Bodum Chambord 3-cup Coffee Press

Cleanup is actually very simple and easy: dump the grounds in your garbage or disposal, rinse the plunger in hot water removing all the grounds, clean the carafe like you would a glass or pop it in the dishwasher. For the reviewers who say the plunger is hard to keep clean (it will get mildly stained over time), I'll just point out that the insides of a 5 year old Mr. Coffee are FAR more gross than a french press will ever be.

As for the grind, you want it coarse enough you don't get a lot of grit in the coffee but fine enough for good aroma and flavor. If you grind it yourself, it's worth investing in a burr grinder because you'll get a more even grind than a blade grinder. Let the coffee sit for a minute after plunging to let more grounds settle to the bottom. Pour without sloshing the coffee around in the carafe to minimize grounds in the cup. You'll always get a few grounds, I usually just toss the last 1/2 inch in the cup.

Long story short -- a french press isn't about making coffee faster or easier, it's about taking the time in life to indulge yourself with excellent tasting coffee. I give the product 5 stars because it does exactly what it should do, it's simple, relatively well made, and looks great too. One catch -- beware of over-tightening the screen to the end of the plunger (it screws on) -- too tight and you'll either strip the threads or need pliers to remove it. 8 cup model is good for 3 people, for serving 4 or more people regularly get the 12 cup model.


Lazy people .. NO ... coffee lovers ... YES!!   January 10, 2003
 26 out of 26 found this review helpful

Anyone who says a drip coffee maker is easier and faster is A) Lazy, B) wrong, and C) NEVER cleans their Mr. Coffee!

This is a GREAT thing ... makes GREAT tasting coffee with none of the bitterness of a dirty Mr. Coffee ... and takes just a minute to clean up. If you love coffee, buy this! The coffee REALLY tastes MUCH better and cleanup is really NOT bad!

Simply boil or microwave the exact amount of water you want, pour in your coarse ground coffee, pour in the HOT water, stir and wait a few minutes (the longer you wait, the stronger it will be), press the bugger down, and drink a GREAT cup of coffee.

BTW - Most coffee makers CANNOT get the water hot enough to brew quality coffee and release all of the flavors. This does not have that problem since you pour boiling water over the grounds.


Throw Your Electric Drip Coffee Maker Away!   December 10, 2002
I was given my first Bodum Chambord 8-Cup Coffee Press as a gift. I confess, I was totally skeptical when I tried my first cup. Fortunately, I was amazed from the very first dark, rich sip. EUREKA! Coffee made from a coffee press is FAR superior tasting to coffee made in an electric drip coffee maker (the taste is only rivaled by the yummy lattes pulled by my local barrista). While the Bodum press is simply and beautifully designed, its most outstanding feature is its sturdiness. Other coffee presses I have come in contact with have easily fallen apart when faced with coffee that is ground a little too finely or a slippery-fingered dishwasher. The press is simple to use, cleans up easily with hot, soapy water, and looks lovely sitting on my counter. It is also my favorite gift to give coffee lovers.