In our quest to brew the perfect cup of coffee, we found the French Press with Brü-Stop from Planetary Design. This double-walled, 18/8 stainless French press has a patented feature that sets it apart from the average press. But it would be a shame for just one person to enjoy. Which is why we chose the 48 ounce size, so we could enjoy great coffee with friends at work. And it certainly filled the role of providing hot and fresh coffee for us.
Good coffee starts with good beans, fresh ground. Then you need hot, filtered water. Ideally, water should be between 195-205 degrees, and not above 212 degrees (boiling). From there, what you brew with can make a big difference too. Which is why I like a French press. It’s easy and consistent. Plus you can pack one with you for camping. But the typical French press has some limitations. Glass is fragile, and doesn’t insulate very well. And there is usually no way to stop the extraction process, other than pouring from the press right after brewing. Brü-Stop technology addresses that last bit.
The Brü-Stop plunger has a screen with a barrier plate above it. Pressed coffee passes through the screen as you press the plunger down. Once fully pressed, the plate drops into a recess above the screen, and stops the brewing process. Since this happens inside a double-walled press, you can leave the coffee in there, and enjoy it at your leisure. With no worries that it will continue to extract, which leads to bitter coffee. It will also stay plenty hot, for at least a few hours. We drink a lot of coffee at work, so 48 ounces isn’t going to sit around for more than an hour or two. And even then, it was still quite hot.
We put the Brü-Stop technology to the test with several different coffees, and even some different grinds. Although you should choose a coarse grind for pressing, we had some slightly finer coffee on hand. It brewed up okay, but did leave some fine silt in the bottom of the cup. For best results, stick with a coarse grind. As for brewing times, give it a full five minutes for the richest, most flavorful cup. Regardless of the grind, each and every cup was delicious. And really, that’s all we want in the morning – a great cup to start our day. Planetary Design delivers on that with their French press.
Cleanup is easy too. Hand wash the press, and gently clean the screen on the plunger. Because the press is restaurant grade stainless, it should hold up to years of use. Unlike glass, it won’t break when you drop it. And if you’re using it for camping, and few dents and scratches just give it character. Our press looks new after about two months of use.
You’ll find the patented Brü-Stop technology in several products from Planetary Design. For home, the office, travel, or camping, they have something for everyone. The specific French press we reviewed is available in 20, 32, and 48 ounce sizes. There are seven color options, as well as the brushed stainless. To see them all, and check current prices, head over to the Planetary Design website.
Brian
I’d like to thank Planetary Design for hooking us up with their French Press with Brü-Stop. I’ve finally got a press for the office, big enough to share.