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Stovetops: Aluminium vs Stainless Steel

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  • #16
    Although I haven't used them in years; the aluminium bialetti versions seem to make better coffee. Not a world of difference though.

    Not 100% sure, but I think that aluminium versions take slightly more coffee and is the reason for the flavour difference.

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    • #17
      The Australian designed stovetop, The Little Guy, is almost all highly polished cast stainless steel with no moving parts. It should last forever and it makes great coffee with crema and has good steam.

      Externally it has the classic Italian style of the Atomic coffee maker from the 1950's, however internally it has been redesigned. It has won awards for design. It is extreemly well designed and built.

      Barry
      Last edited by Barry_Duncan; 11 February 2015, 11:07 AM.

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      • #18
        ^
        The Little Guy price is a bit high to compare it with a basic bialatti, in fact you're well on the way to a decent machine price wise.

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        • #19
          Hi

          OT but anyone watching Matthew Evans (Gourmet Farmer) last night on the yacht might have noticed that he had a "Little Guy" coffee machine on board. It was just a few seconds as the camera swung around to another shot when he asked if anyone wanted a "cuppa" and then they served tea.

          Mike

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          • #20
            Originally posted by TampIt View Post
            .....regardless of which beans you use, go aluminium. It is porous and the oils soak into the metal. .
            TampIt
            .?? That's the first time I have heard that aluminium is porous !
            any evidence to substantiate that statement ?
            .NO ? ...I thought not!
            i suggest you go and rethink your theory.

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            • #21
              In fact...

              Aluminium porosity is a sign of defective production and/or welding processes, and NOT something to be sought after...

              Mal.

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              • #22
                Originally posted by blend52 View Post
                .?? That's the first time I have heard that aluminium is porous !
                any evidence to substantiate that statement ?
                .NO ? ...I thought not!
                i suggest you go and rethink your theory.
                Hydrogen porosity in cast aluminium is indeed something that exists oh baffled one and is a very common problem in the production of cast aluminium. A simple google check would have quickly yielded the evidence you seek.

                In the future, remember the following:
                1) search
                2) substantiate
                3) formulate
                and then, and only then,
                4) pontificate

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by Vinitasse View Post
                  Hydrogen porosity in cast aluminium is indeed something that exists
                  ...as are punctures in tyres, or potholes in the road... but all are considered defects !
                  You could make any material defective if you wanted.
                  laminations in steel sheet,
                  micro cracks in castings, Etc
                  any half decently made aluminium product will not be porous.

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by blend52 View Post
                    any half decently made aluminium product will not be porous.
                    Pretty sure that's what Vinitasse was intimating b52...

                    Mal.

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                    • #25
                      Originally posted by Dimal View Post
                      Pretty sure that's what Vinitasse was intimating b52...

                      Mal.
                      Thanks Mal... I thought it was pretty obvious. Oh well... I tried
                      sigh

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by blend52 View Post
                        .?? That's the first time I have heard that aluminium is porous !
                        any evidence to substantiate that statement ?
                        .NO ? ...I thought not!
                        i suggest you go and rethink your theory.
                        Short memory? Alzheimers?

                        You and I had a little spat about this very topic a year or 2 ago, so I am afraid you HAVE heard this one before.

                        Rather than argue back and forth about who gets to sit on the moral high ground with respect to their knowledge of metallurgic details & properties, what about instead discussing the real world / well known phenomenon that aluminium stovetop esporesso machines ("Moka" pot, "Bialetti" et all) really do somehow "season" with coffee oils and therefore do result in different flavours in the brew when compared to stainless steel moka pots?

                        Over the years I have used and sold many different brands and models and the build quality variation in the castings of alli moka pots is astounding, whatever that's worth in the discussion.

                        So if you reckon the "seasoning" isnt because the aluminium is porous, what about telling us what you think the reason is?

                        Reiterating... Fact: aluminium moka pots season with coffee oils while stainless steel ones dont, resulting in different brew characteristics.

                        How about getting off the pulpit and telling us what you think the answer is, instead of restricting yourself to telling others they are wrong without contributing a useful opinion of your own?

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                        • #27
                          Originally posted by TOK View Post
                          Short memory? Alzheimers? ...
                          So if you reckon the "seasoning" isnt because the aluminium is porous, what about telling us what you think the reason is?
                          ?
                          Sorry but i am not the one claiming the seasoning effects on Aluminium moka pots, so I don't intend to explain your statements.
                          i just don't like to see incorrect/false explanations being spouted as fact.
                          At least my memory is good enough to remember the basic physical qualities of "normal" aluminium.
                          PS;- I have used a range of moka pots , Al and SS, and have never noticed a difference in flavours tween them. But then again I do make a point of cleaning them between brews, and maybe my palette is not as finely tuned as others, or just maybe I am not that anal about fine analysis of brew characteristics !.
                          PPS :- oddly, I am able to taste a difference between cold water drunk from a ceramic cup, Aluminium cup and a SS cup ??

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                          • #28
                            This thread started in 2007 and we're still crapping on each other. WOW!

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                            • #29
                              Here's an interesting read on the subject.

                              Cooking With Aluminum - Equipment & Gear - Cooking For Engineers

                              Interesting remarks re cast aluminium, which I imagine would include most aluminium stove tops.

                              "Cast Aluminum is made by pouring heated molten aluminum into a mold. During this process, microscopic air pockets form in the metal. This means that the resulting cookware items will hold their heat for longer than sheet cookware. It also makes them quick to heat up and they only need a low heat source.

                              However, they are not so great at distributing the heat evenly and are also quite brittle. If they are dropped, they will probably crack. Cast aluminum cookware is porous and needs to be seasoned. "

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                              • #30
                                Originally posted by blend52 View Post
                                Sorry but i am not the one claiming the seasoning effects on Aluminium moka pots, so I don't intend to explain your statements.
                                i just don't like to see incorrect/false explanations being spouted as fact.
                                At least my memory is good enough to remember the basic physical qualities of "normal" aluminium.
                                PS;- I have used a range of moka pots , Al and SS, and have never noticed a difference in flavours tween them. But then again I do make a point of cleaning them between brews, and maybe my palette is not as finely tuned as others, or just maybe I am not that anal about fine analysis of brew characteristics !.
                                PPS :- oddly, I am able to taste a difference between cold water drunk from a ceramic cup, Aluminium cup and a SS cup ??
                                Can you tell us a bit about basic physical qualities of "normal" aluminium? plenty of info on cast and sheet, a search for normal aluminium doesn't seem to turn much up.

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