Sep 01 2010
Double Wall French Press
BonJour’s Double Wall French Press
A French press is an ideal way to make the best coffee that many people ignore because they are afraid it will get cold before they are able to drink it. Press pots or French pots that are double walled are one way to get around this and keep the coffee warm longer. No French press will keep coffee as hot as a coffee maker that has a heating element for the carafe to sit on but a double wall French press will retain more heat than a single walled glass French press will which adds some time to the coffee’s life.
Many major brand names in the French press world have become known for their double wall French press pots. This is because people want the best quality pots and double walled pots have longer life spans in addition to keeping the coffee hot longer. Larger sized pots require double walls in order to be able to keep the coffee at a temperature suitable for serving to more than a few guests. Restaurants that offer French press coffee service typically use a double wall French press for this purpose.
Presenting coffee to guests at home or in a restaurant should be viewed as more than simply pouring a cup of coffee into a mug. It is a chance to take the dinner to another level and make it a scene to remember. Using a press pot to prepare the coffee is an ideal way to turn the end of the meal into a memorable moment that will linger. For restaurants this is a chance to make their mark and insure repeat business, for families or couples entertaining friends it is the chance to stand out for serving the best coffee and all with the aid of a double walled press pot.
Double walled French presses are also ideal for travelers. These insulated carafes are able to keep coffee warm longer and don’t require the use of electricity, simply hot water and some ground coffee. Hikers and travelers enjoy being able to linger over their coffee longer than they would have if they didn’t buy the double walled version and many companies are making a double walled version specifically for travelers and campers. This version is made with lighter weight materials that make packing and carrying it easier.
Double walled press pots have another trait that makes them popular and worth the extra cost. These models, particularly the double walled glass, do not break or damage as easily as their single walled counterparts. Everyone knows how easy it is to break glass. However, when the pot is made of double walled glass breakage is a lot less likely to happen.
Double walled, insulated, or thermal are all synonymous with press pots made to last and keep coffee warm longer. The traditional press pot is a single glass layer that not only breaks easily but doesn’t retain heat very well which makes the coffee loses its flavor quickly. Designers solved this with the double wall models and the French press is better than ever.
-Sharon Chapman
Making great coffee in a coffee press is half art and half science, and dependent upon careful application of a complete set of practices. One of these is duration of soak. When the duration is too short, the flavor is weak. When too long, coffee becomes over-extracted and bitter. That’s why the double walled press makes little sense to me. Unless one loves bitter coffee, there’s no reason to leave coffee sitting in its grounds. A better use of double walls might be a serving carafe for maintaining coffee temperature. The press itself doesn’t need double walls to make hot coffee if the press and cups are preheated.