Walt : One alternative to consider is the (electric) Bodum mini e-Santos. Phil sold me his old one as he didn't like it. Maybe I'm more easily pleased but it works for me... what I do may not be optimum but it will give you an idea of the process :
Set Rocky grinder on 25, use 7 grams of coffee beans per 1/4 pint (sometimes slightly more), grind into the top part, put up to 1.25 pints of water into jug, wet the rubber seal at the base of the top part under the cold tap, ease top part onto the jug and switch on at the base. Do something else for c. 4 minutes, remove top part and pour jug into mug(s). (It will apparently keep the coffee hot afterwards for a while but I haven't tried that feature.)
I have stopped using a cafetiere at home and I'm going to buy a new e-Santos to use at work, retiring a cafetiere there as well. Much less need to worry about sediment, much less fuss generally, a very clean-tasting slightly milder brew than cafetiere (the way I use it anyway).
I think someone here (Phil?) rated electric vac pots below manual ones in coffee quality but if you are worried about using a manual vac pot, an electric vac pot like mine is £45 from Amazon.co.uk -
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000A8VV6/ for the 0.75 litre Bodum mini e-Santos only, HasBean sells the larger 1.5 litre one -
http://www.hasbean.co.uk/cgi-bin/beanlist.cgi?type=Special%20Offers&order= - (£79.95 on offer).
Cheers,
Hugh
Grinders : Macap MXK conical for espresso, Mahlkoenig Vario for Chemex, Macap MC6 (spare when our office was closed) for cafetiere, Zassenhaus Knee Mill for cafetiere when working away from home.
La Spaziale Vivaldi S1 espresso machine. HotTop KN8828P roaster. Chemex manual drip for most brewed coffee plus cafetieres and eSantos.