BKON Brewer Uses Vacuum Tech to Perfect Coffee Extraction

If you’ve ever wondered why your pour-over sometimes tastes flat or your espresso lacks clarity, you’re not alone. The difference often comes down to how coffee is extracted—how water interacts with grounds to pull out flavor, aroma, and body. But what if there were a way to control every variable of that process with extreme precision?

The answer might be the BKON brewer, a vacuum-powered extraction machine that can brew coffee or tea in as little as 60 to 90 seconds while giving users full digital control over water volume, temperature, pressure, cycles, and more. First introduced by Dean & Lou Vastardis, it’s already attracting attention from companies like Starbucks and specialty coffee labs.

What Is the BKON Brewer?

The BKON brewer is an automatic, vacuum-based extraction device developed by Dean & Lou Vastardis, a company known for building professional equipment for high-end tea and beverage brands like Franke and Rishi. Though originally designed with tea in mind, the machine’s patented vacuum injection system works on any organic material—including coffee grounds.

Unlike traditional brewers that rely on gravity or pressure, BKON employs a method called “reverse air pressure injection.” This approach gently pulls water through coffee or tea using controlled vacuum levels, preserving cell structure and avoiding excessive agitation. The result is a cleaner, more stable extraction with heightened aromatics.

How Does Vacuum Extraction Work in the BKON?

At the heart of the BKON system is a transparent extraction chamber where the vacuum brewing takes place. Through a connected mobile application, users can manipulate nearly every variable in the brew process, including:

• Brew duration (as short as 60–90 seconds)
• Water volume and temperature
• Pressure levels
• Cycle count and depth
• Brew vessel configuration

The system doesn’t use steam or forceful air pressure. Instead, it reduces air pressure inside the chamber, allowing water to boil at a lower temperature and gently infuse through the coffee bed. According to the manufacturer, this method fully extracts flavor and aroma in about 90 seconds—compared to 7 minutes for conventional methods—without degrading the coffee’s sensory qualities.

Who’s Using the BKON, and Why?

The BKON brewer has already generated interest among specialty coffee professionals and large-scale retailers. Notably, during the SCAA trade show in Seattle, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz personally tested the machine. Two Starbucks concept stores and the New York Coffee Center have also expressed strong interest.

Beyond coffee, testers have used BKON to brew various types of tea and even experiment with other liquids, including oils. Its ability to maintain precise temperature control—via multiple built-in thermal probes—and adjust vacuum pressure through independent pumps makes it suitable for a wide range of applications. The machine also features a ball valve spout to preserve vacuum integrity throughout the brew cycle.

Customization, Connectivity, and Cleaning

Users can save custom beverage profiles directly on the BKON’s interface, adjusting everything from brew time to temperature and pressure. These profiles can then be uploaded to the cloud and shared with other BKON users, fostering a community-driven exchange of techniques and recipes.

The machine also includes rotating filters tailored specifically for coffee and tea, along with multiple cleaning protocols to ensure hygiene and longevity. Its sleek design includes visual animations on the manufacturer’s website that demonstrate how the vacuum extraction works in real time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the BKON brewer cost?

The BKON brewer retails for $13,000 USD (approximately 81,350 RMB). The first 100 units were produced and made available for sale starting in June of the launch year.

How long does the BKON take to brew coffee?

The BKON can complete a full extraction cycle in as little as 60 to 90 seconds, depending on the settings chosen for water volume, temperature, and pressure.

What makes BKON’s extraction method different?

BKON uses a vacuum and reverse air pressure injection system instead of traditional gravity or high-pressure brewing. This allows for a gentler extraction that preserves the cellular structure of coffee grounds and extracts flavor and aroma more efficiently in a shorter time.

Can you use the BKON for beverages other than coffee?

Yes. While optimized for coffee and tea, the BKON has also been used to experiment with other liquids, including oils. Its programmable parameters make it adaptable to various extraction needs beyond just coffee.

Is the BKON widely adopted by coffee shops?

While not yet mainstream, the BKON has attracted attention from major players like Starbucks and specialty coffee institutions. Two Starbucks concept stores and the New York Coffee Center have shown interest, and it won “Best New Product” at the SCAA exhibition.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee for Vacuum Brewing

For vacuum-style extraction, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Huakui—bright with jasmine and lemon, ideal for highlighting clarity. Their Yirgacheffe offers floral and berry notes, excellent for testing subtle extraction profiles. Both single origins showcase the kind of clarity and nuance the BKON brewer is designed to enhance. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.