Cleaning a stovetop espresso maker (moka pot) before first use

Question

How should a Moka pot be cleaned before first use and does this depend on what it's made of (aluminium or stainless steel)?

Like with most Moka-related things, I'm finding a lot of different information:

• Use only warm water (source)
• Use soapy water (source, only applies to stainless steel Venus, another source specifically says not to do this on aluminium)
• Use water with a tablespoon of salt (source)
• Use water with vinegar or baking soda (source)

After this first clean, most sources seem to agree it's good to make a few batches of coffee and throw them away. But I'm curious what I should do prior to this and if there's any point to using vinegar / salt / baking soda?

Answer 1

Check for metal shavings, grind the bottom flat (if needed). Remove the filter and sealing in the top part to check there as well. Mild soap can be used to remove leftover oils from machining (if present).

For Aluminium moka pots, don't use anything abrasive or even midly aggressive (acidic or alkaline) as it will attack the aluminium, instead use coffe to let a protective oil film build up. Some cloth or paper towels can be used to reduce the "patina" from time to time. Immediatly rinsing with water after use (the top part) will keep coffee from drying and sticking and also keep the oil film intact.

The stainless variants are pretty much immune to wear, except the sealing. However, the filter (in the top part) might also be made from aluminum.