The Specialty Coffee Maker Obama Introduced To The White House

In 2016, the White House received delivery of 150 Chemex coffee makers, all adorned with the iconic presidential seal, explains MassLive. The wildly popular device uses the pour-over method to transform coffee grounds into the sunshine in a cup that lifts us from our morning fog.

The Chemex coffee maker was invented in 1941 when Dr. Peter Schlumbohm used his background in chemistry and physics to design a vessel that would offer “perfect extraction and perfect filtration.” While there are many ways to make a cup of coffee, from a Keurig to a French press, the Chemex saw a resurgence in popularity around the time of the White House order, thanks to “hipsters” who take their coffee brewing and drinking very seriously (via MassLive).

While we don’t know for sure what drew President Obama to the company, Chemex touts values that could make its products more attractive to an American president. For starters, Chemex is an American company that strives to incorporate American business in its manufacturing process. Even though the glass is made in Taiwan and Germany, for example, it comes from sand that was mined in New Jersey, notes MassLive. The company is also committed to sustainability. According to their website, Chemex filters are biodegradable and compostable. They also encourage users to recycle or upcycle their chipped and no longer usable units.

Despite the unclear reasoning, especially as President Obama himself seems to prefer tea over coffee (via Boston Globe), the Chemex purchase earned President Obama cool points (via Twitter) and brought a new standard of coffee to the highest office in the land.