No other coffee maker has fascinated passionate coffee drinkers like the Santos. Here Jorgen Bodum tells the Santos story, and after you read it you'll understand why this passion for coffee has lasted two generations and for sure will last another two.

In the mid-50's Peter Bodum, imported a French "vacuum" coffee maker and sold it for a couple of years on the Danish market. Although he found it both expensive and unsatisfactory he was convinced that the "vacuum coffee brewing system" was the best way to brew a good cup of coffee.

With this in mind he set out to develop the first Bodum vacuum coffee maker in cooperation with one of Denmark's first product designers, the architect Kaas Klaeson. Their slogan, "design should not be expensive," is one that Bodum still stands for!

Product development in 50's Denmark needed a pioneer's vision. From the first model, called Mocca, to the highly successful Santos, my father improved both the practical aspect of the vacuum coffee system and the quality of the coffee brewed in it. In creating a coffee maker to use on the stovetop as well as on a spirit burner at the table, he bridged the gap between everyday use and special events. His new, revolutionary nylon filter achieved a break-through in coffee brewing quality, far overshadowing the existing cotton and glass filters on the market. This patented filter strained coffee to a fine, tasteful and still aromatic coffee with nearly no sediments left over in the cup - a feat no coffee filter of the time was capable of.

With its patented "valve sealing" a safety issue was solved by preventing too high of a vacuum to be formed. Santos became the coffee maker of the 50's, 60's, and a good part of the 70's. Its popularity grew to the point you could find a Santos in nearly every Scandinavian home.

During the 60's my father added a number of new models to the collection. The Domingo, small and convenient, for 4-6 cups, and the Rio, for a full 12 cups and used mainly by restaurants. The Danish supermarket chain Irma even set up a catering kitchen with as many as 100 Rio coffee makers constantly brewing. When the brewing process was finished, the funnel was removed and the glass jug was placed in a thermos box and delivered to private parties by van. In this way, a hot and excellent coffee was delivered as an after-dinner surprise. Aromatic and delightfully served!

The magic of Santos and my father's other glass coffee makers held people spellbound! People wanted to follow the visual wonder of water rising into the funnel and its mysterious return as black coffee into the serving jug. A unique physical process with the ideal balance between the 94 C, 201 F water and just the right brewing time, extracting the finest aroma from all types of coffee.

Instructions for use:

1. Pour the desired amount of water into the bottom glass jug.

2. Then place the jug either on an electric, gas or methylated spirits stove. The glass jug may be wet on the outside. For gas stoves we recommend that you use a heat diffuser.

3. Now insert the filter in the funnel.

4. There is a small chain on the filter with a hook. Pull the chain gently and secure the hook to the edge of the tube.

5. Place the ground coffee in the glass funnel. Use one scoop of coffee for each cup of coffee desired. Any grind of coffee can be used.

6. Now place the glass funnel on the jug and bring the water to a boil.

7. The water in the jug will now rise into the funnel and mix with the ground coffee. Around 2 cm of water will remain in the glass jug at the bottom. (If no water remains in the jug, it must be removed from the heat immediately since there is a risk that it will crack from the heat).

8. Now take the coffee maker off the heat and place it on a surface which is neither cold nor wet. The coffee is now "brewed", the coffee should now pass into the lower jug. Should it cease to fall into the jug simply replace onto the heat and bring to the boil again.

9. As soon as the coffee has run out of the glass funnel into the jug, remove the funnel. The coffee is now ready to drink. Clean the funnel by removing the coffee grounds, releasing the filter hook from the glass tube and rinsing both thoroughly with hot water. You may wash thoroughly with a mild soapy water, using care not to bump or damage the glass funnel.