PETER SCHLUMBOHM, 1941
Object
The Chemex coffee maker, created by German chemist and inventor Peter Schlumbohm, is an excellent example of the fusion between functional kitchen tools and innovative design.
Schlumbohm emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1935. Inspired by the Bauhaus design school and his knowledge as a chemist, he sought to apply the principles of efficiency and simplicity from the laboratory to everyday kitchen tools. This approach led to the conception of the Chemex coffee maker, which not only embodies the concept of the kitchen as a laboratory—a concept that gained traction in the United States between the two world wars.
The design of the Chemex, with its hourglass shape reminiscent of laboratory instruments like the Erlenmeyer flask, reflects Schlumbohm’s intent to combine scientific precision with everyday functionality.
The Chemex pour-over coffee maker is made from borosilicate glass, a material chosen for its excellent heat resistance and chemical inertness, ensuring that the coffee’s flavor remains pure and unaltered. This choice of materials further underscores Schlumbohm’s philosophy of creating objects that are both beautiful and practical, transforming complex processes like coffee preparation into accessible and enjoyable activities.
The Chemex Coffee Maker in Museums
The Chemex is perhaps the most successful of Schlumbohm’s more than 300 patented designs, and its cultural impact is significant. Its success was cemented by its appearance in a famous breakfast scene in James Bond’s 007 From Russia with Love, highlighting its status as a sophisticated and elegant icon.
The Chemex’s place in the design world is further solidified by its inclusion in collections of prestigious institutions like MoMA in New York, underscoring its importance as an intelligently, elegantly, and sensitively produced everyday object.
Through the Chemex, Schlumbohm’s legacy lives on to demonstrate the enduring appeal of designs that marry form and function with principles of clarity and efficiency. It remains a beloved tool among coffee enthusiasts and a symbol of refined taste in kitchens and cafés around the world.
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Details
Chemex
The original Chemex pou-over coffee maker is available on Amazon.com.
Dimensions of the Chemex 3-Cup Coffee Maker:
- Height: 21 cm
- Capacity: 470 ml
Borosilicate glass, wood, leather
