New Hario NXA-5

[Al]

I was looking another metal filter option for my Syphons and I happened upon the new Hario NXA-5

A newly-shaped syphon for specialty coffee
Enjoy the deliciousness of syphon coffee with a metal filter
A new coffee syphon with a slip-resistant, easy-to-grip handle

While I much prefer stove top syphons (currently use Yama SY-5, SY-8, Bodum Pebo and vintage Silex) this is interesting! If I could buy the filter as a part I would, otherwise I may need to make room for another Syphon
Has anyone got one?

[Al]

Update, filter is Hario part number F-103K and is available on eBay for $US22 delivered from Hong Kong. Of course I didn't find this a couple of days ago so I bought a NXA-5 through a Rakuten seller (at least I think I've bought it, Rakuten may be the Japanese Amazon but they are a lot harder to deal with!)

[Dimal]

Rakuten may be the Japanese Amazon but they are a lot harder to deal with!

Ain't that the truth...

Mal.

[Al]

It arrived and the top brew chamber was broken during shipping, I'm gutted! Time to deal with the Rakuten seller and see if they will replace it

[zingzing]

It arrived and the top brew chamber was broken during shipping, I'm gutted!

Al, sorry to hear about the breakage. Does the filter (F-103K) fit your other Hario syphons? I'd be interested to hear what you think of it compared to the cloth and paper filters.

[Al]

I've attached some photos, the first shows the parts of the F-103K filter, it comes apart easily and cleans well.
The next shows a comparison between three Hario filters, a standard cloth filter F-103S, the F-103K, and a Hario paper filter FS-103MN with the mesh from a WDC-6 (my previous Hario metal filter).
The third photo show a close up of the F-103K showing the ridges in the rubber.

Looking at the second photo you will see that the spring is the same length on all three filters, but the hook is shorter on the FS-103MN, this made it a pain in the butt to use on 8 cup filters, the F-103K doesn't have this problem. I've fitted the F-103K to all my syphons and it fits them all, but I've only actually used it in a Bodum and Yama SY8. The mesh is coarser than I expected but works well. All metal (paper and plastic) filters I've used allow a small amount of grounds through, but no where near as much as you get with glass filters.

I rate syphon filters as follows:
1. F-103K, I like it
2. FS-103MN with the mesh from a WDC-6, works well but not as nice as F-103K (I assume the Yama metal filters would be the same)
3. Glass rods, they are a bit fiddly and can jump around too much
4. Standard cloth filter F-103S, maintaining cloth filters is a pain
5. Bodum plastic filter, too plastic, can clog
6. FS-103MN with paper filters, I can always taste the paper, even if the are well rinsed

[zingzing]

Good write-up Al. I am keen to get the F-103K but can't find it anywhere..... it's not listed on eBay anymore either.

[Al]

　　Cafe Red Bean　

A couple more photos but the translations don't make much sense.

Any site sponsors going to carry the filter any time soon????

[Inga51]

I have a NXA-5 and was using the metal filter for a few months. At first I enjoyed the fuller body and was prepared to live with the sediment. But after a while the sediment got old. I do love the easy of clean-up with the metal filter though. The clean cup of the cloth filter is very nice, but the clean-up definitely a bit of a pain after a while. I haven't tried the paper filters yet but was happy with my Aeropress for a long time. I guess my palate is not discerning enough to pick the paper taste.

[Al]

Sediment doesn't bother me but paper does. So I think you're on to something there Inga, if you're the sort of person who uses steel filters on their Aeropress this Syphon filter is for you, but if you're happy with the paper Aeropress filters you may not be impressed (and if you have no Aeropress you have to get one ).

Of course I still haven't tried the filter in the Syphon it's designed for since mine is sitting at the post office and the Rakuten seller has not responded for almost two weeks. I think I'm going to have to take it up with Visa .

[GrahamK]

The NXA-5 with the Hario funnel work really well in a home-made Cold Drip set-up.

GrahamK

[Richwood]

I thought that I would revive this one. I have experimented with a number of metal syphon pot filters from the American vacuum pot era and have found little in the way of modern filters which are as good. My favorite is the old Nicro stainless steel twin disc labyrinth filter. Easy maintenance and lasts forever. I also have a twin disc Renner all metal filter which works very well. The Nicro filters show up on ebay but are typically not cheap. I wish someone would come out with a modern equivalent. The Renner filters came with a pot purchase and I have never seen them separately.

Silex did a ceramic filter that could work with or without a cloth cover. The edge that sat against the bottom of the pot upper was serrated and provided a filtering labyrinth. It only had a small center hole in the ceramic disc and was held down in the upper pot with a hook and spring like the Nicro filter and many modern vacuum pot filters. Tried in my Nicro stainless steel brewer and it works well.

Another ceramic clothless filter was the Vaculator "Dutch" clothless filter which clipped into the top of the vacuum tube. It works but the top extends up a ways and once above liquid level during draw down there is a slight air leak past the top assembly screw which can affect final draw down. Also the design strikes me as more sensitive to grind size as regards stalling than the steel disc labrynth filters and the inside can accumulate coffee oils and require disassembly occasionally for thorough cleaning.

Many people are still using the old Cory, Cona, Silex and Corning glass rod filters in both older and current vacuum brewers. They work but are more subject to stalling and filter movement letting fines by than the steel filters or the Silex ceramic disc IMO.