Seeking Funnel for Filling Pourover Machine

[CGP4]

I have low-hanging cabinets and a shallow countertop. Every time I need to refill the reservoir of my espresso machine, I have to rotate the whole, heavy machine to get it to sit backwards for me to open and fill the reservoir. My counter is too shallow for me to be able to just pull the machine forward, and my cabinets are too low for the pitcher to reach/fit with the machine in place. As a result, I've been combing restaurant and kitchen supply stores for a funnel with a flexible hose attached so I can fill the machine in place, and I have found nothing. I've seen "beer funnels" and automotive funnels with hoses, but neither inspire "food quality" hygiene confidence. Any products out there I've missed?

[ppopp]

I use a long-neck funnel from the hardware store, held in there on an angle.

As long as you don't use the funnel first for changing your motor oil first, I think any funnel will do. At least mine hasn't killed me yet.

[jesawdy]

Personally, I wouldn't be afraid to use an automotive funnel with a clear hose. It's only water after all and you know where it has been. Some even have a twist-style valve on the bottom so you can close it off.

If you have a wine or beer making supply store in your neighborhood, they should have an assortment of funnels and tubing to make your own.

Or, cut an empty 2-liter or even smaller soda bottle and attach a hose... voila! Nearly free funnel.

[Randy G.]

Instead of pouring it in, check the beer shop for some sort of pump system that can allow you to run a hose to the machine from a vessel kept under the sink or similar location. A small, battery-powered pump with a remote switch near the machine would make it more convenient.

[RegulatorJohnson]

how about siphoning it from the jug of clean water into the tank?

i also would stick a hose onto the water from the fridge door, then turn on the water and use the fridge to pump it.

jon

[keepitsimple]

Thinking a bit laterally perhaps..but...

Clear some space in the bottom of the overhanging cupboard.

Drill a neat hole in the cupboard base.

Funnel + pipe down through the hole into water tank when needed.

Fill funnel inside cupboard.

If you can arrange it so the pipe could be in situ permanently (i.e. are able to keep the pipe permanently into the tank), you could arrange something a bit more sophisticated than a funnel. Some kind of reservoir perhaps. Would not need to be large or take up much space.

If you move house, the hole can easily be closed with a suitable size grommet and look neat.

Anyway - not nearly as drastic as the holes in my kitchen worktop for full plumbing in ! If I move I shall use them as a selling feature "ready for your espresso machine"

As an alternative, when I had an Isomac Tea, I used a plastic cereal container with a plastic pipe going from the bottom of the container, through the top, down the side, into a hole (pre-manufactured) in the bottom of the Tea, up the side of the water tank then over the top and into the bottom of the tank. Established a syphon, and then just topped up the cereal container (which was more convenient than shifting the machine). Needed to be kept clean of course, but no more often than you should take the tank out of the espresso machine anyway. Has the advantage too that you can see the water level in the tank (as it will be the same as in the container). Used some plastic 90 degree pipe connectors to go round the corners to avoid pinching the pipe and keep it fairly neat. You might be able to find something a little more stylish than a cereal container if it's going to be on show.

[boar_d_laze]

Jeff nailed it. If you're willing to spend the big bucks you might scope this little baby out:
http://www.partsamerica.com/Produ...&CategoryCode=3322

Rich

[keepitsimple]

Jeff nailed it. If you're willing to spend the big bucks you might scope this little baby out:
http://www.partsamerica.com/Produ...&CategoryCode=3322

Rich

Oh dear

that really does have "intimate and slightly worrying medical procedure" written all over it

not sure I'd want one in my kitchen in case someone stumbled across it by accident.....

[Randy G.]

How about a $10 solution? Just add the bottle and some drinking-water-safe tubing to reach the machine and keep the bottle under the sink....

[Psyd]

My Silvia sits in front of a 2.5 g plastic jug, with extensions for the pickup and OPV tubes running to the jug. It just fills the space between Syl sitting flush with the front of the cabinetry, and makes re-fills few and far between. Much easier to walk the jug out from behind (I just have to move the lighter, easier to transport, Rocky out of the way) to fill the 2.5 g jug. On end, the jug is just about the same dimensions, W x H, as she is.

[cannonfodder]

Small Thermos.