Customer Reviews

Bodum Chambord 34-Ounce 8-Cup French Press Coffee Maker with Insulating Coffee Coat

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Got this for Christmas and am on my fifth day of use. I'm a fully converted french press freak and will never use my drip machine again except for social occasions where I need a bigger brew.

This press works great. It's easy to press the plunger (even though I have not yet acquired a good grinder to give consistent coarse grounds...my grinder is about as crappy as you can get), it's easy to clean and the coffee tastes great (richer, thicker and more smooth)...much better than a drip. I asked for the Bodum because of its reputation for quality and so far, I'm impressed.

I typically make enough coffee to fill 2 typical mugs (about 16-20 oz of coffee) and the unit appears about 2/3 full. I've not tried to make a full 34 oz, but it doesn't appear to really hold that much. We'll see.

The thermal sleeve is a bit of a waste, though. You really shouldn't leave coffee in a french press to sit because the flavors will continue to extract to the point of bitterness. I make two cups and pour the second into a small thermos until I'm ready. So, if you plan on drinking more than one cup out of this yourself, plan on acquiring a small thermos for this purpose.

My only other concern is that I have read reviews about cracking glass. I'd still prefer glass to any plastic container (not convinced of the safety/health of using plastics with hot products). As an engineer, I would recommend filling the unit with hot tap water while the water for your coffee is heating to near boiling. This will preheat the glass and minimize the thermal stresses as a result of pouring ~200 degree water into a room temperature glass container. Also, I would recommend letting the glass cool to room temperature before trying to wash/rinse with tap water.

I already own a 3-cup Bodum press, but I was interested in this one because of the insulating coat. As always, the Bodum press makes rich, thick, delicious coffee that leaves a bit of sediment in the bottom of my cup, which I swirl into my last sip, like espresso. French press coffee far surpasses the brew any drip machine makes; it is simply the best coffee you can make without a plumbed machine. As for the grind, I put a pound of beans through the most coarse setting at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's and it works perfectly.

Unlike the previous reviewer, I love the neoprene sleeve. I drink a full pot for myself, which makes two large cups, plus a little extra. (In the summer, I'll use the excess to make ice cubes for iced coffee.) On work days, I drink one cup right away and pour the remainder into a large thermal stainless mug, but on weekends when I have more time to relax, I leave the coffee in the pot and take my time drinking it. The coffee has gone as long as 45 minutes, sitting with the grounds, and I did not detect any bitterness. I do agree that the 34-ounce size is best shared between two people.

My one nit is the metal frame. My counters are very smooth and one is not completely level. The non-level counter has never been a problem in 6 years until the first day I brewed a pot of coffee in my new Bodum French press. The steamy heat from the water combined with the slick metal feet caused a bit of a disaster after I placed the lid over the fresh brew and turned my back. I heard a big thump and was horrified to see 34 ounces of deep, black coffee soaking into an Oriental runner. I knew I had placed the pot in the center of the counter, but my husband thought I perched it on the edge, so he tested it and got the same results. It moved toward the edge all by itself. I am sure this issue was most caused by the flaw in my counter, but I want to caution others that moist heat combined with a very smooth counter and the smooth metal feet of the press could cause for a little shifting. Don't turn your back on it until you are sure! Meanwhile I am gluing little rubber feet to the bottom.

The good news is the neoprene sleeve and soft rug saved the pot from breaking. Unfortunately, I am left with a stain to get out, but I am fired up from all that rich coffee, so it should be no problem.

Superbly made in Portugal of Pyrex, Stainless steel, bakelite, chromed brass, and chromed steel. When was the last time you saw something made out of brass? The quality is first class, and it's a pleasure to use.

The beaker is made of thin Pyrex glass, it's not a football. I fully expect to break it sooner or later with daily use and very careful handling, hey it is first thing in the morning when I'm usually cleaning it! That's life, and I don't consider it a flaw in the materials, design, or workmanship. If I'm lucky it won't break for a long time... knock wood.

Warning: if you get used to french press coffee, all other coffee will seem sub-standard, lacking body and flavor!

I used this press to make coffee for my family on Chrismas morning. I had some premium coffee and it came-out wonderful. I ground the coffee fine, against recommendations, and the extraction was great but there was a little sediment which is fine with me. I wish they made a larger size that came with the neoprene insulator. I still use my drip machine for everyday coffee, but I like to use this press when I want to see how good a batch of coffee can be. Be sure to get the Bodum double-wall thermo cups too. Hoping to buy a coffee bean roaster soon because some say coffee begins to lose some of it's flavor and freshness in as little as 5 days after roasting. I purchased this from Amazon and I'm very happy with it.

I'm not a coffee buff---yet (I see caffeine addiction on the horizon, though)---but the current coffee maker that I have seems to make watery coffee. The coffee receptacle is a basket type, and so I surmise that not enough coffee is making contact with the water for long enough, resulting in weaker coffee. Also, the coffee maker at my mother's is a 4 cup cone type machine, which often seems to make burned/acidic tasting coffee when I try to make my coffee stronger by adding more grounds. While I will rely on Mr. Coffee during weekdays, when I don't have time, I figured it would be nice to have better tasting coffee on the weekends.....or whenever I have enough time to do the french press ritual.

I've only made one batch with this so far, but it tastes better than from the drip coffee maker. At the very least, it's not the watery pale brown like what comes out of my current coffee machine. I will try to brew a batch with this and a batch in the coffee maker and taste them back-to-back to see how much of a difference there is. I only have ground coffee for now, but it actually works OK in this.

I know coarse-ground is "supposed" to be used, but I think it might only make more of a difference if you like your coffee REALLY strong and therefore have a high coffee-to-water ratio. I use about two tablespoons per 8 fl oz, which is a "real life" cup. If you have trouble pushing the filter down, pull up gently and try again. As it is, I did not get any coffee particles in my cup (or a negligible amount). With that in mind, for people starting on their coffee journey like me, one may not have to sink in a lot of money on burr grinders and the like just yet.

In regard to size, this "larger" capacity press would be good for people who like to brew a strong cuppa, as you have to account for the fact that you need space for both water and the coffee grounds at the bottom---for example, in making a full batch with this press, I used a lot of coffee and therefore I could not press the filter all the way to the bottom.....but I almost could. This large press would let you have the extra room you might need. Also, this guy would serve about four "real life" cups---the average normal cup/mug size is about 8 fl oz, so it's not actually "8 cups" like Bodum likes to think. Therefore, this press would comfortably serve two people, unless the people in question chug coffee.

The little sleeve this gets packaged with does seem to help with heat retention. I would not say it's as Bodum describes, as keeping your coffee very hot for two hours.....but it does help the coffee stay decently hot from your first cup to the second, and it's still warm by the third, depending on how much you made and how fast you drink.

All in all, I am happy with my purchase, and I am excited in using it to see how good coffee can really be at home.

***EDIT: JULY 22, 2010***

I just conducted my back-to-back test of drip coffee maker versus this french press. The verdict: the french press, even with non-freshly ground coffee, is distinctly tastier. The drip maker tastes like standard office coffee....in other words, drinkable but not good. The coffee from the french press is richer, with hints of chocolate in the taste, along with having much more body (a heavier "mouth feel," not simply watery like normal coffee)

I threw out the drip coffee I just brewed and am savoring my french press coffee. Sadly, I know I definitely won't have the time to boil and brew french press coffee on a regular basis with school coming up, unless I invest in an electric water kettle, but maybe in the future it will be a possibility.

I recently broke a coffee press that I'd had for years. I tried a cheaper one to replace it, but it was a poor design and I hated it. This one I love!!! It is pretty, easy to put in the dishwasher and has smart details in how the plunger/filter work. Definitely worth paying a little extra.

Very satisfied with this product so far, although it's only been two months. I'm not going to say something dumb like it does what it says. It's glass and metal. My 4 year old could operate this. Makes a great cup of coffee. If you're careful it won't break like others have suggested. Use wood to stir and to clean out grounds and don't bang it at the sink. Fill with hot water while you're water is boiling and that should help with the stress on the glass. The key to this brew method obviously is grinding the beans right before brewing. Even freshly ground beans through a auto drip maker is 10 times better. As far as I'm concerned this is the only way to drink coffee. Have fun experimenting with different beans and remember you're only going to get about 3 big boy cups of coffee from an eight cup press.

This french press makes a fantastic cup of coffee. It plunges easily, cleans up beautifully, and I really couldn't be happier with the cup is brews.

My only issue is with the metal feet. It's a bit slippery, and I wish it had rubber feet. Barring that one small issue, I wouldn't change a thing.

The neoprene sleeve doesn't seem to add much insulation, but it certainly doesn't hurt.

Excellent value, fast shipping, great packaging... A+!

this is the original bodum french press, it is similar to the slightly less expensive versions you'll find these days from bodum & others. they all do much the same thing, but this one is more substantial & seems less susceptible to breakage. personally i think this is worth the extra few bucks.

After searching for, literally, months for a decent press pot for my boyfriend I decided to give this one a try. A big part of my decision was based on all the good reviews. (Thanks reviewers!)
As other reviews have stated, the insulating coat does little to keep the coffee hot for longer but I feel that it's real value is in protecting the the glass carafe from accidental bumps. It goes on and off easily with velcro for those who want to see their brew.
I have two complaints about the product that keep it from a 5 star rating: the slick feet, and the plastic inner lid. The feet are a very minor complaint since the first thing I did was swipe some silicone across the bottom of each and now it stays put. I just figured that, being that easy for me, it should have been easy for Bodum as well. The real killer of that fifth star is the plastic inside the lid. I would've gladly paid the extra cash for a completely stainless steel lid. I know it's "food safe" plastic but... I'm still not a fan. Needless to say, this is still a quality press that we won't be replacing until a well built press with no plastic parts comes along. (Hint hint Bodum!)

*Edit: Well this little press has been in use since April (so for about 7 months) and it's still going strong. All of the above comments still stand true and the boyfriend puts it to daily use. I know it's been mentioned by other reviewers but make sure you hold the carafe inside it's frame any time you turn it upside down!