Bodum is definitely one of the most well known makers of French Press devices, and for good reason. They are the leader in double wall insulated French Presses! The Bodum 1308-16 is no exception to this line. It is a sturdy press pot that makes 8 cups of great tasting coffee. Believe me when I say that this press pot stands out from a lot of the others that are on the market right now – that’s for a few reasons…
- It has a special suction filter that ensures that no grounds will get into your coffee
- It uses a special double walled Stainless-Steel insulation to keep your coffee piping hot
- The taste is consistently highly rated
The Bodum 1308-16 Columbia Uses A Special Filter Process
If you are familiar with the French Press, then you understand how the process works. You mix coffee grounds and hot water together inside of the pot, then allow that mixture to brew for a few minutes. Then, you put the lid on and press the plunger (filter) down to the bottom. This pushes all of the coffee grounds to the bottom of the pot and leaves the coffee on top ready to be poured out.
The drawback to many French Press devices is that coffee grounds usually make their way onto the top of the filter when you press it down. This means that coffee grounds and other particles make their way into your drink. That’s definitely not what you want to taste in the morning.
But, the 1308-16 Columbia creates a vacuum seal when you press the filter down. The secret is that the filter is lined with a rubber ring that creates the airtight seal. So, you don’t have to worry about coffee grounds and particles getting on top of the filter and finding their way into your cup of coffee. I’m not sure why no one thought of this vacuum seal process before.
The Double Walled Stainless-steel Insulation Keeps Coffee Hot
With most French Presses you must transfer the coffee out of the pot as soon as you’re done making it, because it will not stay warm. Bodum has solved this problem by creating the Columbia French Press out of stainless steel and using a double walled construction. That means that the press is constructed almost like a thermos. The outside wall and the inner wall of steel don’t actually touch each other – there’s space in between for insulation.
The result is that your coffee will stay warmer for longer, even if you leave it in the press pot. Of course, you won’t want to leave it in there for too long, since the coffee is still brewing. But, you won’t have to be bothered by transferring the coffee into a different container right away.
Bodum Delivers On Taste
Bodum makes many French Press pots and they are consistently rated very highly as far as taste is concerned. But, this particular pot creates a wonderful taste that is probably the result of this double walled stainless-steel insulation in combination with the vacuum sealed plunger processs. These 2 ideas are pretty unique to this pot, so it creates a unique tasting cup of coffee.
In fact, after reading through tons of consumer reviews, many people commented that this French Press makes the best tasting cup of coffee around.
Are There Any Complaints?
The one complaint that I do hear consistently is that this French Press is advertised as making 8 cups of coffee. You need to keep in mind that those are eight European cups. European cups are 4 ounces where as North American cups are usually considered 8 ounces. So, you will be able to create about four full mugs of coffee from one round of pressing using this device. As long as you understand that, you should have no complaints.
What Are Other People Saying?
- “The filter part of the french press is perfect. Makes a suction sound as you press it down because the fit is so precise. Virtually no coffee grounds make their way into your cup.”
- “That’s it, you’ll be amazed at the results.”
- “I’ve been drinking French Press coffee for 7 years now, and have tried at least 10 presses on a regular basis. This one is by far the most superior.”
- “Bodum Columbia is the best french press on the market. Since I discovered it, five of my friends have purchased one and we all couldn’t be happier with it.”
A Few Final Thoughts
The Bodum Columbia 1308-16 is a little bit more on the expensive side, but you definitely get what you pay for. If you are a true coffee enthusiast, you will see the value right after your first cup.