Customer Reviews

Bodum New Kenya 17-Ounce Coffee Press, Black

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased this coffee press in both the 4 cup and the 8 cup models. Both, like the other Bodum coffee presses, make a great cup of coffee, so if you have never tried coffee made this way, I would recommend getting one of the New Kenya models while Amazon has them at a reduced price. However, I would like to caution you about one thing.

One day after receiving the 4 cup press, I broke the glass carafe! Because these units have outsides that are made entirely of plastic (unlike other Bodum models which have holders and/or handles made of stainless steel), the fit around the glass beaker is very tight. The carafe and the plastic holder do need occasional separating while washing, because sometimes during the rinse process, coffee grounds become lodged between the two. I wash mine by hand.

If you are going to separate the two, please do not do so while you are washing them with the dish soap! I had to pull rather hard to get the glass from inside the plastic, with soapy hands, and, well, you can imagine what happened. They did separate, but the glass beaker went flying into the bottom of my sink and then totally shattered...

At the cost of the replacement carafe with the shipping charges, it was just cheaper for me to order a new one! I did do that, but purchased the Bodum Chambord model instead (which does cost more), with the metal holder, and the glass and holder separate very easily for cleaning (much easier than the plastic holder)! Which, by the way, now always occurs before the dish soap is applied!!!

The 8 cup version of the New Kenya press works just fine and the glass is intact, as I separate the components of that model sans dish soap, also. I thought I would share my experience so that perhaps there might be one less person out there saying to themselves, "What was I thinking!?".

I ordered this the buy two and save 17 and 34oz deal and am very satisfied. It was shipped quickly and as usual, arrived much sooner then the estimate date. French press defiantly makes a superior cup of coffee to a drip and unless you are serving a large number of people is much more user/space friendly then a drip machine that at best produces an OK cup. Comes with easy instructions and it's own scoop for proper measurement.

Some considerations would be that yes, you need a large grind of coffee. You can either buy a burr grinder or do what I do and buy my coffee whole bean and use the grinder most stores have set up (and I've yet to be in one that will mind you using it for any brand on the shelf). Just set it all the way to the other end from espresso and you'll be fine, even if done once every few weeks I've never noticed a taste difference between every morning and every few weeks grinding. There is a difference though in the ground at the factory stuff. Just stay away from blade grinders that will leave you with a very uneven grind. Also, yes, you will end up with a little bit of coffee bean "dust" on the bottom of the cup. Never bothered me any and so long as you follow instructions you will not end up with any actual grinds. Just don't use pre-ground stuff or if you do, at least find a brand with a large grind.

Some other considerations would be the size. Some have complained in similar items that the cup size is inaccurate. It says right in the title or description the oz size of the unit, if you didn't read that isn't the makers fault. They base cup size on the standard European cup because they are a European company and that is the industry standard. The 17 OZ is good four two good mugs and enough to give you a little top off. The 34oz is, simple math here, good for twice that, so basically you have just about perfect one and two person sizes for morning coffee, 2-4 people after dinner coffee..

One last consideration is the little plastic piece which is part of the filter assembly. Let me explain this pieces roll and a simple at home solution. The plunger rod screws into the actual filter pieces and the plastic piece acts as a sort of nut which holds them in place and keeps them from just going up the rod. But it is not the actual piece that connects the two, this is 100% metal and durable. If the plastic piece goes as you plunge the rod and bottom piece of the filer will go down, the two other pieces will stay in place. If it does strip out on you (which I'm betting on happening eventually), pick up a few washers to act as spacers and a properly sized nut for the rod/thread and problem solved. This IS a design flaw in my opinion, and is the only thing keeping the product from getting five stars. But for this price and otherwise very good design/construction, I can accept having to make a slight modification. It's the tinkerer in me I suppose lol.

But, all in all, it's a good product. From the useful sizes, cost, and the nice plastic holder for the glass (a GREAT feature) this is well worth the money even with a minor, easy to fix, flaw.

And yes, it's a piece of glass that gets a bit slippery when wet so separate from the plastic holder with dry hands!

Basically we have all found ourselves on a temporary work assignment where the "free" coffee is so bad you actually yearn for garbage like Starbucks. As I found myself thus, I was in need of a solution of monumental proportions. I already grind my own coffee as a matter of course. So it was a logical leap to try one of these out...

And DAMN was it worth it. The coffee out of a press is amazing. the essential oils are intact and it has a silky, velvety texture. the subtleties of the flavor are evident and all those tasting notes the guy at the coffee shop always describes...well they really do exist.

As for this product itself, I have been using Bodum since I lived in Paris in 1998. the quality and history speak for themselves. Really, the history page on their website is fascinating. I chose this model because the lid has the "open" and "closed" positions built in. The plastic actualy makes it rust-proof and much easier to clean. The lines are sleek and the design crisp. Since the mechanics (plunger and carafe) are identical across their whole line, the outside becomes a matter of taste.

Bottom line, the indulgence is worth the 20 bones with shipping.

I have had several presses, but this is the one I use daily. I had a "one cup" press, but it made enough coffee for a very small cup. This press makes enough coffee for a large coffee mug, which is exactly how much I want. The other thing I love about it is that the outer casing and lid are plastic, which means that they don't rust as the metal top ones do, nor does the bottom get hot enough to require a trivet on my counter. I love this press, and am pleased to see there are now so many different sizes available on Amazon!

1- Size: Perfect for one large cup. I had trouble with a 12 oz press because it was too small to serve a decent-sized cup, and the 32 oz is overkill for just one person.
2- Plastic: The plastic enclosure is nice, making it a bit more difficult to break if you accidentally hit a hard surface. I don't see the need to take the glass out of the plastic enclosure. The press can be washed either way.
3- Sliding:The press slides on smooth surfaces, so I'm a bit worried about it falling off the counter top.
4- Mesh: After 2 years of using a plastic press with two meshes (one in the press and one on top, for pouring), I appreciate being able to pour my coffee more quickly with this press (I don't mind having a bit of coffee grind on the bottom of the cup).

After nearly two years of use, I'm still a very happy customer, having traveled with it through North America, Central America, and now Africa. This press has outlasted every other one I've owned, and I haven't had to buy a single replacement part! Kudos to the designer

For the purposes of making coffee, this coffee press works wonderfully. The press piece comes apart easily for cleaning. However, the glass beaker does not slide in and out of the plastic casing easily for cleaning. It's true it can go a few uses without being removed for washing. When I first found it was necessary to remove for cleaning, I made this mistake of trying to force the beaker out in the sink. A few pushes, and instead of the gentle loosening I was expecting, the entire beaker slid out and shattered. Thankfully, I had ordered two of the same, one for my house and the other for my mother for Christmas. So, I had a replacement for me. To save my mother this headache, I ordered her the Bodum Chambord, per a previous review of this product.


I would suggest, if you do have this product, on placing a kitchen towel underneath the glass beaker and removing the beaker on the kitchen counter this way, and NOT to try doing so in the sink. Also, I have found the beaker slides much better, for removal and replacement, if it is sitting in hot water. Also, for replacing the beaker, if the beaker cannot easily be slid into it's holder, when hot water is added for use, and then pressed, the beaker will slide into place.

For about a year at my new job I have faced a daily dilemma: drink the nasty "cafe loma" (garbage coffee) for free, or pay $1.60 to refill my travel mug at the company coffee bar (they brew Starbucks and Seattle's Best). I was not familiar with the French press until seeing it at a restaurant, after which I did a little research and ended up with this model. I grind my beans every week (ok, ok, I know... I should grind every day... I'm not that motivated in the morning) and there is no question: even the Starbucks beans that someone gave me as a "gift" tasted better in the press than from the coffee bar. I like a variety of coffees so I am always trying something new; the Kenya has been a blessing for this task. Cleaning it in a work sink is kind of a pain ("NO GRINDS DOWN THE DRAIN!!" signs everywhere) but that is not the fault of the device. The only two "heads ups" I'll give are that 1) the filter screen has a sharp "thread" poking out that has stuck me a couple of times (I am sure that this is a small defect, but something to be aware of) and 2) when they say "4 cups" that is actually "American" for "2 mugs". Other reviewers have pointed this out, but if you want to fill your oversized travel mug up in the morning, you might want to go with a larger unit. It's actually good for me because I don't need to be drinking that much coffee, anyway. I would suggest that, if you are on the fence, go for the larger one; you can always underfill it. Oh, and the other reviewers are right: empty the beaker within 15 minutes of brewing the coffee. If you leave it in any longer it starts to get bitter. I would also strongly recommend a good burr grinder; I use the Capresso basic model and it does a decent job. Once you have your Bodum and your burr grinder, you'll be on your way to being a true coffee snob (I am now shopping for home bean roasters, haha).

I'm not a morning person and hate the namby-pamby drip coffee makers that gurgle out lukewarm coffee. I want my coffee HOT - so I was using (gasp) instant coffee. It didn't taste all that great, but it was hot. That changed after spending a couple weeks in NYC and rediscovering what good coffee tastes like. Since I drink only two cups in the morning, I opted for the Bodum New Kenya 17-ounce press (I have large coffee mugs) and am now a believer. It makes great coffee and best of all, it is HOT! Takes but a few minutes to grind the beans while the water is boiling, pour the water, wait three or four minutes, and viola! HOT coffee. I've learned that turning the unit upside down and running hot water over the bottom of the glass makes for an easy release. Just be sure to have a rubber mat in your sink. I also suggest a burr grinder.

works perfectly. The filter is very good. Just make sure you have course/md grinds.

It's cheap and does exactly what it's supposed to. You haven't had coffee till you've had a french press.