French press coffee maker
 

I'll try to keep this travel related. While reading reports on "what you find you're using at home that you found in Europe," or something like that, I find that many come home and make coffee with a French press.

I've had it. This morning's coffee was a mess! Grounds overflowing all over the place, too many in my cup! This automatic drip thing has got to go.

Looking on amazon.com, I find the 8-cup Bodum French Press.

From you coffee experts, should I go with this one or look elsewhere?

Please help!

The Bodium is fine, but there are alternatives. See the surlatable.com web site, for example.

I have a Bodum press that I found on sale at Starbuck's. If you check their Sale shelf, they usually have one. I've used it, but not as often as I'd thought I would. Ditto for an espresso maker I bought.
I think the secret to great coffee is great coffee beans (obviously), fresh grind them yourself (simple Krups grinder works well), but most importantly-- use plenty of coffee per cup! If you use an ample amount of a good coffee, it matters less what coffeemaker you use.
I use a Cuisinart drip coffeemaker in the a.m., because it has a timer setting so I can prepare everything in advance the evening ahead, a heating element setting, and an automatic off setting. (Makes great coffee given the requirement above.)
Still, nothing will compare to the coffee you get in Paris, non? Something about sitting in a cafe there...

Ive been using the Bodium for over 25 years. We have it in two sizes. Don't fill it to the top to prevent over flow and be sure the filter stays in good shape.

I've used a BonJour French press for years, and I'm very happy with it. In fact I now have them in 3 sizes, so I can make the right amount for however many people are drinking coffee. And when I accidentally break the beaker (which has happened a time or two) I can get a replacement from www.culinaryparts.com.

We have a couple of Bodum, different sizes and like them..although I prefer my Cuisinart that makes the coffee on a timer so it is ready when I am able to open my eyes in the am :)

Bodum has a new thermal pot out that I really like, keeping the coffee hot is a prob with the regular one.

I also want a Nepresso so anyone out there with me on their gift list can relax, now you know what I want LOL

Using a french press keeps all the essential oils (flavor) in your coffee. Using a paper filter in a drip machine completely thwarts this, of course.

A french press generally provides stronger coffee. I agree that it is important to use enough coffee. Aside from using old or stale coffe itself, the next biggest mistake is using too little coffe. This forces the grounds to over-extract, providing a stale, bitter taste. People sometimes confuse bitter with too strong, but there is a world of difference.

And that is *all* I know about coffee!

Thanks everyone for your great suggestions. I'll definitely check that sale table at Starbucks.

Looking at the surlatable website, it looks like the glass pot is sitting in a chrome footed holder.

I have a glass smooth-top stove. Do you make the coffee in the glass pot directly on the stove, or does it sit in that holder while it's brewing?

I do not think my stove would work with that legged holder. Not enough direct heat.

I might have to look at the Cuisinart, if nobody is having problems with this as their automatic dripper. I just don't like tasting grit in my coffee LOL!

As always, you're terrific!

We've used our Bodum french press for over 20 years now. We were lucky to get a Bodum store a miles away as well.

No Kopp, don't stick it directly on your stove! :)
You boil the water in a kettle then add it to your coarse ground coffe in the glass beaker and let it sit. Then press plunger and enjoy.

OMG is my face red!

Thanks keb. Now I get it!

You can tell I've never used one of these before.

Most important for us is the quality of the beans that we grind ourselves.
rachel, through the years I have broken so many beakers!!!

>Using a french press keeps all the essential oils (flavor) in your coffee. Using a paper filter in a drip machine completely thwarts this, of course.<

Aha!

How many prefer oily coffee to nice, clean oilless coffee?

((I))

My French Press was made in Brazil and I bought it in Ireland. Very international. Makes far superior coffe to a drip maker and I use it every day.

I don't understand what dwzemens means by getting a bitter tasting coffee if you use too little coffee grounds. If I put too little in, it just tastes weaker.

All you need to know about making coffee in a press pot:
http://www.coffeegeek.com/guides/presspot

I've never liked the French Press. I'm a dedicated fan of the Bialetti. For American coffee, I use a ceramic Melitta which is very hard to come by these days. I found several in different sizes in Tokyo, where they call it Kalita. I haven't come across a better tasting way to brew American coffee and the clean-up is the easiest of all.

MELITTA german style coffee! It's the only way to make good, tasty coffee. Hand brewed filtered coffee with it's unique perfect strong taste. Get a ceramic melitta filter from Germany, filter bags size 4 and Austrian (Meinl) coffee! There's no alternative!! :-)

Melitta! We used to have one ages ago..before I appreciated coffee :)

Hey Hopper - that's a great website for the press. Great visual.

I actually just saw a Bodum 8-cup French press at Target for $29.99. It's the one with the chrome-footed holder. Gotta love Target!

It's not a French press, but I really enjoy my Senseo 1 or 2 cup coffee maker.

liz

The Bodum French Press is nice to look at and use. I also use the Bialetti brand expresso maker. If you are concerned with their aluminum products they now have stainless steel. Look at www.bialettishop.com, I have the Class Black style as well as the classic Moka Express.

Also be careful about your beans, they have to be kept in ideal surroundings and ground properly for each type of coffee maker.

Happy sipping!

Sea urchin, my original Bodum is stainless steel and the edges smooth, the recent models are not.

Mimi, that is what we have , the good old one, and a small one the kids got us and a plastic one that someone gave us that I think I lost in the move ...

SeaURchin, how big is your Bialetti, lol...sorry, if that is too personal :)

I used to use the Bodum french press but now I have a BonJour french press. It was simply a matter of price--you can get it for cheap at Ross! Otherwise, Macy's will have a variety of french presses.......

We've got some pretty serious coffee drinkers here! Love all the responses. I have my homework to do. Now that the football game is over (Hook 'em Horns!!), I can get back to my coffee pot research. I like the idea of stainless steel.

There are 253 items for sale on eBay when you type in <french press> (without the carets) in the Home and Garden category. Enjoy shopping!

I think both of my Bialettis are 6 cup, the boxes have disappeared long ago. I was concerned with the aluminum, I am forgetful enough as it is, lol. The cups are expresso sized cups so they make two mugs full.

My bodum is stainless too. I have noticed that some models have alot of plastic which taints the flavour in my opinion. I hate the taste of plastic in canisters and thermos bottles, yuck.

I have a french press at home, plus I bought a travel french press made by Bodum. I traveled with it to England in September and it worked perfectly! The press can double as a travel mug as well, though I always poured it into a mug.

Now that I'm back, though, my dilemma is where to find a good electric kettle like the ones I used there (and in Sweden). I love them and I really would like to get one.

Also, the absolute best coffee I've ever had was in Sweden. Even the cup I had in the airport bar was fantastic! I was only able to bring one bag back with me - my friend is going to mail me a 6 month supply later this year. ;)

Keeping coffee hot is a problem with a French press. But just buy one of those thermal pots to serve it from. Keeps it hot for hours and mine (chrome) looks a half-step up from the thermal pots they leave on your table at places like Perkins.

Hinari have brought out a french press (or cafetiere as we call them) in the UK which has a plug-in base to keep the cofee hot. I don't know if they are available in other countries though.

Regarding Bialetti:

The aluminum Moka Express is the most used pot in Italy. (I have no idea what Urchin's aluminum concern is.) I used the Moka Express for many years and have several sizes.

I've been loving the &quot;Class&quot; Stainless Steel version and have the 3-cup and the 9-cup. I use the 3-cup version for a single cup of coffee and the 9-cup when I need more. The &quot;cup&quot; measurements with Bialetti mean &quot;espresso-size cups.&quot; They <b>do not</b> mean American standard one-cup measurement. It takes three espresso size cups to make one enjoyable cup of strong European-style coffee to suit me. For guests and special occasions, I heat light cream and whisk it into a froth when serving.

When I have guests, I make several pots with the 9-cup (or larger Moka) and keep the coffee hot in an Alfi Juwel Carafe. This system work beautifully for me and everyone loves my coffee.

If you click on &quot;Bialetti Moka&quot; at the following link: - http://www.permessovenezia.com/prv_kitchen.htm - you can read excellent directions on how to make coffee in a Bialetti. Good luck and enjoy!

Went to Williams-Sonoma at the mall today and bought the Bonjour Maximus, 8 cup. Stainless steel even! The sales clerk sold me on their filtering system - says it works best to keep the grounds out of the cup, which is what I'm looking for. Plus I can return it if it doesn't work like she says.

So I'll give it a try in the morning. Thanks so much for all your help.

Note to NYCTTS - have you stayed at that apartment in San Marco? We're heading that way in March and sure could use a good recommendation!

I've got my biscotti, now I've got my press.

P.S. - just noticed the bottom label - &quot;Designed in the USA,&quot; &quot;Made in China.&quot;
hmmmm...

Even though all heating material leaches into the food it touches, aluminum is fairly soft and so will release more molecules into the food than harder metals. Coffee is acidic so not that much is absorbed but there are some theories that aluminum in the food may increase Alzheimer's.

I also like stainless because it leaves no taste that I can discern. Other than your confusion on my concern with alum. you repeated what I wrote.

Have a nice evening.

sea urchin, don't forget that it doesn't spot and is easier to clean :)

I have a different sort of question about French presses. I have not seen one used in a French restaurant, bistro, etc. When I have seen them in restaurants in the US, they are brought to the table and the coffee is served from them.

Every cup of coffee I've had in France has been at least very good, but I don't know what they are making the coffee in. Is it customary to make it in a French press but pour it in the kitchen? How common is bringing it to the table?

Given the information provided, there was no way I would have assumed SeaUrchin was referring to Alzheimer/Aluminum <i>theories</i>. The reference was too oblique.

Frankly, her information is off. Acidic foods <b>do have a greater potential</b> for leaching so, for those who choose to put enormous weight on words like &quot;potential&quot; and/or unfounded, undetermined theories, cooking coffee in an aluminum pot might throw you into a straight-jacket of fear and paranoia. In this case, be sure to purchase the stainless steel.

Three quotes from EHSO:

<i>&quot;Aluminum is one of the most abundant elements found in the environment. Therefore, human exposure to this metal is common and unavoidable. However, intake is relatively low because this element is highly insoluble in many of its naturally occurring forms. The significance of environmental contact with aluminum is further diminished by the fact that less than 1% of that taken into the body orally is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.&quot;</i>

<i>&quot;The average human intake (of aluminum) is estimated to be between 30 and 50 mg per day. This intake comes primarily from foods, drinking water, and pharmaceuticals. Based on the maximum levels reported in drinking water, less than 1/4 of the total intake comes from water.&quot;</i>

<i>&quot;Epidemiological studies attempting to link AD with exposures in drinking water have been inconclusive and contradictory. Thus, the significance of increased aluminum intake with regard to onset of AD has not been determined.&quot;</i>

Bialetti's aluminum Moka Express has been around since 1933. I do not have any information on Alzheimer studies in Italy and any link to Bialetti usage.

The aluminum of the Moka Express is nothing like the aluminum of a soda can. It's thick, it's hard (oh my, what am I describing?), and it may very well be treated with a coating to prevent leaching. I'm sure you can contact Bialetti for that info.

I never detected any aluminum taste in my coffee from the Moka Express and I'm sensitive to these things, which is why I refuse to drink soda or beer from a can. The only reason why I switched to the stainless steel version is design. I prefer the look and style of the stainless models.

Cleaning is less an issue because the secret to a great tasting Bialetti brew is to avoid adding soap or detergent to the inside. The buildup of oil residue from the beans is actually a good thing and rinsing in water is the best way to clean the pot. The oil buildup may actually deter leaching but I have no factual information.

Finally, one could argue that your coffee doesn't actually &quot;cook&quot; in the Bialetti. Once the boiling water has passed through the coffee grind, the coffee &quot;sits&quot; in the upper body ready to pour. This process happens so quickly, the water's contact with the aluminum is quite minimal.

ps Sorry for the diatribe but I'm not a fan of supporting or purporting unfounded fears.

The best home-made coffee I've had was from a glass drip thing with a wooden collar, that was placed over a glass pot that could even sit on a burner. I think it was called a Chemex, maybe? Anyone seen them on the market lately. Same idea as a Melita, much nicer looking and not plastic.

When you recieve that surprise inheritance, buy a Capresso coffee machine. This Swiss beauty, ours is a C1000, does everything for you and an inboard microprocessor tells you when and how it needs to be cleaned etc. It is almost as good our favorite Parisian cafe, minus the ambiance of course.