I have gone on many, many times about my quest for the perfect coffeemaker. I’ve gone through several since I started blogging. Each time I griped about this coffeemaker or that, someone would tell me to get a French press and I would politely decline.
A French press? How can I possibly achieve that hot, delicious fresh-brewed cup of joe without a coffeemaker? Pour water in, press it down, voila! Great coffee? Nooo… surely they must be mistaken. In case you hadn’t noticed, I can be quite stubborn.
So how, you might ask, did I end up not only purchasing, but loving my new French press? A desire for better aesthetics in my kitchen. Hey, all things can’t be noble. Sometimes you just want things to look pretty.
GFI and I have identical kitchens since she lives directly above me. We have them set up similarly, too, because we’re dorks like that and we took cues about what worked and what didn’t in each other’s space. For example, we both have our microwaves on top of the refrigerator to save space and we both have tiny lamps scattered around the kitchen for more ambient lighting because we hate the overhead fluorescents. My issue was that GFI’s kitchen always seemed so much cleaner and brighter to me. Same amount of lamps (two small IKEA colored numbers), pretty much the same amount of stuff on the counter… what gives?
The difference? GFI no longer had her coffeemaker on the counter. I, on the other hand, still had my big black Mr. Coffee (which doesn’t make very good coffee anyway and chirps annoyingly). She sang the praises of the coffee press, insisting it produced the most delicious coffee and insisted I go buy one with the Starbucks giftcard she got me for Christmas.
So, for once, I actually did what I was told. I caved in and bought a French press gift set the very next morning on holiday clearance and it was the best thing I ever did. Coffee-wise, anyway.
It’s easy, it takes no time (4 minutes!), little energy, it’s quiet (which ideal first thing in the morning), I get just the right amount of coffee and the flavor is beyond compare. It’s almost creamy the way it foams and creates this rich froth on the top. I also have to heavily endorse my new favorite Starbucks blend, Sumatra Extra Bold (press grind). It makes the most delicious cup, in my opinion, though I have an arsenal of coffee in my cabinet to try. You can use an all-purpose grind, though so far I’ve found the press grind to make the very best brew.
So to everyone who has ever recommended I get a French press, I owe you an apology. You spoke the gospel and I, too brainwashed by Mr. Coffee, turned the other cheek. I don’t know why we allegedly don’t like the French, but for the coffee press alone I’d have to declare vive la France!
