Designer Matteo Frontini has reimagined the classic Moka coffee pot with the Turbo Moka, a redesigned version that he claims brews coffee twice as fast as traditional models. The update introduces a helical spiral base inspired by jet engines, which significantly reduces brewing time.
The Turbo Moka aims to modernize the everyday ritual of coffee-making while honoring the iconic stovetop espresso maker originally created in 1933 by Alfonso Bialetti and Luigi De Ponti. Frontini developed the first prototype in 2024, approaching the familiar design through a contemporary lens.
The pot’s distinctive spiral base increases surface area by 93 per cent, allowing for greater contact with the flame compared to a conventional Moka pot. As a result, Frontini says the Turbo Moka can brew coffee in half the time while using up to 30 per cent less energy or gas.
“We didn’t want a revolution, but an evolution,” Frontini said. “With Turbo Moka, we celebrate a nearly century-old tradition, reinterpreting it through a multidisciplinary approach that combines design, physics, and environmental awareness.”
Inspired by aircraft turbines, the spiral-shaped water chamber was engineered using principles of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics. While the boiler section departs from the traditional Moka form, the upper body, funnel, and filter maintain the recognizable structure of the original design.
The Turbo Moka is entirely made in Italy using a traditional lost-wax casting process, in which molten aluminium is poured into individual wax moulds. It debuted at this year’s Salone del Mobile design fair and is currently available in a three-cup version, with one- and six-cup models planned for release.
The original Moka pot features an octagonal base that heats water to generate steam pressure, forcing it through ground coffee to produce a richer brew than drip methods. Over the years, Italian design brand Alessi—led by Alberto Alessi, grandson of Alfonso Bialetti—has produced several reinterpretations of the classic, including designs by Richard Sapper, David Chipperfield, and Michele De Lucchi.
Photography is courtesy of Matteo Frontini.