Cona vacpot

[Ian]

So, I'm in the mood for a bit of experimentation and decide to acquire a vacpot. During my research I read something along the lines of 'if you're looking at a Cona, get the largest model' which stuck in my mind for some reason.
I end up with a vintage size D Cona which has never been used, mint in box. It has the plastic type filter held down by a spring and metal hook instead of the more common glass rod.

First use: I open up the Mini to a french press grind and chuck in 75g of home roast. As the water in the jug is coming to the boil I insert the funnel and tip the grounds in the top. The water goes up top, two minute wait, gas off, then nothing - it's stuck! Lots of swearing and jiggling of filter follow, then liquid coffee goes out the back door.

I decided to get some preground to mess about with, the cheapest I could find was Sainsbury's Original Blend for cafetieres. This actually worked but the coffee was quite weak and the aroma was pretty bad. I have roasted up some Kona to try this weekend if I get a free half hour(fat chance).

I think the D size (2 pints) is probably too big for normal use but should be good for entertaining. I would like to ask vacpot fans (HV?) what is the smallest capacity vacpot available (new or used)?

More to follow undoubtedly...

Cheers

Ian

[alans]

Check out http://baharris.org/coffee/VacuumCoffeePots.htm he's got "Vacuum Pot Manufacturers" and "My Vacuum Pot Collection" sections that may give you a better idea what's around, and his " The Physics of Vacuum Pots" section is great.

And have a look at what Hario Japan make:
https://www.hario.co.jp/cgi-bin/bin/web ... b=1&cats=4
A glass coffee roaster and a new balance pot as well!

[alans]

From http://www.yamaglass.com.tw/page2.htm

ISY-5B Coffee Shyphon
Which model do you prefer,A or B? Neither American or French would say"both". What about you? One for a pal,one for myself. Enjoy your favorite coffee at home anytime.
Always remember this:
"No coffee, no pals."

[Ian]

Alan, thanks for the links, there's some good reading to be done there. Looks like I'll be going for a 2 cup model, choices, choices...

Ian

[HV]

Hello Ian,

Smallest capacity vac pot available? Dunno, though the Asian two cuppers would stand a chance (Hario, Kono, Yama). My 3-cup brewers from Hario are just ok for one mug. 'Course its intended audience serves smaller cups. Probably has something to do with tea drinking, for instance, Chinese tea cups are like shot glasses. But I'm digressing...

At any rate, I doubt if these "2-cup" vac pots are really practical, at least, I don't much use my Hario Delica 3-cupper. Too much clean up for one cup & I'm not too fond of cloth filters.
OTOH, the Cona "B" is my fave glass vac pot & brews two decent mugs (1 pint). Sadly, though, the smaller Cona's were taken out of production a few years ago. If you come across one, grab it! Apart from the "B", you might come across the model "A" which is half the capacity. The Cona Kitchen Model Junior is the same size as the "B". Older models were numbered "Nr. 0" (¼ pint), "Nr I" (½ pint) up to "Nr. III" (1 quart).

If you're looking for a new smallish glass vac pot, I'd go for the Hario's rather than the Yama's or Kono's. The Hario glass is a lot better. Since it's a menace ordering through the (Japanese!) Hario webshop, just shoot off an email to the contact addie (it's on the "Services" page). My orders were handled very decently & prices are as on the webshop.

Lastly, Hottop is still working on their electric (3-cup & 5-cup) vac pots, but there's not been much progress lately, despite my pressing them to get it right. Perhaps it'd help if they'd got some interested enquiries & encouraging emails from Euro-coffeaphiliacs. Anyone up for that? The Hottop email addie is: hottop@ms12.hinet.net
(While I'm at it, ask Shelly if these 'Syphone' brewers use SwissGold filters

Cheers,

HV

ps. for links & more about vac pots, refer to the appropriate pages on my webbie

[HV]

Addendum,
Just out of curiousity, the "D" size (2 pt) Cona vac pot you mentioned, that wouldn't be the Standard Kitchen Model as shown on Danny McNulty's site?
http://www.danny.mcnulty.btinternet.co.uk/newstuff.html

Cheers,

HV

[phil]

I'd heard you were chummy with Shelly too HV. I've been corresponding with her since this time last year, and I'm meeting her when she comes over next month, the aim being just to renew acquaintances really. Maybe I should ask her where the vac pot is? I'd been wondering myself, but since I'm not getting on very well with the mini eSantos I'd been intending my next adventure inthe wonderful world of vac-pots to be with my 25 year old Cona (can't remember the size for sure, I think it says "Standard" on the side? )

[Ian]

Thanks for the info HV, I saw your web pages a while ago so I knew you were a bit of a vac pot fan.

Yes, my Cona is exactly the same as the one on http://www.danny.mcnulty.btinternet.co.uk/newstuff.html Is it a rarity and worth an absolute fortune? The person I got it from had received it as a present in the 70's and never used it.

Cheers

Ian

[phil]

The person I got it from had received it as a present in the 70's and never used it.

Hmmm, I resemble that remark. Got mine in 1978 as a wedding present, used it once or twice, decided it was a bit complicated and left it in a cupboard where it still resides today. I guess I'm a bit of a fraud for putting it in my sig line.

I know I keep saying this, but I must try it again. I've just roasted a nice light batch of Kariru, so maybe I should try that out. Ah, the pressures of time (upgraded Apache on the new box last night but discovered that I'll need to update mod_perl.c as well )

Phil

[Ian]

Think yourself lucky - we were given a percolator.

[cleverdic]

Whoa,
I've just bought a Cona Coffee Vacpot. No idea what size it is as it hasn't arrived yet but the picture does look similar to the one on Danny's website quoted earlier. It is an impulse buy based on the back of a comment I read somewhere which said "Cona is the rolls-royce of Vacpots." It was an ebay item that failed to make its reserve so I sent in an offer which the seller accepted.
Once it arrives and I find out what I bought, I'll let you know.

Richard

[flimbag]

I think the D size (2 pints) is probably too big for normal use but should be good for entertaining. I would like to ask vacpot fans (HV?) what is the smallest capacity vacpot available (new or used)?

I don't know about the absolute smallest, but mine's a Cona Junior and holds about a pint. One pot gives me three good six ounce cups or two mugs.

Useless for entertaining, but perfect for one or two people.

[pault]

Richard - what are your impressions of the Vac Pot?

I got the model D from Cona cos they won't have the smaller model in till the end of August and although I'm making too much coffee for one person (because I believe you're supposed to use it at 75+% capacity - I use 50-52g of ground coffee for 900ml of water) the taste like they say is cleaner than a press-pot and really useful for using up beans that I've under-roasted for espresso. In fact I find it's a forgiving way of brewing for most roasts and have had really nice aromas from some Yirgacheffe that I don't think I'd have got to the same extent from any other method ...

I've also been pleased by the Bodum Santos Electric model - I don't think the taste from it is as good as the Cona but if you're in a hurry (e.g. 1st thing in the morning when moving glass things about may not be advisable anyway) it's brilliant and I'm going to take it to my office at work where it'll be ideal.

All the best,

Paul.

[phil]

Just resurrected this thread to comment that (contrary to what Tom Owen appears to say on the Sweet Maria's site) the Cona "B" is still in production and easily available in the UK. I picked one up today (stove top version). According to the box it holds half a litre, which is a bit less than a pint.

Looking forward to trying it.

[pault]

Thanks for reminding me about this - I've got the 1 litre version and at the time Cona told me they were waiting on the smaller models - did you get it directly from them?

please let me know how it works out - I liked using the bigger model but would prefer the less waste of the bijou ...

cheers,

Paul.