I'm highly doubtful that many of you guys use a siphon coffee maker, even if you own one. However, in today's initial Tiger Siphonysta review, I'll introduce a new device that could convince you to jump on the vacuum brewing train.
I’m highly doubtful that many of you guys use a siphon coffee maker, even if you own one. However, in today’s initial Tiger Siphonysta review, I’ll introduce a new device that could convince you to jump on the vacuum brewing train.
Having recently become available in North America, the Tiger Siphonysta is making waves in the specialty coffee industry. That’s because this innovative brewer has changed the siphon coffee maker game.
I’m determined to get my hands on the Siphonysta as soon as possible. I can’t wait to put it through its paces! In the meantime, join me as I take a first look at what this vacuum brewer is all about.
An exciting vacuum brewer
Tiger Siphonysta
Siphon coffee in under four minutes!
Innovative brewing method
Easy to use
Easy to clean
Adjustable controls
Puts on a show
Too much plastic
Overview: Tiger Siphonysta Review
In the good old days, siphon coffee makers were all the rage in America. In fact, siphon coffee making was one of the most popular ways to brew in the first half of the 20th century.
However, vacuum pots have most certainly fallen out of favor, seeing as the brewing process takes around 20 minutes on average. Plus, traditional siphons are a real hassle to clean. In other words, why bother with a vacuum brewer when you can achieve excellent results with a simple pour over dripper?
Tiger, a well-known Japanese manufacturer of rice cookers, blenders and more decided it was time to give the humble siphon a modern makeover. The resulting Tiger Siphonysta is certainly impressive to behold. Plus, there’s a lot going on under the hood – this baby makes coffee based on the siphon principle, but uses a pump and flash heating system.
The result? Eight ounces (250 milliliters) of Siphon coffee in under four minutes, with minimal fuss and fiddling. What’s more, the Tiger Siphonysta offers an impressive amount of control over your brew, including adjustable temperature and strength controls.
Perhaps best of all, this vacuum brewer promises easy cleanup, making it way more attractive to modern coffee nerds.
So, is the Tiger Siphonysta worth its $499.95 asking price? That’s what I aim to find out as I continue with this initial Tiger Siphonystra review!
How the Tiger Siphonysta Works
While the Tiger Siphonysta is based on the vacuum brewing principle, it operates rather differently from a traditional siphon coffee maker. In fact, it works kind of like an upside down siphon pot.
You add ground coffee to the bottom chamber, which has a permanent filter installed as well as a tube for brewed coffee to pass through. This attaches to a beefy “collar” which houses a lot of tubes, valves and gaskets.
The water for brewing goes into another chamber, which attaches to the top of the collar.
Once the brewing process is initiated, the machine quickly heats the water by pumping it through the flash heating system and into the bottom chamber. This is where the extraction takes place, before the machine initiates the all-important siphon brewing process.
Within a few seconds, all the brewed coffee is forced upward through the tube, eventually settling in the upper chamber. Once the coffee is ready, you simply place a cup under the machine’s dispensing spout and pull the lever to get your fix.
Tiger Siphonysta Features
Let’s keep the ball rolling in this Tiger Siphonysta review by taking a closer look at the most notable features of this siphon brewing system.
Size and Design
There can be little doubt that the Tiger Siphonysta is an impressive-looking coffee maker. In fact, I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
Fully assembled, the Siphonysta weighs around 11 pounds (5 kilograms), although it has a fairly compact footprint. One half of the machine is taken up by the brewing chamber assembly, while the other side has a control panel on top and a coffee dispensing spout below.
While the machine’s main body is mainly plastic, there are plenty of stainless steel accents to add a touch of class. Still, the brewing chambers are made of cheap-looking plastic, which is a little disappointing for a machine costing close to $500.
Brewing Chambers
As I just mentioned, the two brewing chambers are made from plastic, and have a somewhat cloudy look. As other reviewers have mentioned, Tritan would have been a much better option here, especially given its proven durability. Still at least the plastic used is BPA-free.
The top chamber has handy level markers for measuring water, as well as a tight-fitting lid with a gasket to maintain the vacuum necessary for brewing.
The lower chamber is where you’ll install the filter assembly, which includes the flow tube. The filter itself looks a little like what you’d see in a French press. This is also where you’ll add ground coffee, so it’s important to cover the tube with your finger when doing so.
Incidentally, the lower chamber attaches to the middle collar in a very specific way to create a seal, and I’ve heard that this can be a little hard to achieve at first. So, I’ll be sure to comment on that once I’ve tested the Siphonysta.
User Interface
The Tiger Siphonysta’s control panel looks fairly straightforward and easy to navigate. Comprising an array of buttons and LED lights, the user interface is located on top of the unit. Here, you can select your desired strength and flavor profile, and there’s also a button to start or stop the brewing process.
One other feature to point out is the awesome lever for dispensing coffee. Located on the side of the machine, the dispensing lever allows you to release as much coffee as you’d like. Oh and there’s a metal removable drip tray in case you happen to make a mess.
Flavor and Strength Buttons
There are three flavor control buttons, all with unfortunate names. You get to choose from “Acidic,” “Middle” and “Bitter” – none of which sound appealing. Sure, pleasant acidity is a key component of a well-rounded cup of joe. But, when was the last time you decided you were in the mood for a decidedly bitter cup of coffee? Anyway, the flavor settings control the temperature of the water during brewing.
On the other hand, the three strength buttons (“Light,” “Middle” and “Strong”) control the extraction time in the lower chamber.
All in all, the Tiger Siphonysta offers nine different combinations for dialing in your brew, which is quite impressive. I must say I’m looking forward to experimenting with the machine once I have it in the Coffeeness kitchen.
Dual Temperature Function
One last feature worth mentioning is the dual temperature function, which has its own dedicated button on the control panel. As I already pointed out, the flavor buttons change brewing temperature overall. However, pressing the “Dual Temp” button means the machine will dramatically lower the temperature mid-brew.
Apparently, this function is ideal for bringing out the best in coffee beans with a light roast profile. I’ve also heard that it’s intended for making iced coffee, although I’ll have to wait and see how that works out.
How to Use the Tiger Siphonysta
As far as I can tell, making coffee with the Tiger Siphonysta is a fairly straightforward affair. The only thing you’ll have to watch out for is making sure the bottom brew chamber is correctly attached to the middle section before hitting the brew button.
To make coffee, start by installing the filter assembly to the lower chamber, then adding coffee grounds. You’ll have to experiment to find your ideal grind size, but I’d recommend starting out on the coarser side – along the lines of what you’d use in a Chemex.
Next, attach the lower chamber to the middle collar, making sure to line everything up correctly.
Once that’s done, remove the lid from the upper chamber, add your desired amount of water, then replace the lid and attach the chamber to the collar. Now it’s simply a case of placing the brewing unit as a whole onto the main body of the machine and locking it into place.
Finally, select your desired flavor and strength profiles and press the Start/Stop button. You’ll hear the pump kick into action and see water start to drip into the lower chamber. After the extraction phase, you’ll then get to watch the spectacle of coffee being forced into the upper chamber. Apparently, the Tiger Siphonysta puts on quite a show during the vacuum process!
Tiger Siphonysta Cleaning
As I mentioned earlier in this Tiger Siphonysta review, traditional vacuum coffee makers are notoriously difficult to clean.
However, you’ll be relieved to hear that cleaning this particular coffee maker is as easy as pie. It’s simply a case of gently removing the filter assembly and knocking off the used coffee grounds. Then you can rinse both brewing chambers and the middle collar under warm water.
The manufacturer will have you believe that the plastic chambers are dishwasher safe. And while that might be true, I’d keep ’em out of there. That is, unless you want them to get scratched up and even more cloudy. Oh, and it almost goes without saying that you should keep the collar out of the dishwasher. There are simply way too many delicate parts involved in its construction.
Tiger Siphonysta Technical Specifications
| Tiger Siphonysta | |
| Manufacturer | Tiger |
|---|---|
| Model number | ADS-A02U |
| Product category | Drip coffee maker |
| Housing material | Plastic with stainless steel parts |
| Color options | Black |
| Carafe | None |
| Keep warm function | No |
| Milk frother | |
| User interface | Color LCD with buttons |
| App | |
| Removable water reservoir | |
| Water reservoir capacity | 10.1 fl oz / 0.3 l |
| Brew capacity | 10 fl oz / 296 ml |
| Single cup function | |
| Reusable coffee filter | |
| Coffee pod compatible | |
| Brew styles | 1 |
| Pre-infusion | |
| Adjustable coffee temperature | |
| Coffee strength adjustment levels | |
| Hot water function | |
| Water filter | |
| Power consumption | 1000 W |
| Weight | 11.0 lb / 5.0 kg |
| Dimensions | 12.3 x 9.4 x 14.4 in |
| Warranty | 1 year |
| SCA certified home brewer | |
| Notes | Included Accessories: User manual, permanent filter, coffee scoop, metal stand |
| Current price on Amazon | $499.95 |
| All specifications | |
Verdict: Tiger Siphonysta Review
An exciting vacuum brewer
Tiger Siphonysta
Siphon coffee in under four minutes!
Innovative brewing method
Easy to use
Easy to clean
Adjustable controls
Puts on a show
Too much plastic
I’ve long been a fan of brewing coffee in a siphon brewer. Not only does this brewing method put on a show, the resulting brew is completely unique in both body and flavor. That said, I usually only break out my vacuum pot when I’m trying to impress guests.
So, I have really high hopes for the Tiger Siphonysta. I mean, if this thing works as advertised, it means I can enjoy siphon coffee without having to wait 20 minutes. Plus, I love the idea of really being able to dial in my brew using the adjustable controls.
I’m definitely going to order the Tiger Siphonysta from Amazon, and I’ll be sure to update this initial review once I’ve had a chance to play around with it. So, if you’re interested in reading about my experiences, make sure to keep checking back in!
I hope you’ve enjoyed my first look at the Tiger Siphonysta. Have you had the chance to use this siphon coffee brewer yet? Feel free to share your experiences with the Coffeeness community in our comments section!
