Stove-top Espresso Maker
The coffee maker is approx 8" high. Its body is aluminium and in 3 sections. It has a white rubber seal and two black plastic handles. The bottom section is a chamber for holding cold water. The middle section sits on this chamber and is made up of two parts - a funnel though which water is forced and a mesh on which coffee grounds sit. The top section screws onto the bottom section and encloses the middle section. The top section consists of a semi-enclosed chamber. At the bottom of the top-section is a mesh and a white rubber seal. At one side is a black plastic handle and at the other side is a spout. At the very top is an aluminium lid, attached to the chamber by a hinge which threads through the handle. In the centre of the lid is a black plastic knob attached to the lid via a single screw.
The side of the top section of the pot is stamped 'Whittard of Chelsea'
Where and how is it used?
It is used on my stove, every morning (sometimes twice). It is used to make coffee - heat is applied to the bottom of the pot, which increases the pressure in the bottom chamber, forcing the water up through the middle section containing the coffee grounds, and filling the top chamber with coffee.
What did you or someone else pay for it?
I don't know how much was paid for it. It was a gift from an ex-housemate to replace my previous one which I had bought for 50p from a charity shop in approx. 1994 but had since lost both handles, the hinge to the lid and had a rotten seal.
Why do you want to add it to the museum?
The thought of not having one of these horrifies me. Stove-top espresso makers have been an important part of my daily life for a quarter of a century.
How was it made?
Is made in a factory
Is farmed
Is mass-produced
Is produced by local cottage industry
Is made to particular specifications
Is craft / hand-made
Is foraged
Is found
Is colonised
Is a service
Materials & Making
Who made or produced your commodity?
The pot itself, its different parts, or the materials themselves? Many people.
Who was paid to make it?
The pot itself, its different parts, or the materials themselves? Many people.
What skills does it take to make it?
The pot itself, its different parts, or the materials themselves? Many skills.
Where was it made?
The pot itself, its different parts, or the materials themselves? Many places.
What does it cost to make it?
What is meant by cost? Money? Environmental? Social? Cultural?
What is it made from?
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1. The body of the pot:
Aluminium
2. The handles of the pot:
Rigid black plastic
3. The seal between the chambers:
White rubber
4. Screw attaching plastic knob to the lid:
Some kind of metal
5. Pin attaching lid to plastic handle:
Some kind of metal
6. The thing that attaches the plastic handle to the pot:
No idea
7. :
Buying & Owning
Who decides how much it costs?
Not answered yet
Who or what assesses its quality?
Not answered yet
Where is it sold?
Whittard of Chelsea apparently
Who or what sells it?
Whittard of Chelsea
How did this thing arrive from where it was made to where you got it?
Not answered yet
Where is it used?
Hob
Where is it kept?
Next to the hob
How and by whom is it cared for?
I rinse it out when the residue inside starts to noticeably taint the taste of coffee
How long will it last?
The seal is replaceable so potentially decades
Where will it go when it's finished with?
Aluminium recycling
What is it worth?
My ability to get out of bed and face the day ahead with any kind of enthusiasm
How do you and others value this commodity?
See the values contributed by visitors and those of the donor. And add your own values to this commodity.
Total times valued | 1 |
Positive (↑) | Usefulness |
Negative (↓) | - |
Overall Positive | 52 |
Overall Negative | 0 |
Controversy | 26 (0 = most controversial) |
What do these numbers mean?
This data that we have collected over time in our database means nothing without interpretation. A relational database, which we are using here, is technology that enables designers of websites and software to compare, contrast, interrogate and infer relations within data. The act of designing a database is not objective but driven by the agency of its creators and owners.
Within the MoCC Collection data is used to help think through the relations between values, commodities and data. Can we describe our values using sliders and numbers? How do we infer meaning such as controversy from data?
Below is a brief explanation of the some calculations and how these help make decisions about what is shown on the site.
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Controversy Score:
(Total Positive Values) + (Total Negative Values)
The closer the value is to zero the more controversial it is in relation to other commodities. Used to infer that values associated with one commodity divide opinion more than another.
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Average Value Score (used in the sliders):
(Total Positive for Value + Total Negative for Value) ÷ Total Times Valued
Used to infer a collective value associated with a commodity.
How do you value this commodity?
To add your own values click VALUE THIS COMMODITY and move the sliders left and right to add your own values - then click SUBMITQuestions and answers
Help to reveal unknown quantities, properties and uses of this commodity by answering this MoCC curator's questions.
There are no questions.
Conversation
Do you have questions about how this commodity is valued? Or want to talk about your own values in relation to it? Share your comments.
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