Can you help me identify this coffee maker?

by John
(Battle Creek, MI)

QUESTION:

My mother has a coffee maker that looks very similar to the one in the attached photo. I would like to learn as much as I can about it. Can you start pointing me in the right direction? Thanks.

ANSWER:

I’m no expert when it comes to vintage coffee makers, I’m afraid. But from what I can see, it appears to be an old vacuum brewer.

Many people mistakenly believe that vacuum brewers are a relatively recent invention. Not so. They have been around for over a hundred and fifty years.

If I were you I would spend some time looking through this list of manufacturers compiled by Brian Harris at baharris.org.

If you don’t find something that comes close, try emailing Brian himself. His knowledge of vacuum brewers is second to none.

On this site we have a brief introduction to vacuum coffee makers here...