French Press

[luvmyshiner]

Do we have any coffee drinkers out there? My son finally got around to giving out his Christmas presents, and he gave me a French Press coffee maker. I've never used one before and I can't believe how much of a difference it makes. Here's the one he gave me:

Says it makes 8 cups, but I'm thinking the French must use really small cups. At any rate, if you love your coffee you should give one of these things a try.

 

[PAPPY]

How does that thing work??? Looks like you just sit it on an open flame and brew away. There's nothing like a fresh cup of coffee early in the morning, or mid morning, or at noon, and at mid evening, and just before bedtime. Unfortunately I haven't drank a half a dozen cups of it in the last thirty years. Used to keep a cup full within reach all day long but developed a bad case of stomach ulcers that were inoperable and had to give up coffee. That pot looks like it would be great to have on a campout.

 

[Plank_Spanker]

French presses rock! It's coffee like it was meant to taste, and it's so simple.

 

[luvmyshiner]

I gotta admit I'm really impressed with the thing Plank.

Pappy, you put the coffee grounds directly in the press, add boiling water, stir and let it set for four minutes. There is a filter/screen that fits through the lid of the press, and after four minutes you push the filter down and it pushes the grounds to the bottom.

 

[Plank_Spanker]

It's amazing at how different a single grind can taste pressed vs traditional coffee makers.

 

[Ro3b]

+1,000,000. A press is THE way to go.

A couple of years ago, after smashing and replacing the glass carafe that came with my Bodum press a few times, I got a stainless steel thermal press from Starbuck's. I want to be buried with it. I've got the single-serving commuter version too.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Presses are awesome. We have one that goes with us car camping and that makes that morning cup in the great outdoors that much better. At home we don't use one everyday, but if I want an extra cup after the morning pot is gone, it is the way I go. We recently purchased a Melitta coffee maker that has a timer and grinds whole beans then brews at the right time in the morning. The smell meets me at the top of the stairs on the way down to start the day. ;-)

 

[just strum]

but can it make beer?

 

[luvmyshiner]

but can it make beer?

Damn, you discovered its one weakness. Ummmm, beeeeeeer!

Plank, I've noticed that not only does the coffee taste much better, the press seems to jack up the caffeine content as well. Normally I drink two-three cups in the morning. Today I had one cup and I was runnin' around like the energizer bunny!:rockon:

Ro3b, mine is a Bodum, but I gotta admit I really like that thermal press. Looks like you can make your coffee and just take it to work in the same container.

I've always kinda considered myself a coffee snob. I hate drip makers, I've used an old fashioned stainless steel percolator for about twenty years (you know, the kind your grandparents used to use). The last time I bought one I searched all over town and ended up ordering it online. But for all you die hard coffee drinkers out there, I gotta tell ya' the press has anything I've ever tried beat!:AOK:

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go paint the house before the coffee wears off.

 

[snoglobe]

I have the very same model of French press. Love the coffee, hate the glass beaker. I've managed to break/crack two of them in a year. Bought a stainless steel French press as the day to day coffee maker, and keep the glass one as a backup when I'm making decaf as well as high test.

 

[tjcurtin1]

I have the very same model of French press. Love the coffee, hate the glass beaker. I've managed to break/crack two of them in a year. Bought a stainless steel French press as the day to day coffee maker, and keep the glass one as a backup when I'm making decaf as well as high test.

Aha! Just what I was going to say! After I broke (and replaced) the 4th or 5th beaker, i got really mad (all you have to do is tink it against the sink!). I pulled out an old stainless perk pot, tossed the guts, and now I just pour hot water on the grounds in the pot, set the timer for 4 minutes, and pour it out through a little tight meshed strainer. Voila! Great coffee, no more expensive beakers to break, or plunger parts to clean. Of course, all my friends kid ma about my 'cowboy coffee', but hey, it works. Just make sure you use a coarse grind.

 

[Robert]

I'm a major coffee addict. I am not a big fan of the French press though. I prefer my Krups coffee maker, using dark roasted Colombia beans, grounded just right seconds before the brew.

 

[Jimi75]

We were given a French coffee machine ourselves for our marriage. Hell, I never used it and I gave it to my nephew few years alter who seems to be pretty satisfied.

I highly prefer Dutch Douwe Egberts cofee. I live only 20 minutes away form the Dutch border so once a month we go to the netherlands to do some shopping.

My sister's temporary life companion is a coffee monger / addict / specialist.
He buys coffee that costs more than some of my guitars. He owns that original Italian coffee automat and when he made a coffee he cleans it immediately with a small brush. Never dare to touch his coffee mugs - he might kill you. Some of them cost 1200 USD and more.

Anyway, I prefer my Sicilian coffee - when I am with my familiy in Sicily there is this sheperd who operates all of his sheeps along the road where we live. You can stop him, reach him a cup and he put fresh milk in it for a couple of cents. I mix it then with a totally fresh made espresso and add some sugar. This is coffee heaven!!!!

 

[SuperSwede]

Speaking of coffee makers, does anyone here have a Moccamaster? I´m thinking about buying one.

 

[luvmyshiner]

Robert, that Krups coffee maker sounds pretty interesting. And I'm definitely planning on visiting Jimi sometimes. Sounds like he has the best coffee connections.:master:

TJ and Snoglobe, my son warned me that these things have a bad habit of breaking. I figured I would start out to see if I like it or not. Since I do, I'll probably look to upgrade to something a little sturdier when this one bites the dust.

SuperSwede, I'm not familiar with the Moccamaster. Got any links?

 

[snoglobe]

Robert, that Krups coffee maker sounds pretty interesting. And I'm definitely planning on visiting Jimi sometimes. Sounds like he has the best coffee connections.:master:

TJ and Snoglobe, my son warned me that these things have a bad habit of breaking. I figured I would start out to see if I like it or not. Since I do, I'll probably look to upgrade to something a little sturdier when this one bites the dust.

SuperSwede, I'm not familiar with the Moccamaster. Got any links?

The stainless steel version of the French press rocks. Easy to clean, not prone to breakage, and the double-walled design keeps the coffee hot longer.