A French press, also known as a press pot, coffee press, coffee plunger, cafetiere (UK) or сafetière à piston, is a simple coffee brewing device, probably invented in France in the 1850s, but first patented by Italian designer Attilio Calimani in 1929, who made subsequent design improvements over the years, and further refined by another Italian, Faliero Bondanini.
     A French press consists of a narrow cylindrical beaker usually made of glass or clear plastic, equipped with a lid and a "plunger", made of metal or plastic, which fits tightly in the cylinder and which has a fine wire or nylon mesh filter. The simplicity of the mechanism and its potential for attractive after-dinner presentation have led to a variety of designs.
     A French press requires coffee of a coarser grind than does a drip brew coffee filter, as finer grounds will seep through the press filter and into the coffee. Coffee is brewed by placing the coffee and water together, stirring it and leaving to brew for a few minutes, then depressing the plunger to trap the coffee grounds at the bottom of the beaker.
     Because the coffee grounds remain in direct contact with the brewing water and the grounds are filtered from the water via a mesh instead of a paper filter, coffee brewed with the French press captures more of the coffee's flavor and essential oils, which would become trapped in a traditional drip brew machine's paper filters.

VACUUM BREW

A vacuum coffee maker brews coffee using two chambers where vapor pressure and vacuum produce coffee which is clean, crisp, rich and smooth compared to other brewing methods. This type of coffee maker is also known as vac pot, siphon or syphon coffee maker and was invented by Loeff of Berlin in the 1830s.

     These devices have since been used for more than a century in many parts of the world. While vacuum coffee makers generally were excessively complex for everyday use, they were prized for producing a clear brew, and were quite popular until the middle of the twentieth century.

     The principle of a vacuum coffee maker is to heat water in the lower vessel of the brewer until expansion forces the contents through a narrow tube into an upper vessel containing coffee grounds. When the lower vessel has more or less emptied itself and enough time has elapsed, the heat is removed and the resulting vacuum will draw the brewed coffee through a strainer back into the lower chamber from which it can be decanted. The device must usually be taken apart to pour out the coffee.

Click here to see us brew a Siphon / Vacuum pot

CHEMEX

A working prototype of the Chemex coffeemaker had been exhibited at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. The inventor, Peter Schlumbohm considered this to be the invention that would provide the financial independence he had been seeking, and had in fact been working on versions of the same device since 1929. 

     There was this new patent for the coffeemaker, with its broad appeal. The original version included a spout and handle, much more complex than the final familiar version, and was intended for multiple uses, including laboratory filtering processes.

The appeal is simple. It’s for purists. You’re in control: the water temperature, the flow, the pacing are up to you. It means the extraction is up to you. It’s as straightforward as a drip cone, except for the filters, only it’s more elegant and feels better in the hand.

Click here for to see us brew a Chemex Pot
 

AERO PRESS

The AeroPress is a coffee press that emulates the rapid extraction espresso brewing process. Because it uses finely ground coffee and pressure, the pressing process takes about 30 seconds which produces remarkably rich but smooth coffee without bitterness. The maker describes the result as espresso style coffee but others consider it just very strong coffee. It can then be used to make any espresso based drink such as an Americano or a latte.
     The device consists of two copolyester cylinders. One cylinder has a rubber plunger and fits inside the larger cylinder to create an airtight seal, similar to a syringe. Fine-ground coffee is placed in the bottom of the larger cylinder on top of a paper microfilter.
     Hot water is then poured over the coffee; this mixture is then stirred and allowed to steep for approximately 10 seconds before the pressing begins. The coffee is forced through the microfilter using air pressure generated by pushing the second cylinder downwards. The result is a clean cup without sediment.
 

SINGLE BREW

Drip brew, or filter coffee, is a method for brewing coffee which involves pouring water over roasted, ground coffee beans contained in a filter. Water seeps through the coffee, absorbing its oils and essences, solely under gravity, then passes through the bottom of the filter. The used coffee grounds are retained in the filter with the liquid falling (dripping) into an individual coffee cup. Paper filters (invented in Germany by Melitta Bentz in 1908) are used for our drip brew.
     Drip brewing is a widely used method of coffee brewing. We use small, portable, single serving drip brew makers that only hold the filter and rest on top of a cup. Hot water is poured in and drips directly into the cup.
     Brewing with a paper filter produces clear, light-bodied coffee, which is free of sediments, although lacking in some of coffee's oils and essences, which are trapped in the paper filter.

Click here to see us perform a Pour Over / Single Brew

Akin to the French press for coffee, a tea press is used to brew loose-leaf teas. It's very simple to use: loose leaves are mixed in with boiling water, then after steeping, the brew is swept through a screen, leaving fresh tea in its wake. The ritual of tea time becomes a little more enjoyable---and impressive---when a press comes into play.

     The tea press offers something of a compromise between Western preferences, namely, not having loose leaves floating around in the cup, and traditional Eastern methods of brewing, which deems that the more loose leaves circulate, the better the tea.
     Some claim that pressing the leaves after they have been steeped in hot water forces out more of their bitterness, making for a sharper taste. Presses allow for a greater degree of control in brewing, even for those inexperienced with using loose leaf tea, and are more convenient than an infusing kettle. Many devotees say tea presses allow for a truer tea that can be savored with hardier sandwiches and savories.

Glass pots and kettles are valued for their ability to brew tea without affecting its taste or absorbing its flavor. They are also easy to clean and care for. It is a classic and a very classy way to brew and serve tea,

     The best glass tea pots are made of heat-resistant borosilicate glass, which contains at least 5% boric oxide. This makes the glass tougher and capable of standing up to extreme temperatures without cracking or shattering. Obviously, this is an important characteristic for a container that you’ll be pouring hot water into!

     Another important consideration is the pot design. Ideally you want your tea pot to be attractive while still being practical.