KitchenAid's Siphon Coffee Brewer uses the power of vacuum and steam
The $250 KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer makes coffee in a way that's just as wild as its looks.
CHICAGO---There are countless drip coffee makers on the market which is why the new KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer stands out so much. This $250 contraption happens to be one of the few coffee machines which uses vapor and vacuum pressure to brew java. As a result it flaunts a distinctive dual glass globe design and creates its coffee with entertaining bubbling, gurgles, and froth.
A different flavor of brewer
This coffee maker essentially consists of two main sections, an upper brewing globe and main water reservoir chamber. Both units are constructed from transparent glass and formed in round curves and smooth lines. Separating the two regions is a circular metal mesh filter that is porous to water (coffee-infused or otherwise), but not solid coffee grounds.
Below the main water tank, which sports a handle and also functions as a carafe, is the coffee maker's flat, round stand. Hidden inside the stand is an electric heater that brings its contents up to the correct temperature, just below boiling point. When this happens the naturally occurring vapor pressure of the piping-hot water pushes the liquid upward through the filter and into the brewing chamber. Also helping to drive the water up is the wide difference of temperature between the bottom tank and empty top portion of the machine.
The water remains in the brewing chamber to infuse with the coffee grounds until the lower carafe below cools down -- aided by the base's heater shutting off at a precise time. Next, the lack of vapor pressure reverses the process with the cooling coffee solution cascading back down into the glass carafe after passing through the filter again for a second time.
Outlook
I can't dispute that the KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer uses a very unconventional method to create coffee, and one that's mesmerizing to watch. When I observed the machine in action at IHS 2015 it was an impressive sight to behold. Water bubbled then erupted upward into the brewing chamber in one decisive, dramatic motion when it reached the optimal temperature. The liquid then hit the coffee grounds, swirling and frothing, only to drop back down into the Siphon's glass carafe minutes later.
As for the taste, well that wasn't too shabby, either. The brew the Siphon made, admittedly from premium medium-roast Intelligentsia beans, was light-bodied yet packed with bright citrus notes. The coffee I was treated to was also pleasantly cloudy, indicating a high TDS (total dissolved solids) percentage. That said, the drink I sipped was on the weak side in my view. Since it acts as more of a French press, brewing at a lower temp (about 185 degrees F, says KitchenAid), I feel a stronger coffee concentration is called for. That's especially true because of the machine's brief brew time (approx 4 minutes or less) compared with the 5 to 6 minutes other drips take such as Technivorm Moccamaster and Bonavita products.
If you'd like to try the KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer out for yourself you'll have to wait until June. That's when the appliance will arrive in stores for $250. It'll be available in three colors: onyx black, silver and slate.