TMiller Senior Member Joined: 28 Jul 2012 Posts: 24 Location: Queens, New York Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Feb 18, 2013, 10:51am Subject: Upgrading: Will French Press, Hario Slim Grinder, and Fresh Beans Be Good Start?
I've posted a similar thread to this one, however I've finally narrowed my choice down to a Bodum Chambord French Press and a Hario Slim Grinder. Would this be an appropriate method for a beginner? I was also considering a Clever Dripper but I'd have to order it online, and my local Bed Bath and Beyond has a French Press already. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
CheapBastid Senior Member Joined: 3 Dec 2012 Posts: 59 Location: Los Angeles Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: None Grinder: Talking myself into a LIDO Vac Pot: None Drip: Mr Coffee Roaster: None
Posted Mon Feb 18, 2013, 12:16pm Subject: Re: Upgrading: Will Press, Hario Slim, and Fresh Beans Be Good Start?
I'm far from an expert, but I had a french press for years, and the coffee was never great as my grinder's pretty crappy (Cuisinart Burr grinder). The extended steep time in a press with a mix of fines and boulders didn't allow for the interesting flavors to come through.
Even with my crap grinder using an Aeropress and fresh beans from Intelligencia was a life changing event. I can't recommend an AeroPress enough.
nachoslibres Senior Member Joined: 3 Dec 2012 Posts: 22 Location: Tyler, Texas Expertise: I love coffee
Grinder: Baratza Vario-W Drip: Bunn trifecta MB
Posted Mon Feb 18, 2013, 2:53pm Subject: Re: Upgrading: Will Press, Hario Slim, and Fresh Beans Be Good Start?
I used a french press with a crappy grinder and it worked fine. I plan on using it again when I need to brew multiple cups of coffee at once. It's pretty easy to use and isn't that hard to clean up.
EDIT: CheapBastid, my grinder was a crappy Cuisinart burr grinder as well. Maybe the coffee wasn't as good as I remembered but once I upgraded I couldn't even get my parents to take it over their blade grinder. They said it just didn't grind fine enough (which was true).
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,692 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Mon Feb 18, 2013, 10:38pm Subject: Re: Upgrading: Will Press, Hario Slim, and Fresh Beans Be Good Start?
The slim is a better grinder than that cr@p cuisinart those guys are talking about. If you go with the chambord press, consider the filter mod offered on sweet Maria's. it'll give you a cleaner cup (less fines).
I'm not going to argue with you about the Cuisinart being crap (don't I know it). But it seems (from my reading) that the slim may not be the best choice for press, as the burrs have 'play' when grinding coarse.
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,692 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Tue Feb 19, 2013, 9:34pm Subject: Re: Upgrading: Will Press, Hario Slim, and Fresh Beans Be Good Start?
Sorry about the typos in my previous post. I'll fix them in a minute.
Take a look at the Hario Skerton. It's basically the same grinder as the slim, but higher capacity and slightly more expensive. Orphan Espresso offers a $15 mod to stabilize the upper burr, thereby improving it's press pot capability. Of course, if you can part with $180, you can just buy a Lido.
TMiller Senior Member Joined: 28 Jul 2012 Posts: 24 Location: Queens, New York Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Feb 20, 2013, 3:20pm Subject: L
That's what I was trying to figure out, whether the Hario would be able properly grind for a French Press. I hear that its coarsest setting is good enough for a "passable" French Press grind, a little on the finer side. That's why I am kind of skeptical.
That's what I was trying to figure out, whether the Hario would be able properly grind for a French Press. I hear that its coarsest setting is good enough for a "passable" French Press grind, a little on the finer side. That's why I am kind of skeptical.
I'm happy to offer some opinions as I started with the Hario Mini and a french press. I quickly moved on to an electric burr grinder and never looked back. While the french press is the easiest brewer from the standpoint of someone new to coffee, I really feel that you need a better grinder to get the most out of it. If you really do not want to spring for something such as the Baratza Encore or an OE LIDO (my highest recommendation for a manual grinder in that price range), I would recommend that you look at an Aeropress. I used an Aeropress with a Hario Mini and Skerton and it worked great. They are great for travel AND home. That said, I would advocate investing in a higher quality grinder if you will continue drinking coffee. It's a worthwhile investment and if you think you may upgrade at some point anyways, a grinder is the one piece of equipment that I would recommend jumping to the top for.
... just my own personal experience and my resulting opinions.
French Press. I think its continuing popularity is due to low cost and the number of posts that come up on searches. I my opinion, it is an obsolete coffee-making appliance. Sure, it is easy to use and costs very little (comparatively speaking) but the amount of sludge in the coffee and the bitterness it creates is intolerable to me. There are better choices:
1 - For a lot less money, get a pour over device. This can be something as simple as the Melitta cones which go from a one cup size to a full pot size. Starting for about $5.
2 - Making the French press obsolete from the moment it was introduced is the Espro press. Works like a press pot but with a modern filter system that virtually eliminates the sludge. You get the full body of press pot but without the crunchiness. These are quite a bit more expensive than a french press but the vacuum insulated stainless steel vessel will survive a drop in teh sink, keeps the coffee hot, and the filter works so well that after pressing the brew stops. In a French press, the water is still in contact with the coffee and over extraction can take place if left too long.
You might also consider a cordless kettle, but check user reviews on Amazon before purchase as the majority of them do not last and/or have numerous problems.
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