I have an old Subbeam® siphon-type coffeepot that I bought at an “antique store” for $20. It has two chambers, the carafe (which contains the heating element) and the brewing chamber.
To operate it, you fill the carafe with water and clamp the brewing chamber onto it. The brewing chamber has a siphon tube that runs to the bottom of the carafe, so that when the water begins to boil, the pressure forces the hot water up the siphon tube, through the filter, and into the upper chamber where the ground coffee sits (unless you forgot that step – I’ve done that). When the bottom boils dry, the upper chamber is filled with boiling-hot water and ground coffee. The lower chamber, now there’s no water, continues to heat until a thermocouple moves the switch from “brew” to “warm”. When the steam in the bottom chamber begins to cool and condense, it draws the now-brewed coffee back through the filter into the carafe and keeps it warm. You then remove the brewing chamber and are ready to pour about eight very good cups of hot joe.
A few months ago, I dropped the brewing chamber, breaking off part of one of the locking handles. In my disgust at breaking one of the few pride-and-joy objects in my possession, I threw away the broken piece (in hindsight, I suppose I could’ve just glued it back on). It still works, but I fear it will eventually give up the ghost. In the meantime, I’d like to keep it in service in as close to like-new condition as possible. Does anyone have any suggestions how I go about acquiring a low-cost replacement for the brewing chamber? The handles are riveted on so I can’t just remove the old one, make a copy and screw it back on.
This is the best (and most technically interesting) coffeemaker I’ve ever owned. I don’t want to replace it with a “Mr. Coffee” or anything modern, unless I can find a direct replacement. Does anyone have any suggestions?
~~Baloo