the chemex coffee maker

There is something so elegant, sleek about the glass coffee maker.  It's part the sensual hourglass shape, the sheer glass and the organic wood and leather collar and part the pure art of the laboratory style, giving the coffee maker a permanent home in places like the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and the Smithsonian in Washington.

No wonder it's called the Chemex.  This iconic piece was invented in 1941 by Peter Schlumbohm, a chemist, originally from Kiel, Germany who settled in New York.  His goal was to brew coffee without imparting any other flavors.  He achieved this by using a simple one piece funnel style brewer made of non-porous borosilicate glass that included a steam channel and a measuring "belly button" blown right in the glass.  Today, this simple, functional design is often touted as one of the best designed items of modern times.  Well, I sure love it.