Category — Coffee Gadgets

An article in the New York Times highlights the Blue Bottle Cafe in San Francisco and its interesting recent purchase–a $20,000 coffee brewing contraption imported from Japan.

Using halogen lamps for heat and enough glass bulbs to make any mad scientist proud, the “siphon bar” as its called uses a brewing principle similar to a stove-top espresso brewer or a Chemex:

A siphon pot has two stacked glass globes, and works a little like a macchinetta, that stove-top gadget wrongly called an espresso maker by generations of graduate students. As water vapor forces water into the upper globe the coffee grounds are stirred by hand with a bamboo paddle. (In Japan, siphon coffee masters carve their own paddles to fit the shape of their palms.)

The goal is to create a deep whirlpool in no more than four turns without touching the glass. Posture is important. So is timing: siphon coffee has a brewing cycle of 45 to 90 seconds.

James Freeman, owner of Blue Bottle and the importer of the siphon bar, claims that the resulting brew is delicate, “juicier”, and “almost moussey”. I’m intrigued and already considering a field trip…

See a slide show of the siphon bar in action on the New York Times’ site.

(This is Part 2 of a 4-part series called “The Four ‘M’s of Perfect Coffee”, in which we’ll talk about the four elements of making great espresso-based drinks at home: Machine, Mill, Mix (blend), and Method.)

The Second “M”: Mill

Unlike shopping for an espresso machine, which can require quite a bit of research and forethought, it’s fortunately not difficult at all to shop for a proper mill or coffee grinder. There are a few key attributes to look for, but those questions are often answered right on the box. Here’s what you want in a good grinder:

1. Look for steel conical burrs. The “burr” is the piece of the mill that actually grinds the coffee beans. Sometimes this is done in cheaper mills via blades and not burrs which can be fine for infrequent grinding for automatic drip machines, but to get a proper espresso grind, blade mills are too inconsistent. Also, make sure the burrs are metal and not plastic, as plastic burrs warp and break easily with even light use.
2. Check the range of grind adjustments. The more settings, the better. Commercial espresso grinders can adjust the grind by 5 microns up or down. You don’t need a mill quite that granular, but grind has a very important effect on your espresso and you should get a mill that will allow you room to experiment to find the best grind for your particular machine. Three or four settings won’t cut it.
3. A reliable reputation is worth a lot. Even the best grinders can eventually break down, so look for a brand with a history of mechanical reliability and positive customer service. Bodum, Saeco, and Capresso are all good names to start with.

Got Any Recommendations?

To get you started, here are a few models to consider.

Bodum Antigua Electric Burr Grinder–This unit gets all the basics right at a reasonable price ($80-90), but has some minor durability issues, particularly in the nylon gear teeth. Customer service from Bodum is always good, but be prepared to baby this machine a little bit.

Capresso 560 Infinity Burr Grinder–Almost the complete opposite of the Antigua in the sense of being mechanically reliable, but with some minor flaws in form factor. Overall a solid unit at the same price point as the Antigua, with equally strong customer service, but a few people have found that some nonmechanical parts don’t always fit perfectly and may crack easily.

Baratza Maestro Plus Conical Burr Coffee Grinder–The stolid workhorse of the prosumer market, it’s hard to go wrong with the Baratza Maestro. It’s reliable on every level and won’t heat up your beans with repeated use. Expect to pay about $140-150.

BMW and manufacturer Saeco recently designed a Starbucks-branded home espresso machine, dubbed the “Sirena”, which at the moment is only available in certain Starbucks stores and online:

The press release conveyed an almost comical degree of intensity about the design:

[...]experts from BMW Group DesignworksUSA were intensively involved in the entire product development process. It was imperative that the new design language reflected both quality and functionality of the newly developed espresso machine as well as the fundamental values of the Starbucks brand. In this crucial stage it was necessary to translate the specific brand values into the appropriate product character with regard to product architecture, gesture, color, material, surface, operation and proportions.

BMW DesigngroupUSA reportedly spent two years developing a unit that looks more or less like any decent midrange espresso machine and comes with zero extra features. It doesn’t look like a bad machine, but I’m not sure what exactly it is I’m supposed to be excited about or why it took three companies two years to produce. It doesn’t even carry the BMW roundel, though considering how loose some car companies are with their brand name, that may not necessarily be a bad thing.