Makes exceptional coffee. The first time I used it, I made Kenya from Peet's. It was a revelation. I didn't realize coffee could taste so good. This pot is Inexpensive.
Negative Product Points
Sensitive to powder in the coffee grounds. Cleanup is somewhat of a nuisance. After using this pot, drip coffee, even at the correct temp, will seem bland and lifeless.
Detailed Commentary
I've had one of these for nearly three years. When it works for me, it makes coffee that no drip machine ($200 or more) could ever hope to compare to. It really extracts the essence of the coffee. Tastes like it smells. Yum!
My routine is pretty simple. I heat the water (to about 180F or so), then I place the globe on top, grind 2-3 oz of coffee, and then put the grinds in the top globe. Once all the water has gone North, I wait three minutes. Then I take the entire assembly and set it in the plastic potholder.
The biggest complaint you will hear about the Santos is that it stalls. I had this problem and purchased a glass rod in place of the filter disk. Well, it still stalled frequently. I figured out that the problem was not a design flaw with the Santos, but a problem with my Solis Maestro grinder. If your Santos stalls, check your grind for powder as it will clog the filter disk.
If you don't own any vacuum pots, I really think you are missing out. $200 drip machines don't extract the flavor as well. For some reason (temp stability?), a french press doesn't extract the full flavor either.
