Coffee Appreciation

Don't pack the coffee down, just level off the top.
Use hot water rather than heating from cold on the stove.

My way of doing it: here or here

Any good guides/tips to do a good espresso using Moka Express?

Accept that these devices do not make espresso.

If you want espresso go use a proper espresso machine with proper grinder etc etc.

What these things do, and do really well, is make a cup of "strong coffee".

My recipe for success after using those things for ages is pretty much

• use good beans and grind freshly, not too fine, bit finer than for filter coffee
  
• use good / fresh water. I pre-boil it in a kettle. I also pre-heat the stove if using electric
  (with gas it of course doesn't matter)
  
• I archieve best results if the whole process (from screwing the thing together to coffee
  coming out the top) is as short as possible
  
• pour out the coffee as soon as you hear any spitting sounds (!) -
  as this means by now there isn't water going through your coffee but steam,
  which will over-extract your coffee, making it bitter.
  Do not let it fucking sit there on the stove for five minutes.