Customer Reviews

Planetary Design Commuter Double-Shot Stainless Steel French Press Mug, Black

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Great invention! I drink mostly loose teas, gave up coffee some time ago. Because of work and being "Mom", I spend a lot of time in my car. I have tried several travel presses and most of them don't trap all of the leaves under the press, especially leaves that unroll as they steep. This is the most practical travel mug that I've ever seen and the storage compartment is absolutely great for carrying extra loose tea for those all day meetings. I ordered one for my desk and one for those long car trips.

I enjoy reading reviews about things I own because I ususally learn more about the
item than what you find in the user manuals and pick up some good tips.

I bought my first coffee press when I was remodeling my kitchen and found that the
only place to put our electric coffee maker was on a bar area which would leave the
ugly back side of the coffee maker exposed to our guests in the dining area (something
my wife would not appreciate). We looked at coffee makers that looked good on all sides
but didn't find many of them. On a whim, I thought to try out a glass French press.
That was fine, but the coffee didn't stay warm very long and you had to clean up
the press and a coffee mug when you were done.

I then found this mug and thought it would be a good solution to my issues.
It kept the coffee warm longer and there was only one thing to clean up.
It allowed me to throw in some coffee grinds with water and run out of the
house to get to work and the coffee would brew in transit (no waiting around
for the coffee maker to finish brewing or the glass press to finish steeping).
Since I am the only one drinking coffee in my house and I only drink one cup a
day, this seemed to be ideal for me. No need to make a larger amount of coffee.

The metal construction keeps the coffee warmer than the glass French presses do.

The top lid also contains fine mesh to catch any grinds that escape the large
screen on the bottom of the pressing pole.

You want to use coarse ground coffee (size of potting soil or coarse Kosher salt)
with a French press. I have used finer grinds and still not had much grind come
into my mouth. You could use this mug as a stand alone press and pour the coffee
into a regular coffee mug if you are concerned about the water being in contact with the
coffee grounds for too long of a time.

It has rubber rings are to help the mug fit snugly in your car cup holder
(they are not intended to provide insulation for your hand as one reviewer mentioned).
These rings can be removed if you don't like them.

The newer versions of this mug have a handle can be tightened or removed if
you like.

I have given several of these as gifts to friends who have loved them. I didn't
know Amazon was selling these, so I bought mine elsewhere. Different places have
offer different colors of this mug.

I liked the mug so much I bough a larger carafe version that the company makes
(holds 48 ounces I think) so I could make coffee for multiple guests and keep the coffee warm for a while.

The design has been updated since I bought my first mug.

New version of this mug has a screw on top for the coffee container, a screw on
cap for the bottom of the mug to keep the coffee container within the mug.
This addresses the other reviewer's issues of the tops popping off or the
coffee storage unit falling out of the mug (an issue I had with the older
version of this mug).

Both drink tops (one for French press, and one for using as a regular mug)
now have a cover that rotates to close off the drinking hole and the
air hole. This new cover is not leak proof but it keeps the coffee (or tea) from
gushing out if you tip the mug over (which was an issue with the earlier version
of this mug). Both versions of the mug I have include a metal plunger rod (not plastic
like some reviewers have mentioned).

I bought my second one after the rubber seal on the lid started to break down
(after years of use). From looking at these reviews, it looks like I could have
bought a replacement lid from the company. I decided to buy a new mug to
get the enhanced features. I really like the new design and rarely use
my old mug.

The only downside of the current version of this mug is that the mesh plunger
part that attaches to the plunging post comes loose every time I use it so
I am always tightening this part each time I clean out the old grounds.
The reason that this comes unscrewed is that the bottom press filter fits so
tightly in the mug that it rotates as you plunge it, so it unscrews from the rod
a little. The size of that part can be difficult to put inside the mug at times.
I guess it has to be tight to keep the coffee from coming around the mesh
screen on the sides, but this is much tighter than my old mug had.

Note: If your coffee storage unit doesn't have a top, then you are missing
part of your mug. I saw one reviewer that mentioned that they didn't have
a top.

Note: The instructions say not to put this mug in the dishwasher, so I handwash mine
with liquid dishwashing soap.

The more I use it, the more I like it.
Pros:
Built like a tank
Easy to wash by hand
Very fine mesh (almost no sediment using coarse ground coffee)
Container that holds coffee or tea for one or two more shots
Makes great coffee
Cons:
None
Don't hesitate to order this press, you won't be disapointed.

Using a french press is the best way to enjoy the full flavor of the coffee bean. No filter to soak up the rich oils. Just boil the water, pour, stir, and steep 2-3 minutes (in a small press like this one).

Pros:
- Double filter works well, few fine grains leak through
- Easy to clean
- Cheery colors
- Durable, hasn't scratched yet in 6 months of heavy use
- Can almost fit three shots ... more than enough for an afternoon delight

Cons:
- Clumsy users beware. I typically require a leakproof mug. If this mug is too full, even though the lid has a rim, coffee leaks out if I'm not extra careful.
- The press doesn't fit snuggly in my '06 Jetta cupholders. The bottom 2 inches of the press are narrower than the top. Because the cupholders aren't particularly deep, the press often tips over or falls out when I turn corners (or come to a sudden stop) unless I hold it. Another warning for clumsy coffee lovers.

This mug, which is an ingenious comination of a French press and an insulated mug, produces about 16 ounces of excellent coffee comparable in quality to my French press at home. You can drink straight from the mug after brewing, but I prefer to pour the coffee into a separate cup. The mug and press are very well made, should prove very durable and the mug has a neat little storage compartment in the base to store extra ground coffee for your next cup. An excellent way to make one cup of coffee whether you are at home, the office or on the road.

I've had the mug a few weeks now, and used it a dozen times or so. The coffee is excellent and the screen and plunger system work well. The body of the mug is well built and sturdy.

I have not been as impressed with some of the design elements. The "double shot" feature is not well put together. The shot is supposed to go in a little plastic cup within the base of the unit. There is no cover for this cup, it is supposed to snap into the plastic base. The two do not attach firmly, and the coffee is usually spilled into the base by the time I need it. When I ordered it I wrongly assumed that the whole base unscrewed from the mug and held the coffee. This would solve another issue, the lower chamber fills up with water in the dishwasher which means it doesn't get rinsed well, and is a pain when unloading from the dishwasher.

The only other complaint I have is that there is a plastic tab on the top to allow easy removal of the lid. I dropped the mug at work and the tab broke off the second day I had it. I blame myself for being clumsy, but a more robust design would have helped.

I gave the mug 3 stars because it makes really good coffee, and at it's heart is a good solid stainless steel mug. A few design improvements would make it a 5 star purchase for me.

I've owned the Planetary Design Double Shot Travel French Press Mug for a little over a month now. Overall I like it and brew coffee twice a day during the work week. First, let me say that Planetary Design is a great company. There was a problem with my order (the Chrome color came through, perhaps by default) but I really wanted Black. PD sent me an email saying that my order had shipped, and gave the color as Chrome. I immediately wrote back to thank them and to say I had ordered Black. They dashed to the loading dock and swapped out the Chrome for Black -- a very nice gesture. There are two things that could be improved: (1) I think the plunger could be a bit longer so that the grounds were slightly compressed at the bottom of the stroke, and (2) The mesh on the plunger could be finer to keep the "fines" in the mug for those of us who grind our own beans -- even at the coarsest setting, I get a bit of "mud" at the end of the drink. Tip: to keep from clogging the sink at work, I carefully rinse and pour into a paper towel positioned in the drain, then carefully fold and gingerly squeeze as I would a teabag for disposal. At the end of the day, I rinse as above, then add a drop of dish soap, fill with hot water, work the plunger a few times, rinse and let air-dry overnight in my covered book shelf.

This is great mug. I hardly ever get any grounds in my coffee unless it is in the last sip or two. The only drawbacks I have found thus far is that there is no cover for the opening so coffee can spill out pretty easily if you are driving and hit some bumps or have to stop or turn quickly, and the Planetary Design logo on the bottom of the mug sticks out too far and so it sits on that and is off balance. I just scraped this off with a knife and now it is fine. It makes some great coffee though and it is super convenient. I love it!

5 Stars, for now,

After quite some time looking for a travel mug to replace my old one, I am in heaven! I may have only had this one day, but this product is outstanding!

Sturdy (so far), all-steel, and the lid stays on! I can't say that about some the cheapo travel mugs I've used (now there's a really annoying way to start the day!).

Not only is this a French Press, it came with a regular travel coffee lid so I can use it for regular, machine-brewed, coffee as well. (I gotta get a French Press with a timer so I can have it in the morning!)

I have machine-brewed coffee when I wake up and take the train to work, then I use the French Press as soon as I get to the office. It's easy when you have the pre-measured packets as my office does (I just need to stock up on the French Roast before my co-workers get them all).

My coffee addict coworkers are soooo envious as they must deal with the weak stuff that the office machine produces (hence why the French Roast is the only flavor that gets used).

The storage container is a great idea as well! Just be careful when removing it as the actual container and the base of the mug (with the rubber pad) are not attached and the container can come loose when you pull it out. I spent a few minutes hunting under my desk for it this morning, fortunately the container lid did not come off!

Even if the Press breaks, this is still a great travel mug! Oh yean, service from Montana to NY was quick, thanks Liquid Planet!

I bought one of these in March 2010 and used it daily for six months, then a couple times a week after that. It saved me a lot of money making my own coffee instead of paying a dollar for a cup each day at the work cafeteria.

This works best with your own ground beans (and tastes better, too), of course, but since the point of buying this cup was for me to save money, I used this most with regular Folgers, and I didn't have any issues with the grounds escaping the mesh plunger. I prefer sweet & light coffee, so my personal mixture was 2 teaspoons of coffee, 2 teaspoons of powdered creamer, and 2 teaspoons of sugar -- stir the sludge until the creamer & sugar are dissolved, then put the top on and slowly lower the plunger.

The stowaway container held the full 6 teaspoons of my recipe no problem, so I could make a second cup at work if I needed it. If you're not a sissy & drink your coffee black, you could be prepared for a number of refills.

I've cut down on my coffee consumption, so I need to buy some loose tea and try that out. I'm sure it will work just as well.

My cup was a darker green that doesn't seem to be available any more, which is a shame because it's a beautiful color.