As soon as coffee is in your stomach, there is a general commotion. Ideas begin to move... similes arise, the paper is covered. Coffee is your ally and writing ceases to be a struggle. - Honor de Balzac (1799-1859)
Over the years, weve owned at least four different coffee makers. The first was an aluminum Moka Express stovetop espresso maker just like the one we used when we lived in Italy years ago. Were not sure what happened to that one -- we vaguely remember that the rubber gasket broke and we were too lazy to replace it.
The next coffee maker was a gift, and it looked similar to the Moka, but its coffee left a lot to be desired.
The third was the classic Bodum Chambord, the glass French Press coffee maker with a metal lid. It served us well for several years, but then we began working at home, and we noticed that our coffee got cold quickly. Even if we get caught up in what were working on, we still eventually realize that we need another infusion of caffeine, and we want it hot, please.
We eventually bought a Bodum Columbia coffee press -- or what the company calls a thermo press. Because its made of double-walled stainless steel, it keeps our coffee hot until we actually finish our second cup. Or third.
The Columbia comes in 3-cup ($39.95), 8-cup ($49.95), and 12-cup ($59.95) sizes, online at bodum.com, cooking.com, and other retailers.
I'm a big fan of presses, especially for making tea, but my boyfriend says that it creates this film along the top of the coffee and makes it taste different. Has anyone else had that issue?