Customer Reviews

Chemex Drip Coffee Carafe - 6 Cup

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There is a dirty little secret that many of these appliance companies don't want you to know. Manual drip coffee from a simple cone device makes the best coffee. Here's why. You need to have two tablespoons of coffee for every cup. The water must be just below the boiling point when it hits the grounds. Water which is poured in one little stream on top of dry grounds will cause a funnel effect an most of the grounds won't immersed effectively.

The fancy auto-drip coffee makers don't heat the grounds effectively and don't cover them with water properly in the brewing process. If most people really looked at the back of their coffee maker and looked at where the water is kept in reserve, they would call a Haz-Mat team to clean it up.

Why get this instead of a cheap plastic cone, the filter paper is thicker with the Chemex, retains more bitter oils and the thick glass of the Chemex will keep the coffee warm enough for a second cup (I would suggest getting the glass lid for it also.

I could never figure out why the coffee I made at home didn't taste as good as the coffee I bought at Starbucks and other gourmet makers - even though I buy high quality beans and grind them myself. The answer, apparently, is that drip home brewers just don't brew at the right temperature. A chemex brewer is a "back to basics" system of making coffee where you pour boiling hot water directly over the grounds. You control the temperature and the special filters remove any bitterness from coffee. This is an inexpensive way to make great coffee at home. The only inconvenience is that you have to boil the water yourself in a kettle and you have to pour water into the chemex 2-3 times to make a full pot, so you can't just walk away while it's brewing. Also, the chemex doesn't keep the coffee warm, so I find myself putting second and third cups into the microwave. Nevertheless, the taste of the coffee is so outstanding that I can't bear to go back to my Mr. Coffee machine.

It is a very pretty maker, and coffee is made under perfect conditions. The price is good through Amazon, just make sure you use suggested filters, the other DO NOT work... (learned from experience).

If premium coffee is your "thing" and pretty is a bonus, this maker is the answer

Note: I got the 8 cup version

I've been through a lot of coffee makers, and hated them all till now.

My biggest issue has always been cleanup! I'd leave coffee-grounds in, be too lazy to clean it up later, get mold growing in the coffee maker's reservoir, and on and on.

The Chemex solves all these problems AND makes a stunning cup of coffee. Making the coffee takes a bit longer, as you basically have to spend about 5 minutes or so watching and pouring... however, it's fun to do! I actually look forward to the task. You find yourself making fine adjustments to your coffee making methods every day, just to see the differences you can make.

Cleanup is where you make up for the 5 minutes of pour time... Takes about 15 seconds... Drop the filter in the garbage, rinse the chemex out, put it back on the shelf. If you use hot water to rinse, it dries instantly... No small parts, no reservoirs that remain damp 24/7 collecting fungus, no series of tubes and tunnels that can never be cleaned. And the coffee is as perfect as you make it.

I'll never use another coffee maker.

Note, I also purchased the lid and stove grid. Helps a lot... I brew 8 cups of coffee in the morning, put it on the stove with the mesh, turn my range to low-medium, and put the lid on. Keeps my 8 cups hot and fresh all day.

Update: Well, I've had this coffee maker for about 8 months now, and I'm still loving it.

Some information for those considering the Chemex, the Bodum French Press, and the Aeropress...

I used the Bodum French Press twice a day for years. It makes a good, strong cup of coffee. But there are some negatives to consider.

With only a filter screen, the Bodum lets a lot of solids through. Many argue that this contributes to the complexities of the taste. The downside is that you get an unavoidable layer of sludge at the bottom of your cup. A Bodum cup of coffee also starts to go bitter pretty quickly (from what I understand, this is also related to the presence of the solids). Unlike a Chemex cup of coffee (see below), a sip of a cool cup of Bodum coffee an hour after brewing will be quite bitter.

The Bodum is a real pain to clean up. I found that the grounds had to go down the sink (difficult to get them into the garbage). The filter has three different components. Ideally, it should be disassembled and washed daily, but that's unrealistic. I usually just rinsed the assembled filter every day and then ran the disassembled components through the dishwasher a couple of times a week. But that means that you're using a "not totally clean" filter for a good part of the week.

For some reason, I eventually began to tire of the Bodum taste and explored other options. I first tried out Aerobie's Aeropress. It makes a great espresso-like cup of coffee, but the volume of coffee brewed relative to the amount of grounds is a bit crazy, even when you dilute it with water to make an Americano. I just felt like I was wasting huge amounts of expensive coffee.

I purchased a Chemex several months ago, and have been thrilled with it. It makes a delicious, balanced cup of coffee--perhaps not quite as hard-hitting as the Bodum, but not wimpy either. It contains no solids, so stays fresh for hours (or even days if kept in the fridge for iced coffee). Cleanup couldn't be more simple--throw out the filter, rinse out the glass, and you're done. Night and day versus the Bodum. The only negative with the Chemex is that it uses large, thick filters--not great for the environment.

I also find that the Chemex is a bit of a Zen coffeemaking experience. You have to slow down and live in the moment to brew. This is not the solution for you if you're rushing out the door every morning. Its simple design is also quite a beautiful.

Happy brewing!

I broke the plexiglass reservoir on my Technivorm Moccamaster coffeemaker (my fault entirely). I expected to purchase another, but was dismayed that the price of an already-expensive coffeemaker had increased substantially in the two years since I'd had mine. I couldn't fathom not having a fancy coffeemaker! Having been raised by home-schooling, back-to-the-land hippie parents in the 70's and 80's, as an adult I have mostly gone against my upbringing and look to technology for all my comforts. However, I am FINALLY learning that sometimes the simple choice is really the best, and this Chemex coffee system is an excellent example of my new mindset.

EVERY coffeemaker I've had, even the amazing-but-$$$ Moccmaster, always eventually turned out lower-quality coffee than when new (and I kept them fastidiously clean). For those who are just trying to pry their eyes open in the morning (or anytime), this may not be a problem, but if coffee is a lifestyle for you this fact is really a bummer. Who wants to keep buying new coffeemakers all the time...there are so many other fun gadgets to spend your money on! Chemex is stunningly simple. Filters. Glass carafe. Ground coffee. Water just off a boil. That's IT. That is truly all you need to make coffee that will taste as good the last time you make it (hopefully at the end of a long and happy life!), as the first time.

Regarding large groups of peeps, I make multiple brewings before my guests arrive and fill a large airpot (I have the Zojirushi, from Amazon also). The coffee is delicious and HOT the entire night (make sure to heat up your airpot with hot water before you pour in the first coffee batch).

So easy. So simple. So green! You'll never catch me grinding wheat with a hand grinder again...but in this case, bring on the simple life!

The Chemex is the perfect blend of function and form. If used correctly it will brew the smoothest cup of coffee you'll ever taste. The wood piece at center evenly distributes heat and is a perfect grip size. It's easy to clean--just rinse and dry. The perfect brew might seem fussy if you're used to auto drip coffe makers but it's worth every minute. It's important to note that the Chemex is meant for lighter roasts. Dark roasts will not taste as good out of it. They are meant to be brewed with a french press.

See this post for perfect brewing the perfect cup [...]

I'm a big coffee fan, and have tried a lot of different methods... automatic drip machines (at least 5 different manufacturers), french press, aero press, among others. The Chemex makes the best cup hands down. It's simple to use and easy to clean. You can experiment with the grind coarseness, water temperature, brewing speed, grounds to water ratio, etc, until you have it just like you want it. The process of brewing in the Chemex is relaxing and becomes part of the coffee routine. The smell once the coffee begins to bloom is amazing and fills the kitchen.

The best advice that I've found and experimented with to date is:
- pre-rinse the filters / pre-heat the brewer - once the water is boiling, place the filter and pour just some water around to rinse the filter and pre-heat the Chemex, then drain that water, add the grounds, and begin. This makes the coffee taste better, and also the filter seems to work better.
- use quality filtered water - a lot of people forget how important the water is... bad tasting water can ruin a great cup of coffee.
- use quality beans - find a local coffee shop that roasts or sells fresh beans and pick your favorite type.
- invest in a good grinder - coffee doesn't stay fresh for long after grinding. Buy your beans whole and invest in a good burr grinder. Conical burr grinders, like the Capresso 560.01 Infinity Burr Grinder, Black work best. The quality of the grind is also important to a great cup of coffee. I've found it best at a medium grind, but the Chemex will work from fine to course, depending on your likes.
- experiment - try different coffees, different amount of grounds, different grinds, etc. Have fun, and enjoy your coffee!

Coffee lovers in search of an intimate brewing experience will love the Chemex method. The Chemex pot, when coupled with a high quality filter and a thoughtful brewmaster, will yield a great spectrum of brews to suit any coffee lover's taste. I spent weeks tweaking my brewing process to suit my taste - subtle changes to the grind coarseness, amount of grinds per brew, water temperature, brew time, and most any other aspect of the brewing process will be accentuated and amplified by the Chemex method. This is truly the thinking person's coffee maker. The only downside is cleaning the hourglass shaped pot. It's a pain to get down into the lower half. The Chemex brand cleaning brush is $17- entirely too expensive for a glorified pipe cleaner. My advice? Don't let the coffee sit and create a ring! Empty and rinse the pot ASAP.

I'm not a coffee connoisseur, but I do want to make coffee that tastes good, is easy to clean up and doesn't contain plastic chemicals, and the Chemex does this for me. Yes a French Press will help you avoid plastic in your coffee too, but after using one for 2 years and being tired of cleaning out the wire mesh I was about to give up and switch back to a auto-drip maker just out of sheer convenience. The Chemex saved me. Just rinse it out after making your brew and you are done. I like it.