Vac Pot: Which one!

[NottmSteve]

I seem to drink mostly press pot. So... I have decided its time to get a vac pot to give me some variety. I think it has to be one of two options (are there more?):

Bodum Santos (new)
Cona (only seen them on Ebay)

If I went for the Cona, there's so many on Ebay its hard to tell the good from the bad. Anyone out there who can shine a guiding light? I'd want the ability to make between one to four cups. Most of its use would be for just me, and the occassional dinner party. Can I go bigger, and still keep the ability to make one cup?
Which type? Burner or electric etc etc.

Thanks

[phil]

My preference: Cona. Stove top is the easiest.

I don't like the electric vac pots - they are very finicky and I never managed to get mine to work properly. Sold it to Hugh in the end.

I like to use vac pots on my gas hob using a heat diffuser. I always had fairly good results from the Santos, and can recommend it in general. However the Conas give even better results. The step from the Santos to a Cona is almost like the step from a press pot to the Santos: quite startling changes in brew flavour and clarity.

So I recommend the Cona. A "kitchen model" is more than adequate, and in fact more practical, unless you want to impress your guests at a dinner party. You'll pay a lot more for the "table" version though.

As you say there are often Conas to be had on eBay, although often as not they're the table models and can go for quite a bit.

Brand new Conas and Santoses are both available from Hasbean. That's where mine came from. I watched eBay for a suitable pot for a while and then gave up and bought a brand new one from Steve. They're a little bit more than the Santos, but not much IIRC. They're more "solid" too. My Santos broke eventually during normal use. It developed a crack in the top bowl (I don't know how) and eventually a circular panel of glass fell out. I can't say for sure but my feeling is that the Conas, being made from thicker, heavier glass, will last longer.

Neither will bounce though!

HTH

Phil

[steves]

I've got a Santos - the closest I've come to a Cona is a few near (and not so near) misses on ebay.

Going on what Phil says, I'd go for the Cona too, all things being equal. If you are in the market for a Santos, though, I'm told the Bicester Outlet village has a Bodum shop which knocks them out at £35 - not bad I reckon, though perhaps a little far to travel! Not sure if there's anything similar nearer to you.

Steve

[alans]

I'm an owner of both the old and new versions of the Santos (but on different continents ) and I'd say when you first buy the pot it comes down to price a lot. But remember if you buy a Santos you'll still want a Cona, whereas if you buy a Cona you wont want a Santos!

[walts]

Hi Guys. Very interesting discussion and one that I have an interest in. Can anyone tell me.....what actual difference is there in the taste, viscosity, etc in coffee made in say, a Cona or Santos and in the Bodum Press Pot? Am I asking too much? Walt.

[stevenzaat]

Walts,

I don't know the diference between a Cona and a Santos, but there is a hugh difference in taste between Bodum Press Pot and the Cona, which I both own. The Cona has a more silky taste. The taste is more delicate and pure. The Bodum Press Pot gives a more powerful extraction and has more body, if I may steal this word from the wine connaisseurs.
I like both methods. Before I had a drip machine but both methods are superieur to my previous drip machine. I would say that a Cona is special made for an after dinner coffee and the French Pess can use at every moment of the day.

I hope it helped, but it is very difficult to describe the differences in taste.

Best regards,

Steven

[walts]

Thanks Steven. Guess you answered my query very well indeed. Nopt been able to locate a Cona at anythiong like what I could afford, so it will have to be a Santos. Have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR. Walt.

[phil]

Walt:

Santos UKP49.99

Cona (kitchen model) UKP59.99

Both from the same source (our man in Stafford).

Unless you *really* want to mess with spirit lamps rather than just make coffee, I don't understand your problem. I know you don't have much money, but I don't see a huge difference between the above.

Phil

[ackers]

This thread convinced me at last to get a vac pot, I plumped for the Santos from HB because at this stage my taste buds will not know the difference between a Santos and a Cona but my wallet does, plus I like the idea of messing around with the spirit stove that comes with the Santos. It arrived this afternoon and I've had a couple of goes with it. Santos recommends 1 measure of coffee per cup so I tried it using the 6 cup level for 3 mins, too strong for me so reduced it to 4 scoops for 6 cup, getting better but it is going to take some time to get there. I have ordered a Cory rod from the good ol US of A and will post the result when I get it.
Phil, you mentioned in one of your posts that you had some Australian Skybury, whats it like because I was going to bring some beans back with me when I went there for my hols but they said don't bother as its like drinking mud!
One final question, what is the difference in caffeine levels between a vac pot brew, a press pot and a shot of espresso. Ackers

[phil]

The Skybury I had was like a slightly lesser version of Blue Mountain. Strongly recommended. Source: do you even need to ask?

[zix]

One final question, what is the difference in caffeine levels between a vac pot brew, a press pot and a shot of espresso. Ackers

quote from https://www.discount-medical-supplies-equipment.com/diet-menus/caffeineoverview.htm (for what it is worth):
"There is actually less caffeine in the typical espresso coffee drink than in the typical office coffee and these drinks can also provide calcium.  A 2 oz shot of espresso contains about 60-80 mg of caffeine whereas a 5 oz cup of drip brewed coffee contains about 115 mg of caffeine."

The table on the linked page has caffeine levels for some of the methods. I assume (have no proof, am only guessing) that the differences between vac pot, press pot and drip brew aren't big and that it depends more on the type of coffee you put in them: fresh/old, preground/freshly ground, high caffeine/low caffeine beans.

[ackers]

I wish I hadn't had a look at that site, I've got all them symptoms except pregnancy, and the amount of weight I'm putting on I might be wrong about that.

[ackers]

The cory rod has finally arrived intact from the USA, it felt a bit wobbly when I fitted it, and after pouring in the coffee it seemed to be tilted to one side but I left it alone. I always boil the water in a kettle first and then put the bowl onto the ring, as the bubbles start to appear I then put the brewing chamber on. The up-whoosh was extremely violent and I could hear the glass rod clinking away as it bobbed up and down. At the end of the up-whoosh I turned down the heat to minimum and started the timer, the agitation in the brewing chamber continued for a lot longer than when using the sprung filter and as a result I did not have to stir it. After 3 minutes I removed it from the heat and just under a minute later the down- whoosh started. This seemed to be about the same as before and the taste of the brew was the same with no sediment. I will continue to use it because it makes it a more interesting experience (waiting for a disaster) but I can't tell the difference. Ackers