A Guide to Classic Coffee Brewing Devices

If you’ve ever wondered how people brewed coffee before modern electric machines, or why some traditional methods are still popular today, you’re not alone. This guide dives into the origins, designs, and workings of historic coffee brewers that helped shape today’s specialty coffee culture.

From the early 1800s to the mid-20th century, more than a dozen distinct coffee brewing devices were invented, refined, and widely used—from copper ibriks in the Middle East to glass siphon pots in Europe—each with unique features and serving styles.

Turkish Coffee: The Ibrik (or Cezve)

In the early 19th century, the Middle East saw the rise of the “ibrik,” also known as a cezve, a small long-handled coffee pot central to traditional preparation. Typically standing about six inches tall and holding enough for three to four cups, these pots were crafted mostly from pure copper or brass, with some featuring a tin interior coating for corrosion resistance. Though not filtered, the ibrik remains integral to making unfiltered Turkish coffee, where finely ground coffee is boiled directly in water and served unstrained.

European Innovations: From Naples to Vienna

The 19th century brought a wave of coffee brewing inventions across Europe. In the 1860s, French engineers designed a simple filtering coffee device, later adapted and widely adopted in Italy by the 1950s under the name “Neapolitan flip pot” or “Napoli kettle.” This two-chambered device stacked one pot atop the other, using a perforated filter basket between them and featuring a spout for pouring.

By the late 1800s, the vacuum brewing principle gave rise to what is known as the Vienna or Belgian coffee pot. This device used alcohol burners to heat water in a lower chamber, pushing vapor pressure upward through a connected tube into an upper glass globe where ground coffee waited. After removing the heat, a vacuum effect pulled the brewed coffee back down into the lower vessel. A tap allowed for serving, creating a theatrical and effective brew method.

Vacuum and Filter Systems: From Siphons to Drips

Long before siphon coffee became a cafe staple, early vacuum brewers like the 1840s prototype by Scottish engineer Robert Napier laid the groundwork. These early glass vacuum systems used two spherical globes: the lower held heated water, which rose through a tube into the upper globe (containing coffee grounds) due to steam pressure. Once the flame was removed, cooling created a vacuum that pulled the brewed coffee back down for serving.

Other key developments included:

• Filter Press Devices (early 1900s): Used manual pressure to extract coffee through a fine mesh screen, taking around five minutes per brew.
• Glass Vacuum Pots: Evolved from early prototypes into more reliable siphon brewers using similar two-chamber vacuum principles.
• Filter Drippers (mid-20th century): Popular in restaurants, especially in France, these metal cones with a flat fine filter allowed hot water to slowly drip through coffee grounds.

Modernizing Coffee: Paper Filters, Electrics, and More

The mid-20th century marked a shift toward both convenience and hygiene in coffee brewing. German housewife Melitta Bentz invented the paper filter dripper in the early 1900s, which used disposable paper filters in a similar drip system—offering a cleaner brew and easier cleanup, and paving the way for modern pour-over techniques. These came in variations with either one or three bottom holes for flow control.

Electric coffee machines also entered the scene in significant numbers during this era. Early models fell into three categories:

• Percolators (inexpensive but unreliable),
• Vacuum brewers (rich flavor but prone to breakdown), and
• The 1965 Philips invention: the first mainstream drip filter coffee maker, which quickly dominated the market with better performance and ease of use.

By the late 20th century, electric drip machines evolved into several types:

• Basic models for ground coffee,
• Two-in-one brewers with built-in grinders, and
• Steam-driven machines capable of frothing milk for espresso-style drinks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an ibrik and how is it used?

An ibrik, also called a cezve, is a small, long-handled metal pot traditionally made of copper or brass, used to brew unfiltered Turkish coffee. It typically holds three to four servings and stands about six inches tall. Finely ground coffee and water are boiled together directly in the pot, then poured unstrained into cups, leaving coffee grounds settled at the bottom.

How did the Neapolitan flip coffee pot work?

The Neapolitan flip pot, developed in France in the 1860s and popularized in Italy by the 1950s, consists of two stacked spherical chambers connected by a filter basket. After adding ground coffee and water, the pot is flipped upside down to let brewed coffee pass through the filter and into the lower chamber, from which it is poured.

What is a vacuum coffee brewer and how does it function?

A vacuum coffee brewer uses a two-chamber system where water is heated in the lower globe, creating vapor pressure that pushes it into the upper chamber containing coffee grounds. Once removed from heat, the cooling lower chamber creates a vacuum that pulls the brewed coffee back down for serving, often via a tap.

Who invented the paper coffee filter and why is it important?

Melitta Bentz, a German woman, invented the paper coffee filter in the early 1900s. Her design used disposable paper to create a cleaner, healthier brew without coffee grounds in the cup, and it laid the foundation for modern pour-over brewing techniques still used today.

When did electric drip coffee makers become common?

Electric drip coffee makers gained popularity in the mid-20th century, especially after the 1965 introduction of the first reliable drip machine by Philips. These machines offered a convenient and consistent way to brew filtered coffee, eventually dominating household kitchens.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Traditional Brewing

For exploring traditional brewing methods like Turkish or siphon coffee, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Huakui—bright and floral with notes of blueberry and jasmine, ideal for filter or immersion brewing. Their Brazil Queen Manor offers a nutty, chocolatey profile great for siphon or vacuum pot brewing, balancing body and sweetness. Finally, the Yirgacheffe delivers juicy acidity and citrus tones, perfect for methods emphasizing clarity like pour-over or cezve. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.