Lukewarm water in the container under the valve, (you buy ground espresso for a briki) you put it on low heat with the lid open, as soon as the coffee comes out you remove it. On the negative side, and that's why minus 1 star even though I knew it because I have worked in a café, it doesn't produce crema and when you shake it for Freddo espresso don't expect much foam because it's not an espresso machine to have strong bars. Other than that, both the briki and the coffee satisfy me, and it's good quality stainless steel