Cona Coffee Maker - Size 'C' Chrome

Thanks to Mitchell for the comments in his review. I haven't yet seen a siphon brewer buyers guide so I had to figure out which one to buy from reading reviews and comments like his. It's easy to see from the photos of the Cona that its shapely glass will be a great addition to any room. But how is the coffee? Is it worth the high price? Most mornings I brew using my Chemex with a paper filter. It's easy and I rarely make a bad cup. A question in my mind had been "Can a siphon filter top it?" This is obviously not a product for the casual coffee drinker. There are no training wheels. You'll need to experiment to discover correct slurry temperature, grind and immersion time. Don't kid yourself, you're very lucky if your first cup is good and doesn't "stall". What exactly is "medium ground" coffee? If you have a burr grinder you know there are alot of settings to try between coarse and fine. Like Mitchell, I too was not satisfied by the alchohol burner. It's slow and doesn't offer adequate temperature control. So, I ordered an adjustable butane burner. Next I grabbed a piece of wood from HomeDepot, had my handyman cut a hole in it, and now I have a nice stand. With this configuration you get control over slurry temperature and alot less waiting for water to boil. I've now made coffee on the Cona that matches my Chemex and exceeds it. My grind is just slightly coarser than what I use for my chemex. I'm using a full 3 minutes of immersion with 201 degree slurry temperature. This alarmed me at first for fear that the coffee would come out burnt. That fear didn't pan out as all coffee was under extracted. (I have experienced a "stall" when my coffee was ground too fine.) I can recommend this product to any coffee enthusiast looking to spread their wings after mastering a chemex or aeropress.

You should have seen the smile on my husband's face when he opened the box with his Cona Coffee Maker for Christmas. He is a true coffee drinker and likes all the dark roasts and espressos. We first were introduced to the Cona Vacuum method when he ate at Albert and Victoria's restaurant in Disneyworld. Trust me -- it's not just a "dog and pony show"; this coffee maker makes a wonderful cup of coffee. You'll use it over an over again.

The venerable Cona Siphon Brewer is always on the top 3 list of Vacuum brewers. One cannot dispute its ability to make superb coffee!! Of course, it has one major drawback...."Over $200 for a coffee pot?? Are you kidding?" There are many Vac pots for much less that brew good coffee: Bodum, Yama, Vintage Cory and Silex, among others. So why the Cona? There are many "facets" to a "coffee experience." Cona has the complete show....everything from the sleek continuous aesthetically pleasing shapes, to the glass drainer rod (filter) that enables one to make coffee that only touches glass...no other extraneous paper or cloth tastes. And of course, the spectacle of vacuum brewers is a marvel to watch: the bubbling, the rise "up North," the aroma of coffee steeping, the trip "down South" and the "whoosh" signalling the end of the brewing. I think it is a "Zen" like experience. If you are in a hurry, don't buy this...it's forte is an afternoon leisurely cup. The 2 models most popular are the Cona "D" and Cona "C" brewers. The "D" brews 2 pints, fine for a family. I personally have the "C" for 2 people. It is advertised as a 1.5 pint, or 28 oz model. I usually drink coffee in 6 oz fine china cups, and prepare enough for 2 cups each for 2 people: 24 ounces. I sometimes make 20oz. Buy the size that is closest to a full pot. All vac pots do better brewing close to capacity. The "C" makes great 3 cups, but I don't think it would do for one or 2 of the 6 oz cups. ) The glass rod is the ONE part that differentiates this from most Vacuum Brewers. It is properly called a "drainer." The tiny "nubs" on the bulbous part actually do a fine job filtering the coffee as in travels into the bottom pot. Mind you, there will be a little sediment, but not much. The alcohol burner is ok (with pre-heated 20oz of water boils in about 6 minutes...with butane, less than 2 minutes) Butane burners will be too tall for the stand. Drill a 3 1/4 inch hole in a 7/8 inch cutting board and drop the butane burner in it,and place the Cona stand on top, to have a perfect fit. Experiment with different grinds(you need a good burr grinder)and different "steep" times to get the taste you like. Two concerns: is the glass fragile? Actually, no, it is quite sturdy, as is the stand: nothing wobbles. I've banged the pot and the top against a steel sink and had no problems. Replacement globes are available. There is an issue of a "stall," when the water in the top globe does not come down in a timely manner. Usually the problem is that one either has ground his coffee too fine (espresso) or there are many "fines" in the correct grind (I like the coarsest medium grind) If you have a "blade" grinder, this is a real possiblity. You are going to need a good Burr grinder. Blades make lots of "fines." Burrs have more consistent ones. I will suggest a good grinder is the Capresso Infinity 560 or 565 that can be had on Amazon also. Of course, there are much better such as a Baratza Virtuso. I know, I know! Do I have to spend more money? No, you can get an inexpensive burr hand grinder that will work just fine. First, this is "exquisite" coffee!! If you are going to drink this out of a styrofoam cup, perhaps you should consider something else. If the Cona would be a fountain pen, it would be a Montblanc 149, or a Nagaya hand made; if a watch, an Omega Speedmaster. I've served coffee to people who normally don't drink coffee, from the Cona, and they were pleasantly surprised: "I didn't know coffee could taste this good!" They say life is too short to drink the "house wine." I agree! Drink the CONA!