Bond’s coffee is as precise as his martini. In From Russia, With Love he brews it in an American Chemex: two large cups, black and without sugar. The Chemex coffeemaker is still made, which makes it one of the easiest pieces of Bond’s morning to bring home.
In the books
In Chapter 11 of From Russia, With Love, Bond makes his breakfast coffee with a Chemex when he is in London, using coffee from De Bry in New Oxford Street. The detail is Fleming’s; the films never needed it. For the wider world of the stories, see the films.
Using it now
The Chemex was first produced in 1941 by Peter Schlumbohm, a German chemist who had moved to the USA. It is made of borosilicate glass, the type used for laboratory ware, so it does not add flavour to the coffee, and its most recognisable detail is the heatproof wooden collar round the neck. Chemex’s own site sells the Six Cup Classic at US$49.50 in October 2026. Grind a little coarser than for a cafetière, and use good beans. We would buy the six cup, because it makes two large cups and still looks right on a table.
Specifications
| Maker | Chemex |
|---|---|
| Material | Borosilicate glass with wooden collar |
| First produced | 1941, by Peter Schlumbohm |
| Model shown | Six Cup Classic |
| Price | US$49.50 (Chemex, October 2026) |
The full range is on Chemex’s own site.
More from the stories is in our home and interiors guide, and the Bonds shows who played Bond.
