There is a dirty little secret that many of these appliance companies don''t want you to know. Manual drip coffee from a simple cone device makes the best coffee. Here''s why. You need to have two tablespoons of coffee for every cup. The water must be just below the boiling point when it hits the grounds. Water which is poured in one little stream on top of dry grounds will cause a funnel effect an most of the grounds won''t immersed effectively.
The fancy auto-drip coffee makers don''t heat the grounds effectively and don''t cover them with water properly in the brewing process. If most people really looked at the back of their coffee maker and looked at where the water is kept in reserve, they would call a Haz-Mat team to clean it up.
Why get this instead of a cheap plastic cone, the filter paper is thicker with the Chemex, retains more bitter oils and the thick glass of the Chemex will keep the coffee warm enough for a second cup (I would suggest getting the glass lid for it also.
Note: I got the 8 cup version
I''ve been through a lot of coffee makers, and hated them all till now.
My biggest issue has always been cleanup! I''d leave coffee-grounds in, be too lazy to clean it up later, get mold growing in the coffee maker''s reservoir, and on and on.
The Chemex solves all these problems AND makes a stunning cup of coffee. Making the coffee takes a bit longer, as you basically have to spend about 5 minutes or so watching and pouring... however, it''s fun to do! I actually look forward to the task. You find yourself making fine adjustments to your coffee making methods every day, just to see the differences you can make.
Cleanup is where you make up for the 5 minutes of pour time... Takes about 15 seconds... Drop the filter in the garbage, rinse the chemex out, put it back on the shelf. If you use hot water to rinse, it dries instantly... No small parts, no reservoirs that remain damp 24/7 collecting fungus, no series of tubes and tunnels that can never be cleaned. And the coffee is as perfect as you make it.
I''ll never use another coffee maker.
Note, I also purchased the lid and stove grid. Helps a lot... I brew 8 cups of coffee in the morning, put it on the stove with the mesh, turn my range to low-medium, and put the lid on. Keeps my 8 cups hot and fresh all day.
Update: Well, I''ve had this coffee maker for about 8 months now, and I''m still loving it.
Update: Well, I''ve had this coffee maker for over 3 years now, and I''m STILL loving it. Works as well as it did the day I got it.
Buy Chemex Drip Coffee Carafe - 6 Cup Now
I could never figure out why the coffee I made at home didn''t taste as good as the coffee I bought at Starbucks and other gourmet makers even though I buy high quality beans and grind them myself. The answer, apparently, is that drip home brewers just don''t brew at the right temperature. A chemex brewer is a "back to basics" system of making coffee where you pour boiling hot water directly over the grounds. You control the temperature and the special filters remove any bitterness from coffee. This is an inexpensive way to make great coffee at home. The only inconvenience is that you have to boil the water yourself in a kettle and you have to pour water into the chemex 2-3 times to make a full pot, so you can''t just walk away while it''s brewing. Also, the chemex doesn''t keep the coffee warm, so I find myself putting second and third cups into the microwave. Nevertheless, the taste of the coffee is so outstanding that I can''t bear to go back to my Mr. Coffee machine.
Read Best Reviews of Chemex Drip Coffee Carafe - 6 Cup Here
It is a very pretty maker, and coffee is made under perfect conditions. The price is good through Amazon, just make sure you use suggested filters, the other DO NOT work... (learned from experience).
If premium coffee is your "thing" and pretty is a bonus, this maker is the answer
Want Chemex Drip Coffee Carafe - 6 Cup Discount?
Some information for those considering the Chemex, the Bodum French Press, and the Aeropress...
I used the Bodum French Press twice a day for years. It makes a good, strong cup of coffee. But there are some negatives to consider.
With only a filter screen, the Bodum lets a lot of solids through. Many argue that this contributes to the complexities of the taste. The downside is that you get an unavoidable layer of sludge at the bottom of your cup. A Bodum cup of coffee also starts to go bitter pretty quickly (from what I understand, this is also related to the presence of the solids). Unlike a Chemex cup of coffee (see below), a sip of a cool cup of Bodum coffee an hour after brewing will be quite bitter.
The Bodum is a real pain to clean up. I found that the grounds had to go down the sink (difficult to get them into the garbage). The filter has three different components. Ideally, it should be disassembled and washed daily, but that''s unrealistic. I usually just rinsed the assembled filter every day and then ran the disassembled components through the dishwasher a couple of times a week. But that means that you''re using a "not totally clean" filter for a good part of the week.
For some reason, I eventually began to tire of the Bodum taste and explored other options. I first tried out Aerobie''s Aeropress. It makes a great espresso-like cup of coffee, but the volume of coffee brewed relative to the amount of grounds is a bit crazy, even when you dilute it with water to make an Americano. I just felt like I was wasting huge amounts of expensive coffee.
I purchased a Chemex several months ago, and have been thrilled with it. It makes a delicious, balanced cup of coffee--perhaps not quite as hard-hitting as the Bodum, but not wimpy either. It contains no solids, so stays fresh for hours (or even days if kept in the fridge for iced coffee). Cleanup couldn''t be more simple--throw out the filter, rinse out the glass, and you''re done. Night and day versus the Bodum. The only negative with the Chemex is that it uses large, thick filters--not great for the environment.
I also find that the Chemex is a bit of a Zen coffeemaking experience. You have to slow down and live in the moment to brew. This is not the solution for you if you''re rushing out the door every morning. Its simple design is also quite a beautiful.
Happy brewing!
EDIT (seven months later): still very happy with the quality of the Chemex and the coffee. To illustrate how much easier cleanup is with the Chemex (vs. the Bodum)--I have never once had to wash the Chemex! I always rinse it out immediately after use, and it stays perfectly clean. Granted, I should probably wash it twice a year. But try that with the Bodum.
Save 8% Off
