Glass Vacuum Coffee Maker

The glass vacuum coffee maker was used prominently in the past, particularly in the eighteen to nineteen hundreds and especially when paper coffee filters were not in the scene yet. These coffee machines still survive up to the present, although more convenient brewing methods have pushed it a bit into the background.

Nevertheless, glass vacuum brewers retain some unique qualities. First, these machines are the most elegant coffee machines around. Second, they also have a very refined way of brewing coffee, resulting in richly flavored coffee.

How A Vacuum Coffee Machine Works

The glass model is the most common form of a vacuum brewer. Vacuum coffee makers are made up of two chambers, and in a glass model, the chambers are two glass pots, with one placed on top of the other. In between them is a stopper, a filter, and a tube that connect the two pots. The coffee grounds are placed on the upper chamber; the more coffee you use, the stronger the flavor will be. The lower chamber will be filled with water, which is heated to a point that it turns to vapor. The vapor pressure is then vacuumed onto the upper chamber, in which brewing takes place.

Once the heat settles down, the vapor turns back to liquid, which is now coffee instead of water. This is then forced back through the siphon tube and into the lower chamber, reading for dispensing.

There are two types of vacuum brewers, the stovetop model or those that come with a built in heating element. Of these two, the former is more common; some models of this type can also be placed over an oil burner. The latter, however, is more convenient and already come in electric models.

Advantages of Glass Vacuum Coffee Makers

Glass vacuum coffeemakers are known for their ability to brew coffee very smoothly. Due to the way that these coffee machines work, even physics itself can support the fact that vacuum brewers make what is often called the “perfect” brew. However, aside from the rich and flavorful taste of your coffee, there are other reasons why this makes an excellent choice as a coffee maker.

A vacuum coffeemaker is usually made of purely glass. Some feature stoppers, lids, and handles that are made from other materials, while some are made of only glass. TThese insightfully designed machines can brew you a cup of coffee that does not touch any material other than glass. They are also cleaner in appearance since they don’t have all those buttons, LCD displays, timers, microchips, and whatnots that are usually found in other coffee machines.

Since there are less components and parts, there is also a lower risk of malfunction or any maintenance problems. The coffee machines are easy to clean and easy to diagnose when something goes wrong. Since most glass vacuum coffee makers are also dishwasher safe, cleaning is a breeze. Some even feature microwavable carafes to allow re-heating of coffee in case you made more than you needed. Just make sure to look for coffee makers made of high quality heat-resistant glass that’s dishwasher safe and microwave safe.

Another advantage is that the glass vacuum coffee maker looks so classy and elegant that it makes coffee brewing almost like an eye-catching theatrical production. When you have guests over, you don’t have to hide your cheap plastic coffee machine anymore. In fact, you can even invite them to watch the unique brewing process of your vacuum coffee machine. This way, these coffeemakers make a significant addition to the pleasure of having good coffee.

Some Limitations of Glass Vacuum Coffee Makers

Glass vacuum brewers are not as popular today as they had been in the past. This is not due to any problems with these siphon brewers at all. The shift can be blamed on the convenience offered by more practical and more modern coffee machines. One major disadvantage in using a vacuum coffee maker is that the brewing cycle takes some time since you need to wait for the water to be heated up to a temperature that will sufficiently turn it into vapor. Thus, preparing 5 to 8 cups of coffee will usually take as long as 30 minutes.

Also, the capacity of these products depend on the size of the glass pots they use. Usually they can only brew five, seven, or eight 5-oz cups of coffee, unlike other types of coffee machines that can brew a lot more.

Recommended Models

Interested in a glass vacuum coffee maker? For you to enjoy the experience of brewing coffee the elegant and refined way, you need a good quality glass vacuum coffee maker, such as the Bodum Santos’ 34-oz vacuum brewer, a stovetop brewer, or the Cona, which comes with its own heating element. These two are two of the few remaining vacuum coffee machines still on the market up until today.