Bodum Brazil Coffee Maker: Life's simpler pleasures
Written: Oct 12 '04 (Updated Nov 21 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Elegant design, inexpensive, no electricity required
Cons: If the carafe breaks, the replacement cost approaches a brand new unit.
The Bottom Line: Bodum designs their french presses that belong in an IKEA catalog.
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| javajoop's Full Review: Bodum Fratello |
I am a reformed instant coffee drinker. My daily morning habit was to open the cupboard, twist open a jar of Folger's crystal, spoon out a tablespoon into the mug and pour some hot water. Very nice, neat and tidy. On occasion, I would make my way to Dunkin' Donuts around the corner and treat myself for their cup of joe.
I was introduced to a Bodum Brazil™ french press coffee maker when I was house-sitting a while back. Before she left on her vacation, my friend gave me a tour of her place and we finally ended with a cup of coffee. I was impressed with the bold flavor and asked her how she brewed it.
She promptly taught me how to make a proper cup of coffee. The glass carafe holds about 8 cups with a cleverly designed plastic handle that doubles as the base. The plunger consists of four parts: the cover, a perforated metal disk, a wire-mesh filter, and a metal retainer. All these components are easily detachable and hand washable, though, I don't recommend popping it in the dishwasher. She was preparing Sumatra which was already coarsely ground at the grocer's. It's recommended to purchase dark roasted beans to produce the robust and flavorful taste. About 1 rounded tablespoon per 4 oz. is preferred. You can adjust accordingly. The oils are released from the grounds upon contact of hot water at about 200° (by the way, the better the water, the better the taste). She inserted the plunger until the bottom is in contact with the beverage. The coffee steeped about 4-5 minutes but not more - you'll get the bitterness that most drinkers abhor. She then pressed carefully down until it stopped. It poured with a slightly foamy consistency and my mug became very fragrant. Mmmm. I was sold.
Soon afterwards, I bought my own press at Targét for the price of US$15.00. I also noticed that the replacement flask cost about US$12.00. I've already gone through two of them within a year's span. No matter. I save myself a few dollars by buying whole beans and grounding it myself. I even buy beans from that Dunkin' Donuts shop and have them grind them for me.
This makes a great gift, especially for a house-warming affair or what ever affair you happened into.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
javajoop
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Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 23
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
Cacoethes scribendi - "Bad habit of writing"
caveat venditor/emptor - "Let the seller/buyer beware"
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