What Does the History of the Coffee Maker Tell Us About the Chemex?

The Chemex coffee maker earns its reputation through thick filters and steady pouring rather than complicated gear. A 17:1 coffee-to-water ratio, a grind coarser than standard drip, a filter folded into quarters and rinsed with hot water, and a 20-second bloom followed by five or six gentle circles cover most of the process.

Neglected details matter too: preheating the carafe, stirring timing, and swirling before serving all shape the cup. Because the paper filter traps oils, the result stays clean and layered. Learning how to use coffee maker equipment like this is mostly about repeatable measurements, so a kitchen scale and a steady kettle help more than any single trick.

The Chemex coffee maker, with its elegant appearance and excellent extraction performance, has become a favorite among many coffee enthusiasts. This article will start by addressing common misunderstandings about the equipment, then systematically explain the complete Chemex brewing process, covering the logic behind grind size adjustments, the precise calculation of a 17:1 coffee-to-water ratio, the operational details of folding and preheating the filter, and the control of pouring rhythm and stirring timing. Additionally, the article shares post-brewing insulation tips, options for reusable filters, and practical cleaning techniques for the carafe. Front Street Coffee will also provide pairing references for equipment and bean varieties to suit different needs, helping you consistently brew a clean, well-layered cup of coffee with the Chemex.

CHEMEX brewing is actually not complicated—let's talk about a few common misunderstandings about the CHEMEX coffee maker.

Ever since I started using the Chemex Coffeemaker to brew coffee at the beginning of the year, I quietly put away all my previous drippers and other equipment—

chemex

The Chemex coffee maker comes with its own dedicated filter (EP-2). Before use, you need to fold it in half, then in half again, and again—

First, rinse the filter with hot water to remove the papery taste, then pour the hot water out through the spout—

Next, add the weighed coffee grounds—

Starting from the center, pour in circles outward, first wetting all the coffee grounds, then let it sit for 20 seconds—

After that, repeat pouring in circles from the center outward, about 5 or 6 times—

Maybe my single-serving dose is on the small side, so I've never gotten that beautiful bloom—

Hi there^^ When brewing Chemex, you absolutely need to pair it with a Noda Enamel Moon Rabbit hand pour kettle for the full experience^^

I'm in the habit of swirling the carafe after brewing before pouring the coffee out—

Then pour in hot milk—

And the afternoon tea latte is ready—

Usually, for a single serving, this Chemex 1-3 Cup carafe is just right—

Grind and Dose

Grind recommendations for Chemex: a regular or automatic grinder will do. Normally, the grind should be coarser than other drip brewers. Some online tutorials say to use the same coarseness as a drip brewer, while others say to match a French press. The more reliable approach is to take all these suggestions into account—if the extraction is too fast and the flavor is weak, grind finer; conversely, if the coffee grounds clog the filter, grind coarser.

Prepare a digital scale to help you maintain a consistent dose every time. Keep a 17:1 ratio—for every 30g of coffee grounds, use 510g of water. Once you've fully mastered the coffee-to-water ratio, you can focus more of your attention on the grind.

Detailed Steps for the Chemex Coffee Maker

In this example, we'll brew 17 ounces of coffee. If you want to brew more, just do the math yourself.

#1. Heat Purified Water

You'll need not only 510g of hot water for brewing the coffee, but also some extra for rinsing the filter and the carafe.

#2. Grind the Coffee

Grind 30g of coffee. What's the ideal grind size? To start, slightly coarser than a drip brewer but finer than a French press is fine.

#3. Place the Filter

Fold the square filter, then place it into the Chemex. The side with three corners should be placed toward the spout where you'll pour water.

Once the water is hot, rinse the filter and discard the water in the carafe—this also preheats the coffee maker.

#4. Add Coffee Grounds

Pour the coffee grounds into the filter.

#5. Pour Water

Once the water starts to boil, set it aside to cool for 20-30 seconds.

The first pour is very important. Don't pour too much water—just enough to saturate the coffee grounds so they can bloom. This step is mainly about allowing the coffee grounds and water to meld. After wetting the grounds, wait 20-40 seconds to let carbon dioxide escape from the coffee.

#6. Stir (Optional)

At this point, you can gently stir with a wooden spoon.

#7. Continue Pouring

Continue slowly pouring hot water, making sure not to fill it too high—leave at least 1 inch from the top. Stop pouring when you've extracted the desired amount of coffee. Using a digital scale to measure can prevent pouring too much water.

#8. Enjoy

Once the water has drained through, remove the filter and enjoy!

After Brewing

Just like making other pour-over coffees, keeping the coffee in the carafe warm is something you must do. Besides quickly covering the remaining coffee, here are two more tips:

First, you can pour the remaining coffee into a thermos;

Second, develop the good habit of brewing only as much as you'll drink!

We initially suggested placing the coffee on a wire mesh stove, but that might be a bad idea, because reheating coffee after brewing damages the original flavor. A thermos is enough, and it won't affect the flavor!

Reusable Filters

Besides the commonly used paper filters, you can also buy a reusable filter specifically for the Chemex. Some people have strong preferences for either paper or metal filters. I like both—paper filters are easier to clean, but with a reusable filter, you won't have to panic when you wake up to find you've run out of paper filters!

Of course, there's also a cloth filter made specifically for the Chemex. If you don't mind cleaning it every time, it's worth a try.

Cleaning

In the book "Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World," Mark Pendergrast mentions that the Chemex is hard to clean. I disagree with that—it's just a glass carafe, and it rinses clean easily with hot water and detergent, or even just hot water. If you want an extra-deep clean, first untie the leather tie and remove the handle from the neck of the carafe.

Another cleaning method is to put salt and ice cubes into the Chemex, stir with a spoon, then rinse and dry for next use. Thanks to Jesse from Conduit Coffee for this tip.

Closing Thoughts

Can the Chemex brew good coffee? Absolutely—for most people, it's a great choice for pour-over coffee. Paired with an electric kettle and a digital scale, the Chemex is truly a perfect coffee brewing device.

There are four extraction models for the Chemex: 3-cup, 6-cup, 8-cup, and 10-cup. The 3-cup uses a different size filter and cannot use a stainless steel filter.

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.