Who would have thought to put a French press into a travel mug?

Apparently Bodum, makers of the “Original French Press.” The Bodum Travel Press holds 14oz or approximately 3.5 cups of your favorite beverage. The brushed stainless steel body has a tapered design allowing it to fit in most standard sized cup holders. A 2 1/2 inch wide rubberized grip encircles the mug making it easy to hold and less likely to slip. The large sized drink hole has its own flip top cover with rubberized stopper that latches firmly to the lip of the lid. The area in front of the drinking hole has a bit of extra height and bumps out, forming a spout that directs the liquid into your mouth rather than your lap.

The press mechanism is built directly into the heavy duty plastic lid that also has a rubberized seal. This combined with the vacuum action created by the rubberized ring surrounding the screen, results in a seal so tight that it can sometimes be hard to re-open. The benefit of course, is that although Bodum makes no claims about the Travel Press being spill-proof, I have been able to turn an entirely full container completely upside down with only a minimum number of droplets escaping from the flip-top hinge.

Directions for Use
Both coffee and tea enthusiasts will appreciate the fine-mesh metal screen that can handle even the ultra-fine particles found in Mate let alone the larger grinds used in pressed pot coffee. The Travel Press is easy to use, the directions being familiar to anyone who has previously operated a French Press.

1) First scoop ground coffee/ tea leaves into the metal body
2) Next pour in the boiling water (remembering to leave room for the press)
3) Then screw the lid onto the top of the mug, leaving the plunger extended (for best results center the screen to prevent escaping particles)
4) Once the appropriate brewing time has elapsed, depress the plunger which stops the brewing process
5) Instead of pouring, you simply flip the cap, sip and enjoy.

What makes this different from a traditional French press is that steps four and five can be completed once you are out the door and that no additional cups are required. This makes it especially nice for any mommies and daddies who may want (or need!) their morning java jolt but find the timing of a press pot to be impractical or the temptation of the magic and mystery of a permeating brew encased in glass to be too great for little hands. The one handed operation of the mug is also useful when the other arm is already deployed to carrying or distracting said little ones from other shiny objects and into the car.

Durability and Portability
The Bodum Travel press has incredibly solid walls that allow the exterior to remain cool to the touch but combined with the press mechanism results in more weight than a traditional travel mug. Checking online, I see that Bodum now sells acrylic versions that might be cheaper and lighter but may not have the same durability and thermal benefits of the stainless steel version.

When I was a student and hard-pressed for the small fortune that would have been required to feed my $3.00/cup addiction, I particularly enjoyed the comfort of nursing a warm mug of self-brewed tea throughout the day while sitting in chilly lecture halls without having to worry about the effects of tossing the empty travel press into a bag full of textbooks (or on the ground.) Because the container was sealed, it was also permitted in libraries, another benefit over wasteful, leaky, paper containers.

Care
Although I have not been able to find the explicit manufacturer instructions, I have always used the dishwasher to wash my Travel Press. I place the body of the mug on the lower rack while placing the lid/press mechanism on the top rack. If any loose leaves or particles remain stuck in the mesh, they can easily be removed with a simple kitchen brush.

Potential Improvements
If I could change one thing about this press, it would be the depth of the plunger. Currently, the plunger depresses to about an inch from the bottom of the container. I understand that this is designed to allow the top of the plunger to rest flush with the lid so that there is no obstruction to opening the cap while drinking. The problem arises when the volume of tea leaves or coffee does not reach the set point, preventing the French Press from truly stopping the brewing process. Perhaps this is really only a problem for certain types of non-leafy teas that may not expand as much as coffee grinds, which is what the Travel Press was primarily designed for.

Pricing and Availability
Overall the Travel Press was a pretty ingenious idea that was well executed and the only one of its kind that I’ve seen. At $29.99 it might very well be the most expensive addition to your mug cabinet. But the ability to have a daily dose of liquid ambrosia just might brighten up the day of your coffee connoisseur/ tea aficionado enough to consider gifting to the beverage junkie in your life.

The Travel Press is available directly from Bodum’s website as well as other online vendors. I believe that Amazon.com currently has the best base price as well as free shipping.

The Bodum Travel Press is recommended for campers, commuters, travelers, students, and other busy individuals who want to enjoy the richness, simplicity, and cost-saving benefits of a French press while on the go.

www.bodumusa.com

Additional Tea Accessories
Bodum Ibis Electric Water Kettle
Melitta Tea Filters


Recommended: Yes