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- Verified Buyer
We can't always rely that we will have the coffee we like on our travels, so a travel French Press is essential. I had been using a previous version of this product for years on various trips/vacations until one time we returned without it (to our dismay). I replaced the lost one with this and it works as expected.My wife and I have these and use them everyday. If you want stronger coffee than your partner or a different blend, no problem, make it like you like it and you're good to go. Highest quality construction, fabulous performance and the best coffee a French press can provide in an individual insulated to-go cup. What's not to love?!!! We give these as gifts to family and friends who love coffee. Love, Love, Love them!!!I bought this specifically for when I travel.I have celiac disease, so cannot use coffee makers that others have used, like in hotel rooms, because they might be contaminated with gluten.I also prefer crío bru to coffee & at home I make it in a French press but do not want to travel with my French press maker & have to worry about it shattering, etc.So I just went away for the weekend & used this & it worked perfectly & was so fantastic. I no longer have to give up my beloved crío bru when I’m away from home.To make my life easier I pre-measured the amount of crío bru in zipper baggies with pre-measured sugar & collagen too. I put it all in the cup, added hot water, brewed it for my preferred amount of time, then added my half & half & put the lid on & pushed down plunger & enjoyed.I highly highly recommend this. It worked perfectly, did not leak, was comfortable in my hand. After having to give up my crío bru on so many trips this really elevated my latest trip.Great for travel and making French press coffee.I have been the proud owner of 5 (Stainless Version) of these French press mugs. ***Note the stainless and plastic versions differ greatly*** The first was a gift and I have since purchased 4 more over the last five years. This mug has changed minimally but for the better over this time. I use this almost everywhere and it is my travel mug of choice with one exception, but i'll get to that shortly. I use this: home, work, travel, camping, hiking, boating, and backpacking (slightly heavy luxury item but so worth it). I have 3 suggestions.First I would like to thank Bodum for making the screen removable. A small improvement in that regard would be the inclusion of a short rod with plug and seal making it usable without the screen if desired. Thus increasing volume of usable liquid. As well as becoming more tea bag friendly. Because I camp, hike, and backpack, the availability of loose leaf tea can be limited along the road/trail and this is when I may opt for another mug.Second I would like to see the lid pour opening increase slightly in size. The same shape only a bit bigger. I feel this would provide a smoother pour/drink/sip, while adding ease to pour in cream/milk through the lid, as well as providing a way to cool faster if desired. I prefer to add cream after I press the coffee. I can use less cream since I'm not flavoring the liquid under the screen and it seems to create a fresher taste. It also helps slightly cool down my coffee to a more drinkable temp without steaming my cream/milk.The last possible improvement I would like to see would be some sort of carry handle. Whether it be a slip-on rubber ring with handle or some sort of rubber seal that gets trapped under the lid with a stretchy rubber handle.This is an already great mug with countless uses. These are only suggestions for improvement. One or more could take this from great to exceptional.Final thoughts,I have found that this mug will be... Envied and possibly stolen by loved ones, coworkers, friends and enemies. Again this is my 5th mug!It is definitely worth the price @ MSRP and a no brainer if you find it for less. Any improvement would only increase the value. I have paid 35$, I have paid 16$ and am not disappointed at either price or anywhere in between.The instructions are spot on. I grind beans @ the grocery store and select 2 notches above coarse grind (Perc setting I believe). At this setting I am able to use the coffee grounds in both my countertop coffee maker (dripper), as well as this French press mug. I rarely have grounds get past the seal with this grind and the versatility is worth the 1 or 2 pieces that may get past the seal.I use 2-3 TBSP grounds, add sugar, add some hot water, swirl till sugar dissolves, fill mug just below the lowest ridge, cap and push the ram down just until I feel it push past the ridge, let sit 5-7 minutes and finish pressing grounds, pour creamer through spout, close lid, swirl, open and drink.This mug is for you if you:Love fresh coffeeAre always on the moveTravelFishCampBackpackBike/commute (fits cup holders and most bottle cages)Habitually run late...Live an active lifestyleEnjoy giving quality gifts to those that will appreciate them.I love this product. I have had it for about a month now, juggling use between it, a (official brand) Yeti Cup, and an Aerobi Coffee Press. Bottom Line, this is the best product of the three. I purchased The Chrome/Black Stainless Steel Travel French Press at about $19.Negatives. This does not come with an extra, non-press, lid. Since the product description is shared amon multiple Bodum products, this aspect is unclear, and can be misleading. The mouth piece is comfortable, however the closure device is not the best. It clips closed, but is not very tight and does not inspire confidence. It also does not clip securely into the open position. The plunger hole through the lid allows a bit of wiggle room, therefore, it is possible for liquid to come out of the top, if the cup falls over. .A possible additional negative or a positive is the fact that the double-wall insulation is effective on the level of the Yeti Cup. I burn my mouth about once every 3 days since I'm not patient enough to wait an hour for the coffee to cool down. I suggest pouring a more temperate cup of coffee, or leaving the lid off while the grounds steep for an extended period of time. The Bodum is obviously not as big as the Yeti Cup, so depending on your preferences, this may be a positive or negative as well. I have small hands and prefer the size and feel of the Bodum.Positives include the above, depending on your point of view. Additionally, I have found that the filter works very well. I have not gotten any grounds in my coffee thus far, as long as I only pour the coffee below the point where the inside of the cup begins to widen, at the top, to accommodate the lid. The first time I used this cup, I poured too much water and had a messy, grainy, cup of coffee. The silicone grip is comfortable and the cup doesn't feel hot to the touch thanks to the effective double wall insulation. The lid incorporates a comfortable mouth piece. Much better than that found on the Yeti Cup. But what about the Flavor?I use an Aero Press about as much as I use this cup. I really want to like the Aero Press, and I do to a point. But I believe the Bodum does the job better. The flavor is the same between both devices, in my opinion. The difference is that the Bodum Cup offers far greater convenience. All parts are on board, in a vastly more compact profile, and the cleanup process is far easier than with the AeroPress, What's more, is the Bodum can be obtained at half the price. Even less if you consider the fact that you may need to buy a vessel to work in concert with the AeroPress.I have purchased an additional plastic version of the Bodum Press in hopes that the lids would be compatible. I have been unsuccessful in my attempt to determine whether this is the case. When I receive my new, cheaper, plastic model, I plan to update this post. I hope this helps!**************UPDATE****************I received my plastic Bodum Press today and I'm extremely disappointed. The experiment was a total failure and I will be returning the item. First of all, it didn't come with the advertised extra "normal", non-french press lid. This would have been OK, since I felt the 9 dollars I spent on the plastic version would be worth it if I could swap the grip and the lid from the plastic model to the steel model. Unfortunately, while the grip on the stainless steel is easily removable, the grip on the plastic model is completely attached and cannot be removed without damaging the item. Lastly, the lids are not interchangeable. They are close in size, but you cannot swap the lids between the plastic and steel models. Bottom line, if you're looking for additional parts or options for the stainless steel model, you need to buy another stainless steel model. A good deal at $17.5.To be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with this item. I love the build quality and the fact it's that bit larger than the normal one. But for a quick cup of coffee, it's totally useless. Because it keeps the coffee so hot, you end up having to wait over around two hours before you can drink it. I've made coffee at 9 am and it's still steaming hot at mid-day. On the plus side, it's cut my coffee consumption right down, on the downside I've scalded my tongue over an hour later after making coffee. The plunger works well and is one of the best in a cafetiere I've used, with no nasty grounds escaping into the drink. I just can't bring myself to add cold water when making a coffee.This is a fantastic product. Only thing to note, when using grounds, you cannot fill it too much with water or you will end up with the grounds getting around the filter. Once you figure out the level then it’s an amazing device. I ended up with mouthfuls of coffee grounds a few times when going through trial and error.For a thermal mug it doesn’t keep your coffee that hot for long I’ve found but I usually drink quickly so it’s not a problem for me.Well worth the money if you want good coffee in the go!Our lass loves this. Keeps the coffee piping hot for ages.It is slightly floored in that you have to have the lid open to pour milk in, but i dont see how thats avoidable, so not really a complaint, more of an inconvenience. She wouldnt be without it now.Amazing at holding the temperature, I fill it at 7.30 am from a water boiler and it's still hot to drink at lunchtime. I opted for the larger size and this gives a mug full. Pity it didn't come with a spare lid.Brilliant travel cup I wanted this to take away on holiday have hotel coffee is rubbish and I live a fresh cup of coffee and don't like instant coffee pluse this cup keeps my drink warm for hours
