Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I went through several glass presses before seeking out a metal one I couldn't break. I've been using the Nissan a month now and am completely happy with it. I'd like to address a couple of issues I see other people raising. Some have said it's not a double-walled thermos. It IS. However, the lid is a single (thick) layer of plastic. You can 'seal' it by rotating the lid so the spout is fully closed, but it's not as insulated as the rest of the press, and it doesn't screw on. What I can't say is how long it would keep fresh-pressed coffee hot, because I wouldn't think of trying to store it. Coffee made in a french press should be consumed IMMEDIATELY. It doesn't keep, hot or cold. You want coffee you can drink three hours from now -- use a drip coffeemaker. The oils that make french pressed coffee taste better than drip also give it a short lifespan. So make what you need, and drink up; it's easy enough to use that making it fresh isn't a hassle. I've seen some reviews expressing concern that the mesh is defective, the wrong size, or hard to replace. I have the leftover parts of several other presses to compare it to, and I can state categorically that the mesh is a standard size, exactly the same as every other mesh on the market. I've held this mesh up under a strong light next to two other brands -- they are identical and completely interchangeable. Same size, same material, same make. I wonder if there's really only one manufacturer and they just sell them to all the makers of french presses to re-brand and resell. So if you're worried about finding a replacement mesh when the time comes, don't fear. You can replace it with the Bodum that can be ordered here at Amazon, or another one you buy, or the old mesh from your Starbucks or Bodum or other press whose glass canister you broke. As long as it's a standard-sized french press (and most of them are) you'll be fine. Several people have complained about the "ill-fitting" mesh letting coffee grounds through. I have to wonder if something they're doing is causing that. It hasn't happened to me even once. No kinks, tears or buckles in the mesh, no loose grounds (at most a couple of strays--a few can get by in any press); after approximately 70 uses, mine still looks like new. Perhaps the people having trouble are shoving the plunger down hard and fast, as actors often do for dramatic effect on TV. Folks, don't do that; the plunger exerts pressure that has to be released somewhere. Tap the canister gently on the countertop a time or two to let the grounds fall on their own, then depress the plunger slowly and evenly. This is true for any press, not just this one; even more so for glass models, because the pressure from a too-swift plunger can cause the glass to explode. Some cheaper presses have a plunger that is partly plastic; they are flimsy and break easily. This one is all steel and heavy-duty. The plunger shaft, embedded through a close-fitting punched-out hole in the plastic lid, moves freely up and down, but isn't going anywhere. It's thick and well-made. The other three parts that screw on (the mesh and the two flatteners) are identical to steel parts you've seen on other presses. No cheap substitutes here. A big thing I like about this model: the dripless pouring spout. Yes, it's plastic, but the coffee doesn't linger there - everything inside the container, where the coffee sits, is all steel. Some reviewers warned of other metal presses that their spouts dribbled, that it was necessary to put a saucer underneath when pouring. This model does NOT suffer from that. Very clean, easy pouring. The plastic does not seem at all fragile or flimsy. To sum up: it's heavy-duty, probably unbreakable, so you can take it anywhere or handle it clumsily without fear. No plastic touches the coffee except the pouring spout. It is cool to the touch. It undoubtedly does keep coffee hot longer than a glass canister, but can't double as a regular thermos because the lid is single-layer and the plunger is not detachable from it. So, if just getting a thermos is your priority, this isn't the item you're looking for. (I would have given it five stars if it had had a spare insulated, non-plunging lid so it could double as a regular thermos.) Plunger is thick, all-metal and probably the same manufacture as other popular brands. Mesh is industry standard size/make and easily replaceable. No-drip pouring. Handle, lid and spout are heavy, thick plastic. Burnished stainless steel finish. What else is there to know? I love mine.