French Press Coffee Maker

[The Amish Tyrant]

I recently inquired about a cheap coffee grinder and am about to pull the trigger in either a Mr. Coffee or Cuisinart (before upgrading if my lazy ass likes the grind).

A few comments intrigued me on the French press concept (for weekend enjoyment, since my coffee pot has a timer that ensures I have a full pot waiting for me after a shower - or a K-cup if.my dumbest forgets).

Any suggestions on an entry level French press? I'm not looking to fumble with multiple parts or steps. After all, I'm just a caffeine junkie looking to get a quick fix in an ample dose (and enjoy quality when the time and budget allows).

 

[bullet08]

Get any of Bodum brand. Not too expensive, and works well. They are all about the same. Only issue I have with French press is, grits/grinds at the bottom of the cup, and coffee getting cold.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Get any of Bodum brand. Not too expensive, and works well. They are all about the same. Only issue I have with French press is, grits/grinds at the bottom of the cup, and coffee getting cold.

As with women, I don't discriminate with my coffee. Cold, thick, and bitter is fine by me. May as well try the French approach too.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into it.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Get any of Bodum brand. Not too expensive, and works well. They are all about the same. Only issue I have with French press is, grits/grinds at the bottom of the cup, and coffee getting cold.

Exactly that. And I otherwise agree, Bodum is good, but I do not like the coffee grinds and the coffee cools very fast.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Kopi Tubruk, or Koffie Toebroek is a popular Indonesian way of brewing coffee and I like it a lot.
Two teaspoons of good strong grounded coffee ( if you like; sugar, milk ) in a large cup, pour on boiling water, stirr and wait till the ground hits the bottom of the cup. Drink it hot and strong.
Do not dispose of the grounds. In the fridge to neutralize smells. Good fertilizer for your house plants.
Deodorizes the chambers of your pipes. Cheers

 

[Grangerous]

That’s Cowboy Coffee, @orlandofurioso - I’m a heathen that takes anything from instant to Kureg but my fondest method of making coffee is a good old Percolator. There’s something special about the smell and that sound. So maybe fresh grind in a Percolator?

On edit. For those who enjoy coffee black, a small pinch of salt removes bitterness without you tasting salt. It can transform a poor cup. Try it.

 

[fireground_piper]

Stay away from glass. Get something that’s double wall stainless to maintain the temp within while steeping. That’s most important.

 

[obc83]

Stay away from glass. Get something that’s double wall stainless to maintain the temp within while steeping. That’s most important.

@The Amish Tyrant This is the best option. I used only these for years and I will definitely say it's delicious but if you have the drip method on hand, use that most of the time. The press will up your blood sugar and stomach acid.

 

[craiginthecorn]

Glass is just fine. Yes, the heat will dissipate, but that's a feature that makes French presses more forgiving than most other brewing methods. As the coffee cools, the rate of extraction slows. No "pressing" need for exact timing with a French Press. This also means that if you brew more than one cup, the remaining coffee will continue to get stronger, but will stay drinkable for some time.

The Bodum Chambord is a classic for a reason. You can often find them in thrift shops, BTW.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I have purchased a few stainless steel, double walled Bodum French presses over the years for friends and family, and have two presently (the Columbia). It’s pricier than glass, but retains heat much better. You’ll never need another French press again; at worst, you might need a new cross plate with silicone ring if the original even wears out.

 

[UB 40]

The Bodum Bistro Nouveau is a cheaper one, our every day “coffee machine” for several years now.

 

[mawnansmiff]

I've had a few French press coffee makers over the years but always ended up passing them on as I found it too fiddly and time consuming to take apart to clean it then put it all back together just for a cup of coffee.

I also have a De'Longhi pump coffee maker that sits gathering dust in my kitchen for pretty much the same reason. The coffee basket has to be taken apart as does the milk steamer for cleaning after every use so I just gave up.

Now I often use Taylor's of Yorkshire coffee bags (much improved from when they were first introduced) and occasionally one of those aluminium stove top jobbies from Italy.

Regards,

Jay.

 

[jaytex1969]

I'm in the "no glass" group.

We love press coffee but I have destroyed several glass models through the years.

We got an insulated stainless model more than 10 years ago and have been quite satisfied. Nothing to break. Maybe replace the double screen on the plunger occasionally.




With the grinder, we went through a couple of the inexpensive blade grinders. They will get you by, but if you're a "buy once, cry once" sort, get a burr grinder. We settled on this Cuisinart model.



The burr grinder is more uniform and removes a good bit of variable from the brew process, leaving you to only worry about time, and temp if really getting into it. The cons of the grinder are it takes up more space and is kind of loud. (like me... )

With the press shown above, we set the grinder above to the largest grind setting and the volume setting to 6 cups. We steep for 5 minutes and its ready. Contrary to some opinions, my opinion is that once you push the plunger down, most of the steeping process is terminated, as the grinds are compressed beneath it.

If the coffee turns out a bit bitter, try putting an ounce of cold water on the grounds in the press and stir it thoroughly, about a minute before filling with the hot water. We use boiling water. or up to a minute after shutting off the heat without much change in outcome.

The biggest thing you can do to up your coffee game: ALWAYS USE FILTERED WATER. Chlorine and/or that "fungal" taste will always screw up your best efforts.

With each new type of bean you try, you may need to tweek the time a bit to find your preferred flavor.

 

[FurCoat]

I'm in the "no glass" group.

We love press coffee but I have destroyed several glass models through the years.

We got an insulated stainless model more than 10 years ago and have been quite satisfied. Nothing to break. Maybe replace the double screen on the plunger occasionally.

View attachment 247353


With the grinder, we went through a couple of the inexpensive blade grinders. They will get you by, but if you're a "buy once, cry once" sort, get a burr grinder. We settled on this Cuisinart model.

View attachment 247360

The burr grinder is more uniform and removes a good bit of variable from the brew process, leaving you to only worry about time, and temp if really getting into it. The cons of the grinder are it takes up more space and is kind of loud. (like me... )

With the press shown above, we set the grinder above to the largest grind setting and the volume setting to 6 cups. We steep for 5 minutes and its ready. Contrary to some opinions, my opinion is that once you push the plunger down, most of the steeping process is terminated, as the grinds are compressed beneath it.

If the coffee turns out a bit bitter, try putting an ounce of cold water on the grounds in the press and stir it thoroughly, about a minute before filling with the hot water. We use boiling water. or up to a minute after shutting off the heat without much change in outcome.

The biggest thing you can do to up your coffee game: ALWAYS USE FILTERED WATER. Chlorine and/or that "fungal" taste will always screw up your best efforts.

With each new type of bean you try, you may need to tweek the time a bit to find your preferred flavor.



View attachment 247363

That's the press I use also after breaking too many glass presses.

 

[FurCoat]

As far as coffee grinders go, I've been using my Mr. Coffee for 27 years.

 

[jpmcwjr]

French Press, (Bodum; glass) is my go to if not making espresso.

As to cooling, "It's a good thing". Also what microwaves are for.

 

[romaso]

I've got the same steel one as jaytex, works great. I take it camping. I got mine off eBay or Amazon, there were several different brands with the exact same design so I just got the cheapest, figure they're all made at the same plant and just marketed by different companies. Double wall insulated too.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Get Yuorself stainless steel Cuccumella Napolitaine

 

[nathaniel]

Ive grown up here in Costa rica where coffee is a big deal. But we all just drink it through a sock.

My wife is big into her French press but i honestly dont taste a damn difference.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

Bodum or Hario. Fellow makes a good one, though a little pricier. Look into pour over also. A Hario V60 can be bought pretty cheap, with filters. I prefer the pour over. YMMV