Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

My previous french press was purchased at an uppity chain coffee house, and although it served its purpose when I used pre-ground coffee (I know, I know...) there was always the finer grounds lacquering the bottom of my poured cup. The glass was also rather thin, and although it never broke, it did not retain heat very well even when I'd swirl a full cup of boiling through it prior to brewing. It was also my ex-girlfriends, so now that I've moved out, I needed a new one. Aside from my grandmother's old stovetop percolator*, this press makes the best cup of coffee that my poor grad student, store brand, pre-ground beans could hope for. The dregs at the bottom of the cup are gone, completely held down by the filter while pouring, and the hot water loses a scant few degrees in the 3 minutes I usually allow the grounds to soak for. The construction is solid, with my only annoyance being that there are no lines delineating ounces/ml on the side of the glass carafe. I've corrected this with a sharpie, and added a dash to the lid as well as the first time I used it I failed to line up the pour grating with the lip of the press. Overall I'd give this a 4.5, as my grievances are purely of the 'I'm not careful and generally lazy' variety. An excellent product, it seems to be well made and my morning dark roast and evening hazelnut decaf (don't judge!) are delicious. *Grandma's coffee was as thick as blackstrap molasses and so burnt you could use it in place of creosote to preserve railroad ties, but it was from her so it'll forever hold a special place in my heart. If you don't understand that, well, that's prolly cause your grandma sucked and mine was the best.