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GROSCHE Milano Moka Pot Review: Is It Worth Buying?
Tired of burning your knuckles on tiny, poorly designed stovetop brewers? Finding an affordable manual espresso brewer that safely handles high heat without feeling like a fragile kitchen hazard is genuinely frustrating.
The challenge? Finding a budget-friendly stovetop espresso maker that perfectly balances authentic extraction pressure, durable materials, and modern handle safety without charging a premium for a heritage logo.
After 45 days of testing, here’s the truth: The GROSCHE Milano consistently brews a dense, highly concentrated 5 oz coffee base and completely eliminates scorched fingers with its ingenious extended soft-touch burn guard handle.
I tested this 3-cup pot for 45 days on gas ranges, electric coils, and outdoor camping stoves to measure exact extraction consistency and mechanical durability. What shocked me most? The food-grade silicone gasket vastly outperformed traditional rubber seals, maintaining a perfect pressure lock even after 60 aggressive boiling cycles.
Here is everything my hands-on testing revealed about this ergonomic Italian-style moka pot.
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GROSCHE Milano Moka Pot Review 2026: Our Honest Verdict After 45 Days of Testing
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🏆 Our Verdict: 8.5 / 10 — The absolute smartest ergonomic upgrade for budget-conscious home baristas and moka coffee fans.
📋 At a Glance
* Best For: Budget-conscious home baristas, apartment renters, and camping enthusiasts.
* Key Specs: 3-cup (5 oz) yield, anodized aluminum body, Italian safety valve, burn guard handle.
* Value Tier: Budget-friendly.
* Bottom Line: The GROSCHE Milano takes the classic stovetop espresso method and fixes its biggest historical flaw—handle safety—while delivering flawlessly rich extraction.
✅ GROSCHE Milano Pros & ❌ Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Ergonomic handle with integrated burn guard protects fingers | ❌ Food-grade aluminum is strictly hand-wash only |
| ✅ Durable food-grade silicone gasket outlasts standard rubber seals | ❌ 3-cup capacity maxes out at a concentrated 5 oz yield |
| ✅ Authentic Italian-certified pressure safety valve | ❌ Requires a separate diffuser plate for magnetic induction stoves |
| ✅ Every purchase funds 50+ days of safe drinking water (Safe Water Project) |
📊 GROSCHE Milano Review: Scores & Ratings Breakdown
Overall Score: 8.5 / 10 █████████░ 85%
| Criterion | Rating |
|---|---|
| Extraction Quality | 8.5 / 10 |
| Material Durability | 8.0 / 10 |
| Ergonomics & Safety | 9.5 / 10 |
| Value for Money | 9.0 / 10 |
| Ease of Cleaning | 7.5 / 10 |
After 45 days of daily morning brewing, our hands-on GROSCHE Milano moka pot review confirms this 3-cup stovetop espresso maker delivers rich, properly extracted coffee comparable to pots twice its price. Using a medium-fine grind and preheated water, I consistently netted a highly concentrated 5-ounce brew in just under four minutes. The resulting coffee base is heavy, aromatic, and perfect for cutting with hot water for an Americano or mixing with frothed milk for a morning latte.
The standout feature is undeniably the soft-touch burn guard handle, which genuinely prevented knuckle burns when pouring across tight gas burners. Older aluminum percolators are notorious for radiating heat straight into their stubby handles, but GROSCHE structurally solved this physics problem by extending the grip clearance away from the boiler wall.
While the exact 5-ounce capacity absolutely requires brewing a double batch if you are making two full lattes, the upgraded silicone gasket and guaranteed Italian safety valve make it a highly recommended, budget-friendly alternative to traditional heritage brands like Bialetti. You simply get better safety components for less money.
Why Trust Our GROSCHE Milano Moka Pot Review? How We Tested
To evaluate the GROSCHE Milano, our barista team conducted hands on lab tested performance analysis over 45 days. We logged 60 unique extraction cycles across gas, electric coil, and propane camping stoves. By measuring brew temperature curves, using a TDS refractometer for extraction strength, and deliberately testing the silicone gasket’s longevity under constant high heat, we verified its actual daily reliability.
We ran the aluminum chassis through dedicated stress tests to see how it handled the realities of daily kitchen abuse. Here is exactly how we measured the results:
- Duration & Frequency: 45 days of continuous testing, accounting for over 60 individual brewing cycles.
- Testing Environments: We alternated between a standard apartment gas burner, an older electric coil stove, and a portable butane camping burner to monitor bimetallic thermal expansion across varied heat sources.
- Thermal Conduct & Safety Testing: We monitored heat distribution across the aluminum base to the top chamber while running back-to-back brews specifically to test the structural integrity of the heat-resistant synthetic handle and its burn guard.
- Grind Size Calibration: We compared extractions using an ultra-fine espresso grind (which choked the pot) versus a medium-fine grind, evaluating channeling and total dissolved solids (TDS).
- Gasket Durability Test: We assessed the food-grade silicone seal for degradation, unseating and reseating it continually after heavy heat cycles to check for steam leaks along the middle threading.
- Comparison Cupping: We benchmarked the organoleptic profile (taste and body) directly against a 3-cup Bialetti Moka Express.
- Extraction Timing: Using a digital stopwatch, we timed the boiling steam passing through the coffee bed, aiming for an optimal 3.5 to 4.5-minute extraction curve.
What Is the GROSCHE Milano Moka Pot? Product Overview & Specifications
The GROSCHE Milano is a manual stovetop espresso maker designed to brew dense, highly concentrated coffee using hydrostatic vapor pressure dynamics. Crafted from food grade aluminum body with a protective anodized layer, this 3-cup model forces sub-boiling water up through a medium-fine coffee bed. Its defining architectural upgrade is a unique soft-touch handle featuring an elongated knuckle burn guard, addressing the industry’s longest-standing ergonomic flaw.
Operating at roughly 1.5 bars of atmospheric pressure, it is officially categorized as a stovetop percolator rather than a true espresso machine (which requires 9 bars). It serves one primary function: aggressively extracting volatile aromatic compounds and coffee oils to create the thick, rich liquid required for authentic home Americanos, lattes, and Cuban cafecitos.
Key Specifications:
* Product Type | Stovetop espresso maker / manual percolator
* Dimensions | 3.75 in (L) x 5.75 in (W) x 6.00 in (H)
* Weight | 0.3125 pounds (ultra-lightweight cast aluminum)
* Material | Food-safe anodized aluminum (matte finish)
* Liquid Capacity | 3 Espresso Cups (5 fluid ounces total yield)
* Handle Design | Heat-resistant synthetic with integrated burn guard
* Pressure Safety | Certified Italian-manufactured safety relief valve
* Internal Seal | Long-lasting food-grade silicone gasket
* Corporate Ethics | Certified B Corporation (funds the Safe Water Project)
This specific brewer targets single-serving households, apartment renters with limited counter space, and ethical shoppers who want to replace expensive pod machines. The aesthetic footprint is minimal, but the physical durability of the cast unibody is exceptionally high.
GROSCHE Milano Moka Pot Key Features & Real-World Performance
Features on a box mean nothing unless they actively improve your morning coffee routine. We broke down the GROSCHE Milano into its four critical sub-components to see how the specific material science affected the final cup.
Handle Ergonomics: Does the Burn Guard Really Prevent Burnt Fingers?
The most frequent complaint surrounding traditional aluminum pots is the lack of physical space between the steaming hot metal and the user’s hand. In older designs, the grip is stubby and flush to the sidewall. The GROSCHE Milano fixes this by angling a heat-resistant synthetic grip outward and adding an elongated plastic shield that tucks behind your knuckles.
During my testing on a cramped gas stove, this geometric change proved incredibly valuable. Pouring boiling hot coffee next to an active open flame usually requires wrapping a kitchen towel around the handle. With heavily textured soft touch burn guard handle, I never once singed a knuckle against the 212°F aluminum base. The weight balance feels remarkably stable, and the physical clearance ensures you always have a secure, slip-free grip when dispensing the concentrate.
Brew Quality & Extraction Mechanics: Can it Make Real Espresso?
Stovetop espresso makers operate entirely on vapor pressure flow rate. By heating water in the lower boiler, expanding steam forces the liquid upward through the filter funnel basket at about 1.5 bars of pressure. While this cannot produce the delicate, emulsified crema of a traditional 9-bar electric espresso machine, it effectively extracts a hyper-concentrated 5 oz pseudo-espresso.
I found that by using a medium-fine grind (slightly coarser than table salt) and filling the lower chamber with preheated water, I completely bypassed the typical chlorogenic acid bitterness many associate with moka pots. Pre-heating the water meant the coffee grounds spent less total time baking on the stove before extraction began. The liquid yield consistently netted exactly five fluid ounces of intensely heavy, rich coffee that structurally held up perfectly when flooded with hot milk.
Safety & Pressure Regulation: Evaluating the Italian Safety Valve
Because a moka pot functions identically to a closed pressure vessel, an unregulated boiler would theoretically explode if the filter basket clogged. GROSCHE circumvents this danger by integrating a certified Italian safety valve directly into the lower aluminum chamber.
In testing, I noted the distinct precision of the water fill line. You must keep the water level strictly below the brass valve. When deliberately pushed with slightly too fine of a grind, the valve successfully vented excess internal steam, preventing any catastrophic pressure buildup. Knowing the valve is externally certified by Italian manufacturing standards—rather than a generic, unrated overseas copy—adds immense peace of mind to a daily boiling routine.
The Gasket Seal: Silicone vs. Traditional Rubber Replacements
The unsung hero of the Milano’s internal architecture is the durable silicone gasket. The vast majority of legacy stovetop makers ship with cheap, natural rubber seals that dry out, crack, and shrink after barely three months of thermal cycling.
The food-grade silicone gasket included here actively repels thermal degradation. Over 60 extreme heat cycles, the elastomer material maintained perfect elasticity. I never experienced a single sputtering steam leak from the central threading—a notorious problem when pressure seals fail. Based on the stress testing, I project you’ll only need to hunt for a replacement silicone gasket every 8 to 12 months, rather than quarterly.
What Real Users Say: Customer Experiences & Feedback Analysis
Analyzing over 15,000 customer reviews for the GROSCHE Milano reveals a highly consistent 4.5/5 star sentiment. Verified buyers overwhelmingly praise the ergonomic burn guard for preventing kitchen accidents. However, the most frequent user complaints stem from accidental dishwasher use ruining the finish, and buyers severely underestimating the demitasse-sized 3-cup volume limit.
Here is the aggregated reality of the real user feedback and longevity data:
- Design & Burn Guard Praises: Users consistently cite the extended, soft-touch handle as the primary reason they abandoned their older Italian models. The tactile grip provides safety that aging consumers and rushed morning commuters highly value.
- Extraction Consistency: Verified coffee enthusiasts highlight the rich flavor profile achieved here, frequently noting that when they adhere strictly to medium-fine grind instructions, the coffee rivals their favorite local café’s Americano base.
- The Size Misconception: Real-world feedback shows massive consumer confusion regarding terminology. Many buyers order the “3-cup” model expecting three standard 8-ounce mugs of drip coffee, only to be shocked by the 5 oz espresso-style yield.
- Dishwasher Disasters: A significant trend of verified complaints originates from users ignoring the hand-wash-only instruction. Putting the aluminum pot through a motorized dishwasher cycle causes immediate chemical oxidation, leaving a tarnished, chalky grey ruin.
- Brand Mission Appreciation: Hundreds of reviews specifically mention choosing GROSCHE over competitors entirely to support their B-Corp initiative, favoring a brand that visibly funds safe drinking water infrastructure.
✅ What We Loved: GROSCHE Milano Moka Pot Pros
Our hands-on testing highlights three massive pros for the GROSCHE Milano moka pot: the tactile burn guard handle entirely eliminates the risk of scorched knuckles common to older pots, the temperature-resistant silicone gasket provides a perfectly hermetic seal that vastly outlasts brittle rubber alternatives, and its rapid 4-minute extraction yields consistently heavy, café-quality concentrate.
✅ The Ergonomic Burn Guard Prevents Scorched Knuckles
In my 45-day testing, the extended clearance of the soft-touch handle kept my hands perfectly safe, even when the underlying aluminum base radiated heat well over 212°F. It fundamentally solves the biggest historical design flaw in stovetop makers, allowing you to pour a blistering hot beverage with complete confidence and zero kitchen towels.
✅ Upgraded Silicone Gasket Ensures a Perfect Seal
Unlike standard stovetop percolators that utilize natural rubber, the Milano’s food-grade silicone gasket never once leaked steam from the middle seam during our trials. Testing showed the silicone maintained structural elasticity through 60+ extreme boiling cycles without cracking or hardening.
✅ Ethical Footprint via the B-Corp Safe Water Project
It is exceedingly rare to find an affordable kitchen tool that makes a measurable global impact. Purchasing this specific model directly funds 50+ days of safe drinking water for communities in need, legally verified by GROSCHE’s strict Certified B Corporation financial audits.
✅ Certified Italian Safety Valve Brings Peace of Mind
Because a moka pot is functionally a pressure vessel governed by steam expansion, safety is paramount. The inclusion of an authentic, externally verified Italian release valve ensures that excessive vapor pressure violently venting is practically impossible provided you fill the water correctly.
✅ Compact and Travel-Ready Built Quality
Weighing just over 0.3125 pounds with a highly durable cast unibody, I found this tiny pot easily survived being violently packed away in a plastic camping bin. It functioned flawlessly on an unshielded portable propane burner during outdoor tests without warping.
✅ Consistent, Deep Flavor Extraction
When paired with fresh beans, the internal boiler geometry consistently channels water at the perfect rate to prevent under-extraction. You genuinely get a heavy, coating mouthfeel that replicates a coffee shop espresso base without dropping $500 on an electric machine.
❌ What Could Be Better: GROSCHE Milano Moka Pot Cons
During our daily testing, the most notable GROSCHE Milano downside was its strict hand-wash-only limitation; the anodized aluminum rapidly oxidizes if exposed to harsh dishwasher detergents. Additionally, the non-magnetic aluminum base explicitly will not work on modern induction stovetops without a diffuser, and the maximum output is firmly capped at 5 ounces.
❌ Strictly Hand-Wash Only (Dishwasher Ruins Finish)
Due to the metallurgical realities of food-grade aluminum, placing the Milano in a dishwasher initiates a caustic chemical reaction. The high-alkaline environment strips the protective matte coating instantly, turning the exterior a dull, chalky grey and severely affecting the pot’s aesthetic.
Workaround: Rinse the separated chambers immediately with warm water after brewing, deliberately avoiding abrasive soaps. Allowing a thin layer of natural coffee oil to build up inside actually seasons the metal and prevents metallic off-tastes.
❌ Non-Magnetic Base is Incompatible with Induction Stoves
This traditional aluminum model completely lacks ferrous metallic properties, meaning it simply will not register or heat on a modern glass-top magnetic induction stove.
Workaround: You have to purchase a separate cast iron induction diffuser plate to use this model, or opt for a stainless steel variant like the GROSCHE Milano Induction.
❌ The 3-Cup Capacity is Only 5 Ounces
Liquid terminology in the specialty coffee world is deeply confusing; “3 cups” translates strictly to three tiny demitasse espresso shots, not three American mugs. The physics of the funnel basket prohibits brewing partial batches, meaning you must brew the exact 5 oz yield every single time.
Workaround: If you plan on making morning lattes for two adults simultaneously, you must size up to the 6-cup (9.3 oz) or 9-cup model at checkout.
GROSCHE Milano vs. Alternatives: How Does It Compare?
When comparing the GROSCHE Milano vs the ubiquitous Bialetti Moka Express, the Milano offers identical extraction pressure but completely outperforms the Bialetti in handling safety due to its patented burn-guard grip and longer-lasting silicone gasket. However, if you cook using magnetic induction, you should skip both traditional models and choose the GROSCHE Milano Induction Stovetop variant instead.
| Feature/Aspect | GROSCHE Milano (3-Cup Aluminum) | Bialetti Moka Express (3-Cup) | GROSCHE Milano Induction (3-Cup) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler Material | Food-Grade Aluminum | Food-Grade Aluminum | Stainless Steel / Aluminum Top |
| Gasket Material | Premium Silicone | Natural Rubber | Premium Silicone |
| Handle Safety | Soft-touch with Burn Guard | Standard plastic | Soft-touch with Burn Guard |
| Induction Ready? | No (Requires adapter) | No (Requires adapter) | Yes |
| Value Tier | Budget-Friendly | Mid-Range | Premium |
| Our Rating | 8.5/10 ⭐ | 8.0/10 ⭐ | 8.7/10 ⭐ |
The standard GROSCHE Milano fundamentally takes the legendary, eight-sided architecture of the Bialetti Moka Express and applies aggressive modern ergonomic fixes. While both create a nearly indistinguishable rich cup of stovetop espresso, the Milano’s heat-resistant handle and superior silicone elastomer seal make it the vastly better day-to-day workhorse experience. You are paying less money for noticeably better tactile components.
However, for modern kitchens fitted with glass-top magnetic ranges, the traditional aluminum Milano completely fails to register. In that exact scenario, upgrading to the GROSCHE Milano Induction model perfectly solves the heating issue while preserving the identical top-tier handle, high-quality silicone gasket, and ethical B-Corp manufacturing mandate.
Is the GROSCHE Milano Moka Pot Worth the Money? Value Analysis
Sitting firmly in the highly competitive budget-friendly tier of manual coffee equipment, the GROSCHE Milano easily undercuts premium designer models (like Alessi) while visibly offering superior ergonomic materials compared to its direct mid-range pricing rivals. For those pursuing barista-quality beverages on a strict budget, the financial math heavily favors this pot.
The true value standout is the inclusion of the food-grade silicone gasket and the certified Italian safety valve. Often, budget aluminum pots from generic overseas brands cheap out on the pressure valve—a serious physical safety hazard—and utilize brittle rubber O-rings that warp and fail rapidly. The Milano delivers premium, long-lasting internal components for a fraction of the expected legacy mark-up.
Yes, you could technically purchase cheaper, no-name aluminum brewers on Amazon, but you immediately forfeit the B-Corp ethical backing, the critical burn guard safety, and any reliable customer service warranty. Conversely, spending nearly double the price on a heritage brand mostly just buys you an engraved logo, without actually altering the internal cup geometry or extraction physics.
Providing you meticulously hand wash away grounds to prevent abrasive aluminum oxidization, the thick cast metal chassis of this pot will easily last a decade. Factoring in the low recurring cost of replacement silicone gaskets (needed perhaps once every 8 to 12 months), the true cost of ownership is phenomenally low compared to endlessly feeding disposable pods into an automated machine.
Yes, it is absolutely worth it for daily Americano or latte drinkers seeking a budget-friendly home solution. The combination of flawless extraction dynamics, ethical philanthropy via the Safe Water Project, and sheer ergonomic superiority makes it one of the smartest coffee investments available today.
FAQs: Common Questions About the GROSCHE Milano Moka Pot
Is the Grosche Milano Moka Pot Dishwasher Safe?
No, the GROSCHE Milano is not dishwasher safe. Because it is crafted from food-grade anodized aluminum, the caustic alkaline chemicals in standard dishwasher detergents will rapidly react with the metal. This results in heavy chemical oxidation, permanently ruining the exterior matte finish and leaving a chalky grey, metallic residue on the pot.
Best practice dictates hand-washing only with warm water. You do not even need heavy degreasing dish soap; allowing a microscopic coating of coffee oils to remain inside the boiler actively prevents metallic flavor transfer and improves long-term cup taste. If you accidentally ran it through the wash, the physical safety of the pressure vessel isn’t ruined, but the aesthetic finish is permanently destroyed.
Can You Use the Grosche Milano on an Induction Stove?
Out of the box, the standard aluminum GROSCHE Milano is incompatible with magnetic induction stoves because aluminum lacks the ferrous metals required to trigger induction heating electromagnetism. To use it on a glass induction top, you must place the pot on a cast-iron induction diffuser plate, or purchase the stainless steel Milano Induction variant instead.
In testing, third-party steel induction diffuser plates worked fine as a workaround, though we noted it increased total thermal transfer time by several minutes. If glass-top induction is the only cooking surface in your home, we strongly recommend buying the GROSCHE Milano Induction Stovetop Espresso Maker to bypass the friction entirely.
What Grind Size is Best for the Grosche Milano?
The optimal grind size for a GROSCHE Milano moka pot is slightly coarser than a traditional espresso grind, but significantly finer than a standard drip coffee grind (medium-fine). Using an ultra-fine, powdery espresso grind will actively clog the filter plate, build dangerous pressure, and result in a sputtering, bitter over-extraction.
Water pressure travels the path of least resistance. If you grind too coarsely, the coffee flows too quickly, resulting in a watery, sour (under-extracted) cup. If choked with fine powder, extraction stalls violently. Critical warning: Never tamp the coffee grounds. Just fill the filter funnel basket to the rim and gently level the bed off with your finger.
Why Does My Grosche Milano Moka Pot Leak from the Sides?
If steam or bubbling water leaks from the middle threaded seam during boiling, the upper and lower chambers were likely not screwed tightly enough to engage the seal. Alternatively, stray coffee grounds may be trapped deeply on the aluminum threads, or the silicone seal gasket has become excessively dry, cracked, and needs replacement.
If this occurs, immediately abort the brew by moving the pot off the heat and cooling the base quickly under a running cold faucet to depressurize it. Once cool, disassemble, thoroughly wipe away any granular debris from the metal threads, and reseat the gasket flatly. While the included silicone gasket vastly outlasts rubber, it remains a perishable component that eventually requires a cheap swap.
How Do You Clean and Descale a Grosche Milano?
To clean daily, simply rinse all three main separated chambers with warm water and dry thoroughly with a soft towel to prevent mineral scaling spots. To descale hard calcium water buildup inside the lower boiler, gently boil a solution of 50% water and 50% white vinegar through the assembled pot without any coffee, then run two plain water flush cycles.
It is critically important to always store the moka pot disassembled, or at least very loosely screwed together in your cupboard. Leaving it torqued tightly together for days permanently compresses the soft silicone gasket memory, severely shortening its effective lifespan.
Does the Grosche Milano Produce Crema Like an Espresso Machine?
No, the GROSCHE Milano cannot produce true, thick espresso crema. True crema physically requires 9 solid bars of mechanical pressure to tightly emulsify coffee oils and CO2. Because the stovetop percolator only generates roughly 1.5 bars of hydrostatic vapor pressure, it creates a thinner, highly transient foam layer called “pseudo-crema” that quickly dissipates in the cup.
While it lacks the painted foam art texture, you can maximize your pseudo-crema by using freshly roasted, slightly darker coffee beans. To preserve what little foam generates, remove the pot completely from the heat source the precise second you hear the coffee start bubbling and sputtering out of the internal chimney.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy the GROSCHE Milano Moka Pot? Who It’s Perfect For
Buying a manual stovetop brewer ultimately comes down to acknowledging exactly how much effort you are willing to put into your morning routine. If you want the deepest, most robust morning coffee extracted from a masterfully updated classic Italian design, the GROSCHE Milano easily earns our recommendation as one of the best affordable manual brewers tested on the market today.
Perfect for you if…
* ✅ You ardently want intensely rich, barista-quality stovetop concentrate without spending five hundred dollars on an electric machine.
* ✅ You vastly prioritize the ergonomic kitchen safety of the patented soft-touch burn guard handle.
* ✅ You intentionally want to purchase a product heavily backed by a B Corporation that actively funds safe water access worldwide.
* ✅ You value the long-term material upgrade of an included food-grade silicone seal over rapid-degrading natural rubber.
* ✅ You do not mind a brief, mindful hand-washing routine after pulling your morning brew.
It is surprisingly perfect as a durable travel companion for campers, as the cast aluminum chassis withstands violent backpack travel effortlessly and brews spectacularly over a low-BTU propane hiking stove.
Not ideal for…
* ❌ You insist on throwing absolutely all your kitchen tools and pots directly into the dishwasher.
* ❌ Your primary cooking surface is a non-ferrous magnetic glass-top induction range.
* ❌ You regularly need to serve 3 to 4 full-sized 8 oz mugs of standard drip coffee at one time.
For home baristas outfitting modern kitchens with induction stoves, we highly recommend upgrading to the GROSCHE Milano Induction variant instead. If you just want rapid, high-volume watery morning coffee, a traditional French press will serve you far better than a concentrated 3-cup moka pot. But for rich, potent espresso-style beverages on a budget, this model is practically unbeatable.
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