Customer Reviews

BonJour Hugo 8-Cup Unbreakable French Press, Black

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(22)
1 star:		(67)

 

 

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!

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.

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.

I recently bought two of these presses within two months of each other. The carafe is virtually unbreakable and of good manufacture,
but the press piece with the plunger and screen are made of plastic
and both cracked in the same place, making the presses unusable.

I sent my Amazon receipts to the company which states on its information card that it will replace the component or comparable
product.

What did I get in the mail after waiting at least 6 weeks and
paying for shipping? My broken piece back in the box, with a form letter saying that I "did not" HAVE A WARRANTY! The limited warranty is attached to the product!

To top it off the letter said it enclosed a 35% off coupon to use with it's site Potsandpans.com....Guess what NO COUPON enclosed!

I have had one of these presses in the past and it was great, but
I am wondering if the company and manufacturing changed.

Recommendation DO NOT BUY!

While it is true that the carafe is indeed unbreakable, an especially useful feature when you drop the carafe in the sink accidentally, the plunger part is NOT unbreakable. After about one month of use (during which time we loved our french press), the plastic part of the plunger (at the bottom rim, where the screen is) broke into many little pieces. Sadly, we will not be replacing this one with another BonJour French Press.

This is the first french press coffee maker I have owned. Having always used a drip-machine at home, I wanted to give this a try. I read tons of reviews, people complaining about broken glass presses, screens falling out, etc. etc. I didn't want to spend even $10 on something that wasn't going to make a decent cup.

I've used this press nearly every day, sometimes more than once, for the last two months or so. The carafe is lexan, I believe, the same material used to make Nalgene water bottles. Not 100% unbreakable, but it's not going to break from even the roughest kitchen use. I do suggest washing it only with a soft sponge, as scotch-brite or brillo will easily scratch the material. Doesn't affect functionality, but makes it dull.

The screens are well-seated into the press and the lid. Having the second screen in the lid ensures that even the finest grind doesn't slip into your cup. I have only hand-washed this item but I think it would be fine in the top-rack of the dishwasher. There's a small metal screw in the handle, so I wouldn't suggest putting it in the microwave. The description (at least when I bought it) said it was microwave safe. It could be that from one production run to the next, the screw material changed.

Other points.. the base is rubber and grips well. Some presses have the dainty little feet that do nothing but give you a top-heavy jar of near-boiling water. I read one review where a user was complaining that the lid doesn't fit very tightly into the carafe. I actually think this was intentional, as if it fit tightly the liquid would not pour out. The looseness of the fit allows air to flow back into the carafe, just like the hole on the lid of a travel mug.

In terms of the coffee, well it depends more on the beans and the person making the coffee. Once you get the measurements right this makes excellent coffee. In fact, I also use it to make loose-leaf tea, works just as well as an infusion ball or kettle. Depending on how much you drink, remember 8-cups is french cups, like 6oz. There's a bigger size that may be a better choice for those who drink a lot of coffee.

Overall: Great product, I think it'll give me several years of quality service and I would definitely buy it again, especially at this price!

***UPDATE***

March 2010, this thing is still going strong. The caraffe is a bit dull from being washed (both by hand and in the dishwasher) but man it's still in great shape, the screens are just like when I bought it. No rust, no stretching/bending. The rubber seal on the plunger hasn't degraded at all. Great product.

***UPDATE 2***

So, I was looking through some of my old reviews and noticed that a lot of people have chimed in that their BonJour has fallen apart, broken, etc. I've owned this press for four years now, using it nearly every day, sometimes several times a day, and aside from a little light scratching on the caraffe surface it is practically like-new. The screens are tight and in place, no rust, nothing. I'm not sure what these people are doing with their french press to have them falling apart.

As other reviewers have stated, the plastic carafe is quite sturdy ("unbreakable"), but the plunger itself is not. Because of these reviews, I was very gentle with my french press, never exerting much force on the plunger. I used it about 5 times a week. But after 9 months, the plastic ring which holds the mesh screen and rubber ring in place cracked in many places (who knows how long other cracks were there before it fell apart?). I managed to fit things back together and get one more use out of it, but with so many cracks that's about all I'm going to get. Now I'm debating whether it's worth $20 for another 9 months of use. I'm thinking not.

Unfortunately we are another household with a cracked plastic plunger after about 4 months of daily CAREFUL use...

We'll give it another try in the hope the company has rectified this obvious problem.

I have had this product for 2 1/2 months now. I use it every morning to make coffee. Last week I noticed that the plastic holding the screen had cracked and a piece fell out. I had no idea how that happened as I hadn't dropped it. Last night we ran it through the dishwasher and the plastic press is literally crumbling into little pieces. The Carafe appears to be nearly indestructible. But the press is complete [...] and unreliable. It is as if the plastic is just trying to crumble or break down. It is suddenly soft and brittle.

I have only used this thing every day for that last 2 1/2 months to make coffee and usually hand wash it with Dawn. I will never buy another one. What a waste.

My glass one lasted for about 3 years, and I am a total klutz. So it is back to glass.

I read here that quite a few people have had problems with the screens and/or the plunger part breaking. I haven't had that problem with mine at all, but I'm careful not to grind my coffee too fine and I press very carefully.

Mine has held up very well packed in my suitcase (I travel constantly; it's part of my job), which surprised me, what as Northwest seems capable of destroying anything, eventually.

My only beef is that the screen on the lid clogs up making it hard to pour the coffee out.

I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.