Bodum French press is something I learned to love in Estonia. Not just for the simplicity of it, no. It’s just the fact that I find the French press the best overall brewing method. That’s something yours truly and Howard Schultz have in common. The usual problem is how to find a good French press. For me, not for Howard.
But, there is one algorithm that knows me better than my mum. And it is called Facebook Marketplace. So, when I saw an ad that one lovely lady is selling her Bodum Caffettiera French press, I was already on my way. I managed to miss a bus, get soaking wet, and get late to the agreement. But, one hour later and only 14 euros less, and I had my Bodum French press in my hands. So, it’s time to review it. And set my first article on the page. Yay.
Why Bodum Caffettiera French press?
I am not a big fan of the stainless steel French press. Especially when you pay for it and never get it, like some people. Sure, they are sturdy and look great, no doubt about that. But, I like to watch my coffee, and especially watch the bloom. Plastic French press is out of the issue. I’ve been there, trust me. You will find all the nasty details further in the article. I wanted a French press with a glass carafe, nice and transparent.
I also wanted a top-quality solution that won’t hurt my poor writer’s budget too much. As it happens, my new Bodum Caffettiera French press cost me only 14 euros from a lovely lady who will hold my gratitude till the end of my life. So, let’s see what I bought.
Bodum Caffettiera French Press Overview 2021
Product: Bodum Caffettiera French press
Price: Low. If you find a great deal, it obviously goes even lower.
Capacity: 1 litre
My rating: 9/10
Scrub, scrub
The first thing I did after I acquired my new French press is to wash it thoroughly. Besides the hygiene, it also gives me a chance to see all the parts and notice the details. So:
- The base – A shiny metal one. Chrome-plated stainless steel. It will need polishing after the washing. Tiny metal legs protect your coffee table from heat damage.
- Handle – Sturdy plastic and a decent size. Even with bear paws like mine, there is no chance to burn yourself on the hot carafe.
- Carafe, aka the beaker – Borosilicate glass that is resistant to high temperatures. Also, won’t get foggy or stained from use. You can get the carafe out of the metal base easily.
- The lid and top of the plunger are made from sturdy plastic and hold few trademarks. One trademark is the obvious Bodum logo written on the face of the lid, while the other is hidden on the inside.
- Filers are the usual ones: spiral plate, filter plate, and cross plate. Also sturdy steel, and doesn’t look like it’s gonna bend. A small knob holds it all together with the rod.
Brew, brew
I had some Lavazza medium roast beans. I also had an incredibly cheap water kettle that serves its purpose – boils water.
Now, I won’t trouble you with ratios and water temperatures. That’s the job for the Coffee Basics part of the page. There are no wrong or right ratios, only the good ol’ rule of the thumb. I like to put four tablespoons of coffee on one litre of water. Probably you all have some other favourite ratio. So, I preheated my new French press with warm water first. Then I put the freshly ground coffee. After that, water (cca 95 °C). I watched the coffee bloom, then I stirred it vigorously. After that, I set the plunger to barely touch the surface of the coffee and waited that infamous 4 minutes.
Four long minutes after, and it was time to press the plunger. It went down just as it should, although I could swear it was just a bit uneasy on the bottom.
The taste of the coffee was great, as always. The French press pulled out all the gentle floral notes that I love so much in Lavazza medium roasts. Some people claim the French press goes only well with lighter roasts. I found out that medium and some darker roasts go exquisitely well with the French press brewing method.
Bodum Caffettiera French press – pros and cons
Well, my new Bodum French press is not perfect. But it is well near.
That being said, I have tried the coffee from various French press sizes. I don’t know why, but coffee tastes better from the larger French press. Those petit 0.35 l French presses just taste different.
What are the alternatives for Bodum French press?
Stainless steel French press
To be honest, the French press made from stainless steel is awesome. You can not break the damn thing even if you try. The slightly bigger price is also not a deal-breaker. The only thing I find annoying with a stainless steel French press is actually two things. First, it retains heat a little too well, so the coffee keeps extracting. Well, you can solve that problem by pouring the coffee into another carafe. The second problem is the slight nuance of metal taste on the tip of my tongue. It’s not that awful, but it spoils the overall experience of coffee drinking. Bodum Caffettiera French Press has a beautiful glass carafe that doesn’t spoil the taste. Also, most certainly will break into thousand pieces if it falls from higher ground.
Plastic French press
It was one of my impulse decisions. I was casually walking down the aisle in one of Estonia’s big grocery shops, and I saw French press on sale. Five euros – a bargain.
All the parts were plastic, except for the rod that was made of Chinesium or something similar. To be honest, coffee didn’t have that awful plastic taste. But after a few brews, I noticed the cross plate was bending. And with more use, it became more bent. Finally, the rod just snapped, as it was made from lousy metal. Well, I got to keep the carafe. It will make a great flowerpot.
Where to get Bodum French press?
So, for the Estonia market, here are your options.
The oficcial Bodum page
The first logical step in obtaining your Bodum French press would be going to the official page – Bodum.com. There you will notice two things. First, you can’t get your order shipped to Estonia. No problem, you have a cousin in Finland. Second, you will notice that shipping is free for orders above 50 euros. Otherwise, yeah. The shipping will cost you. You can solve that problem by ordering more stuff from the Bodum page. At the time of writing this article, there was a neat discount. All the Bodum French press makers were discounted, and you could get one for as low as 7.95 €. Of course, those were the small ones, the 0.35.
Amazon
Yep, not the big American brother, but his European cousin, Amazon.de. The usual choice for Estonians. Of course, go to the official Bodum shop. There you will find a pretty decent choice of Bodum French press models, along with the spare part.
You can also have a genius idea and order a knockoff French press from some of the shady pages. It will also cost you, and because it’s a knockoff, it will most certainly hurt you. You will get a low-class product, that can even do damage to your health. Don’t use knockoffs.
Other options
Personally, I like asking baristas questions. The trick is to find the barista that enjoys the coffee-making, not a cringey kid who spends most of the time on his iPhone. If you find a barista who works with a smile, ask him where he gets his equipment. You will usually get more honest answers and more fair deals than all these dropshipping mumbo-jumbo. Of course, the Estonia Coffee team will continue with articles, guides, and how-tos.
And of course, visit your local coffee shop. You might get surprised how some of them have such a good choice of coffee equipment.
The last sip
Look, Ma. I am writing about things I love. And I love coffee. I love smelling it, making it, and writing about it. Mostly, I like drinking it and trying new roasts, new brewing methods, and new coffee places in Estonia. This Bodum Caffettiera French Press review was a result of one beautiful coincidence.
But we won’t stop there. It is just the start of our story. If you want to be a part of our story and make it even better, contact us. We’d like to hear your thoughts.
