by Rachelle de Bretagne

Created on: March 03, 2013   Last Updated: March 04, 2013

French press coffeemakers are not for everyone. They do have advantages and disadvantages and it's not until you own one that you appreciate what these are. The basic idea of a plunge coffeemaker is to allow someone to have the instant pleasure of tasting coffee made with ground coffee beans as opposed to instant coffee, but not have to wait for a whole pot of coffee to brew. With the amount of different coffeemakers on the market these days, these may seem as if they don't have a definite place, but if you read the following, you will see that they are a valid purchase for the right person and circumstances.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantages are that the coffeemaker only makes a limited amount of coffee. Although the Primula Tempo makes six cups of coffee, the user must remember that this is traditionally sized coffee cups rather than the kind used in most homes, which are larger in size. For a formal get together where the best china is brought out, perhaps these would be suitable, though for gatherings of family members for a cup of coffee, the disadvantage is that the amount of coffee would be limited.

The other disadvantage is the inconvenience of preparation in comparison with machines that offer the user a set amount of coffee using the instantaneous presentation offered by Senseo machines. In the case of the Senseo, a small individual pack provides a set amount of coffee instantly, thus achieving the same thing. The other disadvantage of the press coffee maker is that the coffee goes cold if using the coffee maker for several cups of coffee over a lengthy period of time.

Water has to be boiled separately, which is a disadvantage over stove top coffeemakers or any of the self-contained units available on the market today.

Advantages

The smaller machines available in this day and age seem to have made the use of a French press coffeemaker a little obsolete, though these are still a good option for the connoisseur who likes the freedom of being able to take their coffee to where they are working, and to brew the coffee in a traditional manner. Once the coffee is brewed, depending upon the beans used, the aroma is wonderful and you see immediately the deep rich color of coffee that whets the appetite and really is worthwhile. The truth is you need to own one to see the difference.

The French press coffee maker can be taken into the garden on a sunny day and give the real ambiance of drinking quality coffee, whereas traditional coffeemakers and even the

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>