Customer Reviews

Bodum Chambord 12 cup French Press Coffee Maker, 51 oz, Chrome

5 star:		(81)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I remember the first time I saw one of these, it was Stowe VT, approx. 1984, and the savy worldy friend educated me that she had experimented with many methods of coffee making and this was her favorite. How right she was. I have been hooked ever since and have only replaced my Bodum once......due to divorce, not distruction.

I recommend heating the water by using an electric kettle that sits on a seperate base(Target has Philips Electric Kettle HD4651). I agree with fellow reviewers on not using boiling water (I let the kettle sit a bit) and with swirling a bit before a slow plunge.

To keep coffee warm while brewing in the Bodum, use a cozy (an insulated fabric cover) or a dish towel wrapped around, I let sit approx. 5 minutes.

Lastly, always avoid soap/dishwashing liquid. If you just use hot water to rinse clean there is no need of soap. I learned this trick in Ireland. (They also never wash tea pots in suds)

Coffee grinds are safe to go down the sink, my Dad said that the local plumber told him that it is good at exfoliating the pipes. Ask your own plumber to be sure. So clean up is as simple as just rinsing in hot water, no need for messy filters or grinds everywere.

Not only in my own home, but in castles and bed and breakfasts all over Europe, the French Press is a staple way of serving coffee.

ENJOY

My Bodum presses have always made great coffee, but unfortunately, they don't ever last very long. I think Bodum must have something wrong with the process they are using to blow glass these days. The last three of these presses (yes, three) that I've had have all cracked from what must be expansion/contraction problems since the only thing that happened before I had coffee on my feet was adding hot water to the carafe. I've been very careful with all of them, so abuse is not the culprit. If it were not for this less than minor problem, I'd give it five stars - however, since the average cost of a cup of coffee increases with the number of presses that I have to buy, I'm giving it 2 stars.

Once you get the hang of it, a coffee press is much easier than an electric coffee maker. I especially like the fact that I don't have to turn it off when I'm done. And it makes great coffee, even with cheap beans.

The 12-pot size is best for most people. Two people will drink roughly this much in one day. One person will need two days.

I have had to replace the glass in my 12-cup press, but only once in five years.

I've owned every different type of coffee maker possible over the years and the French press if used correctly is my favorite. I have had a few Bodum ones and they were the best UNTIL I found the Frieling stainless steel 35 Ounce French press. This is an improvement as significant as the automobile over the horse and buggy. The stainless steel keeps the coffee hot, and they are no more broken glass beakers. It is also a fabulous looking piece. For a few bucks more you'll be much happier. By the way there are 2 different size models. Go with the bigger one as they are very close in size.

I've had this press for almost two years and it has served me well. The glass beaker IS fragile, but if you take a few precautions it shouldn't break on you.

1) NEVER use boiling water. First of all, it doesn't make good coffee. Second of all, the cool air on the outside and the boiling water inside the beaker will cause it to break. The proper water temperature is at or below 200 degrees F. I spent about 20 minutes one day with a pyrex measuring cup, a thermometer, and my microwave, so now I know exactly how long to nuke the water to get it perfect every time.

2) Preheat the beaker and let it air-cool. The lady who wrote that she filled the beaker with hot tap water before she brewed coffee in her press had it right. Slowly warming the glass will keep it from breaking. Also, after brewing you should let it sit in the frame until it cools. Putting a cold water in a hot beaker or even setting it in a cold sink may cause it to crack.

3) Stir before you plunge. The coffee grounds in a french press make a crust you should break by stirring or swirling. That way the water can pass through the grounds freely and your pot doesn't explode from too much pressure.

Oh yeah, and don't drop it. :D

I was really pumped up after reading all the positive reviews and couldn't wait to get my french press and use it. I was not dissapointed one bit. It's very easy to clean and I just LOVE IT! I don't use mine for coffee, however. I use it for loose leaf green tea. Like my teenage daughter would say "it's the bomb"!

The size is perfect! The only thing I'd like would be that the glass beaker would have the level markings on the side so you can see as you fill it up. But I adjusted to that and I'm happy with it!

--If you have tried french press before and are looking for a good one, there is no reason to look elsewhere. I have not tried any other models but Bodum has a great reputation and it works as advertised. I have had mine a year and never broken anything and it works great. My understanding is that the only other real option is with a thermal carafe that keeps the coffee hot longer but you don't want this as far as I understand. The reason is that in a french press, the coffee (if not poured right away) keeps on getting extracted as it sits there. There should be nothing needed to keep warm if you are serving right away.

--If you have not yet tried french press and this is the reason you are scanning reviews, please note that you trade off a little more time (compared to drip) for an explosion of flavor and complexity. The oils that are filtered out in a drip machine (less so with a gold filter) are left in the coffee with french press so you get much more thickness and flavor with this method. There is more tweaking and you need a burr grinder to do it right but that's fun if you like to play around a little. The reason you shouldn't use a blade grinder is that there is much more variation in the size of the coffee grinds so some of the coffee will end up extracted unevenly introducing bitter flavors in coffee that should not be there. A burr grinder needn't be expensive and I found one on Amazon for around $30 that I am happy with (Arielo).

NOTE: It all boils down (pun intended) to how important coffee flavor is to you and preference. I have tried drip coffee after french press and really can't go back-it is that big of a difference. Please note that the freshness of coffee and quality (personally, I go with Peet's) is so important. Please don't buy SB's and for the most part expect a "blow me away" coffee experience. It is fun to try single origin coffees and taste the differences. On the other hand, it's just coffee...

Unlike some reviewer, in more than 5 years I never had problem with broken Bodum beakers, therefore here is my routine for using this press:
First I pour about a cup of just-boiled water slowly in the beaker, then move the beaker around to make sure that the lower quarter of the glass is evenly warm, and then I pour it out. The purpose is three-fold: I don't want to add coffee to a cold glass, I prepare glass for the large amount of hot water, and I give boiled water in the kettle enough time to cool down just a bit not to scorch coffee.
Then, I add freshly ground coffee from the burr grinder, which is set on Coarse. Consistency of the burr and large size of particles assures me that the plunger is not going to be clogged.
Finally I slowly insert a plunger. I keep the plunger very clean, by disassembling it after each use and soaking all three parts of the filter in soapy water. This prevents any blockage of the filter mesh and removes the remnants of coffee.
On a brighter site, of all the devices I use to make coffee, this is my favorite in terms of the richness of taste and degree of control.
There are some things that I don't like about this particular press.
1. As many have mentioned, there are no level markings, so I either need to boil more water than needed (what a waste!) or to measure water in a kettle before boiling - I do the latter;
2. The handle is of cheap plastic, thin, with noticeable edges, very unpleasant to hold;
3. The collar of the plunger has a small area through which you are supposed to pour. The idea is, I suppose, to rotate the top after pouring to prevent loss of heat and aroma. However, this area is not marked on the outside of the plunger. If you are sitting in a well-lit room, you can easily see this area, but if you are standing or there is not enough light, you have to bring the whole thing close to your eyes to adjust the lid to a pouring position.
I guess Bodum would've benefitted from hiring a professional designer and switching to a better-quality glass.

I've been using this product for several years and it makes the best coffee I've ever had. Just follow the directions. The only part that is vulnerable is the carafe and then only when you drop it on the floor or jam it in the dishwasher! Not to worry, as Bodum has replacement parts.
Buy it!!

I love it. I have the single size and the 6 cup and use them all the time. Never had a problem and they are easy to clean unlike a regular coffee maker. I live in a small apartment so I don't have the room and these take up hardly any room. I can taste the differance in a drip coffee maker. Would never trade this in.