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Frieling Polished 18/10 Stainless Steel French Press Reviewed!

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Frieling Stainless Steel French Press

Frieling Stainless Steel French Press (click to enlarge)

Not a fan of glass or plastic carafes? The Frieling French press is made of 18/10 stainless steel for a sleek, modern look that won’t alter the flavor of your coffee. I had the chance to test out this press recently, and I have to admit, I was impressed. I’m a fan of the classic glass carafe, but the Frieling press may just convince me to switch to stainless steel.

Polished Stainless Steel Housing

If you’re looking for a French press that’s sturdy, well-designed and infrangible, the Frieling press is a smart option. Made from 18/10 stainless steel, this press is solid and built to last.

A Modern Take on the French Press Design

Most French presses use a glass or plastic carafe, but the Frieling press takes a completely different approach. The 10” tall pitcher is double-walled and made of stainless steel. Just about every part of this press is made of stainless steel, including the mesh plunger and handle.

Click here to get the price of the Frieling Polished Stainless Steel French Press. 

The exterior has a mirrored finish, while the interior has a brushed finish. The handle is full-length, so it’s comfortable to grip and pour.

What I really love about this press is that the carafe can also serve as an insulated pitcher, keeping your coffee warmer four times longer than glass.

Frieling offers four pitcher sizes: 8oz, 17oz, 23oz and 36oz. I only have experience with the 36oz, which brews more than enough coffee for two to three people.

Dishwasher Safe

Of all the French presses I’ve tested, the Frieling is the easiest to clean. All parts are easy to disassemble, and everything can be washed in the dishwasher. And if you need to wash the pot by hand, the stainless steel wipes clean with a little soap and water.

The Frieling press is virtually maintenance-free. There are no mechanical parts to worry about, and the stainless steel will stay in great condition providing you keep it clean.

Will Give You Years of Use

French presses with glass carafes have a bad habit of breaking prematurely. Whether it’s mishandling or the fluctuations in temperature, glass pitchers can be fickle and fragile.

The Frieling press will give you years of use. Stainless steel is rust-resistant, durable and so easy to care for. I don’t see a reason why this press wouldn’t last you years – decades even.

Great Value

The 36oz. Frieling press is a bit more expensive than other presses. However, the stainless steel pitcher is far less fragile and will keep your coffee hotter for longer.

Pros

  • Stainless steel pitcher and plunger for a pure coffee taste.
  • Double-walled interior keeps coffee warmer 4 times longer than glass.
  • Easy to clean and dishwasher-safe.
  • Sleek, modern design.

Cons

  • Cost

The Frieling is a bit more expensive than other French presses, but its high quality stainless steel construction makes it worth the cost. You never have to worry about the carafe shattering or cracking like you do with glass carafes. I was surprised by how great the coffee tasted in this brewer, and I highly recommend the Frieling coffee maker to anyone looking for a French press.

Click here to get the price of the Frieling Polished Stainless Steel French Press. 
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Bodum Chambord 8-Cup French Press Review

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Bodum Chambord French Press

Bodum Chambord French Press (click to enlarge)

To brew the perfect French press coffee, you need the right coffee maker and a little know-how. The Bodum Chambord is everything you could ever want in a French press with high quality materials, a classic design and an affordable price tag.

Borosilicate Glass Carafe and Stainless Steel Frame

The first thing I noticed about the Bodum Chambord was that its carafe wasn’t made of plastic like so many other presses are. It’s made from borosilicate glass that’s heat-resistant. The handle is plastic, but it’s heat-resistant as well. The frame that holds the carafe and the filter are both stainless steel. This is a well-designed press made from high quality materials.

Click here to get the price of the Bodum Chambord 8-Cup French Press. 

Simple But Classic Design

It’s hard to get creative with design when it comes to French presses. But the sleek, elegant look of the Bodum Chambord looks great in the kitchen.

And while you won’t find any fancy features with this manual coffee maker, it still makes a fantastic pot of coffee. This particular model can brew up to eight 4oz. cups, which is enough to serve 2-3 people.

Inside, there’s a 3-part stainless steel filter for optimal extraction of the coffee’s flavors and oils. And the filter screen is fine enough for brewing tea leaves, so this press can double as a teapot.

As mentioned previously, the carafe is made of glass. The frame is stainless steel and the lid is metallic, so no plastic or rubber will be touching your coffee.

Easy Cleanup

Most French presses take a little more work to clean, but the Bodum Chambord is an exception. All parts of this press are dishwasher safe, including the lid, carafe, filter and stainless steel frame. A simple rinse is all you need before placing it in the dishwasher.

Designed for Years of Use

The great thing about a French press is that it doesn’t rely on mechanical parts or electricity to work. As long as you take care of the carafe and treat the Bodum Chambord well, this press will last you years – decades maybe. The biggest concern is the glass carafe, which is a bit fragile. If you handle it with care, damage, cracks or breakage shouldn’t be an issue.

An Affordable Coffee Maker

How much did you pay for your last coffee maker? If you’re like most people, you probably paid at least $50. The Bodum Chambord is better priced, and it’s a coffee maker that will last years.

Pros

  • Borosilicate, heat-resistant glass carafe
  • Stainless steel frame and metal lid
  • Three-part stainless steel filter that extracts the most flavor and oils from the coffee beans
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Easy to use
  • Makes eight 4oz. cups for multiple coffee drinkers

Cons

  • The carafe can be fragile

As I mentioned previously, the carafe can be a bit fragile, but that’s to be expected with glass. This won’t be an issue if you handle the carafe with care.

The Bodum Chambord is a beautiful French press that brews a great pot of rich coffee. With glass and metal components, you never have to worry about your coffee tasting “off.” I highly recommend the Chambord to anyone on a small budget looking for a great French press.

Click here to get the price of the Bodum Chambord 8-Cup French Press. 
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Must Read Review Of The Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press

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Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press

Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press (click to enlarge)

Bodum’s Brazil 8-cup French Press offers superior quality, easy dishwasher cleanup and affordability. With a 34-ounce capacity, you’ll be able to brew enough coffee for 2 or 4 people at a time, depending on cup size.

Build Quality

Bodum uses a durable carafe that features heat-resistant borosilicate glass and a BPA-free base and handle. Ensuring the utmost in quality, this model also uses a 3-part stainless steel filter to extract every last coffee ground thoroughly.

Design & Features

What’s there to say about a French Press? There are no fancy electronics, but there are a few design features that ensure you’ll have a full-bodied cup of coffee after each brew:

  • 34-ounce coffee capacity
  • 2 – 3 person serving
  • 4- and 8-cup coffee measurements
  • 3-part stainless steel mesh filter
  • Dishwasher-safe parts
  • Glass carafe
Click here to get the price of the Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press. Enjoy this top seller today!

It doesn’t get any easier than this. Fill the carafe with water, put in your coffee, and put on the lid while it all brews to perfection. The real magic behind Bodum’s brewing process starts with the fine mesh filter. This filter extracts every last bit of flavor out of your coffee to ensure the richest, most flavorful cup of coffee.

Using BPA-free parts, you’ll never have to worry about tasting plastic when you brew a cup of coffee.

The safety lid also uses a patented technology that seals the lid tight to eliminate coffee spills and splashing.

As for the time it takes to brew a cup, this is really dependent on your taste. If you like a lighter taste, all you need is 5 minutes before your coffee is done. If you want a very strong taste, brew for 15+ minutes.

Maintenance & Cleaning

There are no filters or electronic parts to worry about. The entire coffee press is dishwasher-safe, so simply take out the plunger and put the whole thing into your dishwasher.

If you don’t prefer the dishwasher, you can always use a cleaning brush to get inside of the carafe, or use a sponge. The filters should be rinsed to ensure that no coffee grounds accumulate inside.

The only issue is that grounds are a little difficult to dump out after brewing.

Durability & Longevity

With a glass carafe, and plastic handle and top, there’s not much of a concern with longevity or durability. The only issue some users have is that the top doesn’t secure into place properly, but this has never happened to me personally.

Price

This is one of the best French Presses in terms of price and quality.

Pros

  • Glass carafe
  • 3 part mesh filter
  • Grounds don’t get into the coffee
  • Easy to clean

Cons

  • Grounds are hard to clean

There’s really nothing bad to say about the Bodum Brazil. All French Presses have some difficulty with grounds removal, so it is something to expect.

For an affordable French Press, Bodum is one of the best on the market. It’s easy to use, fairly easy to clean and the glass carafe allows for a pure coffee flavor. If you love French Press coffee, give this model a try.

Click here to get the price of the Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press. Enjoy this top seller today!
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Why Having A French Press In The Kitchen Is A Must!

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A while back I had the pleasure of using a French press coffee maker for the first time. I was skeptical at first and it took a while to brew, but it was love at first sip. While I still have a standard coffee maker just in case guests come over, my kitchen will never be without a French press again. If you’ve never had the pleasure of sipping a cup of French press coffee, you’re missing out. Here’s why:

Easy to Brew

Brewing coffee in a French press may take longer, but it’s very easy to do. And it’s mostly a hands-off process. Here’s how it works:

  • Heat water to a boil in a tea kettle or small pot.
  • Grind the beans to a coarse grind and place in the press.
  • Fill the press with the boiled water.
  • Pull the plunger up, and let the coffee steep for 4-5 minutes.
  • Push the plunger down and wait 2-3 minutes while the sediment settles.
  • Pour and enjoy!

It’s that simple. Sure, it takes a bit longer, but the rich flavor it produces makes it well worth the wait.

A Richer, Smoother Cup of Coffee

You’ve never had coffee until you’ve had French press coffee. The flavor is richer, bolder and smoother than a standard drip brew. That’s because the coffee doesn’t pass through a paper filter before it reaches your cup. Filters catch the coffee grounds, but they also catch the oils that give coffee its full-bodied flavor.

Most brew methods pass water through the grounds quickly, which means you get a quick cup of coffee, but you also miss out on a lot of the flavor. Why? Take tea, for instance. If all you do is dip the teabag in hot water, you’re not really giving the leaves a chance to steep in the water and release all of its flavor. That’s why tea makers recommend steeping for 5-10 minutes, depending on the tea. With a French press, the coffee grounds seep in the water for 4-5 minutes, so you get complete extraction of flavor and saturation of the grounds.

Water temperature also plays an integral role in the quality of your coffee. And the French press excels here too. Because you heat the water separately, you have complete control over the water temperature.

Simply put, the French press brews a smoother, richer cup of coffee because it doesn’t use a filter, the grounds are completely saturated, and you can ensure the water is the optimal temperature for brewing.

Easy to Clean

A good quality French press has few (or no) plastic or rubber parts, which means it’s very easy to clean and won’t hang onto odors. Most presses can be disassembled and washed in the dishwasher, or you can hand wash quickly and easily. No more having to fill the coffee pot with vinegar and running it two or three times just to clean it.

With a French press, you can clean your coffee pot after each use for a better-tasting cup of coffee every time.

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Help! I Don’t Know What Kind Of Coffee Maker To Buy!

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Need a new coffee maker, but don’t know which one to buy? I’ve been there! With so many different types on the market, it can be difficult to know which one is the right choice. If you’re not sure whether to buy a single-serve, percolator or French press – don’t panic. I’ll walk you through each type of coffee maker, so you can find the right one for you

Drip or Filter

You’ve probably used a drip or filter coffee maker before. This is the most common type, and most can brew between four and 12 cups of coffee at a time. They come in variety of sizes, styles and price ranges.

Typically, drip coffee machines are the most economical, practical choice. Larger pots are great for homes with big coffee drinks, and smaller pots work great for homes with two or three drinkers. Even non-coffee drinkers keep a drip maker in the kitchen just in case guests stop by.

If you’re looking for something affordable and practical, a drip coffee maker is a smart choice.

Pod or Single-Serve

Pod, or single-serve, coffee makers are similar to drip machines, but instead of brewing a whole pot, it only brews a single cup. These machines use special pods or K-cups, which contain a single serving of coffee grounds.

Pod machines, like the Keurig K130, are some of the most popular coffee makers on the market because they’re convenient. And many can also brew tea or hot chocolate.

If you have only one or two coffee drinkers in your home, a single-serve machine is a great choice.

Percolator

Percolators were, at one time, the standard brewer until drip makers came along. But they’re starting to make a comeback. And some coffee lovers claim that percolators brew a richer, full-bodied coffee than other brewers. The only catch is you’re limited as far as variety and capacity go.

Percolators come in electric form with their own heating element, but you can also buy stove-top versions – which are great for camping. These are a great option if you want a richer cup of coffee or are looking for a brewer that doesn’t run on electricity.

French Press

The French press is common in Europe, and like the percolator, it brews up a rich cup of coffee. Unlike other brewer types, the French Press is a manual coffee maker. Boiling water is poured over the coffee grounds in the press where they steep in the water for a few minutes. Once the brewing is complete, you push the plunger down, let the sediment settle, pour and enjoy.

French press machines require a coarser grind, but they brew up a full-bodied cup of coffee. If you like the idea of a manual machine and enjoy a rich cuppa, the French press is your best bet.

Espresso Machine & Moka Pot

Prefer to start your day with a shot of espresso? Espresso requires a specialty coffee maker. Electric pump machines are a great option for anyone who enjoys straight shots, cappuccinos and other coffeehouse-style drinks.

A moka pot can also brew up espresso. This stove-top coffee maker pushes hot water up a funnel, over the coffee grounds and up into a filling chamber. If you enjoy espresso, but don’t have the budget for an electric pump machine, a moka pot is a great alternative.

These are the most popular types of coffee makers. The right one for you will depend on your coffee drinking habits and your budget.

If you need more help finding the right coffee maker, check out my post on the best coffee makers of 2015.