This $18,000 Machine Promises the Perfect Cup of Coffee

If you imbibe coffee by throwing back espresso shots or—heaven forbid—slurping vanilla caramel macchiatos through a straw, the Royal Coffee Maker "may not be for you," says Kelsey Kloss at Elle Decor. This $18,000 precision machine, handcrafted by sculptor Jean-Luc Rieutort, is modeled after the siphon coffee makers used by 19th-century kings, and it transforms coffeemaking into high ceremony. Grounds are placed in the Baccarat carafe and water in the accompanying 24-karat boiling pot. Perfectly heated water travels to the grounds before suction pulls a finished brew back into the pot.

See the full process below:

How It Works — Royal Coffee Maker from Royal Coffee Maker on Vimeo.

It's "the most indulgent coffee on the planet," says Kloss.

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