After having french press coffee for the first time I decided it was time to trade in my drip coffee pot for a french press. Since we entertain quite a bit we needed a large one. This one is a great size and looks nice too. Makes great coffee!

I would recommend this press!

After my first sip of coffee from this press, I could tell that this was not your average coffee press. This press is worth every penny. I've read the reviews before I purchased this about the rubber taste, and the lid falling off and the coffee not staying hot blah blah blah. You can trust me when I say that this is a worthy investment. If you love coffee like I do, you will not have the coffee sitting in there for hours anyway (it stays hotter than most other french presses), and the rubber taste and lid thing...Bogus.
ENJOY!

I've become addicted to pressed coffee and have tried several pots, none of which worked that well or quickly failed with regular use. This one is excellent. It pops in the dishwasher for easy cleaning and seems very durable. It keeps the coffee at a drinkable temp for more 2 hours. If you like pressed coffee, get this one.

I have been using this press for about a month now and I am very pleased. The mesh in the filter works great and only a very small amount of sediment gets through. I use a Baratza Virtuoso grinder set at "30" with Colombian supremo beans, the grind is about right. Good full bodied coffee and I don't have to worry about breaking the press because it of stainless steel construction. I agree with some of the other reviews that the press is not really designed for storage of the coffee. I would buy this press again!

I have tried them all and this is the best and last I will ever have to buy.

This is a very good coffee press and unlike most of the presses with glass, you can keep your coffee warm on the stovetop. Easy to clean and should last several centuries. The glass ones break easily whereas it would take a tank to break this one. I get a lot of coffee with this press.

The Bodum 12 cup thermal coffee press is a beautiful thing. I truly believe it will be the last press pot I buy because it will likely last forever. The carafe keeps coffee steaming for a good 5 hours (as long as you have it closed properly) and it all seems to work properly. It pours well. It is well balanced in your hand. It is difficult to see in the picture, but it has a lovely chrome finish - I thought it would be more "stainless steel" looking and I don't know how long that finish will hold up, but I don't care - it's gorgeous for now. My only complaint is that they seem to measure "cups" in some bizarre anachronistic 4 ounce measure. The pot holds enough for only about 3-4 good-sized cups (12 oz) depending on the amount of coffee at the bottom. So the 3 cup size gives you one American mug of coffee, and the 8 cup gives you about 2 and a half. Not a big point, but this is the reason I got the 12 cup instead of a smaller one.

I've had my pot for about a week or more now and can't say enough good things about it. The coffee is yummy, it stays at a nice temp in this pot for some time, and it's very attractive.

The instructions that come with it mention not using boiling water due to possible damage to the glass carafe; not an issue with this pot which helps maintain longer hot temps.

My only complaint is that you will not get 12 full American cups coffee out this pot. I usually get 2 or 3 mugs max, but oh my, is it even possible to get a BAD cup of coffee out of this thing?!?! YUM!!

We really enjoy this french press. Easy to use, easy to clean, makes a good cup of coffee. The coffee stays warm-hot for a few hours. Particularly appreciate that we don't have to worry about glass breaking as with other french presses. Also, do recommend the 12-cup versus the 8-cup. I believe their definition of "cup" is about 6 ounces, which means the standard oversized mugs we use, takes about 2 1/2 cups.

Love it! I've had it about 4 months now and I'm very happy with this purchase. It's made of high quality materials, makes a great pot of coffee and it looks absolutely gorgeous on my counter top. The fact that everything can be thrown in the dishwasher with no fears of it breaking or falling apart is one of the biggest pluses for me.

Like most of you, I graduated to Bodum French Press... I must have gone through a dozen coffee makers with the last several being an integral grinder/coffee maker. Filtering started with bleached white paper, unbleached paper, etc., before moving to gold plated mesh filter basket (my last several). I also started with ground coffee, moved to whole beans, then eventually to roasting my own. All this in an attempt to try to brew the perfect coffee at home - which I finally got with the Bodum French Press. Try coarsely ground coffee (use a burr grinder and newly roasted beans allowing at least 4 hours of outgassing if you can) with water temperature around 190 to 200 degrees (from an electric hot pot or wait 30 seconds after boiling in the microwave), let it sit for 4 minutes and press very slowly - 1 minute or longer if you have the patience. You should refine the process to fit your taste but I think you'll end up with the best tasting coffee at home and probably be dissappointed at any other coffee no matter where or how much you pay for it.

This makes GREAT coffee. I agree that is it not piping hot after one hour, but we usually each have two cups max within half-hour so a non-issue. Big advantage is the size of the press, which is perfect when we have company. We even take it on family vacations!

What other reasons are there for a press? I can't think of any more right now. I bought one of these because I love great coffee and it sure produced it. My wife loves it because there is no sludge or silt! (way less than other presses and of course you need coarse grind, maybe commercial percolator grind but I never used it) When it comes to a grinder I use a Capresso conical burr grinder and it seems to do a perfect job. I did get sludge and silt in the bottom with that grinder with other presses, but not this one. You do have to put some hot water in it before for it not to cool the coffee and to keep it hotter, but that would be with most coffee makers. It would be so easy to pour in a thermos or other caraffe to keep it hotter longer.

We had a smaller of the same stailess bodum press - love coffee, so this larger one is perfect - no glass to worry about! Purely stainless steel insulation, and great hot, fresh coffee everytime. This 12 cup makes about 4-5 HUGE mugs worth of coffe at a time - perfect for us on the sailboat or while camping! This was a great find, and Bodum quality too!

Well if you like good coffee or tea this is the way to go. I have a few french presses and this is by farrrrrrrr the best I have used and I did a lot of looking before buying this one. No worry of breakage, coffee stays hot much much better than the glass ones and the clean design looks great on you counter, I constantly have people ask about it. I could not be happier.

If you are looking for the best coffee without going out, this is the coffee pot for you! I experienced my first cup of "french pressed" coffee in San Francisco and was thrilled to find this Bodum 12 cup. It only makes four big cups which is plenty for two people. Easy to use and clean ..

We've been upgrading our hurricane kit this year (in Florida) to include a small butane stove and a new coffee-production method. We had thought about a Melita drip maker, but found this Bodum press, instead. Excellent choice!

Whether you heat the water to boiling on your regular stove or over an alternate source, once you steep the grounds and then press, the coffee is marvelous, and stays warm for as long as it takes you to drink the pot. After 2004 when we had 3 hurricanes here and only instant coffee, this will be a big improvement.

We still use our Cuisinart brewer during the week, but this Bodum is now our weekend coffee-maker. Boiling the water takes a bit longer than just flipping the switch on an automatic brewer, but the coffee tastes much better with the press. And if you have lost your electricity but still can boil water, it is a lifesaver!

I have had my press for some time now and I love it. Coffee stays warm for about 2 hours, after that amount of time it needs to be reheated in the microwave. I really love how easy it is to clean. It comes out of the dishwasher looking like new every time. Although it does drip a bit, that only serves as a reminder to slow down and enjoy the delicious coffee it produces. I really love the look of this press and the fact that I cannot break it.

This is my fourth, and hopefully last, french press coffemaker. I've been very happy with all of the previous ones I owned, but they all had one flaw: They were made of glass. It turns out glass is quite easily breakable. In addition, when broken, glass is rather sharp and pointy.

French press number 1 nearly removed my ring finger when it went.
French press number 2 tried to do me in with a slash across the wrist.
French press number 3 jumped off the counter when I walked by and tried to scare me to death by exploding on the floor behind me.

I'm pretty sure I could throw french press number 4 (this one) at a brick wall and only cause minor damage.

As far as coffemaking goes, this pot provides excellent results. I was very pleased to find this has a slightly finer filter than the glass ones I had before, resulting in less sediment at the bottom of the cup.

This is not a thermos... it won't keep coffee warm for 5 days. But, it does keep it warm for an hour or two, which is longer than you want to have coffee sitting for anyway!

In a word: Fantastic!! Makes EXCELLENT coffee, smooth pressing, no grounds, keeps brew nicely hot (for a couple of hours), easy to clean, and LOOKS gorgeous... attributes in order of importance! Just ordered another as a gift!

Frankly I have a large Bun displacement method coffee maker and it makes a full pot in around 3 minutes. So I didn't really need a coffee pot. I bought this one because I'm trying to lose a few pounds and I like (shudder) flavored coffees as an alternative to dessert. (Does this work? Sorta, sorta not.) I just wanted a coffee press so I wouldn't taint my regular coffee maker's pristine coffee-flavored coffee only filter.

But this press is SO wonderful I'm considering getting another one for regular coffee to put in my office. The press works beautifully. I've used regular grind blends (it's supposedly a no-no but it works fine) and have had wonderful results. The really big plus in addition to all this is that it is a breeze to clean. The Stainless steel assures that 1) there is no fragile glass to break like regular presses (one of the reasons I had never bought one- I'm clumsy in a way that illustrates all the princples of physics) 2) the coffee stays warm for several hours (not piping hot, drinkably warm- I like this) 3) it cleans with warm water and polishes up with a dry towel- very easily.

A cup of coffee is pretty big priority for me in my life. I'm not particulary proud to say this but there it is. I love this press and found it to be worth the money. I am not, however, a coffee maven I'm just an avid consumer. So consider the source. But I love this press.

I am so pleased with this coffeemaker! It takes no extra time to make the pot of coffee than the drip or percolator coffeemakers - just boil a pot of water (we use an electric kettle) and allow a few minutes to brew before plunging and serving. The coffee is very smooth, with a nice full tast. The insulation keeps the coffee hot for about an hour, and warm for a few hours. No more burned coffee left on the warmer too long, no aftertaste from filters!

This is a very good press, there's no doubt about it. But, does it live up to it's price tag? Not really. This is one of the largest coffee presses I've seen, so I was excited to get it. One of the main reasons I purchased THIS press was the fact that it was a Thermal press. But, when I received the pot, it really didn't impress me....

The Thermal feature really didn't work. Bodum says the coffee will stay hot for up to 2 hours....but after less than an hour, the coffee was barely warm, and once I added cream, the coffee lost all its warmth!

So, it was hard to justify paying $70 for a 'Thermal' coffee press which doesn't really keep the coffee any warmer than a glass pot that costs less than half the price!

So, if you want something that looks nice, and brews good coffee, and money is no object, then go for it....But if you just want a pot that brews quality coffee, I'd recommend going with a less expensive model.

My husband and I decided to purchase a coffee press after our last two electric coffee makers started leaking water.The coffee press is simple to use and easy to clean. Coffee tastes better when made in this press. I love the design and the look of the Bodum coffee press. One pot is plenty of coffee for the both of us to have two cups each and it stays hot for quite some time. I would recommend this press to people who love a good cup of coffee!

Since my regular drip coffee maker broke, I decided on an alternative with the Bodum Columbia Thermal. The thermal function really works! I have been able to enjoy hot coffee throughout the morning, without that burnt taste from a regular drip coffee maker. The pour spout is designed with good dynamics and does not promote spillage. I love the way it looks, and I especially love the way it makes delicious, rich, creamy coffee! Just make sure to use dark roasts, as light blends come out too weak.

I've been using a Melior since the 70s. When Frieling came out with an insulated, stainless version I grabbed it for obvious reasons. First the plunger knob broke off. My husband made new threads and put a different cap on. Then the handle came loose. Another fix. Didn't last. I still use it, but with a swinging handle. So, I next tried this Bodum. My only big issue with it is the sloppy pour. I have the largest version and the filter is so large that it tilts, allowing grinds to come through. And there is no way to tip out the coffee so it doesn't dribble down the pot. Not perfect, but serviceable. I'm not in love with the aesthetics. The large pot is ungainly. Tries to be elegant, but misses.

I love coffee and the French press method makes the best coffee of all. This is the largest French press I could find. It makes 4 12-oz mugs of coffee. Stylish and well-made, my only complaint is that its "thermal rating" is too optimistic. Expect to reheat your coffee if you leave it in here more than 1 hour--unless you preheat the carafe with hot water, then dump it out, before refilling it to make coffee. This is an especially nice item to take camping, but it gets regular use at our house too.

This is a stylish, well made product from Bodum. If you love French pressed coffee (which is, of course, the only way to make great coffee) then you have no doubt purchased at least one coffee press. And when using them you have probably often had to decant your freshly pressed coffee into another container to keep it hot. That is not the case with the Columbia. With this you can make a full pot, enjoy your first cup, and still have hot coffee a while later when going back for seconds. Bear in mind though, that this willl not keep your coffee hot for hours like a thermos can. Its not designed for that. This is perfect for a couple who wants to get up, enjoy a first couple of mugs together with breakfast, and then have hot second cups 30-45 minutes later. Overall, this is a well designed product that does what it is designed to do very well.

This stylish press makes great coffee, keeps it warm, and is very easy to clean. We'll never buy glass again. We liked ours so well, we've bought others as gifts.

The stainless pot is more rugged than glass. The mesh in the press itself is a different material, but works well. The top is not as well insulated as the pot, but the coffee stays hot long enough for a second or third cup without reheating.

I've reviewed the 8-cup version with coffeemaking tips, but there's a practical side to this particular style of French press pots. Here:

- This is amazingly easy to clean. For same day use, just water rinse cleans it out.
- Even for the larger diameter of this 12-cup version, the plunger-press is snug and reliable.
- The lack of sharp edges makes it very easy to keep clean
- It's a joy to hold, the handle and overall construction feel very sturdy
- No glass to break! The material is so easy to clean. Wipe with cloth or paper towel to keep streaks from the body.
- You can use drip-fine coffee, this press has a fairly fine mesh

Cautions (though this can apply to any french press)
- Push the plunger in slowly.
- When you pour, make sure the little triangle on the lid points to the spout - that has the pour opening in the lid. Otherwise you're risking coffee trying to make its way to the spout and possibly spilling from elsewhere.
- Just once, measure the water temperature, or how long you leave a boiling kettle unplugged to reach 190-205 deg F. Then go by the wait time. Water too hot robs the coffee of smoothness and flavor - water too cold creates unwanted bitterness
- Keep the grounds at the bottom when adding water. If you partially fill the pot, add grounds (which float) and then add hot water, you will have a mess as the grounds and water foam up much more than they would at the bottom
- Don't expect two hours of hot coffee. But you can go back for a second cup and it will still be hot

After having more than my share of broken glass coffee pots, it's great to have this steel one. Buy this!!

I have used glass French presses. My last one broke and shattered on the floor. It also didn't keep coffee warm for more than 5 minutes. This is an excellent coffee maker, keeps coffee warm and fresh for a longer time, and is not so fragile.

This coffee press is a very high quality press. The construction is superior. It looks great. It washes easily. It keeps the coffee warm.

We recently received this Coffee Press and just love it! It looks and works great. It does keep the coffee hot for about an hour and warm for about an additional hour. If you put hot water in it before brewing for a few minutes, you'll extend your heating time. Cleans up beautifully in the dishwasher. We highly recommend this item.

Tired of crafs that are glass and break easily. This is sturdy and holds more coffee. Now we get two cups of coffee each instead of one.