Pouring Over Essentials
Camy’s Keeper: The timeless design and enduring value of the Chemex coffeemaker.
Camy’s Keepers is a monthly, unbiased spotlight for products or services I use and love...that are keepers. I have no affiliation with or sponsorship from anything I showcase.
As a designer, I not only intellectually understand the value of aesthetics, it’s instinctual for me. I feel it in my bones. We are subconsciously attracted to beauty. It’s in our DNA. Even emotions are linked to beauty to the extent that our brains release dopamine—a neurotransmitter that makes us feel good—when we see something attractive. We feel happy and uplifted. And that’s how I start each morning…with one of my Camy’s Keepers that brings me joy.
Allow me to introduce you to the iconic Chemex coffeemaker. A study in the axiom “simplicity is beauty,” it is pure in both form and function. It was created in 1941 by prolific inventor scientist, Dr. Peter Schlumbohm, who developed products that earned him over 300 patents. As a chemist, he understood the process of extracting the precise flavor from coffee beans. He blended this scientific knowledge with the inspiration from the influential Bauhaus school of design—which blended art and function—to create the perfect hourglass carafe. Made from one piece of borosilicate (non-porous, thermal shock resistant) glass, with a gracefully simple wooden collar and leather tie, it was displayed at the Museum of Modern Art as on one of the best-designed products in 1943 and is included in the permanent collection the Brooklyn Museum, Corning Museum of Glass and MOMA in New York.
A childhood friend
My awareness of this gem goes back over 50 years. I have a vivid snapshot memory from 1960-something of my mom’s Chemex; it was a constant fixture in our kitchen for much of my childhood. Unfortunately, it gave way to the conventional wisdom of the times and the modern convenience of a Mr. Coffee…not a lateral move in my opinion. Although it was retired out of sight, it cached in my mind and bubbled up decades later after a trip up to the San Francisco Bay area.
I was lamenting about the failure of a string of coffeemakers to a friend who was hosting my husband, Andrea, and I overnight at his home in Emeryville. Our host was quite the coffee aficionado. He had special-order coffees that he ground every morning, then brewed with an exorbitantly expensive “ultimate” coffee maker that he swore by. When we returned home, I set to researching this wahooey-too-expensive-for-my-blood machine as a possible replacement to ours. Indeed, it got big thumbs-up reviews everywhere I looked, but I simply couldn’t stomach the price.
Then I remembered a cafe where Andrea and I stopped for coffee on the same trip. It was a hip, bustling, morning stop for locals. As we placed our order, I noticed—much to my surprise—that instead of the fancy, industrial coffee makers, they were brewing in giant Chemexs. Wait, I knew that familiar shape! Memories of my childhood rushed in, which I chirped on about as I was sipping this truly delicious cup of coffee. I quickly traded the crazy-expensive-machine internet search for a Chemex one and was heartened to see that the family-owned company was still around and thriving. I placed my order and it felt like Christmas when it arrived. I was tickled pink to have a Chemex of my very own in our kitchen.
Just to clarify, I’m not a coffee snob. I don’t grind coffee every morning. I don’t buy uber-expensive reserve. But I do enjoy a good cup of coffee when I wake up, and I felt like I was in a perpetual search for a coffeemaker that brewed great coffee without costing an arm and a leg. Not sure why I didn’t think of Chemex before that trip, but thank goodness that cafe unlocked my memories. Using this functional piece of art has reminded me about the importance of beauty in our daily lives. The visceral pleasure of touching natural materials—glass, wood and leather—instead of transitory plastic. No flimsy parts to wear out and break. No toxic plastics. No disposable appliance designed for planned obsolescence.
Pouring hot water over coffee grinds to release the oils is an oddly satisfying ritual. It takes time and care. It is purposeful. It’s not a flip of the button and you push on to the next task. It cultivates a mindset of patience that eases you into the day. I often use the time to write in our gratitude journal or read a devotional. It is a morning ritual I look forward to and a piece of art that brings me joy.
Less, but better
Using the Chemex Classic has brought to the forefront my aversion to the scads of plastic gadgets and small appliances that languish in cupboards, only to become trash or giveaways. My mom used to send me QVC gizmos—such as the rolling herb cutter—that I typically gave away because I prefer the essential chef’s knife that is beautiful, feels good in the hand, and handles a multitude of duties. (I never had the heart to tell her to stop sending me those utterly useless items…it made her happy.)
At my core, I am an essentialist. Extraneous items are clutter, which is chaos. I believe in less, but better. I prefer the sublime form and ingenious functionality of items such as the Chemex coffeemaker. It has fortified in my mind the importance of curating our environments with simple, timeless, beautiful objects made of natural materials that create a sense of calm. This is an essential component of a longevity lifestyle.
Using the Chemex
I’ve modified how I use my Chemex to suit our lifestyle. The company suggests keeping the coffee warm by placing the brewer on a simmer burner, but I’m not fond of that (maybe others have mastered that, but not me), so as soon as the cycle is complete, I pour it into an insulated carafe. This keeps it piping hot without risking a burnt or bitter taste. As for the filters, I confess that I commit a Chemex sin by not using the ones Dr. Schlumbohm masterfully designed 80 years ago. Although I appreciate the rationale behind them, I can’t justify the cost and waste, so I use a stainless steel, reusable filter. (I can hear the Chemex devotees gasping.)
I’ll make a note here that Chemex now makes a wide variety of options to the original, pour-over classic carafe that we use and they have their very own version of the wahooey-pricey-machine. But I’m sticking to the classic.
Whether you follow in my footsteps with a Chemex or another beautifully designed and crafted item of natural materials to use every day, I think you’ll find the joy and extended benefits it brings very worthwhile.
