Walt,
Maybe I should clarify things a little more. I've owned about 3 different designs of "moka pots" like the one in your picture, where the cups sit on a platform. They all look great, but getting good consistent results out of them is tricky at best. The problem, though, is in the design (which is also what makes them look fun). So, rather than turn you completely off this venture, how about using something more along the lines of this:
www.sweetmarias.com/prod.brewers.mokapot.shtml
which is a more modern version of the well known Bialetti:
www.ineedcoffee.com/03/mokaexpress/?page=2
Aluminium aside, the Bialetti style models do work and are present in homes right across Italy and I have used these with success. It's not foolproof, but it is possible to make good strong coffee (though it's
not espresso) as long as you get it off the heat source before it boils!
Hope this makes things a little clearer.
Dom