Bodum Chambord 8-cup Coffee Press

by Greg
(Oklahoma)

Coffee isn't supposed to make you tired. Coffee is supposed to wake you up and get you going. But I was tired of coffee.

Too many drip-coffee makers had disappointed me. The water never got hot enough. The coffee was either weak and bitter or too strong to imbibe. So I looked around online for a solution and lo and behold, it came.

Buy a French Press. I chose the Bodum Chambord 8-cup Coffee Press and coffee didn't make me tired any more.

The beauty of the french press is the ability to control everything. Not just how hot the water gets, but how long the beans steep and how strong the brew will be.

Here's how it works: You put your ground coffee at the bottom -- about one scoop for every four ounces of water. Once your water reaches a boil (I use an electric kettle, which saves a lot of time), let the water cool down for just a minute or so, then pour it over the coffee. Stir it up, then put the filter and lid on top and let it sit for 4-5 minutes. Press down the plunger and pour yourself a truly satisfying cup of coffee.

The first thing you'll notice is that you either need your own grinder or you need to buy beans from someplace that will give it a coarse grind for you. Too small and the grinds will make it through the filter and into your cup.

This is not espresso, but it is likely a stronger cup of coffee than you'll get anywhere outside of Starbucks. You'll even get a little crema -- that slightly foamy layer of coffee on top -- and it's delicious.

Cleaning the contraption can be a bit of a drag, but with a good brush, you shouldn't have too much trouble cleaning out the grounds for your next pot. And if your friends are like mine, after tasting the coffee from your french press, they'll want another cup pretty fast.