffee Break Lovers. The only thing he loves more than the process of brewing coffee is drinking it.

Brand	Description	Image	Buy
Bialetti Venus	This is a stainless steel Moka Pot that’s available as a 4, 6, or 10-cup.		Buy On Amazon
LuxHaus Stovetop Espresso Maker	This is another stainless steel brewer that’s available in 3, 6, or 9 cups.		Buy On Amazon

Brand	Description	Image	Buy
Bialetti Venus	This is a stainless steel Moka Pot that’s available as a 4, 6, or 10-cup.		Buy On Amazon
LuxHaus Stovetop Espresso Maker	This is another stainless steel brewer that’s available in 3, 6, or 9 cups.		Buy On Amazon