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Now I use a Bodum french press which is much easier, quicker, less of a cleaning chore, and makes just as good of a cup. Plus the carafe is hard to clean and you have to get a heat diffuser or risk breaking the glass by thermal shock. My Santos lasted 3 weeks til the stem cracked and then broke when it tipped over on the counter. I think this thing used to cost $40, which is feasible in my opinion. This thing makes a good cup of coffee, looks neat, and is a conversation starter (is that your meth lab). but it's also a lot of trouble and easily broken. So for me, for $70-80, it's not worth the hassle.
It's not as convenient as an electric pot, although it's faster than a plug-in if you use a gas stove (more btus). I would like to see an electric plug-in version, for more convenient coffee brewing Great product, very innovative. I gave 5 stars, but I thought about giving 4 because of this. Cons: A less breakable version would be a big improvement. It's also fun to watch. Pros: This stove-top pot makes superior coffee, better than any drip coffee-maker I've ever had. The quality of the brew is a big plus for me. I would pay extra for a version made of heavier glass or pyrex.
Using the same grind as for the other pot, this one tends to plug up and not flow through. The handle is light weight. The coffee flavor was okay. Compared to my smaller and much older ABCO stovetop pot, this is thin glass (I had expected a thicker body), slow, not user friendly. The wire coil catch on the bottom tube tends to pop off. The design is not efficient.
You just have to be patient and be engaged brewing and using this device. It was just so awesome. I read and learned first so I was prepared and ready to make and use this amazing coffee pot. The biggest surprise was how good the coffee was. I can't wait to try it out at my next dinner party. It is really easy to use and easy to clean up.
I made my second pot today and it still turned out awesome. I made my first pot of coffee yesterday and it worked just as outlined in the instructions. I drank 4 cups and I usually drink a cup a day. There are several good places on the internet for showing you how to best use it.
The visual experience continues to provide entertainment and you can use it every day, not just on weekends. I found that the plastic one that came with the Santos blocked up too easily and the coffee would sometimes not drain unless the grind was coarse. This website has some good and detailed tips on the siphon brewing method, which helped me get it right: [.].I would like to offer one helpful hint to make the Bodum Santos problem-free: don't use the plastic filter: use a Yama cloth filter for the Yama siphon coffee makers instead. This means more flavor, reliable results and shorter brewing time, so no bitterness from overbrewing. The coffee is "cleaner" and has less sedment than the French press, which is generally a good thing, though it is nice to have the robust French press method as an alternative.
I got all these by searching Amazon. This fits perfectly, and has a similar spring attachment and a little chain that helps serve as a boiling chip in the water. I have tried the Yama, Cona and Bodum santos, and prefer the last one. I discovered the siphon coffee brewer method in the past year and find it makes the best coffee, and is no more trouble and easier clean up than the French press. The taste is very close, but I like the looks of the Santos.
With the Yama filter, which can be purchased separately, the coffee drains soon after the heat is removed and a fine grind can be used without any blockage.
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