If you are a coffee lover, and have never pressed your own, you really owe it to yourself to try this out. I was curious as to why the coffee I made at home taste SO GROSS compared to what they offered at the coffee shops. After seeing Alton Brown's Good Eats: True Brew episode, I decided to take the plunge and made the switch from an automatic drip. I was astounded at the rich, bold, complex, and yet not bitter taste I was able to produce at home. Another great thing about a french press which receives little acknowledgement: you can make exactly the amount of coffee you need, without its quality suffering. Think about this for a minute: What if you wanted to make 10oz of coffee in a drip? You put in 10 oz of water, two scoops of coffee, Turn it on, the water heats and drips through the grounds for 2 minutes. How much flavor is going to be in there? Make 50 oz, the coffee grounds get brewed for 10 minutes. How is that going to taste? Not good, I assure you. With the press, the coffee brews for exactly the right amount of time, every time regardless of the amount of water or grounds. This is my fourth Brazil model french press. I really hope they never stop making these, because I will be buying them as long as they are available. Here is what sets this press apart from the crowd, but first: ***WARNING! if you plan to microwave your water in this, it is ABSOLUTELY necessary to put something in with the water in order to create some nucleation sites where the water can boil. I use a chopstick which I've cut to the height of the beaker. You risk serious burns if you do not do this, as the water may become superheated above boiling, and then violently boil over when disturbed.*** 1. Microwavable: There are no metal parts on the beaker/handle assembly. This makes using the press so convenient and simple. a.) fill beaker with water b.) heat water filled beaker in microwave c.) grind beans while water heats d.) put grounds into press & cover e.) wait four minutes f.) press down plunger g.) pour & enjoy. I submit to you that using this french press is no more complex or time consuming than any other coffee brewing method (save for the Kuerig, but don't get me started.) 2. Price: I only saw a couple other presses which were cheaper, and their low review scores steered me away. People seem to indicate that the others have a plastic beaker and/or low quality parts. In my opinion, it's not worth saving $5 if there's a fair chance of receiving an inferior product. 3. Easy to clean: Rinse out the beaker with hot water, spend a few seconds scrubbing off the screen/plunger assemble with a soft plastic bottle brush, and voila, you're finished. Once a week, I run everything through the dishwasher. The screen/press/plunger assembly unscrews with no tools needed for when you would like to dishwash, or more thoroughly clean it. 4. Durable: The glass is made of borosilicate glass, which seems to be some sort of Pyrex. More than once, I have stupidly rinsed it off in cold water immediately after use. This would shatter most kinds of glass. No problem here. The reason I'm on my fourth one is because I've broken two by dropping them. Once in a stainless steel sink, another time I tipped one on my granite counter-top. By its nature, the screen must be delicate, but I've never had one wear out. As I said above, use a soft bristle bottle brush to clean it, and you should have no problems. I saved the two plunger assemblies from my broken sets as backups because they remained in great shape, even after a couple of years of use. 5. Portable: This press is exactly how big it needs to be, and no larger. Do you really want an big drip maker sitting out on your counter taking up valuable counter space? Or even worse, a behemoth of a Kuerig which can only make one cup at a time? With this Bodum, just stash it in the cupboard when not in use. Try that with a machine for a few weeks and see how you like it. If you decide to buy one, I'll offer up these few tips: 1. Instructions say to stir before pushing down. Instead, after you put the grounds in the water, press down on the plunger, but only enough to fully submerge the grounds. Move the plunger up and down a hair. This will cause all the grounds to mix around, and avoid the pitfall of using a utensil in the press, which the instructions say may scratch the glass and potentially make it easier to break. 2. Perfect brewing temperature is 195 - 205. First, read my ***WARNING*** above. To reach that temperature, bring the water to a full boil in the microwave (put a chopstick or something in there to avoid super-heating the water.) remove the press from the microwave, and allow it to rest for 30-45 seconds on the counter. After this time, the water should not be too hot, and you can add the grounds. 3. Look up the "Alton Brown True Brew" recipe. There are some fantastic tips about beans and brewing perfectly suited for beginners. 4. I'm okay with it, but If the ultra-fine particles that make if through the screen bother you, they can be mostly eliminated. Instead of pouring straight into your drinking mug, pour the coffee into a different cup first. Something with some texture, like ceramic or paper works best. While the coffee is cooling down to a drinkable temperature, most of the fine particles will sink to the bottom. Pour your cup off into your drinking mug slowly and carefully. Stop when you see you're on that last 1/4 ounce or so and the particles are clearly visible. In conclusion, I'd say that purchasing one of these is a great investment. I've saved hundreds of dollars by forgoing my morning coffee shop stop. Also, I never have to suffer through a fetid cup of drip machine coffee at home/work again. Check my review history and you'll see that this is far and away the longest I've ever written. It speaks to how much I believe in the product. (and I want people to buy them so it's never discontinued)
