Customer Reviews

HIC Porcelain No. 4 Coffee Filter Cone

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a solid piece of ceramic with good glazing. It rests securely on either a coffee mug or my old Mr. Coffee carafe.

This cone has three holes in the bottom, a feature which I have come to see doesn't make much difference. Apparently, how fine the coffee is ground determines the flow rate more than the number of holes. Once the coffee is through the filter paper, it is going to flow at a steady rate through one hole or three.

This cone is a little heavy, but I feel that it will last a long time. The handle is nice and thick.

I bought this item after trying the more expensive Frieling/Cilo and having bad luck with two of them. (You can see my review on that item's page.)

Using a cone of any type seems to make better coffee than the many drip machines I've tried over the years. You can control the temperature and flow of the water exactly the way you want.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Have had this now over two months, using it twice every day. Love it. Good, solid, well balanced, and very handy.

I had a difficult time comparing this to the Frieling Cilio version that's significantly more expensive. I ended up getting both, and prefer the Frieling Cilio. I've uploaded some product photos to help others make the comparison.

- Weight and thickness: the HIC is significantly heavier and thicker than the Frieling Cilio. I like the lighter weight of the other one.

- Number of drain holes: HIC has three, Frieling Cilio has one larger one. No noticeable difference in draining time.

- Outer diameter of bottom rim: this is the ring that helps keeps the filter holder in place on your carafe. Frieling Cilio has a smaller diameter (2 7/16") vs. HIC (2 3/4"). My carafe opening diameter is also 2 3/4" which makes the HIC very awkward and unsteady. Your carafe needs to have a larger diameter opening than the bottom rim on the filter holder.

Small differences, but they add up. I like the Frieling Cilio much better and feel it's worth the extra cost.

For the ultimate coffee experience, this is a must have for the home brewer. The obvious ingredients for great coffee is the coffee itself (My favorite is Starbucks Casi Cielo), quality water and this simple device. You will need to tweak the coarseness of the grinds to your own personal taste. I recommend the Capresso 560 Infinity Conical Burr Grinder, Brushed Silver Finish

Follow the steps below or this link [...] and enjoy coffee a whole new way. Note that it takes a bit longer this way to make but definitely worth the extra effort.

The coffee geek's guide to home brewing
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1. Bring 20 oz good, clear water to a boil and grind 3/4 oz coffee beans to medium-fine (soft, but gritty enough to clump when pressed between fingers).

2. Pour hot water through a Melitta cone (this rids inner filter of paper taste) into your cup, then pour 10 oz of the boiling water into a measuring cup.

3. Empty the water from your cup, add the grounds to the filter, and pour several tablespoons of the measuring-cup water over the grounds to wet them.

4. After a few seconds, slowly pour the rest of the measuring-cup water over the grounds, stirring the mix while you pour.

5. When the coffee has drained from the filter, stir once and consume immediately. You've earned this one.lver Finish]] Follow these instructions:

This is a heavy piece of ceramic and I agree with others who note it will last a long time. My one complaint is that this version has 3 drain holes, whereas the Frieling Cilio (which I have never used, but considered buying) has only 1 drain hole. I wish I could plug at least one of these holes in my HIC Filter Cone because I feel it drains too quickly, thereby preventing a stronger brew. But, at the end of the day, its not THAT big of a deal; I do get a decent brew that is superb compared to the machine brew.

This cone is very sturdily built, and the glazing does not seem to have any thin spots. Learning to brew a respectable cup of coffee took a few tries but is worth the effort (at least compared to the company coffee!). Pour in a shot of water to get most of the grounds wet and let the water go though and the grounds settle. Then slowly add the water along the sides of the cone. The idea is to keep as much of the water in contact with the grounds for as long as possible. If you add too much water, the grounds will float to the top of the water causing the rest of the water to filter through much too quickly. I like to squeeze some of the really dark coffee from the grounds after the last of the water has filtered through.

The filter has 3 fairly large holes in the bottom. I might have given it 5 stars if it only had 1 hole in the bottom so that the water filtered though more slowly on it's own.

If you're a bit uncomfortable with the idea of hot water being in contact with plastics (I am, not that it stops me from using my coffee maker at home though), then this is a great device to use to brew your morning cups.

I read the other reviews before buying, and was a little worried that this might be too heavy. I personally LIKE the heft of it. I used to use a plastic travel one, and if you bumped it, you had a real mess on your hands (counter, floor, etc.). This is heavy enough where a slight bump won't knock it off, and it works great! The three holes don't flow too fast, making a great tasting cup of coffee. I love it! Sure looks a lot better than my plastic one too. Now I'm thinking of getting it in the #2 size as well.

This filter cone is heavy. Although too early to know the durability of the ceramic, it seems the ware has been molded thick for strength.

It doesn't fit my Melitta carafe very well because its base circle is a bit too large; moreover, the three radial ribs do not help. Because the cone-carafe combo is topheavy, even a cone which fit perfectly should not sit on the carafe longer than it takes to brew coffee. I am not sure that paying a lot more for the smaller-circle Freiling Cilio would be justified. If I ever need replace the carafe and couldn't find a good fit for the cone, I would rather throw an $11 cone into my junk drawer.

I have not noticed that the carafe fills faster because of the three holes. In fact, the brew seems to drip through the holes in a sequence -- which suggests flow is being delayed by the sequencing.

Bought two of these to replace our old plastic filter cones. The hole in the bottom is slightly larger than the one in the plastic cone, so the coffee drips through more quickly - but I haven't noticed it being any weaker as a result. We use #2 filter papers which do not quite reach to the top of the cone, so you have to be careful not to overfill with water or you will get grounds in your cup. But once you get used to its personality quirks you get a very good cup of coffee. I like being able to clean it with a rinse of hot water and knowing it is really clean - I was never sure with the dark brown plastic.

I've ordered a lot of these to find the right one that will create the best coffee. This one is it!

Creates a very smooth emptying of the filter, and leaves no build up (that can cause bitter and or weak coffee)

I've found I use about 40% less coffee with this filter holder, since it drains so evenly.

This is great! There is nothing bad about it. It fits most coffee cups. Unfortunately it doesn't fit my terrific non-spill to-go coffee cup (contigo autoseal- which is another terrific product!), but I just drip into a regular cup, then transfer to the to-go cup. More dishes, but the coffee is so delicious it's pretty worth it. I just adore this dripper!