Impress with a press, impressed with this press.

Caff-fiend. That's the proper term to describe me. I enjoy a good cup of coffee almost as much as, well… it's actually hard to describe it and stay 'PG'. That said, I've been searching for that perfect cup at home for a while now. My search has led me down quite a few roads of coffee experimentation. More recently I've been roasting my own beans each week, because I've learned that more than a week out, roasted beans lose flavor. In fact, fresh beans within 12 hours of being roasted, ground just before use in a good grinder, and brewed at the right temperature for the right length of time produces a great cup of coffee, rivaled by only the best coffee houses. But how do you bring all the necessary factors like these, grind, temperature, and time together? One word: Control. And one way to get this kind of control is with a French press. Mine is the Bodum Chambord 8-Cup French Press.


Why A French Press?

If you're serious about your coffee, you’ll want to control every aspect of the making process. That includes selecting, storing, roasting, and grinding your beans properly, and using the right type and amount of water. And of course knowing the method you want to brew your coffee is key (for information on grinding and brewing, read some of my other coffee related reviews: http://www.epinions.com/user-customeright/show_~content)

As I noted earlier, a great way to control the brewing process is by using a French press. That’s because unlike an automatic coffee maker, you can heat the water separately to the temperature that you desire, and you can choose how long you wish to expose the grounds to the water. You have control.

Now, the French press is not for everyone. It’s not a good choice if you like pure coffee with no grind remnants. Or if you can’t drink the coffee right away and you need to keep it hot; or if you need to make large quantities. In those cases, a French press is not right for you. But if you have a little extra time, to me the press is almost no additional work. And some experts claim it’s the only way to preserve the natural vitamin and anti-oxidant properties of coffee. While I can’t speak to the health benefits, I can say that the taste is unmatched by any other brewing method I’ve tried. And I’ve tried a lot.


What is a French Press?

A French Press is a very simple device that just does one thing: it keeps coffee grinds out of your cup. The basic design is a glass flask with a spout, handle, and a fitting lid. Within the lid is a plunger rod that has a fine mesh screen on the end. The screen exactly conforms to the diameter of the flask inside, and it fits snuggly. When the plunger is pushed down into the flask, this holds the grounds at the bottom of the container, and you can pour your coffee directly into your mug; sans grinds. It’s that simple.

You could probably make one yourself. But getting the right kind of flask to withstand very hot water, and the right mesh screen that perfectly matches the flask would be difficult. That’s why for the relatively inexpensive price, I think it’s better to just leave it up to the experts like Bodum and buy one.


The Bodum Chambord 8-Cup French Press

The Company

Bodum is an international company that has become known for excellent coffee related products. They make many types of coffee makers and accessories, including vacuum makers, drip makers, and of course press makers. For their Chambord line of presses, they have many sizes from 2 cup to 12 cup, and insulated models.

My Bodum Press

The model I have is the non-insulated Chambord 8-Cup glass coffee maker with plastic and metal lid. The specifications are:

-Capacity: 1.0 liter, 32 oz
-Size: 8 cup (4 US cup)
-Unit: 1 piece
-Bodum #: 1928-16USC
-Color: Stainless Steel Shiny

This press is very similar to the generic description I gave above. It has chrome/stainless type metal wire frame for the body, which includes a handle and molded legs at the bottom. The handle is of a different material, possibly some type of heat resistant plastic, like that of some tea kettles, so it won’t heat up. The handle is securely attached to the frame. Within the wire frame sits the glass flask. The flask fits snugly and securely, but it can be removed if need be. The lid of the press is metal on the outside surrounding a plastic insert or lining inside. The plastic inner-lid fits partly into the flask and is secure. It’s also directional, with a strainer on one side. The plunger is a stainless metal rod with a handle on the outside. The screen mesh is attached to the rod on the inside, and fits perfectly inside the flask.

Mine was actually given to me as a gift (after much hinting I might add), so I’m not sure of the price that was paid. I would guess it’s in the $20-$40 range. Also, it did not come to me with a manual so I’m not sure if one is originally included. But since I had no manual, I used separate sources for directions on brewing. I’ll include my methods below.


Basic Usage

The simple method (the non-obsessed method!) for making coffee using the Bodum press is simple. 1) You add your grounds to the empty flask. Add about the same amount of grinds as you would for a drip maker (about 1 tablespoon per cup). 2) Add hot water. Anything steaming, but less than boiling, should work. 3) You wait. Normally about four minutes, or as desired. 4) Plunge and pour. When your coffee is ready, you simply push down on the plunger gently, until it is as far as it goes (about 3/4 down), and pour the coffee into your cup. That’s it!


Overly-Obsessed Usage (My Method)

Now if you’re a little bean-crazy like me, and you yearn for the perfect cup of coffee and are willing to spend just a little extra time, this is my formula for making one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever made, and maybe the best cup of coffee I’ve ever had*.

First, I use fresh roasted beans. I’ve also used many types of beans, but to me the type depends more on taste, and freshness is what really matters. (However I will point that that if you're totally serious about coffee, bean differences do matter. Nuances in the flavor will definitely be more noticable using the press method versus other methods). But at a minimum, if you can get (or make) fresh roasted, you won’t be disappointed.

1) Take fresh beans with a relatively dark or full city roast (again depending on taste), and grind them to a course grind (depending on your grinder). It really depends on how much ‘powder’ your willing to have in your cup, so you may want to experiment. Also be sure to use enough grinds. Too few grinds will make your coffee bitter, too much will make it overly strong. I usually use about 1 tablespoon per cup (for little cups - 2 per big, oversized cups) or just over the 4 cup setting on my burr grinder.
2) Add the grinds to your empty and dry French press.
3) Add spring water or filtered water to a tea kettle (not distilled water – you want it to have some minerals in it)
4) Heat the water to between 190 and 200 degrees. You can use a high temperature thermometer, or what I typically do is bring it just to a boil, then let it stop boiling for just under a minute.
5) Pour the water into the press. Make sure the plunger on the lid is in the up position and attach the lid.
6) Wait 4 minutes. Usually after about 1 minute I give the press a little swirl to mix in the grinds that floated to the top back in. Also while I’m waiting I’ll run my mug under hot water briefly in the sink to heat it up.
7) Pour the coffee, and enjoy! Gently push down the plunger, pour the coffee into your mug, and add whatever you add. Then drink it within a few minutes. Any extra coffee you should pour into an insulated container or thermos, but really the flavor degrades after about 10-15 minutes, and quite noticeably after about 20 minutes.

(*I realize calling this the ‘best coffee’ is a stretch. I know tastes are like opinions, everybody has one. But if you like the taste of French pressed coffee in general, i.e. relatively strong coffee, with some fine grounds that slipped into the mix, then you’ll love this method.)


Cleaning

Regardless of method used to brew, cleaning the Bodum press is a breeze! You remove the plunger, throw some water and mild soap on it, rinse the grinds from the screen and set it to dry. Then wash out the flask, and set that to dry. It’s that simple, and it actually takes me less time than cleaning my drip maker between uses.


My General Experience

The product itself is so simple, there really isn’t much to comment on regarding the operation. The flask and handle assembly are well constructed and have a nice sturdy feel. The lid could possibly be a little better constructed because the plastic inner-lining seems unnecessary. I would assume more expensive ones have a full metal lid. However the bent metal legs are perfectly aligned, so the unit does not tilt or lean on a flat surface. The lid and plunger fit the flask precisely, and everything has a pretty solid feel and is well made.


Negatives?

The only negative during operation is that every now and then, depending on how I depress the plunger, it will get harder to press. This seems to occur mainly when I press quickly. If I pull the plunger back up and then push down again slowly, it’s fine. I’m not positive why this happens, but my theory is that the metal rod expands after hot water is added, causing it to rub on the plastic inner lining. But since the rubbing usually occurs when I’m pushing too fast, it’s actually a good stop mechanism – although I doubt it was intended.


Any Improvements?

Other than doing away with the plastic inner lining in the lid, the only real improvement I can think of would be to add graduated cup markings on the side. As is, there is no way to tell how much water you need to add.

What I did to fix this was to take my coffee mug, fill it with water, and pour it in the unit. Then I took a permanent marker and marked the water line on the metal frame. If you do this, be sure to mark about a centimeter above the water line, because the grounds will cause the level to be lower when you actually use the maker.


Overall

The French press design in general is a great way to have control over your coffee making. The Bodum French press in particular is the ideal expression of that design. Simple, inexpensive, and effective. It’s well made, and it allows you to make what may be the best cup of coffee you’ve ever made at home. The plastic inner lining may be a small cut corner, but for the price, it’s not a great negative, and I doubt it could affect the actual taste of the coffee. If a French press is for you at all, then this Bodum is a press that will impress.