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?

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!