Bodum 34 oz Columbia Thermal French Press Coffee Maker, Insulated Double Wall Stainless Steel, Chrome

Excellent quality! Absolutely beautiful pot that will ladt a lifetime. Keeps coffee hot (warm it up by filling with hot water). Perfect size for camper. Holds two 10oz cups of coffee.

My office has its own drip coffee maker, but the coffee tastes absolutely horrible. Everyone complains about it, but no one was doing anything about it. So I bought this huge insulated french press, and brought it into my office along with an electric kettle and a simple coffee grinder. This is a large french press, so it's perfect for a situation in which many people will be drinking coffee, or a situation in which a couple people will each be drinking a *lot* of coffee. The short of it: this little unit makes wonderful coffee. I have been using it twice a day for about 8 months, and it has never let me down. It keeps the coffee hot for about an hour (on average) and cleanup really isn't that hard. Details: I use about 3/4 cup of coarse-ground coffee for a full batch, and steep for 4 minutes 30 seconds. I could use a bit less and steep a bit longer (the directions advise a max of 6 minutes), but I don't want to risk overextracting from the coffee beans, which would make the coffee taste bitter. I boil the water first and let it cool for a minute or two while I'm preparing everything else. This avoids the awful taste of scalded coffee (which we are all familiar with from drip methods). Pre-warming the carafe by soaking it in hot tap water really extends the length of time the coffee stays hot, because the heat of the coffee isn't wasted on warming up the inside of the carafe. If I pre-warm the carafe and keep the lid closed (so that the mesh pour opening is aligned with the handle of the press and not the spout), the coffee easily stays hot for an hour, sometimes two, depending on how full the carafe is. A full carafe will stay hot longer than a carafe with only a few cups left in it. There is always a little sediment at the bottom of each cup of coffee. You can't avoid this (no grinder is perfect), and since this sediment provides much of the flavor of the coffee, would you really want to? Cleanup: People complain about cleaning french presses, but it's really not that hard. Here's what I do: Rinse off the plunger and lid; Dump the used coffee grounds in the trash; Rinse out the carafe; Wipe fine coffee dust off the plunger and carafe with a wet paper towel; Rinse once more (no soap). Then I make sure to dry the outside of the carafe very well, just to avoid water spots. I let the filter and the inside of the carafe air dry. Once a month or so, I will take apart the filter (yes, you can do this, but it's well-designed so that you don't have to do it often) and thoroughly clean the whole unit. In my office, very few people use the old coffee maker anymore. When I decide to make coffee, a crowd forms around my desk! French presses, when used correctly, make truly fantastic coffee.

Mmmmmh...Smooth & Rich java. I read all the reviews on the 8 & 12 cup stainless steel models, plus all the reviews on the glass model. I put "French Press Coffee Maker" on my Christmas list, and based upon my inability to choose between the 8 & 12 cup stainless presses, Santa brought me both. Unbeknownst to me, my daughter got me the glass version...so now I have all 3! Although I thought the stainless models would be preferable for both their insulating & unbreakable properties, now that I have all 3, the glass model is my favorite, because it's gorgeous! The chrome plated stainless steel housing is gleaming, the glass has a clarity and delicacy that is just stunning, and overall it's lighter weight, and just plain more comfortable, in my opinion, for the feminine hand. Plus, you can see how the coffee is brewing (color) during the 4 minute brew process. The downsides of course are 1) probable eventual breakage of the glass carafe, but they're readily available, and easily replaceable, and 2) that there's no insulation...but French Pressed coffee (or any for that matter) is best consumed as immediately as possible. I love the stainless models too, because (of course) they do keep the coffee very warm and*or borderline hot, depending upon your individual interpretation of those terms, for at least 30 minutes to an hour, they're virtually unbreakable, and they are also stunningly beautiful...very contemporary, and at the same time, timeless in design. All 3 models come with a measuring scoop (8 cup models take about 8 level scoops, and produce about 3 large mugs of coffee, or perhaps 4 more conservatively sized (smaller) cups. The 12 cup model is 50 percent larger, so figure approx. 5 or 6 cups with the larger stainless model (good for company where you want to serve more people at once). I also got a very inexpensive Procter Silex electric kettle to super heat the water superfast, it works great! Also, Santa brought me the matching sugar & creamer set. It etails for $20 for the set, go ahead & splurge...you'll own your French Press for perhaps a lifetime, and the sugar*creamer set makes for a stunning table display. It matches perfectly with both the stainless and the glass models. Tips...water is supposed to be "just off the boil", and I found the electric kettle just perfect. Secondly, this is hot stuff, keep away from children's reach! Thirdly, after emptying the grinds, a simple rinsing and soft cloth drying is all that's needed after use. Lastly, you do need fresh ground coffee. Trust me on this. When you see and taste that delicious, smooth, cup'o'joe with a very fine oil slick on top (fresh oils from the freshly ground beans!), you'll never be happy with canned, drip brewed, stale coffee again! I find the French Presses equal in ease of use to my old Drip coffee maker (which, incidentally, is in perfect working order, and is now in the garbage). I'll post this review on all items mentioned (8 & 12 cup Stainless Steel French Presses, Glass Carafe French Press *called the "Chambord", and the matching sugar*creamer set. Happy shopping!

I use this press everyday, and it is great. Makes incredible coffee every time and keeps it warm for a couple hours.

I've long preferred the taste of French press coffee to that produced by drip machines. Although I've had a Bodum Chambord press at home for over a decade, two problems limited my use of the press: 1) If more than one mug of coffee is made, the coffee cools down very quickly through the glass walls of the Chambord; 2) I have broken three Chambord FRAMES (plastic) yet the glass beaker survived...pointing to a weakness in the plastic frame. Maybe expansion of the glass when filled with hot water--or in the dishwasher-- stretched the plastic. I bought the Chambord from Starbucks back when they made colored plastic frames. Bodum replaced the frame once. I now have a complete but unsafe Chambord (with cracked frame AGAIN) and a spare beaker from an earlier plastic Chambord, which was a gift (that makes three cracked plastic frames in all, and no broken beakers). Two years ago, I gave a steel Friesling press to friends who own a boat and whose owner is a daily coffee drinker. They were pleased with it. At the time, the thermal properties were less important than having it be unbreakable for marine use. My year old Bosch drip machine is flimsy, makes so-so coffee, and takes up a lot of space on the counter. Setting it up and cleaning it after use takes as much time as using a French press. Browsing through Amazon for a sturdier Chambord with a metal frame, I ran across the Columbia by Bodum. I don't know when it was introduced, but I don't remember it being an option when I bought the Friesling two years ago. I was attracted to the unbreakable steel design, the modest price ($40, not much more than a Chambord of similar size), and the potential to keep coffee warm, though earlier reviewers warned that it doesn't function like a true thermos. That said, it makes delicious coffee. I preheat the container with hot water, which helps retain heat. The Columbia will keep unused coffee drinkably hot for an hour, and warm for about two hours. The top is not insulated, it is only single wall plastic, so one should not think of this as an insulated double wall steel thermos with a French press inside. The plastic chrome top is subject to fingerprint smudging, far more so than the steel container itself. Because the top is of lower quality than the body of the press, I gave it only four stars. All parts are dishwasher safe. Like all French press devices, the coffee uses should be of a coarse grind. Using fine drip ground coffee will result in clogging of the filter, or the filter will not sequester all of the grounds below the coffee when you press the ground to the bottom. Buy a grinder, or use a grinder at the store to grind your whole beans, using the coarse setting. Many of the burr grinders for home use have a dial to adjust the coarseness. If you use a blade grinder, achieving a uniform coarse grind is more difficult and is somewhat of an art; these grinders are better for producing a fine drip grind. I use a an electric Bodum Ibis kettle which boils water in a few minutes. Preparation is the same as for any French press device: pour hot water over coarsely ground coffee, stir with non-metallic utensil, cover, wait five minutes, press grounds to bottom and pour out the coffee. If you want a French press device that can keep your coffee hot for hours, buy this product and pour the coffee into a double wall thermos as soon as the coffee is ready. Or, if you only need the coffee hot for an hour or two, use this device without a thermos. Pro's: beautiful, unbreakable design; makes delicious coffee; when filled to capacity, can make four big mugs or 5-6 small cups of coffee for a small crowd; all parts dishwasher safe; uses far less counter space than a drip machine. Con's: need to use thermos if you want coffee hot beyond 1-2 hours (but much better heat retention than a glass Bodum press); cheap-looking plastic cover whose chrome lid doesn't match the brushed steel and which is subject to fingerprints; you still need a big drip coffee maker or urn if you are serving a big crowd. With respect to the last "con", there are now two drip coffee makers sitting on racks in the garage, used only when there is a crowd. The rest of the time, a stylish steel press sits on the counter in the kitchen, occupying far less space than it's predecessor drip machine ever did. Since there are no plugs, the press can be moved around the kitchen if more counter room is needed for say a baking project. Much easier than unplugging a drip machine and moving it elsewhere without breaking the carafe. Bodum also makes a matching sugar-creamer set for those interested in a complete look.

This is my second Bodum Columbia, which is for my office. I got tired of drinking great coffee at home but having to settle for K-cups at work, so I'm fixing that with another Bodum French Press. The 17oz size is perfect for work and actually, if filled just short of the spout, it makes closer to 20oz, which is perfect for my coffee tumbler. There have been questions raised about the reliability and adequacy of the nylon filter. Having used my Bodum Columbia at home for two years, I have had absolutely no problems with getting excessive grounds in the coffee after brewing. I replaced the filter at two years (ordered from Amazon of course), more as a precaution than really needing to. However, I would not put it in a dishwasher and never have. One nice feature is the width, which allows me to clean and dry it thoroughly, which is harder to do with other 17oz presses. Lastly, it's an attractive item and looks great in our office kitchenette. There are less expensive French Presses available, but you get what you pay for. The Bodum Columbia is worth the price!

GREAT little pot! So cute, so easy to use, and makes a real good cuppa java. Love it.

This was my first venture into French press coffee after being totally dissatisfied with the inconsistent batches from the drip machines and I am quite impressed! This is definitely the size to get for 2 or more drinkers, I couldn't imagine having a smaller size. I've actually noticed a SLIGHT oil slick on top of my coffee affirming that I'm getting ALL that the coffee bean had to offer! Grinding the beans right before brewing also helps of course. As for the amount of coffee to use, the instructions work out to be twice the amount you would use in a drip machine ie: 1T per 4oz. cup is replaced with 2T for same amount - thus creating a more robust, richer tasting coffee. Yes it takes alot of ground coffee to make French pressed coffee, but it's worth it for the taste I think. For this pot I find 12 oz. ground, measured in cup measure, gives a rich enough flavor - but experimentation is the key here. As for the whole process, it gets quite effortless once you get the steps down and the timing correct. Here is a quick run down that I use: put the kettle on, grind the coffee, when the kettle whistles pour 2" into pot to prewarm it, put lid on in closed position, measure coffee while keeping the tea kettle OFF the heat, water should be just OFF the boil before adding to the coffee, remove pot lid, add ground coffee to the existing hot water and stir with metal teaspoon to thoroughly wet it and mix into a slurry, add hot water up to 1" below inside edge of pour spout, stir it well again, replace lid with plunger in UP position and lid turned close, set timer for 4 mins., when time is up, slooowly press down plunger while gently holding the HOT lid, lifting up the plunger abit if it jams and press down again till you get to the bottom and it won't go any further, turn lid to the open position (keeping plunger down), pour and ENJOY! I have never had any grinds migrate past the filter though you may notice a slight sludgy residue at the bottom of your cup and more so as you get down to the last of the pot, but it is not undesirable by any means. I definitely set the pot on a heavy duty hot mat while steeping and serving as well as keeping the pot wrapped in a heavy dish towel, keeps it hot for quite awhile. Just remember to turn the lid shut each time you pour some out, effortless, and it will retain the heat longer. As for cleaning the pot, also very simple. Pull out the lid/plunger assembly and gently (not scratching inside of pot) scoop out the packed down grounds with same teaspoon used earlier in the process, rinse out the remaining grinds and hand wash and dry the pot to eliminate water spots on the shiny exterior finish. The filter disk DOES screw off the plunger rod for cleaning but not needed each time I'd think. Let the wire mesh filter air dry a few hours before enclosing in back into the pot for storage and that's it - no muss, no fuss. Though I don't use the pot everyday, IF I have any coffee left over I refrigerate it in a sealed glass jar to reheat the rest of the week. I've done that with drip brewed coffee as well for YEARS with no real taste deterioration noted. How easy can that get in the rushed morning than to pour a cup from the jar, nuke it and you're off - works for me everyday ;)

Antes usava prensa de vidro, mas como meu gato quebrou comprei essa de inox que pelo menos suporta quedas. Fiquei impressionado pela beleza e qualidade de construção, e até senti meus cafés mais equilibrados por ter o silicone em volta da malha, não permitindo nenhum pó passar pelas laterais.

Inget fel med bryggaren! Men fel med beskrivningen! Bara silver gick att välja - som jag faktiskt ville ha! Leveransen blev krom varianten (artikel 1308-16 shiny). Enligt kryssrutorna på förpackningen finns det två varianter: artikel 1308-16 [shiny] och art 1308-57) Varianten -57 måste vara ett ”matt” utförande, men trots mycket ”googlande” hittade jag inget säkert svar!

Hatte vorher schon mehrere Glaskannen von Bodum, zuletzt die Kenya (die mir am besten gefiel, weil das Design schlicht ist, der Kunststoff einen gewissen Schutz für das Glas bietet, und man Kaffeereste, trockenflecken und dergleichen nicht so sieht wie bei verchromten Modellen). Leider ging mal wieder das Glas kapuutt, und da das Ersatzglas so viel kosten sollte wie eine neue Kanne, war ich es leid. Also unzerbrechlicher Stahl. Leider konnte ich bis auf ein italienisches Modell keine Edelstahlkkannen finden, die noch in Europa gefertigt werden (im Gegensatz zu den Glaskannen von Bodum). Das ist auch der einzige Wermutstropfen bei der Columbia - obgleich nirgends auf der Verpackung vermerkt, wird die Columbia laut mehreren Quellen in China produziert (laut Bodum Website "nicht in Europa"). Die Columbia ist für mich die beste Kanne bisher: - unzerbrechlich - keine echte Thermoskanne, aber eine halb- bis ganz volle Kanne bleibt schon 1-2 Stunden richtig heiß, das reicht und ist viel besser als bei den Glaskannen - innen und außen sehr leicht zu reinigen - keine Winkel und Ecken, in denen sich Verschmutzungen ablagern - auch der einteilige Stempel ist deutlich leichter zu reinigen als bei den Glaskannen (da setzt sich Kaffeesatz zwischen den einzelnen Stempelteilen ab), einfach nur kurz unter Wasser abspülen, fertig - zum Thema Kunststoff: auch bei der Kenya hat sich das nie als Geschmacksproblem bemerkbar gemacht. Das Innenteil des Deckels der Columbia ist aus dem gleichen geschmacksneutralen und haltbaren Kunststoff wie bei der Kenya gefertigt. Die Konterschraube am Stempel ist bei anderen Kannen aus Kunststoff, das scheint mir eine potentielle Schwachstelle zu sein - bei der Columbia ist diese aus Edelstahl Heute würde ich die Kanne in der 1,5l-Version kaufen - bei unserem Konsum ist der eine Liter doch wenig (habe aber nachgemessen, es ist tatsächlich 1l.

Muy buena y bonita; tenía tiempo queriéndola y me encantó

We have had this press for many years now and it continues to perform perfectly. It is double sided so retains heat very well. Makes a perfect brew every time. No breakage worries and looks great on the counter or table. The best feature, for me, is the filter system. No double filter to deal with, as it is a fine, single filter, with a rubber edge. We bought two extra filters, just in case, but have never had to use them. This is hands down the best coffee maker, we have ever had. We paid good money for high end electric makers, and still had to deal with issues, but this beautiful press will last longer than we will.