Anyone who knows me knows I'm a) a gadget geek, and b) I have an eye for a bargain.
About a month ago I spotted a brand new Kitchen Aid siphon coffee maker, much in the mould of the iconic Cona vacuum coffee makers of the 60s and 70s, of which I have two.
It was in a local charity shop, originally advertised for £50, which was a bargain price (given they're anywhere between £200 and £300 new), but not a price I was willing to pay. The difference between the Kitchen Aid and the Cona is that the Kitchen Aid is electric, and thus more up-to-date.
I popped into the charity shop last week on my weekly visit and noticed it had been reduced to £29.99, which was my signal to snap it up.
Having used it, it's a triumph of style over practicality, for a number of reasons, not least of which is when it comes to washing it - you can't get an adult hand into the lower chamber to clean it properly, requiring either a gadget or a small child's hand. Then there's the pour - no matter how hard you try, the last bit of coffee won't come out because of the shape of the lip. Lastly, the gauze filter looks a bit flimsy, especially when the siphon action is quite aggressive - It's a metal gauze, but I don't think will last long (on the Cona, it's a nobbled glass rod having a loose fit which traps the coffee grinds in the upper chamber, which simply can't wear out).
I wouldn't recommend anyone buying one new and may end up returning it to the charity shop. The Cona is much better, as well as infinitely more stylish. I'll give it a few weeks though and see how it fares.
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