It’s been more than four years since I raved about the simple pleasure of brewing coffee with a French press. Since then, the coffee world has seen some big changes, and every day, more folks are discovering the joy of making their own high-quality, freshly roasted coffee right at home. With all these shifts happening, I’m still a firm believer in the trusty French press as your go-to for better coffee.
In the past few months, two heavyweights in the specialty “third wave” coffee scene, Stumptown and Intelligentsia, got themselves cozy with Peet’s Coffee & Tea. If that’s not a sign that there’s a growing hunger for top-notch coffee, I don’t know what is. And guess what? Big players in the world of housewares are catching on too, launching new products aimed at all of us coffee lovers who appreciate the good stuff.
KitchenAid, the genius behind the iconic stand mixer that’s been a kitchen staple since 1919, is stepping into the exciting world of specialty coffee. They’ve brewed up a fresh line of “craft coffee” products that are making waves. Picture this: a robust burr grinder, an auto drip inspired by the art of “pour over,” an electric syphon wizard, a home espresso machine, and the star of the show, the Precision (French) Press. And let me tell you, the Precision Press got my attention in this new coffee lineup.
Now, I have to admit, I’m usually a bit skeptical when big brands venture into the coffee world, especially outside of the specialty industry. But every now and then, something catches my eye and draws me in. KitchenAid sent me their new Precision Press, and I couldn’t wait to dive in and give it a whirl. So, here’s my experience and my two cents on where this little wonder fits in the ever-expanding coffee market.
The French press – it’s where my journey into home coffee brewing began, and there’s a certain nostalgia there. Even though I’ve grown to appreciate the clean body and flavor profiles that paper filters bring to the table, the press pot holds a special place in my heart. It delivers a brew that’s akin to a cupping session, with that satisfyingly weighty mouthfeel. It’s a wonderful bridge for folks transitioning to the world of lightly roasted specialty coffees.
But what I truly adore is how approachable it is. You don’t need any fancy gadgets or special techniques. Just toss in your coffee grounds, pour in steaming water, let it mingle for a few minutes, and then, the grand finale – the press. It’s the embodiment of simplicity, and that’s precisely why it remains a go-to method for countless coffee lovers, even if they haven’t yet dived into the deep waters of coffee quality. It’s where coffee magic begins.
When I recommend how to get the best coffee experience at home, there’s a list of things I suggest having: fresh roasted coffee from a quality roaster, a good burr grinder, a brew method of choice, clean water, a timer, and a scale. By time I get to the scale, most people begin to feel overwhelmed. A scale often seems like a step too far for many people. It pushes them over the edge from an everyday coffee lover to a pretentious coffee snob. The scale tends to be viewed as an unwieldy, time consuming, and uneccessary step. Trying to explain the importance of consistency and differences in bean density and variety size will be greeted with a look of sheer confusion.
Despite the off-putting nature of using a scale, coffee professionals know how important it is for brewing better coffee and being consistent from cup to cup, the same way a good baker will measure their ingredients by weight rather than volume. The KitchenAid Precision Press has helped bridge the divide by integrating a scale and a timer into the pot itself. Meaning the only other significant tool you would need for brewing great coffee, other than hot water, is a grinder—simplifying the process.
The Precision Press is made from double walled stainless steel which adds heat insulation and prevents you from having to replace the millions of glass beakers that you will inevitably break otherwise. It has a capacity of 25oz (.74L) which falls short for larger dinner parties, but it is much more practical for every day use. The plunger, which filters the coffee, has a much more robust design than that you will see on cheaper press pots. The steel filter mesh is reinforced with a steel frame that I found reduces the sediment in the cup producing a pretty clean cup as far as standard press pots are concerned. There is also a thick rubber gasket around the outer edge of the plunger which requires a bit of finesse when you first begin to plunge, although I imagine it will break-in after more use. Overall, it filters and pours the coffee pretty well on the spectrum of products already available on the market.
The functional element of the scale is built into the base of the pot and uses 2 AAA batteries to power it. All of the controls and the display are integrated into the rubber gripped handle; with buttons for power, timer start/stop, and tare (zero). The controls are simple and easy to use and the screen is clear and legible. Holding the tare button for three seconds will change the measurement from grams to ounces and everything shuts off by itself after 9 minutes of being idle. The refresh rate of the scale is not as quick as the Acaia scale, but is still on par with most of its battery powered peers.
There are of course a few drawbacks that should be pointed out. Some of these issues could probably be amended on future versions, but I imagine it might add more cost to the current retail price ($149) and neither of them are necessarily deal breakers. My first point of concern is the use of AAA batteries. Maybe, I’ve been spoiled by the Acaia scale, but I want all of my daily use electronics to be rechargeable, preferably with a universal USB cable. I don’t want to search for a screwdriver to change the batteries in my French press just so I can brew my morning coffee.
Also, since this press pot has electronic components, it needs a bit of special attention while cleaning. The pot is not supposed to be fully submerged in water, which means that when it’s time to clean up, you’ll need to rinse it, hand wash and wipe it down with more caution than with a standard press pot, most of which can be thrown in the dishwasher. Lastly, this is more of a personal preference, the polished stainless steel exterior is lovely when you pull it out of the box for the first time, but it will never look as good ever again. Smudges galore. I would prefer one of KitchenAid’s black pearl coatings or a brushed steel finish—but that’s just the designer in me picking over the details.
Ultimately, the Precision Press isn’t meant for everyone. If you already have a functioning press pot, there’s no need to run out and replace it with one of these, just buy yourself a scale. And if you’ve already crossed the bridge to home brewing and own a scale, the Precision Press is simply an extravagance. However, if you have a friend or family member you are trying to convert in the most approachable way, with as few steps and extra devices as possible, that is where this product becomes incredibly useful. The Precision Press is meant for your parents, or your vacation home, or any other uncoordinated loved ones who have no interest in balancing a stack of items on a scale before they’re fully awake in the morning. In those situations, the Precision Press will not only be useful, but also appreciated as much as the elevated cup of coffee that it makes.
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