The Chemex Ten Cup Glass Handle CM-10GH is the large version of the hourglass pour-over coffeemaker, made of borosilicate glass with a glass handle instead of the wood collar and leather tie. The maker's page gives it a 50 ounce capacity and a price of $53.50 on the official CHEMEX store. The page is short on specs, so this one explains the brewing method, the choice between sizes and how it compares with a smaller Chemex and the Hario V60.
What is the Chemex Ten Cup Glass Handle CM-10GH?
It is a manual pour-over brewer and carafe in one piece of glass. You place a folded paper filter in the top cone, pour hot water over ground coffee, and the brewed coffee collects in the lower chamber, which is also the serving vessel. There is no electricity, no timer and no moving parts.
CHEMEX says it has been the brewer for generations of coffee drinkers since 1941, and that each coffeemaker is inspected and polished by one of its team before it is boxed. The glass handle is an alternative to the wooden collar found on other models. The maker states that the difference between a wooden collar and a glass handle is purely aesthetic and does not change how the coffeemaker works.
Chemex Ten Cup Glass Handle CM-10GH specs
| Type | Pour-over coffeemaker, glass |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 50 ounces (ten cups of 5 oz) |
| Height | 9 1/4 in |
| Diameter | 5 1/8 in |
| Material | Borosilicate glass, the type used for labware |
| Handle | Glass |
| Filters | CHEMEX Bonded FP-1, FC-100, FS-100, FSU-100 |
| Dishwasher | Yes, with collar and rawhide removed |
| Item number | CM-10GH |
The maker does not publish a weight, a country of manufacture on this page, a wall thickness or a warranty beyond a return and breakage policy. Those stay blank here instead of being guessed. The cup measure is the brand's own: it counts a cup as 5 ounces, not the 8 ounces of a US measuring cup, so ten cups means 50 ounces.
How brewing with the Chemex works
CHEMEX gives a seven-step method on the product page, and it explains most of what the brewer asks of you. Grind the coffee medium coarse. Open a CHEMEX Bonded filter into a cone, so that one side has three layers, and set it in the top with the thick portion covering the pouring spout. Add one rounded tablespoon of ground coffee for every 5 oz cup. Bring water to a boil, take it off the heat until it stops boiling vigorously, and pour a little in a circle over the grounds to wet them.
Then wait about 30 seconds for the grounds to bloom, which is the pause that lets the coffee release gas before the main pour. After that, pour slowly, keeping the water level at least a quarter inch below the top of the brewer, and move in circles or back and forth for even saturation. When enough coffee has dripped through, lift out the filter with the spent grounds and discard it. The maker says its filters are biodegradable and compostable.
For a full ten-cup batch the maker's ratio works out to ten rounded tablespoons of coffee. The maker also states that you can brew less than the full size: adjust the coffee and water to the number of cups you want.
The maker also claims that its Bonded filters, together with the brewer, remove fats, bitterness, acidity and sediments that other filters leave behind. That is the maker's description of its system, and nobody tested the result for this page. What can be said plainly is that the filters are a specific product: the page names four CHEMEX filter codes to use.
Chemex Ten Cup Glass Handle CM-10GH vs Chemex Coffee Maker
The Chemex Coffee Maker on this site is the six-cup body of the Classic line, listed at $49.50 with a 0.88 L capacity. The ten-cup glass handle model holds 50 ounces, about 1.5 L, for $53.50 on the maker's store. For $4 more you get roughly two-thirds more volume and a glass handle in place of a wood collar. The method and the filters are the same family. The difference is how much coffee you brew at once.
The deciding question is how many people you serve. A six-cup brewer fills a couple of mugs. The ten-cup brewer suits a household or a small gathering, and it can still brew less than its full size.
Chemex Ten Cup Glass Handle CM-10GH vs Hario V60
The Hario V60 is a different style of pour-over. It is a conical dripper with one large hole and spiral ribs that run to the top of the cone, and it sits on a cup or a server. It comes in plastic, ceramic, glass and metal. Its filters are an open shape that several brands make, whereas the Chemex asks for its own bonded filters. The V60 is a dripper only, so you need a separate server unless you buy a set.
The Chemex is the one-piece choice: it brews and serves from the same glass. The V60 is the choice for someone who wants to choose the vessel, the material and the filter brand. The V60's price depends on the material and set, and the site does not list one.
Is the Chemex Ten Cup Glass Handle CM-10GH worth it?
Nobody tested this model for this page, so there is no claim about how the coffee tastes or how well the glass stands up. What is stated is a $53.50 price, a 50 ounce capacity, borosilicate glass, a dishwasher-safe body once any wooden collar and tie are removed, and the Glass Handle model has neither, and a maker that has made the brewer since 1941. The ongoing cost is the filters, which must be CHEMEX's own. If you brew for several people and like a slow, hands-on method, it is a fair price for a large brewer. If you brew one cup, it is more brewer than you need.
Who should buy the Chemex Ten Cup Glass Handle CM-10GH (and who should not)
It suits a household that drinks several cups at a time, someone who enjoys the pour-over method and a visible, serve-from-the-brewer carafe, and anyone who prefers a glass handle to a wooden collar.
It does not suit someone who wants a one-touch machine, a person who brews a single mug each morning, or anyone who wants a free choice of filter. The glass also needs care: the maker warns that the carafe should be secure in the dishwasher so it does not bump other dishes and break.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cups does the Chemex Ten Cup make?
CHEMEX measures a cup as 5 ounces, so the ten-cup model holds 50 ounces. The maker says you can brew less than the full size by adjusting your coffee and water.
What filters does it use?
The maker says to use CHEMEX Bonded filters FP-1, FC-100, FS-100 or FSU-100.
Is the Chemex dishwasher safe?
The maker says yes, once any wooden collar and tie are removed, and the Glass Handle model has neither, and advises securing the carafe so it does not break against other dishes. The page also suggests hand washing with a coffeemaker brush.
What is the difference between the glass handle and the wood collar models?
According to the maker, it is purely aesthetic and does not change how the coffeemaker functions.
What grind and ratio does the maker suggest?
A medium-coarse grind and one rounded tablespoon of ground coffee for every 5 oz cup, with more if you prefer it stronger.
What is the return policy?
You have three days from receipt to report breakage or shipping errors, and refund or exchange requests must be made within 30 days, with the item in its original packaging.
