Set a French press on the breakfast table and somebody will usually reach for the plunger. Set down Diguo’s Belgian balance siphon coffee maker and watch everybody wait for the one person who looks like they passed chemistry. There is a glass goblet, a rose-gold tank, a tiny tap and what appears to be a very fancy question mark hanging over the proceedings. Which bit gets the coffee? Better yet, which bit gives it back?
The answer to those last two questions is different, which is half the pleasure of this machine. The grounds go in the clear vessel on the left. Water starts in the metal flask on the right, makes a trip across to meet the grounds, then returns to the flask as brewed coffee. You serve it from the tap. Anyone who picked up the glass bowl to pour can quietly put it back down.
A coffee pot that knows when it has lost weight
Look at the brewer side-on and you can trace the route without a diagram. A narrow pipe comes up from the metal side, bends over the gap and dips down into the glass. Below the metal flask sits a little spirit lamp with a lid. The wooden base keeps all these characters on the same stage, an arrangement you will appreciate when you realize how many of them have a speaking part.
As the lamp heats the water in the closed flask, pressure builds and pushes hot water through the pipe. Over in the glass, the grounds and water mingle. For somebody accustomed to a drip machine, this is the first surprise: all the coffee can sit together in the water instead of waiting for a thin stream to work its way through a mound of grounds.
The second surprise is the little metal ball at the end of the balance arm. It looks like a designer had some plating left over and decided to give the coffee maker an earring. In fact, the balance changes as water leaves the flask. The lighter flask lifts, the lamp lid can fall shut and the heat cuts off. The brewer measures a change in weight and does something useful with the answer. No timer to set; no phone alert to swipe away with a wet thumb.
Take the heat away and the pressure in the flask falls as the vapor inside cools and condenses. Now the difference in pressure sends liquid back the other way. Coffee travels through the filter and back along that same pipe. The spent grounds stay in the glass. If you want to give someone exactly one clue before they watch a batch, tell them to keep an eye on the water level in the bowl. It tells a better story than a blinking progress light.
What to look for during a brew
- Follow the curved tube between the two vessels. It carries water on the outward trip and filtered coffee on the return.
- Watch the gap between the metal flask and the lamp. The modest change in their positions is the pay-off for that conspicuous balance arm.
- Find the serving tap before you set out the cups. Leave space on that side for a cup and the hand that will turn the tap.
| Part | What it does at breakfast |
|---|---|
| Stainless steel flask | Starts with the water and ends with the coffee ready to serve. |
| Borosilicate glass bowl | Holds the grounds and lets you see the immersion stage. |
| Cloth filter | Separates the brewed coffee from the bed of grounds on the way back. |
| Spirit lamp | Supplies heat below the flask; its lid snuffs the flame. |
The heat source makes a difference to where this belongs. A stable, clear counter with room above and around the brewer makes more sense than the middle of a crowded brunch spread. There is an actual flame under that handsome metal cylinder. A lid that closes as part of the brewing cycle is a clever mechanism, but somebody still needs to stay with it. Give the hot parts time to cool before moving the set or tending to the lamp.
Choose the cups before you invite the neighborhood
Diguo lists a capacity of 500 milliliters, or about 17 US fluid ounces. Its estimate of three to five cups makes much more sense when you see the word “espresso” in front of “cups.” Think of the small cups that sit neatly on saucers after dinner. Set out a pair of big diner mugs instead and you have already made a very different commitment to your guests.
Those little cups describe the serving size, incidentally, not the brewing method. You are making siphon coffee. Anyone hoping to practice latte art will have to make other arrangements for milk and espresso. For a host who likes to bring coffee to the table at the end of a meal, though, the tap is a lovely detail. You can portion out a little for each person without lifting a pot or hiding the mechanism they came over to inspect.
The reusable filter is where the ceremony follows you back to the sink. There is no paper cone to fold up around the grounds and drop in a bin. The cloth has to be cleaned and cared for between batches. On the plus side, the glass lets you see where the grounds ended up, and the set comes with both a coffee scoop and a measuring cup for the water. You need not go rummaging through the baking drawer while your audience grows restless.
As a gift, this is an unusually easy personality test. Think about the last time the recipient made coffee at your house. Did they ask where the button was, or did they take the lid off the grinder to see how it worked? Buy for the second person. The first person may enjoy watching a single pot every bit as much, provided somebody else is in charge and there is an ordinary cup of coffee to drink while they wait.
The particulars
- Diguo Belgian balance siphon brewer in polished rose gold, mounted on a wooden base.
- 500 ml capacity, intended for several small servings rather than a full pot of mugs.
- 304 stainless steel vacuum flask and a borosilicate glass brewing vessel.
- Reusable cloth filter, coffee scoop and water measuring cup included.
The polished rose-gold version was listed at $143 on Amazon, sold by CFKM. That buys an especially good seat for a small piece of breakfast theater: sit on the glass side if you like watching the coffee brew, or next to the tap if you prefer to get served first.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Clear brewing bowl makes immersion and drawdown visible. | Glass and hot metal need room on a stable surface. |
| The balance arm shuts off the lamp mechanically. | A live flame calls for supervision. |
| Reusable filter and small serving tap suit a leisurely coffee service. | The filter needs washing, and a batch goes quickly in large mugs. |
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This Balance Siphon Coffee Maker Uses a Counterweight to Snuff Its Own Flame
At a glance
Product snapshot
- Listed price
- $143.00Prices and availability can change. Check the seller for current details.
- Where to find it
- Amazon.com
- Category
- Home & Kitchen
