Drip Coffee Brewers, Filters, Filter Holders: Chemex, Bodum, SwissGold, Filtercones, Filtropa filters

Drip Coffee Brewers, Paper Filters & Filter Cones from Sweet Maria's

On This Page:	Filtercones, Filter Drip Pot, Filtropa Paper Filters,	Aeropress Brewer	Chemex Coffee Brewers
	Yes, I finally found an auto-drip machine I can believe in ... the Technivorm
	Also see our page of SwissGold Filters for Drip Coffeemakers. Need a good, cheap coffee mill for drip: the Bodum C-Mill
Also of Interest:	Brewing in the French Press, a good method for daily use	Vacuum Coffee Brewers :the original Cona, elegant Bodum, practical Yama	Stainless Steel Moka Pots -Stovetop Espresso
	Ibrik / Jesvah / Briki -traditional Mediterranean coffee-making	Are you looking for Espresso Equipment & Accessories?	Coffee Maker Cleaning Supplies from Joe Glo, Pallo, and Urnex
	Need hot water fast? Bodum Cordless Electric Kettle! Need an inexpensive coffee Mill? Check out the Bodum C-Mill Need a coffee mill for Espresso and other methods? Solis Maestro Electric Burr Mill Need to measure your dose? Try and SCAA Coffee Measure Scoop.

Chemex Brewers

Invented by a chemist to improve filter-type (infusion) brewing, Chemex have a devoted following of folks ...count my own mother as one of them. The glass one-piece brewer seems like the cornerstone to this method, but actually it is the Chemex brand filters. They are 20-30% heavier than any other filter and are a special paper formulation to remove undesirable sediment but allow positive aromatic compounds to pass through. The fine paper grain holds back "mud," while permitting correct filtration speed: a Chemex brews at least 1-2 minutes slower than normal paper filters, more in line with the optimal time that hot water and grinds should contact eachother: 4 minutes. I think these brewers are the best compliment to the typical "whirling blade" type grinders. These grinders create many small powderized particles that make their way into the cup. The extra filtration of the Chemex filter seems to counteract this better than any other brewing system.

I also like Chemex because it is (besides the filter) all glass, and the easiest-to-clean brew device out there. Dirty brewers make coffee unacceptably bitter, and plastic parts can become tainted with rancid coffee oils and other solids. Maybe the best thing about the Chemex is so obvious I forget to note it ... you see the process, interact, make changes. There's a lot to be said for that, and we shouldn't dismiss it. Everyone has their pour technique (let the coffee pre-infuse/bloom or not, pre-wet the filter, pour at a particular rate) and the results are there in the cup. Machines don't allow for this, usually.

You will need to buy filters separately. Other brands of filters don't work well with Chemex because the drip opening is large. Even a Filtropa #6 will break at the seam in a Chemex. Then again, Chemex filters are not going to break your bank, so it is not a huge drawback.Want to impress your friends? Tell them that your Chemex is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
We have a new page with full instructions for Chemex brewing.

Machine-Made Chemex Brewers They call these the "Classic" model and we offer them in the 6 cup size (30 oz) and 10 cup size (50 oz.) The brewer includes the one-piece machine-made glass coffeemaker, and wood collar handle with leather tie.
		(Here are the CM-10A and the CM-6A side by side. We stocked the 8 cup model CM-8A but it was too close in size to the 10 cup. We thought offering the 6 cup model (perfect for 1-2 coffee drinkers) and the 10 cup would be a better fit.)
CM-6A 6 cup (30 oz.) Chemex Brewer $34.50 (+2.3 lbs shipping)	CM-10A 10 cup (50 oz.) Chemex Brewer: $34.50 (+2.3 lbs shipping)
*Shipping Restriction on Chemex Brewers: No International Shipping.
	New Item! The New Glass Handle Chemex Okay, I loved the '70s too. I loved my Schwinn Stingray, I loved my Matchbox cars, I loved "Sigmund and the Sea Monsters." (Am I dating myself here?) But that wood collar with the leather band on the traditional Chemex models is a bit anachronistic. I mean, it serves a function; you do need some insulation for your hand as you pour your Chemex coffee. But now you have an option, as Chemex as come out with a new, elegant, simple, all-glass design. We carry the 8 cup (40 ounce model) that has the lovable moniker "CM-8GH". It's sleek, it's clear, it makes coffee same as the other Chemex models. The handle is thick and sturdy but hey, it's glass. My estimation is that you would probably crack the carafe itself long before you would crack the handle, so this model is no more or less fragile than the others. CM-8GH 8 cup (40 oz.) Chemex Brewer: $34.50 (2.3 lbs ship wt.)
Shipping Restriction on Chemex Brewers: No International Shipping. We have the Hand-Blown Glass Chemex* brewers in the 8 cup size and the 13 Cup Size. These are what you would have purchased if you bought a Chemex in the '70s. Here is what I have noted about them that differs from the machine-made ones: The shape is slightly different, more of a true hourglass shape. with sharper bends at the bottom and a wider, flatter bottom. The glass seems very dense and heavy, clearly a higher quality than the machine-made. It has a slight greenish cast. Ironically, it seems more perfect in form than the machine made --don't expect to see bubbles in the glass, or irregularity of handcrafted glass here! It is hand-blown into a mold... The size: The CM-3 Handblown 8 Cup by all appearances this is larger than the CM-10A. It certainly stands taller and is heavier. It appears to hold as much as the 10A so I am really not sure why this is called an 8 cup. The CM-4 13 Cup is the largest brewer Chemex makes, ideal for 4-6 people. It comes in a plain box. Don't be disappointed. The brewer includes the one-piece glass coffeemaker, and wood collar handle with leather tie. (You will need to buy filters separately.)
		Here is an image of the CM-3 next to the machine-made CM-8A (8 cup size we no longer have) so you can see the shape and size comparison
Chemex Handblown 8 Cup CM-3 (40 oz) $67.50 (+3.2 lbs shipping)	Chemex Handblown 13 Cup CM-4 (65 oz) $72.50 (+ 4.1 lbs shipping)
*Shipping Restriction on Chemex Brewers: No International Shipping.
You need Chemex filters for your brewer, and the Chemex type (pre-folded squares) are only pennies more than the bleached, and do not impart a "paper taste" to the coffee. I like the square pre-folded best because they are strong, and when it comes time to toss the filter (into your compost, of course!) The square type give you neat "handholds" on the corner. You will have trouble using non-Chemex filters in one of these brewers. The "neck" between the top and bottom is a large diameter for regular cone filters and they tend to split at the seam under the weight of the hot water. It's not fun to clean that up. But Chemex brand filters are readily available and reasonably price. There is 100 in a box. And these fit all Chemex models except the small 3 Cup size that we don't offer. Chemex Unbleached Filters (FSU-100) $7.00(+1.6 lbs shipping) Chemex WHITE Filters (FS-100) $7.00(+1.6 lbs shipping)
Chemex makes a small glass cover to maintain heat in ether brewer after you have made you coffee and removed the paper filter. This is a better technique to keep coffee hot than any type of reheating, or than keeping it on a stovetop burner (which is never recommended with the Chemex anyway). Click on the thumbnail image to see how it is placed in the brewer... fits all size Chemex. Remove cover before pouring. Chemex CoffeeMaker Cover: $5.50 (+ .4 lb shipping)
The Chemex Wire Grid is for those who keep the Chemex warm on an electric stovetop ... it should help prevent cracking. You never want to put a glass item on an electric stove unprotected, especially one with liquid in it. Note that the Chemex Wire Grid is also very useful for those who use vacuum-brewers on an electric range! Chemex Wire Grid $6 (+ .4 LB shipping)

New Bodum Drip Coffee Brewers

The Bodum Cona Brewer

Bodum Kona Drip Coffee Brewer

Don't get this confused with the Cona Vacuum brewer ... the Bodum Kona is a drip coffee maker. Strictly speaking, the Bodum Kona Drip Coffee Brewer is much more like the Chemex than their other model, the Bistro. It is a single-walled heat-safe borosilicate glass construction, and it is one piece of glass, like the Chemex. It comes with the same gold filter that the Bistro does too, so no need to use a paper filter. After you remove the filter, you serve right from the elegant spout, and it comes with a stopper to help keep the coffee warm a bit longer. It's an easy-to-use, straight-forward way to brew coffee, period. Since it is single-walled construction, it is lower cost than the Bistro, while it can actually brew 2 ounces more (32 ounce capacity). The gold filter is identical to the Bistro. Since it is the same brew method, check out my pictorial for the Bistro

$39.40 (ship wt.= 2.3 Lbs)

The stopper is used after brewing to keep the coffee a bit hotter.

The gold filter is identical to the Bistro

A view without the filter in place.

The Bistro in action, with the bottom rubber footer removed (I think it looks better!)

Bodum Bistro Drip Coffee Brewer

The Bodum Bistro Drip Coffee Brewer offers a new way to make coffee the old way - manually pouring hot water over ground coffee. The Bistro bears resemblence to the Chemex at first glance, but with a couple big differences. First off, it's a double-walled heat-resistant borosilicate glass carafe (the bottom part), which helps insulate the coffee to retain more heat, and to avoid scorching your hands! It also makes for a visually appealing serving carafe to bring to the table after dinner, and impress the heck out of your guests. The top separates from the bottom (again, unlike Chemex), and it comes with a special gold filter ... so no need to buy any paper filters. It comes with stopper to help keep the brewed coffee warm for a bit longer. My favorite modification is to simply remove the bottom rubber footer from the carafe - then the coffee appears to be "floating" in the translucent double walled interior - very nice! Although this method is so easy, I made a Bodum Bistro Pictorial of the process anyway. The capacity is 30 ounces (.9 liters) and hand washing is recommended.

$71.70 (ship wt.= 5.2 Lbs) Discontinued by Bodum
(We had considerable problems with this brewer and breakage - close to 20% of one shipment was broken - so I think that might have effected Bodum's decision to drop this item. It was cool - though very short lived.)

The stopper

Top and bottom, separated

The single-wall glass filter cone (top)

One Cup Portable Coffee Brewers

AeroPress in action. No, you can't have my mug.

AeroPress Coffee Maker

The AeroPress is a new coffee making system ideal for travel, or brewing a small amount at the home or office. It makes a very clean, sediment-free cup in a short period of time, and is easy to clean up. You just need ground coffee, hot water, and a mug (ideally you brew directly into a mug, not included in the kit). Brewing with the AeroPress gives good control over the variables - you can easily adjust the water temperature, or water-to-coffee ratio to change the results. In my tests, the cup results match both the full pot Technivorm brews, and my cupping results (the process where we mix grinds directly with water and use a spoon to taste many coffees at once.) I don't want to sound ungrateful, but after a lot of frustration on vacations using friends and relatives dirty, low temperature coffee makers, the AeroPress seems like a perfect match for the Home Roaster away from their home brewing setup. There's one big problem with the brewer: the claims made by the company who manufactures it! They mean well, and just want to hock their product. But this is not an espresso maker, as they claim, nor are other "made-for-TV" type exaggerations on the package true. This is a brewer that makes a concentrated coffee, then you add hot water to enjoy. It will have other ideal uses too: making iced coffee, coffee for cooking recipes, storing a cold concentrate for later uses, etc. But I like it to make a quick, small, clean cup. The instructions that come with the brewer are good, but I have made my own AeroPress pictorial instructions to show the way I think it should be used to make a good cuppa! I know, it's no looker. Someone here commented that it has all the charm of a medical device. Bad packaging and bad looks doesn't mean bad coffee though - the AeroPress is well made, the instructions are good, it is easy to use (1 or 2 cup learning curve), fast, easy to clean, and will travel well. I think positive features have made it a good brewer to add to my "arsenal" ... maybe you have a need for this too.

$28 (ship wt.= 2.3 Lbs)

Replacement AeroPress Filters - Pack of 350 - $3.50 (ship wt.= 2.3 Lbs)

AeroPress Kit. This makes it look complicated but it isn't. For travel, you will not need to take all these parts with you.The instructions that come with the brewer are good, but I have my own pictorial of the process with a couple key changes. The AeroPress has such a clean cup because it uses paper filter discs. The brewer comes with a 1 year supply of discs!

Corporate images, and the embarrassing AeroPress box. Ignore claims about espresso.

Push it, coffeeman! Brewing itself takes under a minute. Overall, you can make coffee in a few minutes.

Paper Coffee Filters -Cone Type

Filtropa Paper Filters: Dioxin-Free White or AromaBrown These are my favorite filters for auto drip brewers that take cone-type filters (sorry, we don't stock any basket-shaped filters). They don't impart much paper taste, and are very sturdy. I think they are way superior to the flimsy Melitta filters that have busted at the seams while I have brewed my coffee on many occasions. The filter is bonded without the use of any glues or chemicals, and the paper stock is certified dioxin-free. Each box contains 100 filters. We have phased out the White Filters and now offer the Brown only. We just need to update the photos at some point..... Maria

#1 Size Cone Filters AromaBrown ONLY (white no longer offered - sorry) , 100 per box $3.50 (+.5 lb.shipping )	#2 Size Cone Filters AromaBrown ONLY (white no longer offered - sorry) , 100 per box $4.00 (+.5 lb.shipping )	#4 Size Cone Filters AromaBrown ONLY (white no longer offered - sorry) , 100 per box $4.50 (+.5 lb.shipping )
	#6 size Filtropa Cone Filters. These are certified dioxin-free white filters, manufactured by Filtropa and there are 40 in a box. These fit our Thermos Filtercone Holder quite nicely. The box style on these changes, but what's inside remains the same. $3.75 (+ .35 lb.shipping )

Filtercone Holders

Manual pour-over drip brewing is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to make great coffee. All you need is a pack of good quality paper filters, and a filtercone holder. With a manual method, you can be assured the water is 200 degrees (unlike most auto-drip machines), that the grounds are evenly saturated, and that the brew time is between 3-4 minutes. This method doesn't require an expensive grinder either, since paper filters compensate for the "fines" produced by whirling-blade type grinders like the Bodum C-Mill. We have thermoplastic dripper cones and porcelain drip cones too!
Black Plastic Cone Filter Holders from Holland These are black ABS plastic filtercone holders -use with your favorite type of cone-shaped paper filters (I prefer Filtropa). We have them in all three major sizes too ... just note the difference between the bottom-design on the #4 size.

#1 Size Black or Red Cone Filter Holder $3.50 (ship wt .5 Lb) Please note - our supplier has been changing the color of these cones seemingly at random - so we have black and red - same filter, two different colors. Our choice based on availability.	#2 Size Black or Red Cone Filter Holder $4.75 (ship wt .5 Lb) Please note - our supplier has been changing the color of these cones seemingly at random - so we have black and red - same filter, two different colors. Our choice based on availability.	#4 Size Black or Red Cone Filter Holder $5.25 (ship wt .5 Lb) Please note - our supplier has been changing the color of these cones seemingly at random - so we have black and red - same filter, two different colors. Our choice based on availability.
You can use filtercones to brew directly into a thermos bottle; a nice and simple coffee-making arrangement. The Thermos Filtercone is recommended and works with the all the Zojirushi stainless steel and glass-lined thermos bottles we offer (even the very small TuffSlim!). Note that the #1 and #2 size above work with the Zojirushi Tuffwide and the Zojirushi Gourmet Handypot. The #4 does not work well with the thermos bottles. My mother has always used a Filtercone and brewed into a Widemouth Mason Jar ... hey, it doesn't have to cost a lot to make good coffee!
ABS Plastic Thermos Filtercone Holders For direct brewing into a thermos vacuum bottle Sold as #6 size but works with #4 cone filters also. The thermos-type filtercone has a narrow funnel to direct coffee into the neck of a vacuum bottle. This one works with most of the Zojirushi bottles we sell, even the narrow TuffSlim. I am sure it works with Nissan thermos too. These are a translucent dark colored plastic, and much thicker than the Crystal ones above. They are made to fit #6 size paper filters (we sell the Filtane Brand) but work very well with #4 size or with #4 SwissGold filters. See the picture of this with a #4 paper filter and you'll see what I mean. Here's a picture of it in use with a Zojirushi TuffBoy thermos. One thing to notice is that the flange that comes out to hold this over the bottle opening is not wide. It's made for narrow thermoses not to brew into wider-mouth bottles or jugs... $10.25 (+ 1 lb. shipping)
Porcelain #1 Size Coffee Cone Filter Holder. For those who dislike plastic, we offer a nice heavy porcelain coffee filter made in China. I think you could practically drop this from your 2nd story window and not break it ...very heavy vitrified porcelain. These have 3 holes, just as a plastic filtercone does. It fits a #1 paper cone filter, which we also stock ... but this is a small size. This is a very small size cone, and is great for brewing for one person, perhaps two. Here is a picture of the #1 next to the #4 size. Also see the Porcelain #1 Filter Drip Pot Set below. $11 (1.2 lbs. ship wt.)
Porcelain #4 Size Coffee Cone Filter Holder. After several years, we have finally found a larger size of coffee filter. This fits the #4 size paper cone filter or the Swissgold #4 cone filter. In fact, you could get away with our paper #6 cone filter too. For size comparison, here is a picture of the #1 next to the #4 size. This cone has three drain holes as the smaller cone does. Remember to adjust the grind to achieve ideal infusion time - which ideally should take 2 to 4 minutes. In cold ambient temperatures, I suggest pre-warming this with hot water before brewing to prevent heat loss. Once heated, it retains heat well, and will help create a better brew. $13.50 (2.2 lbs. ship wt.)
Porcelain #1 Filter Drip Pot Set. We now have our #1 size filter paired with a very nice porcelain drip pot; an elegantly simple total pour-over brewing system. These have 3 drip holes , just as a plastic filtercone does. It fits a #1 paper cone filter, which we also stock ... but this is a small size. It comes with a lid for the pot. In cold ambient temperatures, I suggest pre-warming this with hot water before brewing to prevent heat loss. Once heated, it retains heat well, and will help create a better brew. $16.80 (3.8 lbs. ship wt.)

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