Why You Should Never Drink the First 3 Brews from a New Moka Pot

 The moka pot isn’t just great because it can brew coffee that’s close to espresso in strength—it’s also affordable, easy to use, and very convenient to carry around. That’s why so many people end up buying one. Even if you don’t use it often, it still makes a nice piece of décor on your counter.

But when people buy a moka pot, they’ll usually see this reminder—from the shop’s customer service or printed in the manual: “Don’t drink the first three brews from a new moka pot. Throw them away.” Many moka pot creators and reviewers also mention this. Naturally, this makes a lot of people wonder: Why can’t you drink the first three brews from a new moka pot?

Why shouldn’t you drink the first three brews from a new moka pot?

The reason is simple: the first three brews are meant for cleaning the pot—a process often called “seasoning” or “breaking in” your moka pot.

As we all know, a moka pot is made of metal and several small components. The structure isn’t very complicated, but there are always some tiny corners that can’t be thoroughly cleaned during manufacturing. As a result, small bits of metal, machining residue, or even traces of food-safe oils may still remain—especially inside the funnel tube, the water channel, or the coffee spout. That’s why it’s important to give your moka pot a deep clean before you start brewing coffee you actually plan to drink. Otherwise, the brewed coffee might carry metallic particles or unwanted odors.

Whenever we bring this up, some people ask: “Can’t I just boil water instead? I don’t want to waste three batches of coffee.”
Technically, you can boil plain water—moka pots can do that—but it’s not recommended. Clean water alone doesn’t provide as much cleaning power.

When you brew coffee, the grounds packed into the filter basket create resistance, slowing the flow of hot water. This allows pressure to build up and forces the water to move through the pot more thoroughly. That extra pressure helps flush out residues more effectively, giving the moka pot a deeper clean. Plain water simply doesn’t achieve the same result.

So we recommend using real coffee grounds for the break-in process. It also gives you a chance to check whether the moka pot’s flow and sealing are working properly—helpful for catching potential issues early.

But yes, filling the basket each time does feel wasteful. If that bothers you, you can use old beans, lower-quality beans, or beans that have been sitting around too long. Save your favorite coffee for after the pot is fully cleaned.

How to break in your moka pot

The process is extremely simple—just brew coffee as you normally would:

1. Fill the filter basket completely with coffee grounds.

2. Add hot water into the lower chamber.

3. Insert the filter funnel, screw the top and bottom together tightly.

4. Heat the moka pot.

5. Let all the brewed coffee come out.

6. Pour it out and clean the pot.

7. Repeat this two more times.
   (If you’re worried the pot isn’t fully cleaned, a fourth round is fine.)

And that’s it—the moka pot is officially seasoned.

One more important tip: the silicone gasket and metal filter screen inside the top chamber can be removed. Just pry gently with any small tool, and the gasket will come off along with the screen. These parts—and the area under them—also need to be cleaned. Many people forget this step, which causes residue and buildup to accumulate there. Then every brew ends up tasting off or metallic. So when you get a new moka pot, don’t forget to check this area as well.