Best coffee I've ever had!
I could not be happier with this coffee maker. First of all, the taste of the coffee that it produces is fantastic! Secondly, it is not nearly as hard or as time consuming as you might think. Initially I figured that I'd only use this press on the weekends, as a treat, and I'd use my drip maker during the weekdays...but once I learned how easy it was to use and how great the coffee tastes, I haven't used my drip maker even once since I purchased it. Third of all, it is simple to clean up. I used to own a brind and grew maker by Cuisinart and cleaning it was a pain in the neck! With the Bodum press, you simply rinse the grinds out of the canister and the strainer and viola, you're done. I would highly recommend this to any coffee lover.
Danger! Danger! Will Robinson!
Sure pressed coffee is great, low acid, gets rid of the bitter burnt taste, especially if you get the med roasts. But what of the coffee press itself, they all pretty much do the same thing, you put your freshly coarse ground inside, pour boiling water over them doing a little jig in anticipation, right. Well up to a certain point, we got the Bodum Columbia 8-Cup Stainless-Steel Thermal Press Pot which worked perfectly but alas was too small producing only about 3 American sized cups, don't believe the 8 cup reference. In anticipation of company we got the Bodum Chambord 12-Cup for its extra capacity, seemed like a great value.
The problems start right away, first it's complete undoing is the stainless steel screen to glass interface, ... Read More
Best Coffee Ever - Just learn how
I admit to being a relative newbie, using a French Press for only about 3 months now. I suppose I've been a wannabe coffee snob for a few years now, trying lots of things, but I certainly do not claim ANY level of expertise. I tend to read lots on the 'Net and then experiment for myself.
Here are my observations --
Smaller presses brew somewhat better coffee than larger ones. (I have a 3 cup and a 12 cup)
All the hoopla about course grind vs. fine grind are largely overrated. IF you push the plunger slower (MUCH slower), you won't end up with much sediment. I grind VERY fine as I have for years, and yes, with a blade grinder (OMG!) and find that as long as I take my time with the plunger, it's not an issue.
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Much better than drip brewers
We were buying whole beans at Peets, using a burr grinder on a daily basis and a quality Cuisinart drip brewer but something was missing. It seemed as if the different roasts always tasted the same when served. A Peets employee suggested the Bodum French Press and it truely makes a huge difference. Each of those roasts or blends now has its own unique flavor and aroma.
It is a little less convenient than your drip machine, but if you are paying $11-$14 for a pound of whole beans, you are already committed to the best cup possible. On the other hand, if your coffee comes ground out of a can, this probably isn't for you. It's likely not worth the effort.
Loved it - until it broke
This press made the best coffee, so good I was able to overlook how annoying it was to clean. Unfortunately, as so many others have pointed out, the glass is extremely fragile and all it took was a slight bump in the sink and it cracked. I'm replacing it with a press of more sturdy construction.
