Able Brewing is at it again, introducing the Able KONE in Black Titanium. This is the full sized KONE for Chemex brewers (all sizes from 6 to 12 cup), as well as the Glass Carafes for the Ratio Six and Ratio Eight coffee brewers.
Why Titanium
This latest iteration of the KONE brewer is not pure Titanium (so no, it’s not ultralight!); it is titanium plating over 304 stainless steel. The key takeaway though is the titanium and what it means for your coffee. Titanium is classified as “non-reactive” and, like gold, is entirely neutral to imparting taste to foodstuffs, including coffee with all its acids, lipids, oils and such. Steel is reactive to coffee. Titanium (and gold) are not. The result is a better overall “pure” cup of coffee.
This wasn’t the main impetus for Able Brewing though. I asked Able’s main guy, Mark Hellweg about the choice for titanium.
“I wanted to work on some different glass colors at Ratio (Hellweg also owns Ratio Coffee) and we decided to do a smoked glass carafe first”. Helweg said. “Around the same time we were discussing various plating options with our factory at Able and they mentioned Titanium. We tried out some samples and decided the smoked glass carafe + titanium Kone made a great little pairing!”
So the main driver was look and style. But impact (or lack thereof, at least negatively) on taste is a happy accidental benefit for Able, from the titanium plating. From the US National Library of Medicine:
“Titanium and its alloys are biologically inert materials widely used in the production of biomedical implants due to their high tensile and fatigue strength, and superior corrosion and wear resistance. Titanium is anti-reactive, it is not affected by rust, strong acids or alkalis.”
Also the International Journal of Food Microbiology lists titanium as one of the best food-handling materials available today, on a variety of different levels. Most important for coffee is that titanium’s completely inert nature towards food preserves and allows passage of 100% of the micronutrients in coffee through its use as a filter device. Stainless steel, on the other hand, is not 100% inert with food.
Further, titanium isn’t as susceptible to micro-abrasions like stainless steel is, meaning the surface stays smooth longer.
Latest KONE Design
The Black Titanium KONE features the product’s latest design, with the square to round hole layout, with around 40,000 chemical-photo-etched precise holes across the filter. The maximum aperture of 180um (which is similar to the size of portafilter basket holes) means a fairly “clean” and pure brew.
We much prefer non-paper filtration methods at CoffeeGeek because they hold back none of the flavour enhancing, viscosity-improving elements of coffee that paper filtration often blocks. If you prefer your coffee with a lot of “clarity” and a more delicate balance (perhaps even closer to tea), filters like the KONE are most likely not for you.
But if you do want every bit of flavour nuance and goodness a well sourced, well roasted, well ground coffee can deliver, filter systems like the Able Brewing KONE will deliver that to you.
Cup Quality
I’ll be honest – most of the KONE brewing I do is with a very limited edition gold plated KONE from about 10 years ago. I’ve put 1000s of brews through that filter and it is still going strong. Gold, like titanium, is inert, delivering 0% modifications in taste to coffee brewing brewed via it.
If I’m more honest, unlike some people, I am fairly oblivious to how steel sometimes imparts changes on taste in coffee; though I readily acknowledge many people do taste this metallic influence. I find I can really taste “papery” more in coffee brews than anything steel might impart in the cup. If you are someone who feels they can really taste “metallic” influence in non-paper filter brewing, gold or titanium filters might be a major benefit for you.
So on actual taste quality, the five sample brews I did with the Black Titanium KONE were very similar to the Gold KONE. I also brewed a few samples with the standard current generation KONE in 304 stainless steel (a very high grade of steel), and to be honest, I struggled to see much of a taste difference plus or minus.
That said, the Gold KONE I use is based on the early 3rd generation design of the KONE Filter, not the latest iteration the Titanium model is based on. The latest generation filters better and provides a cleaner cup. Visually, there’s probably 25% less fines in the bottom of the carafe once I’m done drinking the samples. Which is a win-win-win.
This means the Titanium KONE provides the same inert benefits the Gold KONE did, but a) with less fines in the cup, b) better overall extraction ratios, and c) at less than half the cost of the Gold KONE during the limited time it was for sale. The titanium plating means it should also last longer, with less micro-abrasions over time, than the standard 304 Steel KONE.
One thing to keep in mind with these filters: do not use your standard pourover grind (aka what you’d use ina V60) with all metal filters. You do not have to grind as coarse as you would for Chemex paper filters, but aim for midway between your fine V60 grind and the coarser Chemex grind.
We also use a ratio of 7.5g to 100ml when brewing with the KONE filters. Set it up for both, and you should be pleased with the results.
Pricing and Availability
The Black Titanium KONE is $40, just $5 more than the standard KONE. I know there’s plenty of knockoffs out there for the KONE filter system on Amazon, some as low as $15 or less. None of them have the precise engineering, hole design, or filtration ability of the KONE’s advanced layout. And now, for just $5 more, you get a filter that should last longer, is 100% neutral in taste impact to your coffee, and brews a better cup.
Mark has certified as a Canadian, USA, and World Barista Championship Judge in both sensory and technical fields, as well as working as an instructor in coffee and espresso training. He started CoffeeGeek in 2001.
One Response
Works surprisingly well in my Technivorm Moccamaster. I ran out of paper filters for a few days, so I decided to try using this cone instead. It makes very clean coffee with almost no grounds in the cup. The taste is rich with a thicker mouth-feel than with paper filters. I’ll probably go back to paper filters when I finally get a fresh box, but it’s good to know the Able Cone works so well.