What Chemex Coffeemaker does

CHEMEX Corporation is a family-owned American manufacturer founded in 1941 by Dr. Peter Schlumbohm, headquartered in Chicopee, Massachusetts with 1-10 employees. The company designs and produces premium pour-over coffeemakers and proprietary laboratory-grade paper filters, organized into four core brewer series: Classic (wood collar with rawhide tie), Glass Handle (ergonomic handles in multiple colors), Handblown (artisan pieces from Croatia), plus specialty brewers including the ChemAer aerator, the Ottomatic 2.0 automatic electric brewer with 'Greedy Cup' staged sprayhead technology, and the Funnex portable single-serve. Core technology is one-piece non-porous borosilicate glass construction and proprietary CHEMEX BONDED filters made from FSC/SFI/PEFC-certified virgin pine wood pulp, oxygen-cleansed via a bleach-free process, designed to remove fats, bitterness, acidity, and sediments.

Revenue is generated through one-time sales of brewers priced $38.15-$352.00 and consumable filter packs at $11.00 per 100-count, supplemented by accessories, glassware, branded merchandise, and apparel. Go-to-market is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model on chemexcoffeemaker.com (free shipping over $75 within the contiguous US), a B2B wholesale program via a dedicated portal for retailers, and an international distributor network with global store-locator coverage. End customers include individual coffee enthusiasts, specialty coffee shops and cafés, and commercial/hospitality venues such as hotels and offices.

The business is operated by a brother-and-sister leadership team that grew up on the factory floor, with no institutional investors, parent company, or external ownership disclosed. The company recently executed a 2025 rebrand introducing a new CX symbol and refreshed packaging, alongside the Ottomatic 2.0 launch (2024) and the ChemAer co-development with Trendglas and Hungarian Barista Champion Attila Molnár. Products are hand-assembled and inspected in Massachusetts, with glass sourced from Taiwan, Germany, and Croatia; filters are cut in-house.

Name

Chemex Coffeemaker

Legal name

CHEMEX Corporation

Website

https://chemexcoffeemaker.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CHEMEX Corporation is a family-owned American manufacturer of premium pour-over coffeemakers and proprietary laboratory-grade paper filters, founded in 1941, serving coffee enthusiasts, specialty cafés, and hospitality venues globally via direct e-commerce, wholesale, and international distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pour-Over Coffee Equipment

NAICS

Glass Container Manufacturing (327213), Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (32721)

SIC

Glass Containers (3221), Glass & Glassware, Pressed Or Blown (3220)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee, Espresso & Tea Appliances Retail (CRACADAC)

Keywords

• Pour-over coffeemakers
• Paper coffee filters
• Borosilicate glass carafes
• Gooseneck kettles
• Coffee brewing accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicopee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Coffeemaker Sales: Sale of various coffeemaker series including Classic, Glass Handle, Handblown, ChemAer, Ottomatic electric, and Funnex models ranging from $38.15 to $352.00
2. Filter Sales: Sale of proprietary CHEMEX Bonded filters in various formats (pre-folded circles/squares, half moon, natural) at $11.00 per 100-count pack
3. Accessories & Glassware: Sale of complementary products including kettles (Chettle), mugs, glassware, spare parts, branded merchandise, and apparel
4. Wholesale/B2B: B2B wholesale program through dedicated portal for retailers and international distributors

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chemex Coffeemaker designs and manufactures premium pour-over coffeemakers built from laboratory-grade non-porous borosilicate glass in multiple series (Classic, Glass Handle, Handblown, ChemAer, Ottomatic 2.0 electric, and Funnex single-serve), alongside its proprietary CHEMEX Bonded paper filters and a supporting ecosystem of gooseneck Chettle kettles, glass and ceramic mugs, glassware, cleaning tools, thermoses, and branded merchandise. Founded in 1941 by Dr. Peter Schlumbohm and family-owned for over 40 years, the company manufactures and inspects its products at its Massachusetts factory and sells globally through its own e-commerce site, a wholesale portal, and an international distributor network.

Product overview

Chemex Coffeemaker is a family-owned American company founded in 1941 that manufactures premium pour-over coffeemakers and laboratory-grade paper filters. The product portfolio centers on the iconic hourglass-shaped borosilicate glass coffeemaker available in four series: Classic Series (wood collar), Glass Handle Series (ergonomic glass handles in multiple colors), Handblown Series (artisan pieces from Croatia), and specialty brewers (ChemAer aerating brewer, Ottomatic electric automatic brewer, Funnex portable single-serve). Supporting products include stainless steel gooseneck Chettle kettles, glass and ceramic mugs, accessories (brushes, cleaners, thermoses, coasters), spare parts, and branded merchandise. The proprietary CHEMEX BONDED filters (circles, squares, and half-moon shapes in white and natural) are scientifically designed to remove fats, bitterness, acidity, and sediments. All products are manufactured in Massachusetts with filter paper sourced from FSC-certified North American forests. The company recently underwent a rebrand with a new logo and packaging design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Classic Series Coffeemaker Iconic hourglass-shaped pour-over coffeemaker with polished wood collar and leather tie, made from non-porous borosilicate glass, available in 3, 6, 8, and 10 cup sizes.
• Glass Handle Series Coffeemaker Pour-over coffeemaker with an ergonomic glass handle for comfortable pouring, available in Clear, Gold, Sapphire, Tidal, Citrus, and Tropical color options in 3, 6, 8, and 10 cup sizes.
• Handblown Series Coffeemaker Artisan coffeemakers produced in small batches by skilled glassblowers in Croatia; each piece is a unique work of art with thicker borosilicate glass and a slight green tint, available in 3, 5, 8, and 13 cup sizes.
• ChemAer Coffeemaker Eight-cup innovative coffeemaker and aerator combined, allowing users to swirl brewed coffee to aerate and explore unique flavors; developed in collaboration with Hungarian Barista champion Attila Molnár.
• Ottomatic 2.0 Electric Coffeemaker Automatic electric pour-over coffeemaker with 'Greedy Cup' sprayhead technology that automatically manages pre-infusion, contact time, and water temperature (197.6F–204.8F); includes hot plate and iced coffee mode.
• Funnex Single-Serve Coffeemaker Portable single-serve pour-over brewer made of double-walled borosilicate glass with silicone gasket, brewing 5–15 oz of coffee for use on various cups and thermoses.
• CHEMEX Bonded Pre-folded Circle Filters Pre-folded circular CHEMEX Bonded coffee filters made from laboratory-grade paper, 20–30% thicker than competition, oxygen-cleansed using a bleach-free process from FSC-certified virgin pine wood pulp; 100 filters per pack.
• CHEMEX Bonded Pre-folded Square Filters Pre-folded square CHEMEX Bonded coffee filters for easy removal, made from same laboratory-grade paper with bleach-free oxygen cleansing process; 100 filters per pack.
• CHEMEX Bonded Pre-folded Natural Square Filters Pre-folded square filters in natural wood color (unbleached) with the same filtration properties as white filters, made from virgin pine wood pulp from FSC-certified forests.
• CHEMEX Bonded Unfolded Half Moon Filters Half moon-shaped unfolded filters designed for 3-cup coffeemakers and Funnex, made from compostable, bleach-free filter paper; requires manual folding before use.
• CHEMEX Bonded Unfolded Natural Half Moon Filters Natural brown unbleached half moon filters for 3-cup coffeemakers and Funnex, made from compostable paper; requires manual folding before use.
• Stainless Steel Gooseneck Chettle Kettle Precision gooseneck kettle for pour-over brewing, crafted from premium stainless steel with excellent balance and heat retention for controlled water pouring.
• White Stainless Steel Gooseneck Chettle Kettle White-finished precision gooseneck kettle for pour-over brewing, premium stainless steel construction with refined finish for durability and elegant design.
• Murray Mug Ceramic coffee mug designed to accompany CHEMEX brewing, sold as a set of two mugs.
• CHEMEX Glass Mug Borosilicate glass mug with ergonomic handle, available in Clear, Sapphire, and other color options with matching coaster sets.
• Handblown Cream and Sugar Set Artisan glass cream and sugar set, handblown by skilled craftsmen, designed to complement the Handblown Series coffeemakers.
• Coffeemaker Brush Flexible brush for cleaning CHEMEX coffeemakers, designed to reach hard-to-clean areas; dishwasher safe.
• CHEMEX Automatic Coffeemaker Cleaner Specialized descaling cleaning solution for the Ottomatic electric coffeemaker, used every 40 brew cycles or every 3 months.
• CHEMEX Thermos Stainless steel thermal mug available in 1L and 0.5L sizes, keeping coffee warm for up to 8 hours.
• Starter Kit Bundle Entry-level bundle including a CHEMEX coffeemaker and essential accessories to begin pour-over brewing.
• The Chettle Kit Bundle Complete brewing kit featuring the Chettle gooseneck kettle paired with a CHEMEX coffeemaker for precision pour-over brewing.
• The Traveler Bundle Portable brewing bundle featuring the Funnex single-serve coffeemaker and accessories for on-the-go pour-over brewing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Removes bad fats, bitterness, acidity, and sediments that other filters leave behind
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TrendglascoreTechnology or IntegrationCollaborated with overseas partner Trendglas in the development of the ChemAer coffeemaker, combining expertise in glass manufacturing with coffee brewing innovation.
• Attila MolnárcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHungarian Barista champion Attila Molnár collaborated on ChemAer development, contributing expertise in specialty coffee preparation and flavor exploration techniques.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hario: Japanese manufacturer of pour-over coffee equipment including glass V60 drippers, glass servers, and specialty filters. Direct competitor in the pour-over category with similar material approach (glass, ceramic) and overlapping customer base among specialty coffee enthusiasts.
• Bodum: Danish-Swiss home goods brand producing pour-over coffee makers (including the iconic Eileen and Chambord models), French presses, and borosilicate glass coffee equipment. Direct peer in design-forward glass pour-over equipment sold across consumer and hospitality channels.
• Fellow Products: US-based premium coffee equipment brand offering pour-over drippers, gooseneck kettles (Stagg), and specialty brewing accessories. Direct competitor in the design-led, premium-tier specialty coffee equipment category targeting the same home enthusiast segment.
• Kalita (Takahiro): Japanese pour-over equipment brand known for the Kalita Wave dripper and matching filters. Direct competitor in manual pour-over with parallel emphasis on extraction science and proprietary filter design, serving the same specialty coffee enthusiast segment.
• Melitta: German coffee company and original inventor of the paper coffee filter, manufacturing pour-over cone drippers, automatic drip coffeemakers, and proprietary filters. Competes directly with Chemex in paper-filter pour-over equipment across consumer and foodservice channels.

Broad incumbents

• Cuisinart: Established American small appliance brand owned by Conair, producing drip coffeemakers, single-serve brewers, and grinders. Broad incumbent offering adjacent coffee equipment at mass and mid-tier price points with similar retail channels.
• Breville (Sage): Global small appliance incumbent (Sage brand in UK/EU) producing espresso machines, drip coffeemakers, and grinders including pour-over adjacent products. Larger-scale competitor in the broader premium coffee equipment category with much greater R&D and marketing budgets.
• Technivorm Moccamaster: Dutch manufacturer of premium hand-built drip coffeemakers sold primarily through specialty coffee channels. Adjacent incumbent in premium drip brewing equipment with overlapping specialty coffee retail distribution.

Emerging players

• Kinto: Japanese lifestyle brand producing pour-over coffee drippers, servers, and tableware with strong design aesthetic. Regional player with comparable design-led glass pour-over products, primarily serving Asian and European markets.
• Ratio Coffee: US-based specialty coffee equipment maker focused on premium pour-over coffee makers and grinders. Smaller and more recent entrant targeting design-conscious specialty coffee consumers with overlapping product positioning to Chemex's premium tiers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/159520974065637
• Instagraminstagram.com/the_chemex
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chemex-coffee-maker-corporation

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chemex Coffeemaker