Vacuum & Siphon
Vacuum brewers, also called siphons, use heat to push water from a lower chamber into an upper chamber of coffee, then a vacuum as the lower chamber cools to pull the brewed coffee back down through a filter. It is theatrical, precise and produces a very clean, aromatic cup.
How does a siphon coffee maker work?
A siphon (vacuum) coffee maker heats water in a lower chamber until vapour pressure pushes it into an upper chamber holding the coffee. After about 1–2 minutes of steeping, the heat is removed and the cooling lower chamber creates a vacuum that pulls the coffee down through a filter.
Entries in this chapter
- No. 064Belgian Balance SiphonA Belgian balance siphon sits a metal water kettle and a glass coffee vessel side by side, joined by a tube.
- No. 065Cona Vacuum BrewerA Cona is an all-glass vacuum brewer with a glass rod filter.
- No. 066Napier Vacuum MachineA Napier machine brews coffee in an open jar with boiling water, next to a sealed glass or silver globe holding a little water.
- No. 168Silex Vacuum Coffee MakerThe Silex is a glass vacuum coffee maker, introduced in the United States in 1915.
- No. 063Siphon CoffeeA siphon, or vacuum pot, has two glass chambers.