The Cuccumella: How to Brew in a Neapolitan Flip Coffee Pot

ByBeppe Castro

If you are looking for a traditional way to brew coffee from Naples, Italy, you need to check out a Cuccumella, the loved Neapolitan Flip Coffee Pot.

Neapolitan Flip Coffee Pot - All the pieces

Before the invention of the extremely popular moka pot, there was the Cuccumella. This is the traditional coffee maker that, although less well known outside of southern Italy, remains in the hearts of Neapolitans and all lovers of good home-made coffee. 

If you own a Cuccumella and want to find out how best to use it, or if you are looking for an authentic, and old school way to brew some coffee from Naples, you can read our guide and become an expert!

A Brief History Of The Neapolitan Flip Coffee Pot

The origin of the name is Latin, from cucuma, meaning pot, but its invention is surprisingly from France, in 1819. Despite its creation outside of Italy, the Cuccumella has found its maximum popularity in Italy, and in particular in Naples. It has become a true symbol of the city and region and that’s why it’s also known as the Neapolitan coffee maker!

Neapolitan Flip Coffee Pot - Morning Brew

First Impressions Of The Flip Pot

Normally, I would be describing the unboxing of your coffee maker, and while it is still possible to buy a brand new one, they are getting harder and harder to find. Let’s assume that you still want to buy one, so you’ll probably be looking on eBay or Amazon for a used one.

Once you find one, here are a few things that you will probably notice:

  • The knobs and handles are made of plastic, instead of a heat-proof material like on a moka.
  • All the metal pieces are made of thin aluminum.
  • There are more pieces than with a traditional moka.
  • Apart from breakage, there isn’t anything that will wear out. 

The complexity of this Cuccumella isn’t too overwhelming, but there are a few extra parts that you will want to become familiar with.

Neapolitan Flip Coffee Pot - Many Parts

Features And Specifications

There are a few more parts to a Cuccumella that you will need to be aware of and all are needed, including the lid. The other important characteristic with these coffee makers is that they are not brewing under pressure, like with a moka. This coffee is more aligned with a percolator or a drip coffee maker. 

The parts of this coffee maker break down this way:

  • The Serving Lid – mostly decorative, but can be used to indicate the coffee has been flipped and ready to drink.
  • The Filter Unit – This is in two parts, the filter cap and the coffee chamber. This holds the coffee secure during the percolating process (before the flip) and the dripping phase (after the flip)
  • The Boiling Chamber – This is the half without the spout (only a handle) that is first on the heat to bring the water to a boil.
  • The Serving Chamber – This is the half with the spout. Following the flip, this is on the bottom and ready for pouring.
Neapolitan Flip Coffee Pot - Filter Unit

Performance And Coffee Quality

This brewing method is fairly quick. With the thin aluminum, this water is heated quickly and is ready in a few minutes following the flip. There is no crema created with this brewing method, so unfortunately you will miss out on that creaminess.

Regarding the taste, this is where the strong, more bitter roasts from southern Italy are really needed. This brewing method, similar to percolating and drip coffee, does not brew a strong, bitter version of the coffee. This is smoother, and a little weaker. This isn’t my favorite, but I can understand why some people prefer it.

Neapolitan Flip Coffee Pot - Holiday Gifts

The consistency is totally driven by the beans and the grind that you choose. The strong or smoother coffee roasts will result in very different cups, and the grind variations will allow for different levels of extraction. My recommendation is to select a larger grind, like for a drip coffee maker, so that you don’t get a cup full of grounds.  

Brewing Process And User Experience

Here are the steps for making coffee with the Napoletana flip coffee maker:

  • There is an upper and lower part of this coffee maker, one part with the spout and the other with only a handle. To open the coffee maker, lift the spouted half upward while holding the other part steady.
  • Remove the filter unit, which is the filter cap and the coffee chamber. Unscrew the filter cap and fill the coffee chamber with ground coffee. Screw the unit back together.
  • Fill the water chamber with water up to approximately 1/8 inch from the hole and reinsert the filter unit ensuring that the notch on it aligns with the small hole.
  • Reconnect by inserting the part with the spout.
  • Place the coffee maker on the stove, but make sure the handle isn’t being directly heated.
  • Once it reaches boiling point, steam will come out of the small hole. Remove the coffee maker from the heat and flip it while holding firmly onto both handles.
  • Wait for 3 minutes to allow the water from the chamber to percolate through the coffee grounds, allowing the coffee to be extracted.
  • Serve by repositioning the lid!

There will likely be a little bit of spilling from the hole when you flip it, so you might want to consider having a small towel handy for quick cleanup. I’ve never been able to avoid this spillage, so if you have any suggestions, I’m all ears!

Neapolitan Flip Coffee Pot - The Hole
The Hole

Pros And Cons

This is a pretty simple machine and the pros and cons really come down to personal preference and what you want out of it. Mine are:

  • Pros: This is an inexpensive coffee maker that is easy to clean and brews a nice cup of coffee quickly. The historical nature of it is fun and it gives you another way to enjoy coffee.
  • Cons: The brewing method creates a weaker version of the same coffee. The required “Hole” in the pot seems to always lead to spillage.

Price And Value For The Money

The basic models are fairly inexpensive, with the current all aluminum model selling for €38. There are higher quality models selling for closer to €90. Given the durability of this coffee maker, it sure seems like a great deal.

There are no ongoing costs, unless you break off the handle or knob. If it does somehow get broken, I would recommend just replacing the entire unit, instead of trying to replace a single part. 

Neapolitan Flip Coffee Pot - Long Lasting

Final Judgement: Should You Buy It?

The answer to if you should buy one really comes down to why you want one. If you are looking for an everyday coffee maker, then I would say: No. For me, a Moka brews a better cup of stovetop espresso, which is why they are so popular worldwide.

If, however, coffee is a fun pastime for you and being able to play with different brewing methods is how you’d like to spend your mornings, then I would say: Yes! If you are like me, you will probably haul this out when friends are over to show off this toy, but for the rest of the mornings, it will sit in the cupboard next to the Corningware Percolator and French Press coffee makers.

Neapolitan Flip Coffee Pot - Ready To Go, but dusty

More Italian Coffee Makers

If you found this review of the Neapolitan flip coffee maker, known as a Cuccumella, useful and/or informational, please check out some of these other coffee maker articles that I think you will also enjoy:

Neapolitan Flip Coffee Pot - Top and Bottom

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