 | Awards and Accolades In 2004 the Bodum Chambord coffee press received the American Culinary Institute's award for best French press coffeemaker. The American Culinary Institute judges food preparation products such as mixers, waffle makers, and electric teakettles. These products are judged on criteria important to consumers such as ease-of-use, safety, and the quality of the food produced. The institute also judges food preparation products used in restaurants and hotels, including institutional mixers, large-volume coffee machines, and food slicers. | |
Instructions for Use
 | 1. Place pot on a dry, flat, nonslip surface. Hold handle firmly, then pull the plunger straight up and out of the pot. 2. For each 1.25-deciliter/4-ounce cup, put 1 rounded tablespoon or 1 Bodum scoop of coarse-ground coffee into the pot.
Caution: Use only coarse-ground coffee. Fine grind can clog the filter and create high pressure. Place coffee maker on a heatproof, nonslip surface.
3. Pour hot (not boiling) water into the pot. Leave a minimum of 2.5 centimeters/1 inch of space at the top. Stir the brew with a plastic spoon.
Caution: Metal spoons can scratch or chip the glass beaker and cause breakage.
4. Place the plunger unit on top of the pot. Turn lid to close off the pour spout opening. (Does not apply to the Brazil models.) Do not press down. Let the coffee brew for at least 4 minutes.
5. Hold the pot handle firmly, with the spout turned away from you, then using just the weight of your hand, apply slight pressure on top of the knob to lower the plunger straight down into the pot. Lowering the plunger slowly with minimal pressure produces best results. If the filter clogs or it becomes difficult to push down the plunger you should remove the plunger from the pot, stir the brew, and then slowly plunge again.
WARNING: Using excessive force can cause scalding liquid to shoot out of the pot.
6. Turn the lid to open the pour spout and then pour coffee.
7. Unscrew the filter assembly and clean the plunger unit after each use. All parts are dishwasher-safe.
Safety Instructions
- Not for stovetop use.
- Check glass beaker for scratches, cracks, or chips. Do not use a pot that is scratched, chipped, or cracked. Install a replacement beaker before using the pot again.
- Keep children away while using. Hot water is a hazard to small children!
- Do not allow children to use this coffeemaker.
Scald Hazard
- Excessive plunging force can cause scalding hot liquid to shoot out of pot.
- Do not plunge with force.
- Turn lid to close spout.
- Use only coarse-ground coffee.
Company History
In 1944 Peter Bodum, the father of today's owner, Joergen Bodum, started Bodum in Copenhagen. Times were difficult at the end of World War II; there was hardly any trade and people were out of work. Peter Bodum managed to wholesale a very small variety of housewares products by Danish manufacturers.
After the war Peter Bodum got an import license for kitchen and tabletop products; he traveled all over Europe and ended up importing kitchen and housewares to Denmark. As in the rest of Europe in those days, a lack of products in Denmark meant a market existed for almost anything to be sold. He specialized in glassware from Eastern Europe.
In the '50s Peter Bodum started developing his own products. He collaborated with the Danish architect Kaas Klaeson for a range of coffeemakers. At the time, industrial-design-type kitchen products were very rare. The first Bodum product to hit the market in 1958 was the Santos coffeemaker--based on a vacuum coffee brewing system. It became an instant sensation not only in Denmark but in all of Europe. Bodum still produces the original Santos design to this very day.
Bodum grew steadily during the '60s, but sadly, in 1967, at the age of only 57, Peter Bodum passed away. His wife managed the company until 1974, when she offered her 26-year-old son Joergen to join her in the management of the company. Joergen quickly brought on board Carsten Joergensen--then a teacher at the Danish School of Art in Copenhagen--and soon put him in charge of overall design for Bodum, including everything from products to corporate design, exhibitions, shops, buildings, catalogs, and advertising. It turned out to be a very long and fruitful collaboration. The two men began to fulfill Bodum's credo--"good design doesn't have to be expensive"--in lots of different ways.
In 1974 the first fruit of Joergen and Carsten's collaboration was introduced: the French coffee press Bistro. It was also the first incorporation of the new Bodum design language--beautiful simplicity and excellent materials for everyday life. Many more variations of coffee presses followed. Since 1974 Bodum has produced over 50 million French presses, taken the leap from "coffee" to "kitchen," and developed and produced a large variety of beautiful household and tabletop designs.
In 1979, when he took over the company, Joergen Bodum decided to move to Switzerland in order to be more centrally located in Europe. He chose the Lucerne area, where Bodum's head office has been located since the early '80s.
In 1980 Bodum Switzerland and its design unit, Pi-Design, were founded. Then, in 1986, the opening of Bodum's first shop in London marked another milestone in the Bodum history. It was designed not only to be the perfect showcase for the large variety of Bodum products but to embody an even stronger presentation of Bodum as an international brand. Many more shops in many more cities all over the world followed: Paris, Copenhagen, Zurich, Lucerne, Tokyo, New York, Dallas, Okinawa, Auckland, and many more. To this day there are 52 Bodum stores worldwide.
With more and more of its own stores in place, Bodum continued broadening its collection of beautifully designed everyday life products--from kitchen to home. Today Bodum offers its customers everything from the latest coffee- and tea-making products to tabletop, kitchen, storage, textiles, bathroom, and home office products. Some stores also have a café where Bodum's own selection of coffees and teas are served.
The Bodum Group is, and always has been, a 100 percent family-owned business. Today the company operates in 14 different countries with over 700 employees worldwide. Bodum has holding companies in Denmark and Switzerland as well as 12 sales companies, 3 production companies, and a design company called Bodum Design Group, located in Switzerland.
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Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 44
 Grandma always said "you get what you pay for" February 5, 2010
J. Nelson (NYC!!!!)
Bought a bunch as gifts.. Many arrived broken and most friends said they lasted a month. Not a well made product.. Not great shipping either! No protective packing inside box at all!! Overall disappointed.
 So far, AWESOME January 13, 2010
D. Tacker (Covington, LA)
I couldn't give five stars only because of the slightly messy clean-up of this cup....but I've got to say, this product makes it well worth the effort. Get three or so, and you'll always have a clean cup for some fresh coffee. ;)
I like strong coffee, and can essentially make a non-bitter, espresso-trength coffee flavor that keeps the warmth for a couple hours with this cup. To me this is a dream come true, after time spent with a pod brewer that made weak coffee (despite pods so packed with coffee that I could barely close the lid), and drip & percolated coffee giving bitter results in huge volumes that get stale or burned as they sit.
On the financial and environmental fronts - you don't need a filter with this unit, so all you buy is the cup and your coffee (if you truly love coffee, you already have the grinder). No coffee maker taking up space on the counter top, and no hours of pressing/making pods, or any of that. You dispose only of grounds, and if you're a gardener, you have a use for those too!
I haven't tried loose leaf tea yet, but that's next on my agenda.
I absolutely love this french press travel cup. Get one today!
Tips & techniques January 6, 2010
Knitter (Illinois)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I decided to add my comments after reading some of the reviews here. I've been using my travel press for about 2 years. In my opinion, success or failure, satisfaction or dissatisfaction, depends a lot on technique. Here's mine:
99% of my use is for coffee. I grind a small quantity of beans for each use. Initially I used a blade grinder, but have since switched to a burr grinder. It makes a difference. A blade grinder will create coffee dust. A burr grinder, especially when it is set to coarse, makes much less dust. A French press does not like coffee dust. It will clog the filter screen and make the plunger hard to depress. Try operating the plunger with plain water first and get an idea of how much force is required to push the plunger. If it takes much more than this when you're making coffee, the screen is getting plugged. If this happens, retract the plunger a bit so liquid goes back the other direction through the screen. This will help rinse fine particles off the screen. You can feel an obvious difference with a clean screen. By slowly pressing and retracting, kind of teasing it, the plunger will eventually reach the bottom. It sounds complicated, but it only takes a few seconds longer than using a direct push.
If you just force the plunger, especially when it's close to the top, the sealing lip will distort and you will force grounds past the lip, bypassing the filter screen. The inner container walls are tapered for manufacturing, so the lip contact is much less when the plunger is at the top.
The inner and outer containers are welded together at the top. With use, it's almost inevitable that small cracks will occur in the weld seam. Normally, these do not affect the function of the mug. In fact, when hot water is added you may actually hear creaking noises or a pop as the inner container expands slightly. During washing it's possible a tiny amount of water may leak into the space between containers. This is why you don't want to microwave it. The water will turn to superheated steam, build up pressure, and soften and deform and ruin the inner container. This can happen with any double-walled vessel.
I use creamer and sweetener. I simply add both ingredients to the grounds before adding hot water. After pouring in the water and stirring I find that a 'coffee foam' forms at the top. The foam carries coffee grounds with it. If the foam is too high it will go over the top edge of the sealing surface of the inner container. It's nowhere close to overflowing the container, so it's easy to overlook this detail. What happens is that foam and grounds will get above the plunger and into the filtered coffee when you set the plunger in place. So when you add water be sure everything stays a short distance below the sealing surface.
The plunger doesn't go clear to the bottom because there needs to be room for the grounds underneath it. After you've enjoyed the coffee above the filter, there will be liquid trapped below the plunger. It doesn't easily flow through the filter screen because the screen is now clogged with fine particles. If you're really desperate for that last tablespoon or 2, swirl the coffee around to rinse the fines off the underside of the filter and you should be able to be able to tip it and get the rest of the liquid to flow through.
I would call this an insulated mug from the standpoint that you can easily handle it when it's full of hot liquid without getting burned. However, it's definitely not the same quality of insulation you get from a thermos where liquid will stay hot for hours. Thirty minutes after filling it will still be warm, but certainly not hot.
How well do I like mine? I gave 4 others for Christmas gifts this year.
 Perfect! November 15, 2009
J. Tate (Houston, TX)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This travel French press is perfect for everyday use, especially on the go. I have never had any problems with grounds getting into the coffee. I use course grounds and do not fill it past an inch from the top, just like the instructions say. After it brews, I press it, mix in sweetener and creamer, and then fill the remaining inch of space with more hot water to make it completely full. You can't ask for better coffee.
I find this perfect for going to work in the mornings, all you need to do is bring a mason jar or some other microwavable container along so that you can heat the water in the microwave, then pour it in. This saves you from drinking cold coffee brewed at home or the stale office coffee.
To the people that have given this product bad reviews because they are eating coffee grounds: use course grounds only and do not fill it more than an inch from the top before pressing! You can always add more water later.
 Terrible Coffee Press October 13, 2009
K. McKay (CA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This was an impulse buy at Whole Foods a couple of months ago. I am so sorry I didn't come to Amazon ahead of time to read these reviews; I would have saved myself $20. This Coffee Press STINKS!! I use it on a medium grind coffee, and have tons of coffee grounds in my cup of coffee EVERYDAY. I hate it! I have tried every different way of plunging I can think of, but grounds still escape the filter. I don't even drink out of the plastic cup. I add the coffee grounds, then the water, let it steep and then pour it into a regular coffee mug. I then scrap out as many "floaters" as I can manage and still end up with a cup full of coffee grinds.
Very poor design execution. Please save your money.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 44
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