What's the best size of Chemex coffee maker?

[MacJeepster]

I have some people 3 or so people visiting the office, plus some co-workers who I promised some of my primo home-roasted coffee.

My wife and I usually make on cup at a time (she in her Melita, me in my Aeropress), but that won't be practical for the group. I plan to buy a Chemex.

Chemex makes 6, 8, and 10-cup models. I'm leaning toward the 10-cup, figuring it will work OK for large or small batches.

Does anyone have any Chemex experience? Would the 8 be better?

[Uncle Wig]

I love Chemex! I use the 6-cup* for myself, which really makes 4 cups (6 oz diner mugs). You certainly can use the 10 cup model for smaller batches, no problem.

Either way, it'll take awhile since you have to boil the water and pour it through, but you already know that!

*Looking on the Chemex site, I see their handblown version is listed as 5 cups. I got all my Chemexes on Ebay or thrift stores, and they are the nice, old heavy Pyrex ones with molded in feet.

[SteveG]

Happy 70th!

[A-Polly]

Melitta also makes a coffee pot; this one is only $10:

http://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Cone-Filte..._2?ie=UTF8&qid=1357946692&sr=8-2&keywords=melitta+coffee+maker
When I need to make coffee for more than just me, I use one of these that fits on an insulated carafe:

http://www.amazon.com/RSVP-Manual-Coffee...25?ie=UTF8&qid=1357946835&sr=8-25&keywords=melitta+coffee+maker

[Uncle Wig]

Steve, the story goes that Peter Schlumbaum, the inventor of Chemex, could not get approval from the War Production Board to use the Pyrex glass in the quantities needed. So he sent one to FDR, who apparently was a coffee nut. After that, he got his approval!

A-Polly, the Chemex filters are thicker and much better than Melitta. Otherwise, the two coffeemakers work essentially the same.

[SteveG]

[earache]

I love my Chemex. I got a nice handblown 8 cup version a few years ago. What I really need now is a good kettle http://www.sweetmarias.com/sweetmarias/h...ettle.html

MacJeepster, what kind of coffee are you roasting? Which roaster? I'm a home-roaster myself.

For your Chemex viewing pleasure: http://vimeo.com/6161817

[MacJeepster]

Thanks, all for the great advice.

The Melitta 10-cup at $10 seems pretty attractive vs. the Chemex at $40, which is admittedly more stylish.

I don't have to boil the water, the office water cooler also dispenses hot water. At home, I use 170° degree water, which seems to make a better cup of coffee than boiling water does.

I home-roast with a machine I built myself out of a convection oven and a Stir-Crazy popcorn popper like this one: http://turbocrazy.atspace.com

I Roast coffees from Brazil, Java, Costs Rica, Colombia and Sumatra. I Buy my beans here: http://uroastem.com/coffee-beans.html

[NewtonMP2100]

.....VENTI......???