A vacuum coffee maker uses a process that cooks up coffee with an extremely strong flavor. That said, the flavor and strength of coffee is usually determined by how much coffee you use. While a lot of coffee makers destroy the flavor by failing to mix the components properly, a vacuum one is said to mix the water and the coffee perfectly.
A vacuum coffee maker consists of two mixing units, usually made of glass: an upper and a lower pot. The upper pot sits directly on top of the lower one, and they are sealed together with a stopper. A filter and tube are attached to the upper pot, and the tube hangs between the two pots.
This type of coffee maker uses ground coffee, usually of a coarse texture. The coffee grounds are added to the upper bowl. How much coffee you use depends on how strong a taste you prefer. One rounded tablespoon of coffee per cup of water will usually suffice if you like your coffee extra strong.
Next, the lower bowl is filled with water and placed over a heating element until it is almost at boiling point. Then, the upper pot can be placed onto the lower pot and sealed. Increasing pressure in the lower pot caused by boiling will make the water rise through the hanging tube and flow into the upper pot, and the brewing process will begin.
The water and coffee should be left to mix for around three or four minutes. The brewing time depends on how strong you like the flavor of your coffee. If you are a beginner at using a vacuum coffee maker, experimentation with timescales should eventually produce the desired results.
Remove the coffee maker from the heating element, and the cooling process will cause a vacuum in the lower pot. The water will filter back down into the lower pot. As the water filters down, most of the coffee grounds will be filtered out, although some may remain in the water.
You can now separate the two pots, and the lower pot can be used to serve the coffee. The greatest benefit to taste when using a vacuum coffee maker is that the temperature used is perfect for brewing coffee. Unlike in some other brewing processes, such as the drip-brew technique, none of the oils and flavors of the coffee are lost.
The vacuum coffee maker is considered superior to many other coffee brewing processes. The famous Santos vacuum coffee maker, designed by Swedish designer Kass Kleeson, is a staple in nearly every Scandinavian home. The explosion in coffee in the past decade has returned this nearly forgotten process to popularity.
