Once I started using the pour method to make it, I started drinking black coffee in the morning on a regular basis. I have always preferred plain coffee, but when brewing in the coffee machine, I usually need to add a bit of cream to smooth it out. So far, I have used fresh ground coffee beans and the V60 Hario pour method to obtain easy-to-drink coffee with great success. However, after trying VacOne, there may be another way to get a cup of ultra-smooth pure black coffee.

VacOne is a single-cup coffee machine that uses vacuum suction to draw water through the coffee grounds and filter. This is a single piece of equipment located on top of a custom glass carafe. There is a battery in it, so there is no need to plug in, just charge it from time to time. It is as simple to use as any other coffee machine (including Keurig), but the coffee it produces is one of the smoothest coffees I have ever had.

VacOne works out of the box. My battery is fully charged. There is no battery level indicator, so you need to guess when it needs to be plugged in. I think it’s not open is a hint that it’s time to insert it. Fortunately, the device should be able to fully charge 100 to 200 cups of coffee in about 2 hours.

The USB charging port is located at the bottom under the yellow cover. It is unscrewed to expose the port and tightened to prevent water ingress.

There are not many steps required to make 10 to 12 ounces of coffee with VacOne, but the process is different from other manual coffee machines. Brewing the first cup of coffee takes a few minutes longer than the second, because I have become familiar with the device. Essentially, to use VacOne, you need to scoop out the right amount of coffee grounds, pour hot water into the indicator line, wait one minute for the coffee powder to become steep, and then press the vacuum button until all the water is pumped away.

My first cup of coffee was smooth and had some flavor. This is decent. This is the second cup that really fascinates me. No signs of bitterness were found. I made a second cup using Peet's Coffee Holiday Blend coffee beans to compare with the pouring coffee I made before. But the point is that the beans are not the part that makes the second cup so delicious. Once I knew that I had found VacOne, I grind some Quintal coffee roasted in the country from the team behind VacOne. It has a light and bright morning smell. This is also great.

In terms of the overall flavor of the unit, I got some mixed results. On the one hand, I have never had a bad cup of coffee. On the other hand, it occasionally tasted like I sacrificed some flavor for smoothness. This is not always the case, but it is most noticeable in lighter roasts. I found that I need to experiment with the amount of coffee grounds and the amount of water I use (in a very small way) to achieve the combination of flavor and smoothness I am looking for.

Below is more detailed information about VacOne and its air brewing process. First, the company described it as "a unique coffee extraction method that can extract the full flavor of coffee using air in record time."

The entire device is installed in one unit. No need to attach or remove anything every time you brew. The whole thing can be submerged and cleaned underwater. It has an embedded metal mesh filter, but it should be suitable for hundreds of uses. If it does need to be replaced, the company will sell a replacement filter for $8.

If VacOne has any difficulty, it is cleaning up. Because it is one piece, the entire unit needs to be cleaned. I found that it takes about 2 minutes to get the ground out. Two minutes seems reasonable, but it is in stark contrast to my usual practice of walking the V60 paper filter to the trash can, dumping the trash, and then quickly flushing the ceramic dripper. If possible, VacOne can make someone's cleanup process easier and simpler than before-great. For me, it adds a minute or two to work.

I continue to find that the compact size of the VacOne has left a deep impression on me. I'm not sure if its handmade carafe can travel well, but this device seems to be very suitable as a portable coffee machine. Its single-cup capacity and integrated battery are very suitable for hotel rooms or campgrounds.

On most days, I drink a cup of hot coffee in the morning. I don't like cold drinks, except for short periods in summer.

VacOne is convenient because it can make hot or cold coffee. The process is the same for both, except for the latter you use room temperature water and let it steep for a few more minutes.

Personally, I think that most ordinary cold beer, black, tends to have a too strong bite. VacOne makes that strong taste full-bodied. Although the hot brewed coffee made with VacOne may be more subtle than I like, the cold brewed coffee made on the machine is delicious. As far as my taste is concerned, it is just right. The same smooth taste also applies to this situation and is even more popular.

Disappointingly, using VacOne for cold brew coffee will produce less coffee-closer to 10 ounces than 12 or 14 ounces. The instructions say to add five scoops of coffee powder instead of four scoops of hot coffee (the VacOne spoon is 7 grams, and the standard spoon is 10), and let it steep for 4 minutes on the lowest indicator line, while hot coffee takes 1 minute. You may be able to use the strength and water level to drink a few more ounces for your cup, but according to the instructions, the amount of cold brewed coffee is not much.

Coffee is usually a very personal matter. The smell, taste and even the rituals involved are part of the habits of those who make coffee at home. Asking someone to switch from one manual method to another may or may not go smoothly. For example, even though I like the smooth texture of VacOne and I really like it, if I switch to it completely, I'm still on the sidelines. Switching to a different process usually requires multiple considerations.

However, for those currently using Keurig or other general-purpose coffee machines, VacOne is an excellent way to take the risk and drink a more fulfilling cup of coffee. It's just a little more fussy than popping up in K-Cup, but it makes more sense. Because this machine costs less than $100 and is easy to use, I think it's worth a try for anyone who is curious.

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