BonJour Hugo 8-Cup Unbreakable French Press, Black

by BonJour

Product Features

• 8-cup French press makes 32 ounces of fresh brewed coffee
• Unbreakable polycarbonate carafe great for picnics
• Rubberized, comfort-grip handle; plastic lid and frame
• Stainless-steel filter rod and screen; mesh lid removes extra sediment
• Microwavable when lid and metal parts removed

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.2 x 4.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0001K186Y
• Item model number: 53397
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (174 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,956 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

A virtually unbreakable polycarbonate carafe makes this coffee press sturdy enough for picnics or camping. To use a French press, grounds are placed in the bottom of the (preheated with hot water, if possible) carafe, then near-boiling water added. The lid with its stainless-steel rod and filter is pushed down after a few minutes of steeping, and the coffee is ready to pour. Many coffee aficionados swear by the French press method. The Hugo features a second mesh screen in the lid that removes even more of the coffee grounds sediment typically left behind by most coffee presses.

In addition to the polycarbonate carafe, the Hugo features a rubberized comfort-grip handle and plastic frame, which makes it possible for coffee (or tea) to be reheated in a microwave when the lid and stainless-steel fixtures are removed. The Hugo eight-cup carafe makes about 32 ounces of coffee, which is more like four cups for most coffee drinkers. An individual-sized 12-ounce model is also available, and both come in black, white, blue, or green. --Ann Bieri

Product Description

The BonJour Unbreakables... for those who are a little clumsy before their morning coffee! The Monet Unbreakable French Press is elegant and durable, perfect for patio, RV, boat or picnics. The carafe is made of polycarbonate that is unbreakable with normal use and care. The lid and frame are stainless steel as is the filter rod and assembly. Includes BonJour's filtering lid for less sediment in your coffee.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

210 of 215 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better Than The Other Brand, August 23, 2005

By 

S. Wussow (WI, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: BonJour Hugo 8-Cup Unbreakable French Press, Black (Kitchen)

I owned two Bodum French presses and broke - and replaced - the glass
carafes for both of them. And then I broke them both again (always in the
sink, always trying to wash them quickly in the morning so I could just get
some caffeine into me!) So I thought I'd give this model a try because my
Bialetti is a pain first thing in the morning (but otherwise great for
impressing guests.) ;-)

Am I ever glad I got this! The BonJour is superior to my old presses in so
many ways:

First, obviously, it won't break when I wash it. I love the flat bottom -
none of that four-legged-metal-base tippiness in the sink or on the counter.
And the fat rubber ring on the bottom? It's removeable - it's just there to
insulate your pot and keep it stable on the table.

I was concerned when I read elsewhere that the filter on these models
couldn't be taken apart for cleaning. With my Bodum presses, grounds would
always get lodged between the screen and the metal frame that held it in
place - really icky if you didn't unscrew them and wash the plate, screen,
and stem each time (a major pain - probably why my dirty pot remained
unwashed until I needed it the next morning, and... well, you know where
that led.)

Well, on the BonJour, grounds never get into the screen - the plunger has a
rubber rim that keeps everything down below, where it belongs, and the edges
of the screen are sealed. A quick swish in soapy water and you're
finished... no reassambly required. (In reading the previous review, about
the plastic screen pins giving way, I'd just suggest using minimal pressure
when pushing the plunger down, and making sure the screen's rubber rim is
wet before inserting it into the pot, as the directions indicate - that'll
put less stress on those pins, I think.)

With my Bodums, the screen/plunger would remain about 1/2" above the base of
the pot when fully "plunged". Because of this, the grounds would all slosh
to the side of the spout when you were pouring, and a lot of coffee or tea
would remain in the base behind the dam of grounds. You'd have to roll the
pot from side to side to get the remaning coffee out, invariably spilling as
much as you gained. The BonJour's plunger goes all the way to the base, so
pouring is much easier - no dam of grounds to block the liquid.

The BonJour also has a fine sediment screen at the top of the pot (you can
bypass it if you'd like) which means NO floaties in your coffee or tea. And
I mean FINE - it's not like the silly, wide grate on the Bodum, which was no
help at all.

This is much lighter than the same-sized Bodum, and the handle is very wide
and comfortable to hold (it feels rubberized and won't slip in your hand).

And you can't beat the price.

If I ever DO break or otherwise damage this one (I have heard you can put
them in the microwave but I'm not taking any chances - similarly, I don't
put rolling-boiling water in, but add it just before it boils or wait for it
to cool a bit after, to avoid any melting problems), then for SURE I am
going to get another BonJour.

Of course, as with ALL French presses, when they say 8 "cups", they mean
espresso cups; this holds about 3 American mugs, or 32 oz. / 4 measuring
cups at the top of the black rim. Someday they'll get that standardized for
us!

70 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unbreakable BUT * * *, March 12, 2005

By 

Old Guy "Northern chef" (Anchorage, AK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: BonJour Hugo 8-Cup Unbreakable French Press, Black (Kitchen)

I have owned three versions of this brand's unbreakable French press over the years. I once owned another brand's glass models that were just too fragile.

With each version of this press, I have gotten years of reliable, daily service. And yes, the carafe is unbreakable. HOWEVER, today, as with each prior one I have owned, the screen assembly in the press came apart -- the plastic pins were not all well glued and slowly the press pulled apart as I pulled the press out for cleaning after each use.

I would say I got my money's worth out of each unit. And, I intend to buy another.

56 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Screen breaks quickly - Manufacturer Doesn't Offer Warranty, December 8, 2005

By 

freeguy007 "freeguy007" - See all my reviews

This review is from: BonJour Hugo 8-Cup Unbreakable French Press, Black (Kitchen)

The press worked great for a 2 weeks, However, the screen housing broke. I called the original manufacturer & they explained they sold Bonjour division to Meyer. CSR did say that they replaced this part "without question" when they owned the Bonjour line. The new Bonjour owner, Meyer (also owns Circulon among others), offers no warranty and could not take an order for the part since it was out of stock for next month at least. They said I could call back in a month and they'd order part for me, but it would not be covered under warranty. I have 2 Bodum presses & have nothing but good things to say for their products.

So - if you do buy one of these, watch for small cracks where the screen mount attaches to the press rod. But - better yet - avoid this product since Meyer has unfriendly customer services practices.