If you’re also confused about the hype surrounding chemex coffee makers, we’ve got all the answers for you.
What is the Chemex Coffee Maker?
Introduced in 1941 by Chemex Corporation, the Chemex coffee maker uses a special ‘pour over’ method for brewing coffee. There are two things that differentiate Chemex from other coffee makers: its stunning appearance and the way it brews coffee.
The aesthetic appeal of the Chemex comes from its thick, hourglass shaped vessel, whereas the pour over method it uses to manually brew coffee is believed to offer a better taste as opposed to regular coffee makers. This is because of its specially designed filter, fitted in the middle of the hourglass. Due to the thickness of the vessel, it takes time for the coffee to pass through the filter which is what brings out its enriched taste. Plus, the filter is made such that it regulates the flow of coffee and at the same time, it removes unhealthy coffee oils.
The look of the Chemex coffee maker is just an additional factor contributing to its hype. It’s one of the biggest reasons that millennials have fallen in love with it.
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The Rapid Popularity of the Chemex Coffee Maker
Even though the chemex is decades old, why is it becoming popular now? According to Mass Live, the chemex coffee maker has seen a 41% increase in its annual sales since the past 3 years; this is an enormous rise! So what exactly drove this boost in sales?
It was the taste and appearance of the coffee maker that drew many infamous personalities to purchase it, thus making it go viral. Just last year, the White House ordered a shipment of 150 Chemex coffee makers, all customized with a presidential seal.
Another celebrity endorsement that Chemex got was from our very own heart-throb, James Bond. Chemex Corp. proudly boasted his statement talking about how he brewed strong coffee with a Chemex in Russia every day. This is all it took for the Chemex to go viral on social media platforms. Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook suddenly became filled with people posting aesthetic pictures of the coffee maker in a barn or on their kitchen table.
Despite all this information, the most interesting thing about Chemex Corp. is that they have no direct sales force team. Their coffee makers run out so fast that they simply don’t need one.
A good marketing tactic on their part has been to sell their coffee makers through high-end distributors like Restoration Hardware and Williams Sonoma. This created a wait of 8-10 weeks before customers could get their hands on the Chemex coffee maker, making many wonder that it must be a pretty special coffee maker. The wait in the market contributed significantly to its demand.
While that was the case, the truth is, the company did not purposefully add a long wait time to create hype. According to Jennifer Grassy (director of the organizational development department of Chemex Corp), the increasingly long wait time was because of the fact that the demand was so high that it made the supplies run out faster. And since the coffee makers are hand-made, it becomes harder for the company to increase supply in such a short amount of time.
CHEMEX Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker
Should You Buy the Chemex Coffee Maker?
While it is evident that the Chemex is, in fact, a great coffee maker, it may not be suitable for everybody. If you’re someone who wakes up late and has to have their coffee on the go, the Chemex is probably not the right choice for you.
This unique coffee maker is designed for those who are in love with coffee and are willing to take out a good half hour of their morning to brew the perfect one. Since it’s a manual coffee maker, it takes patience and practice to brew coffee in it the way you’ll like it.
Another thing to note is that it’s best to buy the Chemex if there are multiple people around you who drink coffee. It is most suitable for small cafe owners and homes where everybody likes having this beverage. This is because even though the chemex is available in different sizes, due its vessel shape, it can hold a good amount of coffee in one go.
The smallest chemex you can find will ideally brew 2 mugs of coffee in less than 4 minutes. For best results, Chemex Corp. suggests using whole bean coffee and grinding the beans just before brewing it in order to retain its aroma and flavor. Plus, if you want more control when pouring, use a gooseneck kettle; it’ll avoid pouring water too fast and you’ll know when the water reaches the coffee. Last but not least, always measure your ingredients. This will help you perfect that consistency of coffee which hits just right in the morning!