Coffee Siphons

I have never tried a coffee siphon, a.k.a. vaculator, cona, or vacuum pot, but I want to. 
Not only because I've heard they make great coffee but because they look like something out of a 50's sci-fi film.

This may not be far from the truth as they were first popular from WWI through the 50's. 
Lately, coffee techno-geeks have brought back the use of siphons in a resurgence of sorts.

The idea is that you heat up water (usually with a hot-plate or maybe an alcohol lamp if you are really into it) in a lower chamber of the device. This creates steam that draws the water into an upper chamber, containing your best ground coffee and a filter apparatus. The steaming action BREWS the coffee, but never BOILS it (seems to be the operative phrase here) and removing the heat causes a vacuum which sucks the coffee back down into the lower chamber through the filter. 
Tasty brew and it's fun to watch too.

My theory is that some WWI nerve gas chemist was too lazy go out to the kitchen for a cup and had to make do with the beakers and flasks at hand. Whatever the reason, this certainly is a unique way to brew.

For more about these coffee chemistry sets visit:

http://www.coffeesiphons.com

http://www.hariousa.com/abvacpotmet.html

http://www.coffeeco.com.au/syphonbrew.html