Sunday, March 19, 2006

Planetary Designs French Presses

A while ago I gave a glowing review to Planetary Design's Double Shot French Press. Since then I've added two more items from them, the 20oz Table Top French Press and the Desk Press Iris.

Planetary Designs liked my review of the Double Shot so much they sent me the Table Top. While the Double Shot had been my favorite mug/press, that spot was instantly usurped by the Table Top.

I've been through about a dozen French presses in my coffe drinking life, and the Table Top is far and away the best I've ever used. It is stainless steel and will never break, unlike my many other ill-fated press pots. It is insulated as well as the best thermos. This solves a key problem with press pots. They lose their heat too fast. The insulation in the Table Top (and the rest of Planetary Design's French Presses) ensure optimum brewing temperature for the necessary four minutes, producing the best pot of coffee a presspot can make. The filter allows the least amount of sediment in the cup of any French Press I've used. Sediment is a complaint lots of people have with French Presses, and many stop drinking before they reach the bottom of the cup. I don't have to do this with coffee brewed in any of Planetary Design's presses. So here's a long overdue thank you to Planetary Designs for the Table Top. I use it every day!

Unfortunately, in practice, the Double Shot, while great in theory, didn't hold up as well in practice. This is not the fault of the product, but with the University's water supply. It is so awful that coffee brewed with it is undrinkable. So while the double-shot let me stash some ground coffee for later use in the base of the mug, I gave up after a few tries and bought a Desk Press Iris. This gives me a portable 20 oz. of coffee I can leave home with, enough to get me to campus. The insulation keeps it hot for the hour-long drive to school and well into class.

Needless to say, Planetary Design's products come with my highest recommendation!

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