Halogen Beam Heater

What’s Guy been up to the last 2-3 weeks? The previous vacuum coffee pot posts highlight [sorry no pun intended] the Hario Halogen Beam Heater. As you can tell I stole the photo from the Avenue 18 website. Hario, a Japanese company, plans to sell these in the US for $385. They even have a website in the works – but no orders are currently being taken yet.

$385!!! There must be an easier and cheaper way to make this. For sure the wow effect of the light shooting up the vacuum pots are cool. But $385!

The Honest Truth about Vacuum/Siphon Pots

Hardcore coffee aficionados are able to distinguish the subtle taste differences in coffee made from a French press, an Aeropress, a Chemex, or a vacuum/siphon pot. I don’t quite consider myself to be in that league yet. I do taste some differences (although I’ve never had a cup made by Aeropress) but not enough to recommend fellow novices.

But the honest truth about vacuum/siphon pots is that it puts on a great show. If you want a dramatic improvement of taste over a drip coffee maker, make some coffee in a French press. It is the cheapest and the easiest. If you want to be able to feel like you’ve become an overnight coffee expert, make coffee in a vacuum/siphon pot.