Bodum Bistro Brewer - First Look

The guys over at Roaste have a first look at one of the new Bodum Bistro Brewers

Bodum Bistro Brewer - First Look ROASTe (blog) A while back Chamie posted about a neat looking new coffee maker from Bodum . I got offered the chance to play with one of these and didn't want to pass up on that opportunity. The Bodum Bistro brewer came in the mail today - since I am off from work ...

Carry on reading...

Regular Coffee Drinkers Less Likely To Die Early

An encouraging study here, suggesting that the regular drinking of coffee can lead to a longer life (and a more enjoyable one!); it's good news all round. 

However, despite the study taking 13 years to put together, it doesn't really seem they know *why* coffee leads to a longer life!

Counsel & Heal Regular Coffee Drinkers Less Likely To Die Early Counsel & Heal "It's good news for all coffee drinkers because we can feel really good about the decisions we're making," said Turer, director of coffee operations for the firm Coffee Analysts, which provides unbiased scientific review of coffee products. Coffee Drinkers Live Longer, Claim Scientists

Carry on reading...

Interview with a Slave to the Grind

There's a great interview over at Nouse with Sadie Waltron - a coffee consultant and barista training. She opens with a great answer on what makes a good coffee:

Good coffee! You don’t need to spend a fortune on an espresso machine or fancy brewing equipment – just a cafetiere and some fantastic freshly roasted, good quality coffee beans are all you need for a spectacular coffee.

I have to agree with the UK not quite having reached a new plateau of good coffee; still far too many places serving average with coffee outside of the independents.

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Avoid spilling your coffee

Some interesting research here into the physics of not spilling your coffee. Unfortunately I have had a few too many instances of black Americano brimming over the top and leaving some nice hot marks all over my hands. I think the real answer is to not fill cups up so high...

...None of that has brought him as much attention as his newest paper in the journal Physical Review E: “Walking with coffee : Why does it spill?”

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La Cafetiere Optima French Press

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This 4 cup (or 16 ounce) french press from the traditional masters, La Cafetiere, is one of the all time classics in the home pressed coffee world. Combining the traditional styling of a European cafetiere and the experience that the company has gained over the years, this is definitely one the [best french presses](http://frenchpressreview.blogspot.com/2010/09/top-french-presses.html) to have in your collection.

Designed with the 16oz glass beaker and encased in the usual metal bracket container and plastic handle that we so often see with La Cafetiere, this Optima model comes accross perhaps a little more squat than some of the 2 or 8 cup models from the same company. However, the shorter height gives the advantage of a bit more stability for the press, as when the plunger is up you will be less likely to knock it over!

The wider but shorter beaker design also aids in the steeping of the ground coffee with the hot water. As one of the key benefits of a french press is that the grounds are surrounded entirely in the hot, steaming water, the more surface/body of water you can get, the better and faster the rate of infusion is going to be.

If I were to point any fingers at this model, it would - unfortunately - have to be the same criticism we often get with other La Cafetiere designs; the beaker is rather thin and the heat drops off pretty quickly unless you're drinking it ouside, in a hot country, in the sun, with no wind.

That said, you really can't go wrong with this stainless steel plunger - it really is one of the best french presses you can buy.

As a side note - as some readers have been asking - there has been some recent news coverage of a plastic compound called BPA that is used in many hardened plastics. New research has shown that this compound is potentially a cancer causing element, especially in plastics that are heated up. Whilst it is hard to tell what products are affected, you can rest assured that this Optima from La Cafetiere has no plastic components exposed to the hot water.

You can check out the LaCafetiere Optima 4-Cup French Press over here on Amazon, who offer the best prices and delivery options

LaCafetiere 6C. Unique Stainless Steel Thermal French Press

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Steering away from the typical La Cafetiere design, the company famed for their glass based french presses have gone back to the drawing board with this stainless steel encased 6 cup cafetiere.

It's a wonder they didn't do it sooner, and over the years of using a plunger, you start to become a bit cynical about the entire secondary market that is dedicated to replacement glass beakers for the LaCa. and Bodum french presses. Sure there are some plastic ones out there, but they affect the taste of the coffee and don't look anywhere near as stylish as their glass counterparts.

So with this Unique Stainless Steel, double walled French press, La Cafetiere have revisited the drawing board and have give us something that looks classic, timeless, has enough capacity for a dinner party. One thing that we found with the Unique model - as have other users - is the great inclusion of the double wall insulation chamber, which means that you don't have to rush do drain the coffee at all.

If, like me, you're keen on getting through a 4-cup cafetiere every now and then, you can now do it without having to rush or reheat the steeped coffee - it stays warm for upto 30 minutes we found.

With the experience and expertise of La Cafetiere you always get reliable components in the french press - and this model is no exception. The filter is nice and tight, so the mesh filters out more of the grains that some of the generic brands, leading to a sludge-free cup of coffee.

There has been one criticism of this press, however. Some have found - and we were able to replicate - that if you don't quite hit the pouring action just right, the spout tends to dribble back down the stainless steel casing - which is obviously a little inconvenient, and could potentially run on and cause damage to your table or cloth.

That said, we think it's worth the risk, and would highly recommend this La Cafetiere Uniqe 6 Cup French press. You can take a look at it over on Amazon, who give you a variety of buying and delivery options.

Frieling French Press Ultimo 34oz

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“I had first tried French Pressed coffee in Ireland and loved it. I purchased a glass french press and developed a ritual for keeping the coffee hot during the brew time. I eventually broke the pot in a bizarre event. I sought for a more lasting design. Looked at all the reviews for the Frieling stainless steel french press. I took the plunge and purchased the pricey 340z model. I was pleased with the construction and inspected it well. I remembered the complaints about grinds in the coffee. Simple solution... rough grind the beans,fill pot 1 inch below the spout, and take your time pushing the plunger. Also follow the 2TBS per 6oz cup of coffee ratio and stirr the water coffee mixture before putting the top on. Then enjoy several gerat cups of coffee. Oh buy the way the coffee stays hot....! I know that I have a long time winner!!! Goood luck to you all.”

“My husband loves coffee made with a French press. We have had three with the glass body. The first one wasn't insulated and did not keep the coffee warm enough to drink a second cup a little later. So we bought an insulated glass pot. It worked great but then my young adult daughter broke it making herself coffee one morning. I purchased a replacement and within two weeks, my young adult son had dropped it. I bought this stainless steel coffee press for my husband for Christmas. He is in 7th Heaven! He has hot coffee and we no longer have to worrry about someone breaking it in the process of cleaning it.”

Whilst we will be covering a number of different Frieling French presses here on this site, we have decided to start with this one. Quite simply, one of the biggest, baddest and most beautiful designs we have held to date. Given the asthetics and insulation of this Ultimo 34 ounch model, there are some people who will most likely consider this the [best french presses](http://frenchpressreview.blogspot.com/2010/09/top-french-presses.html) in the world.

One often finds that - with the smaller, more individual french presses - coffee can go cold quite quickly, and if you intend of having a second of third cup in a row from the same coffee pot, you will not much enjoy the stone cold third cup. When you start getting up to the large sizes - such as the 34 ounce model (about 8-10 cups) - that problem becomes very...problematic, so you find that designers put in double wall insulation so the coffee stays warmer for longer.

Not only is this a very accomplished french press, with brushed steel internal walls and an all steel filter and plunger, it doubles up as a simple serving jug for other liquids - you can just pop out the plunger and filter and away you. This obviously means that the cafetiere is able to break down into many parts, which is great for cleaning afterwards (you can even put it in the dishwasher).

The design of this press is simply stunning - as you can see from the picture. The mirrored exterior rises up to a very asthetically pleasing lid, handle and spout - and if you keep it clean, it will really wow your guests at dinner. Standing 9 inches tall, it will act as a great table center piece for the round of coffee, and the well designed, beautiful spout pours coffee almost perfectly.

Quite honestly, this is really one of the best french presses we have seen - Frieling have really down themselves proud. Obviously the size of this model is a little restrictive, and we will in time be reviewing the smaller models.

If you are looking for a super-sized, perfectly engineered cafetiere that steers away from the traditional design, we suggest you look no further than the French Press Ultimo; you can check it out over here on Amazon.