Product Description
Known as a pristine coffeemaker, Chemex employs all of the chemically correct methods for brewing. Its hourglass shaped flask is made entirely of glass, a chemically inert material that does not absorb odors or chemical residues. The Chemex
has no moving parts and will work forever, unless it is dropped or in
some other way demolished. Chemex filters
are made of the highest quality filter paper.
Please note: All of the coffeemakers are measured
using 5 oz. as 1 cup.Includes a polished wood collar with leather
tie. 40 Ounces.
Height: 9" Diameter: 5"
Product Details
* Amazon Sales Rank: #1612 in Kitchen & Housewares
* Brand: Chemex
* Model: 18712
* Dimensions: 9.00" h x 5.25" w x .0" l, 3.00 pounds
Features
* Selected by the Illinois Institute of Technology as one of the 100 best designed products of modern times
* With the Chemex® method, you can make coffee as strong as you like without bitterness.
* NOTE: Prefolded Chemex filter squares (item #: CPFS ) are required for operation all Chemex coffee makers.
* 8 Cup (40 ounce) coffeemaker; wood collar with tie
* Height: 9" Diameter: 5 ¼"
Customer Reviews
My favorite appliance...4
Using a Chemex requires water to be heated in a tea kettle prior to brewing, and it requires a finer ground than what auto-drip machines ask for. After the water is brought to a boil, it's important to wait for it to cool just slightly (about 30 seconds) and then you need to wet the grounds in the filter, wait for them to drain, and then fill the pot with water. Want more than a single cup of coffee? You wait for your first pour to brew, and then fill the filter again.
Some advantages over other forms of coffee brewing:
1. Taste: I don't know how it does it, but the filter does keep your coffee from being bitter.
2. Cleanability: Users can keep all necessary components clean (anyone who's brewed water and vinegar through their coffee maker to kill off a bitter taste that wasn't there when you bought it understands this plight). Oftentimes, the most aggressive criticism of the Chemex is its ponderousness to clean because it's not possible to get your hand into the reservoir. Some people prefer to add hot water and soap and give it a good rinse, which is fine if you clean the moment you empty the pot, but if you're like me and you let the remaining sip or two sit until a nice coffee stain is on the glass, then you need some good 'ol fashion friction to get it clean. The best thing I've found: a baby bottle cleaner. It's narrow enough to get into the reservoir and the angle can be adjusted to scrap the walls, too. Brilliant!
3. Electricity Free: As long as you can boil water, you can have coffee.
4. Mud/Sludge: French press and stove-top espresso-style brewing always leaves a thick slime at the bottom of an otherwise rich cup of coffee. Don't get me wrong: I think that's good (I use a French Press when I'm in the mood), but the cone on a Chemex doesn't allow that at all.
5. Style/Size: the Chemex coffee pot is a relic (designed in the 40s) and the wood cuff with rawhide tie screams simplicity and elegance and it's a wonderful, minimalist sight on any kitchen counter (and unlike electric coffee makers, easy to move if you need the space).
Some drawbacks any purchaser should consider:
1. Time: it does take 5 - 10 minutes of labor to get the morning cup of coffee.
2. Cones: you can't run over to Wal-Mart when you use the last filter; you need to find a specialty store or go online, which means you need to plan ahead.
3. Cold Coffee: no electric hot plate (thank god) means coffee not poured and consumed immediately gets cold quickly. You can buy a wire guard and a glass lid so your Chemex can be warmed on the stovetop. I think that's more labor added to an already laborious endeavor. Just have a warmed thermos ready and use that to store any unused coffee.
4. Learning Curve: It does take some time to get the grind right, the amount right and the water level right to find a cup which caters to your tongue.
5. Cleanability: I know this is in the advantages column, as well, but it's worth mentioning that a lot of people hate cleaning these things. To submerge it does mean pulling off the wood cuff (which is a small pain) else it will get nasty over time.
Best Coffee Maker5
Simple. Elegant. and produces (almost) the best cup of coffee (second only to a Hario Syphon). The labor is negligible if you consider the benefits.
Since the filter is cone shaped, it eliminates sludge and provides a consistent filtration. I have used a Chemex since 1989 - yes, I have cracked a few, but some vendors have the hand-blown version which is a sturdier glass.
Great Coffee, Great Design, Fun and Easy to Use5
The Chemex coffee maker adds personality to a kitchen and to the morning coffee ritual. It is an example of minimalist functional design. The glass is chemically neutral and clean. The wood enables hands to pour when the glass is hot. The string enables the wood to come loose for the dishwasher. Every detail has a function for which it is ideally suited.
I like to use two standard cone filters instead of Chemex filters. I put one inside the other and wet them. The result is strong enough to support the coffee and water, provides a fine filter for clean coffee, and slows the passage of water for longer extraction time. This works wonderfully, with only the occasional messy disaster.
The resulting coffee is as dark or light as you choose to make, but weirdly clean and sediment free.
The process itself is calming, and clean-up is a cinch.
Update after 1 year--
Some downsides - a) the glass is thin - mine has lasted over a year with occasional use. My friend's split in half due to a sudden temperature change in the sink. b) the wood and leather are organic and suffer the fate of organic things.
