Top 7 Best Siphon Vacuum Coffee Makers
Quick summary
 The Kitchenaid Electric Siphon Easy to use a coffee maker takes the complexity out of siphon brewing by offering a one-touch, fixed brewing cycle.  best overall |
 Bodum Pebo Vacuum Coffee Maker, 8 Cup This is stylish sleek lines fully manual brewer for affordable price.  |
 Hario Twinbird D854 This is simplistic, effective, and most importantly, beautifully-designed coffee maker. |
Why is coffee so popular?
It could be because caffeine is addicting or simply because we love the taste of coffee. But we feel that it’s more than that — coffee is an art form.
You can brew coffee in as many ways as you want, and there’s no “right” way to do it. Also, the variety of coffee out there is so staggering that it would take a lifetime to try every type of coffee.
One of the most artistic and visually-pleasing ways to brew coffee is siphon brewing. In this guide, we’ll show you what siphon brewing is, along with our top picks, so that you can choose the best siphon coffee maker for you.
Let’s dive in!
The 7 Best Siphon Vacuum Coffee Makers Reviewed - Our Picks
Siphon coffee makers look like something you’d see in a chemistry lab or an art exhibit. But trust us, they’re not complicated to use, and you don’t need a degree to understand why siphoned coffee is exceptional.
The Kitchenaid Electric Siphon
- Programmable: No
- Electric: Yes
- Auto or manual brewing: Auto
- Water capacity: 40 oz (8 cups)
KitchenAid is an American company with a rich past. They got started over 100 years making stand mixers. Since then, they’ve evolved into a global brand that produces kitchen appliances, including coffee makers.
The Kitchenaid siphon brewer takes the complexity out of siphon brewing by offering a one-touch, fixed brewing cycle. Once you pour in the water, load the coffee and flip the switch, the coffee maker does everything for you. Kitchenaid offers two color options: onyx black and silver. The machine includes a stand, so once your coffee is ready, you can safely remove the top chamber (careful, that glass gets hot) without risking injury to yourself or damaging the delicate glassware.
Between the top and bottom chambers is a magnetic lock that ensures a good seal and zero chance of coming apart. The Kitchenaid ships with a cleaning brush and coffee scoop and both a stainless steel mesh and a cloth filter.
We ranked this as our #1 best electric siphon coffee maker because the price is right (about $200), and it’s low maintenance for a siphon brewer. The only thing that you have to worry about is how much coffee and water to put in. Enjoy a magnificent cup of coffee while admiring the magic of science!
Bodum Pebo Vacuum Coffee Maker, 8 Cup
- Programmable: No
- Electric: No
- Auto or manual brewing: Manual
- Water capacity: 34 oz
The Bodum Pebo was formerly known as the Bodum Santos. Bodum is our #2 pick because it’s not as convenient, being a fully manual brewer. That means you have to have a heat source like an alcohol burner or stove to brew your coffee. This coffee maker is stylish and has sleek lines that scream, “I’m expensive.” But it’s under $100, so it won’t break your bank.
Manual brewing takes longer than electric brewing, but the result is still oil-infused coffee that tastes as great as the process looks. It can take anywhere from five to eleven minutes to brew, depending on the amount of water.
Siphon brewing doesn’t work without a fully-vacuumed seal. The Bodum Pebo seals off both chambers, so there’s no wasted energy or escaped gases. It comes with a plastic filter, and it’s important to note that it’s tricky to use. Make sure to read the instruction manual before using any coffee maker.
We recommend the Bodum for people that have some extra time on their hands and don’t mind immersing themselves in the art of coffee-making.
Hario Twinbird D854
- Programmable: No
- Electric: Yes
- Auto or manual brewing: Auto
- Water capacity: 16 oz
If you’ve been in the coffee scene for any amount of time, you’ll know the Hario brand. They’re most famous for their simplistic, effective, and most importantly, beautifully-designed coffee makers. Hario always makes the top best vacuum coffee maker reviews.
There’s not much information about this machine, but there’s enough to form a definite opinion and place it in our top 3. First, it looks stunning — the Japanese know their coffee and have a deep cultural bond to the ancient plant. Second, it’s an electric siphon brewer with a plug-and-brew cycle.
By the way, the TwinBird (awesome name) comes with a measuring spoon, a cloth filter, and a bamboo stir stick.
A few downsides are that the machine starts working as soon as you plug it in and doesn’t stop brewing until you unplug it. We assume there’s a safety feature that prevents it from brewing indefinitely. However, we were unable to find the English version of the manual to confirm this.
While some reviewers claim a power converter is not needed (the Hario is 100v), we recommend getting a step-down transformer to convert the US-standard 120v to the Japanese-standard 100v. This may be a deal-breaker for some people because you need to spend extra money.
Klarstein Siphon Coffee Maker
- Programmable: No
- Electric: Yes
- Auto or manual brewing: Both
- Water capacity: ~18 oz
Klarstein is a German brand that produces all sorts of kitchen appliances. The Klarstein siphon brew coffee maker is ultra-stylish, has an LCD-display, and predictably brews tasty coffee. Once you get the hand of how siphon brewing works, you can adjust the amount of coffee and water to dial into your specific tastes.
The Klarstein is a relatively small capacity brewer (0.5 L or just under 17 oz). The big advantage of electric brewers is speed. As we live in a fast-paced, modern society, time is a valuable commodity. This machine takes only two minutes to heat the water, you can use the manual mode to change the brewing time if you want, and you can taste artisanal coffee at home without needing a stove like most siphon brewers.
If you’ve heard someone say that the best siphon coffee maker must include Cona brewers, Klarstein dispels that myth. Their coffee maker is one of a handful that has a warming function to keep your coffee hot. And in addition to the standard set of a spoon, filter and stir stick, you get the entire package for under $100.
Hario Technica Coffee Syphon
- Programmable: No
- Electric: No
- Auto or manual brewing: Manual
- Water capacity: 20 oz
Another Hario? Yep. They’re that good.
This model, however, is entirely manual and requires a heat source. It comes with an alcohol burner, but many reviewers cite that alcohol isn’t very efficient as a fuel, compared to something like a bunsen burner (which uses a liquefied gas like butane).
This model is deceivingly small, at 14 inches high. It looks a lot bigger in photos, but you’ll only be able to make five 4 oz cups of coffee with it. Also, the Hario Technica looks most like a chemistry set or a science experiment, so it’ll attract attention when you have guests over.
Keep in mind that this is Japanese quality, which is reflected in the taste of the coffee. Reviewers rave about how rich and tasty the coffee is.
The Technica is our #5 pick because it’s under $100 and is possibly the most beautifully-designed siphon brewer on our list.
The Gourmia Premium Siphon Coffee Maker
- Programmable: No
- Electric: Yes
- Auto or manual brewing: Both
- Water capacity: 20 oz
This unit is also marketed under different brands such as Klarstein. It’s virtually identical to the Klarstein, but it seems that the quality of the Gourmia is slightly worse in terms of customer service. That’s why it’s our #6 pick.
With automatic and manual brewing features, this nifty, compact device can create the siphon experience without the sooty, smelly effects of the traditional alcohol stoves that come with manual brewers.
This model has a convenient electric power unit that is super easy to use and is as simple as pressing a few buttons. The Gourmia unit comes with a cloth filter, however, you can use a variety of filters. Make sure to ask the filter manufacturer if their filters are compatible so you don’t throw money out the window.
The Gourmia siphon brewer is built to last — the carafe is made out of Pyrex, and it’s a 600W brewer compared to the Klarstein’s 500W. The downside of the Gourmia is that it doesn’t seem to be available in major retail stores, and the MSRP is surprisingly higher than the Klarstein model. The Gourmia is currently priced at over $100 and is somewhat hard to find new.
The Diguo New Generation Electric Siphon Coffee Maker
- Programmable: Temperature control
- Electric: Yes
- Auto or manual brewing: Auto
- Water capacity: 12 oz
Making our #7 pick is the Diguo electric siphon brewer. It has a strikingly similar design to the Gourmia and Klarstein but is downscaled in capacity and has a different electrical power unit.
The electric heating unit comes with a temperature knob to control brewing by adjusting according to how high or low you set it. The knob goes from 100-500° F. The problem with the knob is that the temperature scale has only two markings — one for 100 and the other for 500, so it becomes a guessing game to turn the knob just right.
This unit can make coffee in as little as five minutes — a big plus for people in a hurry. You can also speed up this process by adding preheated water. Diguo also factored in safety in a big way by adding an auto-shutoff feature.
Although it’s the smallest-capacity siphon brewer, it’s stylish, the glassware is borosilicate glass (made to withstand extremely high temperatures), and the heating surface is made of stainless steel. It also comes with a coffee spoon, stir stick and a cloth filter.
The Difference Between Electric and Traditional Siphon Brewers
The first siphon brewer was entirely manual, requiring a heat source. Eventually, technology caught up, and now we have a fairly even availability of electric and traditional coffee makers. What’s the best vacuum coffee maker — electric or traditional?
Pros of electric brewers
- Easy to use
- Affordable
- No soot or smell like with some traditional brewers
Cons of electric brewers
- Less control of the heat source (depending on the model)
- Less involvement with the process
Realistically, there isn’t that much of a difference between the two. The temperature at which water begins its journey from the bottom chamber to the upper section is dictated by science.
Pros of traditional brewers
- Full control of the heat source
- Immerses you in the brewing process
- Look cool and attract attention
Cons of traditional brewers
- You have to use alcohol/bunsen burners or stovetops
- Safety is in your hands
But keep in mind that it’s 100% possible to ruin a cup of coffee in a siphon brewer regardless of whether it’s electric or traditional. How? By failing to heed the instructions. Namely, adding too much or too little water/coffee or failing to use the filter properly.
Why You Should Consider Buying a Siphon Brewer
Before buying a siphon brewer, we recommend first trying siphon coffee. Check out your local coffee shops to see which ones offer it. After you’ve tried it and have seen how clean-tasting and flavorful it is, you may never go back to other brewing methods.
What makes siphon coffee so unique?
Full Immersion Extraction Method
To understand what full immersion extraction means, we have to put our science hats on for a minute.
This is how a siphon brewer works:
- First, you pour water (either cold, room temperature, or preheated) into the bottom chamber.
- Depending on the heat source, after some time (2-10 minutes), the pressure will begin to rise in the bottom chamber, forcing the water into the top chamber (where the coffee is).
- The water passes through a filter and starts to immerse the coffee grounds.
- Once all the water in the bottom chamber has infused the grounds, it’s time to stir the grounds and water gently.
- After some time (usually a few minutes), the heat source is removed.
- When this happens, the change in pressure forces the coffee-infused water back through the filter, leaving the grounds in the top chamber.
The result is pure bliss — coffee that has been fully immersed and extracted in a short period of time to retain the full taste profile without the bitterness.
There are different methods for siphon brewing. Our advice is to try brewing according to the brewer manufacturer’s instructions and then experiment. Note: electric brewers don’t offer as much control over the process.
Authentic Coffee-Making Experience
Few coffee-making methods match up to siphon brewing in esthetics, taste and as a form of entertainment. Using a siphon is intimate — you have to love coffee to go siphon. The upside is that you get fantastic coffee, and you get to be a scientist for five minutes every day. It’s a fulfilling experience that never gets old.
Stunning Design
Perhaps the most beautiful part of the process is using your brewer. If you have guests over, they’ll be stunned and amazed when they first see it. Just make sure to warn them ahead of time, so they don’t think you’re pulling a Breaking Bad.
Jokes aside, you get a lot of value for your money with a siphon brewer. By taking care of your precious glass coffee maker, you guarantee every experience is both beautiful and tasty.
Authentic Taste and Aroma
Pour over is touted as extracting the most flavorful coffee, especially if you use a mesh filter, as the essential oils in the coffee are not filtered out. With siphon brewing, you get a similar clean taste and flavor. It’s one of the most authentic-tasting coffee experiences you’ll ever have.
What Are the Disadvantages of a Coffee Siphon?
Overall, they’re higher maintenance than pretty much any other coffee-making method. A lot of it has to do with how hard it is to clean. Usually, this concerns the bottom chamber (aka carafe). The carafe may have a narrow opening, which won’t allow you to get your hands in and scrub it out. Instead, you’ll have to inject soapy water into it somehow or use a cleaning solution (read the user manual for detailed instructions).
What to Look for to Find the Best Siphon Coffee Maker
Because brewers come in all shapes and sizes, you should first gauge whether the brewer can fit on your stovetop or countertop (depending on if it's electric or traditional). Remember, if you decide to go traditional and want to use an alcohol or bunsen burner, that will add to the setup’s height.
Some general considerations:
- Water capacity
- Materials
- Ease of cleaning
- Price
- Design
- What’s included (stir stick, scoop, etc.)
Then, think about whether you want to go electric or stay traditional. Electric brewers are easier to use and fit the modern lifestyle. They brew faster and don’t require any fuel sources that may cause sootiness or rancid smells. On the other hand, traditional siphon setups are more versatile (check compatibility with heat sources) and can be used with different heat sources.
Read the siphon coffee maker reviews, so you don’t miss anything important that applies to you.
Final Thoughts
Coffee was first brewed as early as the 9th century. Credible written sources first mention coffee in the 15th century. Several hundred years later, at the tail-end of the Industrial Revolution, the first siphon brewer was invented.
Although it fell out of favor in the 20th century, siphon coffee makers are making a big comeback! Today, you can find hundreds of different models, ranging in features, price and availability.
Our top picks include electric and manual brewers, depending on how “bold” you want to be with your coffee-making experience.
But no matter which coffee maker you choose, keep in mind that you’ll be in a minority of coffee enthusiasts that don’t mind immersing themselves in the ancient art that is coffee brewing.
FAQ
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Why is siphon called the vacuum coffee maker?
Siphon brewers are also called vacuum coffee makers because of the science behind them. As the water heats up in the lower chamber, it is forced into the upper chamber due to a change in pressure, creating a vacuum. -
What features should a vacuum coffee maker have?
Vacuum coffee makers usually have three main components: the upper chamber, lower chamber and filter. The features will depend on if you want an electric or traditional coffee maker. -
Who invented the vacuum coffee maker?
The first vacuum (aka siphon) coffee maker was invented by Loeff in Germany in the 1830s. Improvements were made in later years by a French woman named Madame Vassieux.
Renat Mamatkazin
Founder and owner of Lion Coffee and 3ChampsRoastery, 1st place winner of Ukrainian Barista Championship 2017. Interested in travelling, football and Formula-1 (besides coffee, of course).