Are you thinking about trying a siphon coffee maker? Sure, they look cool and intriguing, but can they actually brew a good cup of coffee? Well…yes, they can!
The Hario Glass Technica is our top recommendation for a siphon coffee maker. These coffee makers are immersion brewers that use vapor pressure to force hot water up to mix with ground coffee beans. Vacuum pressure then pulls the coffee back down after brewing is complete.
These makers have the bold flavor and full body associated with the full immersion brew system. But they’re also clean and completely free of coffee grounds.
These coffee makers fell out of fashion during the 20th century. But because of its interesting look and the high quality of its brew, siphon coffee makers are starting to make a comeback in the United States. This is probably why you clicked on this article!
In this post, we’re going to talk about:
- the best siphon coffee makers available
- what siphon coffee makers are and how they work
- what makes their coffee quality so great
- what to look for when buying a siphon brewer
Let’s get to it!
Siphon Coffee Makers- Tops Picks
- Top Pick: Hario Glass Technica
- For a Smoth Cup of Coffee: Yama Glass Siphon
- For a Strong Coffee Flavor: Bodum Siphon Coffee Maker
Best Siphon Coffee Makers
1) Hario Glass Technica Syphon Coffee Maker
The Hario Glass Technica is widely considered to be one of the best siphon coffee makers available.
It’s a stylish maker, made of quality materials, and makes the best cup of coffee.
The Technica is imported from Japan and is made from Hario’s best heat-resistant borosilicate glass. This siphon coffee maker also has an included alcohol burner, so it’s portable and standalone.
Its capacity isn’t the largest (only 5 cups), but it’s definitely at the top of the list.
2) Yama Siphon Stove Top Coffee Maker
The Yama glass siphon coffee maker brews a clean, smooth, and rich cup of coffee that’ll have you wondering why you didn’t get a siphon brewer sooner!
The Yama siphon is also made of quality materials. It’s made of hand-blown borosilicate glass. This siphon maker is also non-porous so it doesn’t absorb any odors or chemicals. But it’s made of thinner glass and is fragile. So, handle it carefully!
It can work with electric or gas stoves, but it comes with a heat diffuser so you don’t destroy your coffee pot by placing it directly on the heat.
All in all, the Yama glass siphon is definitely one of the best siphon coffee makers around!
3) Bodum PEBO Coffee Maker
The Bodum siphon coffee maker is very effective at extracting all the oils and flavors from your favorite beans. So, the coffee brewed will definitely be rich and bold! The upper chamber is also sealed, so no aroma can escape.
This coffee maker comes with a plastic filter instead of the usual cloth filters. It’s also made for stovetop, but make sure you get a diffuser to place between the stove and the brewer!
4) KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer
If you want a cup of smooth siphon coffee without the work, consider the KitchenAid siphon coffee brewer.
This siphon coffee maker is an automated version of the manual vacuum brewer. It can brew up to eight cups of bright, clean coffee with just the click of a button. It also stops by itself once the brew is complete.
The carafe is made out of glass with stainless steel accents. It also includes a cleaning brush/coffee scoop, unit stand, a removable base, and reusable stainless steel filter and cloth filter pack.
5) Nispira Balance Syphon
The Nispira Luxury coffee siphon is probably the flashiest maker you’ll find. So, if you want a coffee machine that’s going to wow your guests, this is it!
Unlike the usual transparent makers, this one is gold in color and has a brown wooden base.
And while it’s a fairly complex coffee machine, it does brew an amazing coffee.
6) Boeng Tabletop Siphon
The Boeng siphon brewer is another siphon coffee maker that can make delicious coffee. It only has a 5 cup capacity, but it’s still large enough to serve 3-4 people.
This tabletop siphon is made of quality heat-resistant glass and is quite durable.
It also comes with an alcohol burner to provide consistent heat during the coffee-making process.
What is A Siphon Coffee Maker?
A siphon coffee maker is a full immersion brew method made of two chambers connected by a thin tube.
The bottom chamber (or bottom bowl) is a glass globe where the water is heated. The top chamber (or brew chamber) is similar to a french press and this is where the coffee is actually brewed.
There’s also a filter placed between them to prevent coffee grounds from flowing from the top to the bottom.
How Does A Siphon Coffee Maker Work
Siphon coffee makers use coffee immersion, a constant heat source, and the power of atmospheric pressure to brew an amazing coffee.
Heating The Water Up
First, pour water into the bottom chamber and heat it over a burner or stove. As the water begins to heat up, some of it converts to vapor.
It’s this vapor pressure that forces the remaining liquid water up through the tube, past the filter, and into the top chamber.
Once the nearly boiling water has risen, add your coffee grinds to the upper chamber and let it brew.
Vacuuming The Coffee Down
After the coffee has been brewed, remove the heat source.
As the lower chamber cools, the water temperature will go down, the vapors will contract and the pressure will drop.
The vacuum created will cause the brewed coffee to be pushed back through the cloth filter, down the tube, and into the lower chamber.
And what’s left is a smooth, ground-free pot of coffee!
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History Of Siphon Coffee makers
The original siphon coffee maker was invented in 1830 by Leoff of Berlin. But in the 1840s Madame Vassieux of France successfully commercialized the tabletop eye-pleaser we know today.
The goal was to create a new brew method using pressure and, well, to design a more appealing coffee machine.
After its popularity exploded in Europe, the siphon coffee maker made its way to the USA during the early 1900s where it was patented as a silex vacuum brewer.
The siphon coffee maker also developed and spread across the world with the Japanese company Hario leading the production of modern-day siphons.
While the siphon coffee maker fell out of favor in America during the 20th century, it’s remained extremely popular in Southeast Asia. This is why you’ll find that many popular siphon brewers originate in Japan.
What’s So Great About Siphon Coffee Makers
Brewing coffee with a siphon has several advantages. Specifically:
- the brewing method
- the heat source
- filtration and
- aestetics
It’s A Full Immersion Method
Full immersion brewing is known to produce a bolder coffee with a fuller body than pour-over or other methods. The reason is that since the coffee grounds are steep in warm water, all the oils and flavors are absorbed.
The problem generally found with immersion is that it’s difficult to completely filter out the coffee grounds from the water.
But the coffee siphon solves that problem! (More on that below.)
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Constant Heat Source
The siphon brewing method is the only one that uses continuous heating without putting heat directly on the coffee beans themselves. That constant heat allows you to have greater control over the final flavor and quality of your coffee.
Other immersion methods like Turkish brewing use continuous heat as well. But with Turkish coffee, the heat is applied directly to the coffee pot, so there’s always a chance of overcooking your coffee.
And with the French press method, the water is removed from the heat source before the beans are immersed. So heat is lost as soon as the actual brewing begins.
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The Vacuum And Filter
The vacuum is not only the coolest part of the whole brewing process, but it’s actually what makes vacuum coffee so clean, clear, and full of flavor!
Because a vacuum is created in the bottom chamber, the brewed coffee is pushed down (along with every drop of flavor) through the filter into the bottom chamber.
And the filter makes sure that absolutely no coffee grounds end up in the final cup!
By comparison, when pressing the coffee grounds in the french press method, some of the liquid and flavor inevitably remains with the grounds. And some of the grounds usually end up in the coffee.
It Looks Cool
One of the best things vacuum coffee makers have going for them is the look.
We understand that the aesthetics of the brewer isn’t critical to the flavor of the coffee. But cool visuals never hurt!
Whether you keep it on your tabletop or kitchen counter, it’ll definitely be a conversation starter.
Is Siphon Coffee Better Than Other Brewing Methods
Siphon brewing is able to extract maximum flavor while perfectly filtering out the grounds, so many people believe this brewing method is the best.
But at the end of the day, whether siphon coffee is better really depends on what you want in a coffee maker and your own personal tastes.
How Does Siphon Coffee Taste?
Siphon coffee is rich and full-bodied. Because it’s brewed by immersion, all of the coffees flavors and solubles are absorbed by the water.
Also, since the water never actually reaches the boiling point and the beans are not heated directly, there is little chance of the beans being burnt or tasting too bitter.
Finally, the vacuum that forces the water through the filter ensures that no coffee grounds get through to your final cup.
All these factors make siphon coffee taste smooth, rich, and simply amazing!
Is Siphon Coffee Hot?
Yes, siphon coffee is hot. Since siphon coffee is brewed with constant heat, it remains fairly hot until served.
Other brewing methods use pre-heated water that begins to lose heat once it comes into contact with the ground coffee. The water in these other methods loses further heat when the coffee drips into the cup or coffee pot.
Electric Siphon Coffee Maker vs Traditional Siphon
Both electric and traditional siphons use the same method to make coffee. However, traditional siphon makers use an alcohol or butane burner to provide a consistent heat source. By comparison, an electric siphon coffee maker uses electricity to raise the water temperature, (similar to an electric kettle).
This may not seem like a huge difference, but brewing siphon coffee with an electric maker can affect the level of coffee extraction.
Why Do Electric Siphons Have Different Extraction?
In a nutshell, the optimum temperature for coffee extraction is at a near boil (between 195 and 205°F). An alcohol or butane burner gives you greater temperature control, so it’s easier to achieve these temperatures.
On the other hand, electric heating gives you less control over the temperature.
If you’ve ever used an electric tea kettle, you know the water ends up at a rolling boil. If that happens, you’ve passed the optimum temperature and risk over-extraction.
Is An Electric Siphon Better Than A Traditional Siphon
They’re both great coffee brewing tools. But if you want a better quality brew, you’d be better off with a traditional siphon brewer like the Hario or Yama.
However, if you want a siphon brewer that requires less work, you can go with an electric version like the KitchenAid brewer.
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What Should I look For In A Vacuum Coffee Maker?
When shopping for a vacuum coffee maker, there are several things to keep in mind.
Heat Source
There are two heat sources available for vacuum coffee makers:
- Burners
- Stovetop
Burners
Some vacuum coffee makers are standalone – meaning they use a burner as the source of heat.
There are different types of burners available, such as alcohol, butane, or halogen. And some standalone coffee makers come with burners built into the stand, so there’s no need to buy one.
Using a vacuum coffee maker with a burner is the more traditional way of brewing.
Stovetop
You can also get a stovetop brewer that uses an electric or gas stove as its heat source.
This type of vacuum coffee maker is simpler to use than standalone makers, but they’re less portable and lack the style people love.
They’re generally made from borosilicate glass. But we recommend getting a diffuser to avoid cracking the coffee maker by placing it directly on the heat.
Filter
The filter that comes with your vacuum coffee maker will most likely be a piece of metal wrapped in a fine cloth.
You can use the metal piece indefinitely, but the cloth will need to be washed carefully after each use and replaced after a few months.
So, before buying a vacuum coffee maker, keep in mind that you’ll have to wash and replace your filters.
Brewing Capacity
How much coffee do you want to make at one time?
Depending on how you answer this question, you’ll want to buy a vacuum coffee maker with a capacity that suits you.
Most siphons will brew between three and eight cups of coffee at one time. So, if you need to make more than that, a coffee siphon might not be the way to go.
Durability And Style
Regardless of which one you buy, your siphon coffee maker is going to be more expensive than the regular drip maker. So make sure you get one that’ll last.
Also, while brew quality is an important factor when it comes to these coffee makers, style is equally important!
So, if you’re going to invest in one, make sure it looks cool.
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Best Siphon Coffee Maker – The Bottom Line
A siphon coffee maker is a really cool 17th-century invention that’s recently made a comeback in the United States.
It’s an immersion brewer that makes a full-bodied coffee that’s packed full of flavor! And its filtering method is so effective that no coffee grounds end up in your cup.
If you’re looking for the best siphon coffee maker, then consider going with a Hario Glass Technica or a Yama siphon maker.
If you’ve got a favorite coffee maker, let us know in the comments below!
Cheers Coffee Lovers!
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Oliver is co-owner of Coffee Break Lovers. The only thing he loves more than the process of brewing coffee is drinking it.