Coffee is one of my favourite things in life. What I love most about it is that there are so many variations you can try. You can go for the same thing every time, or mix it up and try something new.
Although I have multiple coffee makers on my coffee bar, I tend to turn on the automatic coffee maker before anything else. Now that I’ve tried several Bodum coffee makers, I’m rethinking that morning routine completely.
I was sent four different Bodum coffee makers to try out; each with its own unique spin on making coffee. I discovered that making coffee via pour over or french press wasn’t hard at all. Although it’s not automatic, if you want a better cup of coffee, you really have try a Bodum coffee maker.
I put all four coffee makers to the test yesterday, to see how they work and get a feel for what it would be like to use a pour over or French press every day. After drinking a ton of amazing coffee, I was ready to run laps around the yard several times. That, however, was a price I’m willing to pay for testing out such great coffee makers.
Here’s a look at the different Bodum coffee makers I tested out, how they worked, and what I thought of each.
Bodum Pour Over
I’ve always shied away from pour overs. My parents use one and they swear by it, but I wasn’t sure it could match the flavour of my push-button, automatic coffee maker. Was I ever wrong, but let’s start with what the Bodum Pour Over looks like first.
Unlike a standard pour over glass jug, the Bodum Pour Over is a stylish looking artisan-crafted borosilicate glass carafe with a cork neck cover. That neck cover is secured by a leather strap that loosens so you can remove the cork cover if you’d like to. The Bodum Pour Over comes with a fine mesh stainless steel filter you use to add your coffee grinds as well as a scoop to measure out your coffee.
Because I never really used a pour over, I had to give it a try a few times before I could perfect making coffee in it. Because I like my coffee strong, I added more grinds than recommended. Once I tweaked my grinds to water ratio, I was blown away by how great the coffee tastes.
Using a pour over to make coffee will extract more coffee flavour, and it’s fast too. You literally pour over the hot water and your coffee is ready.
Cleaning up the Bodum Pour Over is easy. Just loosen the string, take off the cork, and put the glass carafe in the dishwasher. If you have glass cupboards that showcase your coffee makers like I do, I also have to mention how great this one looks on the shelf.
Bodum French Press
I’ve used a french press more often than I’ve used a pour over, so I was more familiar with the Bodum French Press when I set out to test it. The 12 oz. Bodum French Press looks sleek and stylish, made from heat-resistant borosilicate glass and with chrome accents.
Unlike my own French Press, this press has a three part stainless steel mesh filter. The three parts work to strain your coffee as you press down, and the end result is a great cup.
It takes about 4 minutes to brew coffee in the Bodum French Press. From the moment you add hot water to your carafe you need to wait, and waiting is the hardest part. Your grinds will have floated to the top, and when it’s finished you can slowly press down to extract the coffee from the grinds.
Just like the pour over, as long as your tweak the amount of coffee grinds you use, this will be one of the best cups of coffee you’ll ever have. I had to drink the entire pot it was so good, even though I knew I had a few other Bodum coffee makers to try out after.
Bodum Bean set iced coffee maker
I’ve never made my own iced coffee. I’ve definitely drank my fair share in the summer, but I’ve never thought about making my own until I tried the Bodum Bean set iced coffee maker. It’s a 12-cup French press made from BPA-free plastic, but to brew you use room temperature or slightly cold water instead of hot. You put the entire carafe into the refrigerator and let it sit for 12 to 24 hours, then you press it just like you would a regular French Press.
There are two lids for the Bodum Bean set iced coffee maker; one for the refrigerator and one for the French Press. You use the French Press lid when you’re pressing the coffee, and you use the refrigerator lid when you’re steeping or storing your iced coffee.
For my video I added the water and the refrigerator lid, then put the entire coffee maker in the refrigerator. I let it sit for about 14 hours, then took it out and pressed it. I added a little bit of milk and sweetener, and I swear it was just as good as if I had bought it from my favourite barista. The 12 cup design is great because you can keep cold coffee on hand for whenever you want it.
This summer, I’m always going to have a jug ready to press. When you want to clean the carafe, all you have to do is place it in the dishwasher and it’s ready to go again.
Bodum Travel French Press
A French Press in a travel mug? I didn’t believe it either, but what an amazing concept. The Bodum Travel French Press lets you brew your coffee, drink it, and keep it hot, all in the same mug.
The Bodum Travel French Press looks like a standard travel mug, with a silicone grip and spill resistant lid. If you open it up you’ll see the French Press, and just like the traditional Bodum French Press, this press lets you add your grinds, steep for four minutes, and press to reveal the coffee.
I absolutely love this French Press. When you’re busy you can just throw in your coffee grinds, add your hot water, and quickly press before you head out for the day. It’s made from vacuum-sealed, double-wall stainless steel so it kept my coffee hot until I finished it.
You can put the Bodum Travel French Press in the dishwasher so it’s always ready for you in the morning. Having this press in your cupboard gives you the best of all worlds, because you can use the traditional French Press when you’re not in a rush and the Bodum Travel French Press for those rushed mornings.
Overall thoughts on using a Bodum Coffee Maker
I know now that, for the best coffee, you need a French Press and a pour over at home. I had one I didn’t use, and I’m definitely going to change that now that I know how quick and easy it is to brew such an amazing cup of coffee. I’ve also learned that, if you test out four coffee makers in a row, you’re going to get a lot of work done after. For maximum caffeine impact, you cannot beat this type of brewing.
There’s just something so amazing about brewing coffee in such a simple way. If you grind your beans right before you do a pour over or use the Bodum French Press, you’ll really be able to taste the flavour of your beans. All four Bodum coffee maker are very easy to use, and I know the Bodum Iced Coffee maker is going to be my favourite this summer.
You can find all Bodum coffee makers in the French Press and Percolator category on Best Buy.
