Why Use Table Top Vacuum Brewers?

[Richwood]

Why the apparent Australian preference for table top vacuum brewers and messing with butane or spirits burners for heating? I realize Hario only does such vacuum brewers but both Bodum and Yama do stove top vacuum brewer versions. To me the stove top units are a lot easier to deal with unless you want a small unit which only brews 120 to 360 ml at a time. I use a vacuum insulated travel mug for my coffee and it holds about 600 ml so I want a sizable brewer. The smallest vacuum coffee maker I use is a 660 ml or so Yama. The largest is a 12 cups Nicro that holds over 3 Imperial pints of water when filled.

To me the old Cona table top units and the Hario and Yama clones look like something assembled by a chemistry laboratory assistant who was desperate for a cup of coffee and used available lab glass to put together a vacuum coffee maker. In fact it is the almost identical look to some of the earliest vacuum coffee makers the French produced as early as the 1840s or so per photos in the Bramah book on the history of coffee makers.

[magnafunk]

look like something assembled by a chemistry laboratory assistant

I believe that's the appeal

[Dimal]

I have a Hario 3-Cup that was a gift, and use with a butane burner. Works perfectly for me as I only drink a cup or two at any one sitting, and no-one else in the household drinks black coffee. Must admit though, the cloth filters are a bit of a nuisance so am giving consideration to acquiring a fine mesh s/s replacement...

Love the coffee though...

Mal.

[Richwood]

I have used the Diguo screen filter assembly which is supposed to fit all Haro vacuum pots and it has worked well for me in the 5 cup Yama vacuum pot. Spring and hook assembly a bit short for the 8 cup Yama brewer. Very fine screen so gives a pretty clean cup. A bit large in diameter to use in the old American vacuum brewers, many of which had a recessed area in the bottom of the upper chamber, but I have multiple filters from the same era as the American vac pots which work well with them.

[Dimal]

Good to know Rich...

Thanks,
Mal.

[flynnaus]

I have used the Diguo screen filter assembly\

I ordered one of these yesterday off the Bay. ~ US$21 including postage from a Chinese seller (another seller wanted US$34.13 + $41.31 postage - pass)
Choice of white or brown it seems. Should arrive in first week of April.




Diguo Permanent Coffee Filter for All Hario Siphon Coffee Maker and Other Syphon Coffee Maker (White Color)
Stainless steel filter mesh for all siphon coffee maker TCA-2/3/5 NXA-5 SCA-5 NCA-3/5
Stainless steel reusable mesh filter which allows for more oils and a fuller bodied cup of coffee than the clothe filter
Easy to assemble and separate from the unit. Easy to cleaning Long term uses OK
No cloth smell again with this Siphon filter
Main Material: Stainless Steel 18/8. Food grade silicon case

[Dimal]

They are the ones I've seen before mate...

Appear to be well made so will probably grab one in a little while...

Mal.

[mwcalder05]

Why use them? Because when the coffee is brewed correctly, it tastes flipping delicious! That's why!

[Richwood]

Why use them? Because when the coffee is brewed correctly, it tastes flipping delicious! That's why!

True but to me at least the table top spirits lamp heated vacuum coffee maker versions are a bit of a hassle compared to the stove top versions and unless converted to a butane mini heater they are also SLOW compared to the stove top units. As far as coffee quality both should produce the same results.

I do have a "D" size current Cona in the collection as well as an older size III Cona of the classic style but consider them more show pieces than daily users.

[allthecoffee]

I can see two reasons - one is that it's fun to brew table top. For me a lot of the enjoyment of coffee is from the brewing ritual.

The other reason is that a small tabletop burner giver potentially finer control over the heat you supply to the siphon, which is pretty important for this brew method.

[flynnaus]

I ordered one of these yesterday off the Bay. ~ US$21 including postage from a Chinese seller (another seller wanted US$34.13 + $41.31 postage - pass)
Choice of white or brown it seems. Should arrive in first week of April.
Main Material: Stainless Steel 18/8. Food grade silicon case

Sorry, should have followed up on this sooner but have been quite busy and have only made a couple of syphon brews just after i received this (in the first week of April).

Verdict: it worked quite well and definitely more practical than cloth filters.
I'm not sure it improves the coffee as per the claim "more oils and a fuller bodied cup of coffee than the clothe filter". Certainly the two brews I made were as good as. I would like to hear the opinion of someone who is better at syphon brewing than I am
Cleaning was so much easier too with no requirements to soak as with cloth filters. The only thing you need to be mindful of is to make sure you take note of assembly when you take it apart for cleaning.
The stainless steel mesh did a good job of filtering the grounds. I didn't see any bubbling around the edge during the updraw that you often get with the cloth filter so it seals better. The drawdown seemed to work better than the cloth filter, ending up with the expected mound of coffee at the end which wasn't always the case with the cloth filter.
The only question I have is the durability of the silicon plastic surround as it is exposed to hot water but it could be completely OK. Only time will tell

[Dimal]

I ordered one of these a little while ago, it should turn up soon...

Don't think there will be any issue with the Silicone Rubber Seal though, can handle much higher temp's than this before it starts to deteriorate. One thing to be mindful of though, is to keep the unit in a cupboard or drawer when not in use as sometimes, the rubber can be adversely effected by light. Looking forward to using it in place of the cloth filters for sure, they are a bit of a pain...

Mal.