What Is A Siphon Coffee Brewer?
The Siphon Brewer has been around since the 1830s. Back then, people thought that boiling coffee would kill its flavor. That's why they tried brewing coffee using vacuums and vapors pressure. The siphon coffee brewer was born. We will look at the KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer, but first let's discover what Siphon Coffee is all about...
The siphon coffee brewer usually contains two chambers. They use gravity and vapor pressure to brew the coffee.
The main selling point of the siphon coffee brewer is that it is a theatrical display.
Back then, people would show off the coffee brewing process to their guests. It was, and is, fascinating to watch, and you can see the whole process as most of the materials are made with glass.
You may think that the coffee wouldn't taste good because of boiling, but that's not the case. Most of the boiling is to evaporate the water. When the hot water & coffee ground mixture goes back down the lower chamber, it's no longer at boiling point. The coffee you taste is smooth and rich in flavor.
Nowadays, you will typically see siphon coffee brewers in coffee shops because it adds appeal and attractiveness for their business.
How Does Siphon Coffee Work?
KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer
The KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer also consists of two chambers. The upper part, shaped like a sphere, contains your coffee grounds, while the bottom part is your main container for water and coffee. There is also a circular metal mesh filter for coffee to travel back to the bottom.
These containers are made from transparent glass. The other parts are colored with onyx black and a bit of silvery glow in it.
How Well Does it Work?
Siphon coffee brewers, in general, are a bit harder to operate.
If it's your first time making coffee using a siphon brewer, then you'll have to be patient, but enjoy the process!
First, place the coffee filter on the bottom of the brew unit. You can lock it into place by turning it clockwise.
Then place your ground coffee in the brew unit.
KitchenAid recommends that you use a medium-coarse grind coffee for excellent results. You can also check the dosage chart, which comes with the product to measure how much ground coffee to put in for how many cups of coffee you need. After this, place the lid at the top of your brew unit.
Fill your bottom container with clean drinking water. Then place it on the base.
Next, place your brew unit on top of the bottom container. You can lock it in place, by aligning the top handle with the lower handle keeping it secured with a magnetic lock system.
The last step is to turn on the switch and watch as your coffee brews. The switch will turn off automatically.
Wait until all of the water is filtered down to the bottom container. Transfer the brewing unit and remove the lid.
Place the lid on the bottom container, and you can then enjoy a great cup of coffee.
If you're a visual person, you can check out this tutorial video; How To Use Your KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer.
You will be amazed at what you'll see when you turn on the switch. As the water boils, you'll see a thick fog forming on the upper container followed by visible water droplets. You'll see water rising upwards after a while, and little to no water will be left in the bottom pot. This process takes about 6-7 minutes to complete. The coffee will cool down and go back to the bottom container while the coffee grounds are filtered out.
The coffee produced has that "clean, crisp, and vibrant" flavor. If you're used to drinking coffee from the standard drip and are used to the smooth feeling of highly filtered drip brew, you will find the taste a little bit different. Perhaps a little more sophisticated?
Features and Warranty
- Automated Full Immersion Siphon Brewing - Delivered through precise temperature and vacuum technology for a complex and velvety cup of coffee.
- Brew Unit Stand - Used to hold brew units securely.
- Premium Glass Construction - also has stainless steel accents.
- Warranty - 1-year warranty for product or parts replacement and repair labor costs.
Specs
- Product Dimensions - 8.7 x 6.7 x 14.3 inches
- Item Weight - 4.8 pounds
- Manufacturer - KitchenAid
- Item Model Number - KCM0812OB
Consumer Ratings
- Quality- 4.3
- Value - 3.5
- Design - 4.1
- Ease of Use - 4.2
- Features - 4.2
- Innovation 4.6
- Performance - 4.4
- Sound Levels - 4.6
- Capacity - 4
Most of the positive comments were praising the flavor of the coffee after brewing.
They also mentioned how fast it can brew and that it doesn't need complex setting up.
The few negative reviews are in the main, the product being fragile and needing hand washing to clean.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion on KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer
KitchenAid has made an unusual product for a home siphon coffee brewer. One of its upsides is that compared to other products, this is relatively easy to use. Other siphon coffee brewers require a stove or a burner to brew coffee. The KitchenAid does so with a flip of the switch! However, it does require a bit of T.L.C. when cleaning.
We think though, that the interest factor, beauty and entertainment, are at least as worth it, as the delicious coffee!
Overall, it's a great product that does its job well.
This is a unique and theatrical coffee maker, which will delight you and your guests! Even better, you'll love the coffee!
If you are interested in finding out how to brew your siphon coffee manually check out;
this article from Blue Bottle Coffee on How To Brew Siphon Coffee
or here for Coffee Geek's Siphon Coffee How To
Now - after reading all that detail - interesting though it is - don't you need the KitchenAid one - lol?