Bodum Columbia Thermal 48-Ounce Stainless-Steel Coffee Press

To use the Columbia press for coffee, grind fresh beans to a coarse consistency, add 2 tablespoons of coffee for every 6 ounces of water, then add hot water and brew for four to five minutes before plunging the press. Tea brews in the same manner, but with whole tea leaves instead. The press holds up to 48 ounces of liquid--enough for 12 small cups of coffee (4 ounces each)--and features Bodum's patented safety lid to keep the contents from spilling. For best results, users should dedicate the press to brewing one beverage only, as coffee and tea flavors tend to cross over when brewed separately in the same vessel. The Columbia coffee and tea press is dishwasher-safe. --Rivers Janssen

The best practices for this press are the following: For a fine cup o' joe, grind fresh beans to a coarse consistency, add 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons of coffee for every 6 ounces of water, add boiling hot water and let the grounds brew for about four to six minutes, depending on how strong you like your coffee before hitting the plunger on top to stop the brewing method.

Tea brews in basically the same manner, but add 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of loose tea leaves for every 6 ounces of water, add boiling hot water for black & oolong teas and almost boiling (170 degrees) for green, herbal and white teas, let the grounds brew for about four to seven minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea, too much longer and you will get a bitter cup of tea, press the plunger and voila... a lovely spot o' tea!

I highly recommend this product! It is crafted of the best quality, is esthetically pleasing to look at & use and will last a lifetime!


Fantastic   January 8, 2004
busy mom (Blacksburg, VA United States)
36 out of 36 found this review helpful

I have tried several types of brewing methods (drip & vacuum), but this coffee press is my absolute favorite. I am able to make hot and robust coffee. Since you control the brew time, water temperature, coarseness of the grounds, & amount of water, you can make your coffee to suit your tastes.

It took me a few pots to tinker with the variables mentioned above, but it was well worth it. It is a little more trouble than a drip machine, but I got much smoother yet richer coffee with this method.

The pot is sleek and easy to clean. It does a decent job of keeping coffee hot, although a lot of heat seems to escape through the top once you press the coffee grounds down. Also, it makes 12 FOUR ounce cups. Most drip machines are measured in SIX ounce cups, so choose your pot size with care. Occassionally a tiny amount of grounds get through the filter (common with this brew method), but for the most part I have been happy with the filter.

I would definitely purchase this product again!


The Best Coffe Maker Ever   December 4, 2004
book worm (library bookstacks)
18 out of 19 found this review helpful

This coffee pot is the best.

My husband is a coffee lover and has brewed coffee all the different ways possible, and by far, he claims this is the best. I, myself, find the coffee the best tasting that I have ever tasted. Out of the French presses, this is the best design since it is made out of metal whereas the glass versions do not last very long and end up breaking. Also, the filter, being not only very environmentally friendly, is constructed in one piece. The other French presses have filters made in two parts, and that can be a bit of a pain when grinds get caught and are hard to clean.

It is ideal that the pot is thermal. There's no need to reheat.

I give it an A+.

ADDENDUM: and a special NB for latex allergy sufferers: (Oct. 28, 2007)

The strainer for this coffee pot has rubber around its edges, which break down after a couple of years, making the coffee taste gnarly, and for those that are allergic to latex, a fine latex tea. I'd recommend replacing the strainer, and for those with latex allergies, I wouldn't recommend this pot.


Nice! But tastes like rubber if it sits...   November 23, 2005
J. Torrey (MI)
18 out of 18 found this review helpful

Just like every review; I will also say nothing beats a coffee press! I used to have a glass, 8-cup press which I had for 2 years and just loved it. The glass broke, and instead of replacing it, I seen this (non-breakable) stainless, insulated, 12 cup unit (I love coffee). I made my first pot and just like the glass press, it tasted fantastic the first round. The second round; it had the smell and taste of the rubber gasket around the screen (and yes I washed it thoroughly). I sure hope this issue subsides with usage. I would have preferred if they stuck to spring gasket (like the glass pot). Perhaps the metal on metal prohibited this design. All-in-all, I wish I just replaced the decanter.


This is the last coffee press you will ever have to buy!   September 11, 2004
Tim (United States)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful

Bodum has done a wonderful job with the Columbia line of presses. I have had mine for over two years now and I would buy another one (if I needed one) in a heartbeat. I recommend this press to anyone looking for an easy to use and clean durable French press. I will try to get into detail of why I love this press so much.

First it's very easy to clean. That is so important in coffee making. Old coffee oils or even worse old grounds can destroy a pot of fresh brewed coffee. The Columbia completely disassembles by hand into 5 total parts (pitcher, lid, filter rod, filter screen and a cylinder nut) and is dishwasher safe. A daily rinse and towel dry is a must and is easy to do. I then run mine through the dishwasher one a week or so. It's very easy to keep clean and that's a big plus for me.

It's easy to use. That sounds dumb to say about a coffee press, but the Columbia is no exception. The lid fits nicely and the filter screen seals to the sidewalls very well. As long as your grind is not too fine the screen does not clog either. The spout is also drip free when pouring the fresh coffee. The handle is also nicely shaped as to really give me confidence when pouring. Brewing with this press is the same as any other press:

1) Heat fresh cold filtered water to 195-205F in a kettle.

2) Prepare press by removing lid and filter assembly. Preheat the carafe with hot water if you wish (discard before brewing).

3) As the water in the kettle hits brewing temperature grind your fresh roasted (3-14 days) coffee to a medium coarse grind (burr grinders are best). The grind is important! Experiment until you have a grind that is just coarse enough not to clog the filter when pressing it down then adjust the amount of coffee you use to your own taste. I like one gram per fluid ounce of water, so 32oz of water gets 32g of ground coffee.

4) Dump the grounds into the press carafe and when the water is at temperature pour the water over the grounds. Stir to completely submerse the grounds. Place lid on top of carafe with filter rod pulled all the way up so the filter is above the coffee/water mixture.

5) After 3 1/2 to 5 minutes (depending on your taste) slowly press the filter rod down through the coffee. Pour and enjoy.

It really is that simple. What I really like is that press brewing and the Columbia press can allow the user to really experiment with grind size and brew time. With that ability anyone can develop a system that produces perfect results for them. Whether you like strong and thick or light and mild with the proper grind and brew time the Columbia can deliver!

The Columbia just looks nice. It's a real functional piece of art. Looks as at home on the morning breakfast table or evening dinning room table. The smooth elegant lines are a pleasure to the eye any time of day.

The Columbia like any press is able to produce a cup with any intensity in flavors and a terrific aroma. There is nothing like good press brewed coffee. Is there bad press coffee? Oh yes, especially if you break the general coffee rules (use only fresh roasted beans, the best grinder you can afford and proper brewing temperatures). Follow a few simple rules however and the Columbia will deliver in every pot and every cup.

I also like the Columbia line because of the all stainless (except filter screen which is a high density resin like material) steel construction. On the Chambord line the cylinder nut is plastic. Not so on the Columbia.

All things considered I love my Columbia brewer and it has been my almost daily brewer for well over two years. It still makes coffee as good as the day I bought it. With no mechanical components the press should last forever and still looks good. I simply love the thing and I know you will too. What are you waiting for?