Customer Reviews

Bodum Presso Doublewall Stainless Steel Thermal 8 Cup Coffee Press, 34-Ounce

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I seem to be trying every coffee press on Amazon, with dismal results. After breaking _another_ glass Bodum french press, we decided to go to stainless steel. The problem is that all the stainless press pots so far have high prices, combined with quality issues, as detailed in my other reviews. Now for this one:

Okay, first, it does not come with a "3-part stainless screen" as described. Actually, it comes with a one-piece screen assembly with a silicone edge gasket and stainless screen material molded into a plastic frame. If you have an old 3-part stainless screen assembly lying around (from a broken glass Bodum, perhaps...) you can screw that on, as the threads are the same size, or just use the whole assembly, lid and all.

Personally, I don't at all appreciate plastic in my food, much less in my scalding hot coffee. There is no safe amount of plasticizer for the human body to contain, and all plastics release chemicals, most especially when heated and in contact with hot liquids. BPA is just the tip of the iceberg... YMMV, FYI, IMO, etc.

Anyway, I don't appreciate the inaccurate description, let alone the cheap, plastic construction. So this one is going back.

The body of the thing is solid, for sure, and looks to be indestructible, other than the handle, which wiggles a bit... Probably sturdy enough for careful use, but not super solid. The picture makes it look nice and smooth, but my example has a bunch of ripples at the angle between the upright section and the angled bottom. Compared to the picture online, mine looks like the "before" picture with abdominal flab.

The lid assembly is pretty bad; there's a cheaply-stamped little triangle in the lid, which mars the smooth look, and is presumably intended to indicate the direction of the plastic grill underneath that permits pouring. But that plastic bit underneath is not connected to the metal top, so they can and do rotate independently, making the stamped triangle useless. The two bits are attached by a plastic clip that also serves as the bushing for the shaft, so you could maybe disassemble it and glue the parts together. The rubbery plastic top button screws directly onto a metal shaft, and looks sure to strip out and loosen.

I'd keep it if it weren't for the plastic screen and chintzy lid, but the cellulite-like rippling on the main body isn't very attractive, either. Ah, market forces and their inexorable pressure for lower quality! My search for a solid, 100% metal, well-made large coffee press continues.

This is my 2nd Bodum French Press and it's a good 1. My other is the standard glass version that is a classic & works well. This unit is smaller but still a decent size for 1-2 or even 3 good sized servings. I wanted this pot for two reasons; the 1st being the double wall construction to retain heat. My glass Bodum makes great coffee, but my only gripe with it is in the cooler months, I always had to reheat the coffee. This unit definitely retains the heat at least twice as long and probably longer - especially if it's pre-heated. The 2nd reason I wanted it is for longevity. Although I never had a problem with my glass Bodum, it's 3 years old & from what I've read of others....it's inevitable mine is due to shatter. The double walled stainless pot eliminates that fear, it's solid. But, the rest of this pot did let me down a bit as far as it's perceived durability, especially the screen/strainer(the reason for 4 stars). I was expecting the strainer to be of the same amazing quality as the glass version, but it is cheaper & I fear it'll only last a year. The top of the presso is also not as solid as the pot itself, but it should be ok unless you beat on it. It makes great coffee & stays warm, but expect to have to change the strainer within a year if it's used often.

Bodum makes a great French Press.
1. The coffee stays hot long enough for me to drink it all. Yes, one person can drink 34 ounces of coffee in 2 hours. 2. The filter screen works well with the rubber or silicone gasket around the edge. 3. You can actually pour from the press into a cup without spilling coffee. The Bunn was ridiculous when it came to pouring. 4. Did I mention Hot? The coffee is much hotter than any drip pot to begin with. It can stay hot 3 hours in an insulated mug. 5. The stainless steel will not be easy to damage.
Anything I don't like? The top has a lot of plastic in it, so you want to be careful how you store it, I usually keep it in the press after rinsing. The filter screen is plastic too.
I've owned this item 7 weeks and use it daily. I give it 5 stars because it meets or exceeds my expectations.

I had a glass version of this but it broke after 6 months. I loved the french press coffee enough to splurge for the stainless version. It keeps the coffee hot for at least an hour.
I kept the stainless mesh filter from the glass press because some reviewers had a problem with the plastic framed version that comes with this press; said that it was flimsy and broke. So far I've had no problems with it. It seems robust and is easier to clean; you don't have to disassemble it to clean it (it is a circular plastic frame with plastic spokes to help support the stainless steel mesh which is molded into the plastic).

Other reviewers had a problem with having to press hard to depress the plunger. That has only happened twice in the roughly 200 times I've used it. Not sure why it did that because the grind setting is always the same- very fine on the Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder. One possibility is that the plastic swells in the hot water if it is placed in the carafe while the coffee steeps for 4 minutes. I usually leave it off until I press the coffee. This is because I use water just below the boiling point and the coffee is too hot to drink right away if I put the lid on before the 4 minutes. It cools just enough without the lid so I can sip it right away after pressing it.

After years of drinking inconsistent and usually poor tasting drip coffee I'm so glad my wife bought me the original press for Christmas. I love the taste. Definitely worth the little bit of extra work.

Like some other customers, I bought this after I broke two glass version of Bodum French Press.

Compare to the glass version, I have to say this is better. First of all, I won't break this one. Second, coffee actually stay warm for good two hours.

Unlike the glass version, this press don't let any coffee grounds pass through, so I don't have to grind my coffee bean too coarse.

If you are considering buying a French Press, I'll recommend this over the glass version.

We just bought this to replace our Chambord style press by Bodum. The glass carafes are expensive to replace, and we tend to be klutzes, as well as handwash everything, so it made sense to move to unbreakable stainless steel. We love this design! The flanged base is nice and stable, it steel carafe keeps the coffee good and hot, easy to clean, and another nice design feature is the flat sturdy press-handle that makes pressing the coffee down a breeze. I balked at the price at first, but I am glad we have this now.

I wish they would have used a stainless steel press screen instead of the plastic. It will just be a matter of time when the plastic gives way and another is not cheap (I just paid $19 for a backup from Bodum - includes shipping).

When I was checking out various reviews of French Press brewers, I read too many instances of broken glass and just having to replace one break would get you up to the cost of this Stainless model. And being double wall insulated is great to keep your brew nice and hot for a while.

It's not the cheapest press pot out there, but it should serve you many good years.

I bought this Bodum as part of my continuing quest to find a simple, reliable coffee maker that doesn't hog up counter space. My first pot was made with store bought coffee that was a little too fine. The solution was to put the grounds in one of those Japanese, fill it yourself disposable tea bags. Worked great and the double wall on the pot keeps the coffee warm long enough for my needs.

I have broken so many glass French Presses so my wife gave me this one. Terrific! The only drawback is I wish there were less plastic on the inside. Constructed to sit right on the counter which is cool, literally!

I really love this coffee press. It looks great on the counter and it keeps the coffee warm for more than a half hour. Easy to clean in the dishwasher and it looks great...I said that already.