Chemex Glass Handle
The Chemex Glass Handle Series: the classic Chemex with a glass handle instead of the wooden collar. Sizes, how it brews, care, and Glass Handle vs Classic.
Contents
What is the Chemex Glass Handle?
The Chemex Glass Handle Series is the Chemex pour-over with a glass handle in place of the wooden collar and leather tie. It's made from the same borosilicate glass and brews exactly the same way; Chemex says the difference is purely in the look. It comes in 3, 6, 8 and 10-cup sizes and uses the same Chemex bonded filters.
At a glance
- Ratio
- 1:17
- 45 g : 750 g
- Grind
- Medium-coarse
- Water
- 93 °C
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Origin
- United States
Method
Fold the filter
Fold a Chemex filter into a cone and seat it with the three-layer side against the pouring spout.
Rinse and warm
Rinse the filter with hot water, then pour that water out through the spout.
Add the coffee
Add 45 g of coffee, ground medium-coarse, and shake it level.
Bloom30 s
Pour 100 g of water at about 93°C (200°F) to wet all the grounds and wait 30 seconds.
Pour in stages
Pour in slow circles to 200 g, then add more every 30 seconds, or as the level drops about a centimetre, until you reach 750 g.
Serve
Lift out the filter, swirl and pour, holding the Chemex by its glass handle.
The Chemex Glass Handle is the Chemex pour-over with a glass handle in place of the wooden collar and leather tie. It’s made from the same borosilicate glass, takes the same thick Chemex bonded filters and brews in exactly the same way. Chemex says the difference is purely in the look. Here’s what changes, which size to get and how to look after it.
The short version
- The Chemex with a glass handle instead of the wooden collar.
- Brews the same as the Classic: same shape, same glass, same filters.
- Comes in 3, 6, 8 and 10-cup sizes (Chemex counts in 5 oz cups).
- No wooden collar to take off when you wash it.
How is it different from the Classic Chemex?
| Glass Handle | Classic | |
|---|---|---|
| How you hold it | A glass handle | A wooden collar with a leather tie |
| Glass | Borosilicate | Borosilicate |
| Filters | Chemex bonded filters | The same |
| Brewing | Pour-over into its own body | The same |
| Sizes | 3, 6, 8, 10-cup | 3, 6, 8, 10-cup |
Chemex says the handle is an aesthetic difference and doesn’t change how the coffeemaker works. Some people simply find a handle easier to grip than a collar.
What sizes does it come in?
| Size | Model | Holds |
|---|---|---|
| 3-cup | CM-1GH | 15 oz |
| 6-cup | CM-6GH | 30 oz |
| 8-cup | CM-8GH | 40 oz |
| 10-cup | CM-10GH | 50 oz |
Chemex counts in 5 oz cups. Some 6-cup Glass Handle models come with decorative handles, such as gold or twisted glass; they brew the same.
What filters does it use?
The same Chemex bonded paper filters as the Classic, folded with the three-layer side against the spout. Pre-folded square filters don’t fit the 3-cup models, so check the filter box for your size.
How do you brew with the Glass Handle?
Exactly as with any Chemex. This is Counter Culture Coffee’s recipe, the same one on our main Chemex guide:
- Fold and seat the filter, three-layer side to the spout, and rinse it.
- Add 45 g of coffee, ground medium-coarse.
- Bloom with 100 g of water at about 93°C and wait 30 seconds.
- Pour in stages to 750 g, adding more every 30 seconds or as the level drops.
- Lift out the filter, swirl and pour by the handle.
750 g fits in the 6-cup and larger. For the 3-cup, scale the recipe down: keep to about 1 g of coffee for every 17 g of water.
How do you clean it?
Throw away the filter and grounds, then rinse or wash the glass. With no wooden collar, there’s nothing to take off first. Chemex’s support page says its glass coffeemakers can go in the dishwasher, as long as the carafe is held securely and can’t knock against other dishes. Washing by hand with a bottle brush is the gentlest option.
General guidance only. It’s glass, so handle it carefully when hot and follow the instructions that come with yours.
Should I buy the Glass Handle or the Classic?
- Buy the Glass Handle if you’d rather hold a handle, or want a Chemex with no collar to remove when you wash it.
- Buy the Classic if you like the wooden collar and leather tie of the original design.
- Buy the Handblown if you want a mouth-blown version of the original shape.
Glass Handle vs other brewers
- Chemex Classic: the same brewer with the wooden collar.
- Chemex Handblown: made by hand in small batches.
- V60: a single-cup pour-over with a finer grind.
- French press: a heavier, fuller cup.
Explore every pour-over in the pour-over chapter.
What you’ll need
Words in this guide
- Pour-over
- Pour-over is a way of making filter coffee by hand: you pour hot water over ground coffee in a filter cone and let it drip through into a cup or jug.
- Body
- Body is how heavy and textured coffee feels in your mouth, from light and tea-like to thick and syrupy.
- Bloom
- The bloom is the first small pour of water in a brew, usually 2–3 times the weight of the coffee, followed by a 30–45 second pause.
Questions & answers
What's the difference between the Chemex Glass Handle and the Classic?
The Classic has a wooden collar tied on with a leather thong. The Glass Handle Series has a glass handle instead. Chemex says the difference is purely in the look and doesn't change how the coffeemaker works.
What sizes does the Chemex Glass Handle come in?
3-cup, 6-cup, 8-cup and 10-cup, model numbers CM-1GH, CM-6GH, CM-8GH and CM-10GH. Chemex counts in 5 oz cups, so the 8-cup holds 40 oz.
What filters does the Chemex Glass Handle use?
The same Chemex bonded paper filters as the Classic in the same size. Pre-folded square filters don't fit the 3-cup models, so check the filter box for your size.
Can the Chemex Glass Handle go in the dishwasher?
Chemex's support page says its glass coffeemakers can go in the dishwasher, as long as the carafe is held securely and can't knock against other dishes. Washing by hand is the gentlest option.
What is the Chemex Glass Handle made of?
Borosilicate glass, the same as the Classic. Chemex says it has used the same type of glass since 1941.
Sources
- Glass Handle Series info and support. Chemex Corporation
- Glass Handle Series. Chemex Corporation
- CHEMEX 8-cup Glass Handle pour-over coffeemaker. Chemex Corporation
- Quick + easy Chemex. Counter Culture Coffee
- Chemex Glass Handle Series coffeemaker. Seattle Coffee Gear
- Chemex FS-100 filters. Ozone Coffee
General guidance only. Not medical, food-safety or professional advice. Always follow your equipment's own instructions.