1337 C0ff33

[plonq]

I've been wanting one of these things for years.  I missed an opportunity to buy one fairly cheap at Starbucks when they were clearing out old stock about a dozen years back, and since then I've never seen them listed locally for under $80.



Today when we were at Value Village, I spotted one sitting in amongst the assorted (previously owned) kitchen products.  They were asking $9.95 for it, and as far as I could tell, it was in near-mint condition.  Mine actually comes with a couple of parts not shown in this picture (a plastic stand for the table, and a tall stand to store the top portion of the pot).

The static pictures don't do it justice.  These things are almost too cool for words when you watch them in action.  They make the best coffee, and are much fun while they're making it.

Comments

[tzisorey.livejournal.com]

ques que c'est?

[plonq.livejournal.com]

It's a coffee maker.

[tzisorey.livejournal.com]

Half guessed that much. What's special about it?

<dreams up a cigarette-lighter powered automobile espresso maker which makes a latte directly into a travel mug>

[plonq.livejournal.com]

It produces very good coffee. It lets the grounds and water steep together, similar to what happens in one of those plunger pots. As a result, you get more flavour out of the coffee and since it's not getting run through a paper filter, you get more of the flavoured oils with the coffee as well.

[tzisorey.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh.

Cute icon BTW.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

How does it work? I've never seen one in action.

[plonq.livejournal.com]

I'd never seen one in action either before today.

There is a rubber grommet between the two spheres to seal the joint between them. You fill the bottom one with water, and drop fresh-ground coffee into the top sphere. When you put it on the stove, the pressure from the steam forces the water up through the neck into the top sphere where it mixes with the coffee. When you take it off the heat again the steam condenses and creates a vacuum, sucking the water back down again. There is a screen that prevents the grounds from getting sucked back down.

It's amusing to watch the water slowly push its way into the top pot, but the second half of the process (when you remove it from the heat) is much more fun. The steam keeps bubbling up through the top for awhile, then it slows to a stop and it sits there in a state of equilibrium for a few seconds. When the steam condenses out it goes fast, and it sucks the brewed coffee back quite vigorously.