Premium Frieling Double-Walled Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker - 36oz Brushed Finish for Heat Retention | Perfect for Home, Office & Camping Brewing

What follows is a long-winded review, read this around bedtime if you are having trouble falling asleep! ;-) For those seeking the Reader's Digest version - overall, I think the Freiling French Press, though expensive, is the best French Press money can buy. I have tried offerings from 4-5 other French Press makers, including Espro and Bodum, and the Freiling IMHO has the highest quality build, has the best heat retention capability during the brew cycle, and will be the most durable long term due to its 100% 18/10 stainless construction - no plastic parts here!!. It is one of the very few 100% stainless French Presses you can find - plus it also a very attractive vessel to boot! I actually leave it out on my counter due to its good looks!! There are many good reasons why the Freiling French Press are the best sellers, and why reviews here on Amazon are so plentiful and positive. Amongst those reasons are quality, reliability, consistency and durability.Do realize however, that just because you spend the money and buy a Freiling will NOT guarantee you will automatically start making great coffee - as with any French Press the method is more important than the tool! You must pay attention to ALL of the variables involved in correct coffee extraction procedures - if you want the best coffee possible with a French Press, it is all about the process - assuring correct brew temperature, you use freshly ground beans, you are using an adequate grinder that grinds to consistent texture, and more!! Below I offer some tips to assuring a great cup of coffee with the Freiling, those may help in your pursuit of the perfect cup!!Just as important - do realize that the Freiling is a BREWING vessel ;-) and not a STORAGE carafe. You will see in the reviews that some complain the Freiling does not keep their coffee "hot" for hours - the coffee should only stay in the Freiling for around four minutes to brew, you will need a nice storage carafe to keep it hot thereafter!! Those that keep the coffee in the press with the grounds after the four minute mark are destroying the taste. Moreover, even if you transfer the coffee out, and remove the grounds and then use the Freiling as your storage vessel - you would be much better served purchasing a separate carafe to store the coffee when done. The Freiling is NOT an ideal storage carafe. (For example - I use a Zojirushi glass lined carafe for my needs).***End of Reader's Digest version - now on to the details!!Here is what I like about the Freiling Press:- Double Wall carafe construction - this is both ideal and necessary for the ever-so critical heat retention during your preheating and steeping phases. The method I employ can hold brew temps between 195 and 204 throughout the entire steeping / brewing phase, and I could never accomplish that with other presses made of glass, plastic, etc. Some have claimed that the Freiling is vacuum sealed in addition, but it is not - it is double walled and that is it. *** Note - I typically keep my brew temps around 200-202 degrees - please Google "SCAA recommended coffee brewing temperatures" for some background on correct temps to brew / extract coffee**- 100% 18/10 stainless - beautifully finished, but it is more than just good looks - the thick stainless assures the press will last for a long time and it will aid in heat retention already mentioned. It is durable and virtually indestructible if used with any modicum of care and not dropped daily on the tile! My 33oz Freiling is 3 years old, and it operates like the day I bought it. Plus, it still looks good also - other than a couple of minor scratches to the polished stainless exterior.- Top / Plunger assembly comes apart for thorough cleaning. You get a sense of the attention to detail and the cost it takes to make a Freiling press when you disassemble the constituent parts that make up the top / plunger. It wreaks of quality through and through... the fact it can be disassembled, and remains 100% stainless is no small feat, and a testament to the quality - and why it costs so much. Consider what it takes to be able to deliver this assembly - and why competing press makers don't!- Double walled top / lid - I already mentioned the double walled carafe - but the fact the lid is ALSO double walled construction is worth calling out- again, the competitors don't even approach this and even make their tops / lids out of PLASTIC says it all.- They are darned nice to look at! Let's face it - they are an attractive vessel.Here is what I don't like about the Freiling:- Price - this one is more of a whine ;-) and not anything wrong with the product, but hey, I can still not like it! Bottom line is I would still buy it again.. To make it less painful, I got this 44oz version for $98 here on Amazon - it was in my cart for over a year in the $125 range, and when I saw the price drop temporarily I jumped on it!- The top on my 33oz version had a weld seam failure around the hole where the plunger is inserted - causing the top to fill with water that I could not get back out. HOWEVER, Freiling sent me a new top when I asked with no hassle... it was a "one-off" problem and don't expect it to happen on my other Freilings.- I can't think of anything of substance I DON'T like about the Freiling - if you learn how to use it, perfect your method then this is the top of the heap when it comes to French Press. It is the best tool for the Press job IMHO.I have owned the 33 oz Freiling Stainless Press for a few years and have used it almost daily to make my morning coffee (except for the once a week I use my Technivorm drip brewer). Therefore, I do have experience with Freiling's presses, and understand how to best utilize them to squeeze out the optimal cup of coffee.Some pointers / things to think about as you pursue the "perfect" cup of coffee:- Make sure and pre-heat your Press and storage carafe in advance - don't put your coffee / boiling water into a cold French Press; and don't put your finished product in a cold storage carafe!!! (google it, this affects the taste). At a minimum, use hot tap water to pre-heat, which usually gets to 130-140 degrees. Personally, I use boiling water to pre-heat - you can boil it on the stove, or perhaps use something like a Zojirushi hot water kettle / boiler that is ready in advance when you wake!- Use fresh beans, and grind the beans right before use. Coffee beans are best within two weeks of roasting, and most store bought beans can be MANY weeks old by the time you buy them. If you can find a local source for your beans that are fresh, do it. You will notice a marked improvement in your finished product.- Buy a decent quality grinder. The $20 blade grinders are just not good enough for French Press - it needs a consistent, coarse grind. At a minimum, I recommend a Capresso Infinity for around $70, then use the "Coarse" settings, dialing it in to where you eliminate 95% of the sludge in your cup. I use an Orphan Espresso LIDO hand grinder ($150), and alternate that with a Capresso Infinity. You can also get a Baratza Virtuoso if you want to spend more! The grind is CRITICAL - it needs to be the correct coarseness - but more importantly needs to be CONSISTENT. Consistency is the main challenge for most cheap grinders on the market.- Assure your steeping / brewing temperatures are in the 195-204 degree range. This is not my own recommendation, this is the "proven" range for the best coffee extraction. Invest in something like a Thermapen, or a cheaper temperature probe, that allows you to test the water temperature while steeping. Another critical step to success. For my brewing, I stay in the 200-202 range typically during the four minute brew cycle. *** Note - please Google "SCAA recommended coffee brewing temperatures" for some background on correct temps to brew / extract coffee**- Depress the plunger SLOWLY when it is time, doing it too fast will cause sediment. Also, if the plunger seems to get "stuck", lift it ever so slightly, then depress again!- Fill the water level BELOW the spout depression / line in the carafe when filling for brewing / steeping. This will help guarantee less grounds in your finished product.To summarize - now that you have spent the $$ on a top of the line French Press, consider getting a good grinder that can consistently grind on a coarse setting without a lot of "fines" in the grind; considerr purchasing a good temperature probe (like a Thermapen to check your temperatures of different components throughout the process to find what needs tweaking; consider getting fresh coffee beans. This will give you an even better cup in the end... also, search the web for you tube videos, etc on different processes, find out what works best for you. Once you experience a "perfectly" executed cup of press coffee, you will be hooked!! ;-)Thanks for reading, and best of luck in your choice!What follows is a long-winded review, read this around bedtime if you are having trouble falling asleep! ;-) For those seeking the Reader's Digest version - overall, I think the Freiling French Press, though expensive, is the best French Press money can buy. I have tried offerings from 4-5 other French Press makers, including Espro and Bodum, and the Freiling IMHO has the highest quality build, has the best heat retention capability during the brew cycle, and will be the most durable long term due to its 100% 18/10 stainless construction - no plastic parts here!!. It is one of the very few 100% stainless French Presses you can find - plus it also a very attractive vessel to boot! I actually leave it out on my counter due to its good looks!! There are many good reasons why the Freiling French Press are the best sellers, and why reviews here on Amazon are so plentiful and positive. Amongst those reasons are quality, reliability, consistency and durability.Do realize however, that just because you spend the money and buy a Freiling will NOT guarantee you will automatically start making great coffee - as with any French Press the method is more important than the tool! You must pay attention to ALL of the variables involved in correct coffee extraction procedures - if you want the best coffee possible with a French Press, it is all about the process - assuring correct brew temperature, you use freshly ground beans, you are using an adequate grinder that grinds to consistent texture, and more!! Below I offer some tips to assuring a great cup of coffee with the Freiling, those may help in your pursuit of the perfect cup!!Just as important - do realize that the Freiling is a BREWING vessel ;-) and not a STORAGE carafe. You will see in the reviews that some complain the Freiling does not keep their coffee "hot" for hours - the coffee should only stay in the Freiling for around four minutes to brew, you will need a nice storage carafe to keep it hot thereafter!! Those that keep the coffee in the press with the grounds after the four minute mark are destroying the taste. Moreover, even if you transfer the coffee out, and remove the grounds and then use the Freiling as your storage vessel - you would be much better served purchasing a separate carafe to store the coffee when done. The Freiling is NOT an ideal storage carafe. (For example - I use a Zojirushi glass lined carafe for my needs).***End of Reader's Digest version - now on to the details!!Here is what I like about the Freiling Press:- Double Wall carafe construction - this is both ideal and necessary for the ever-so critical heat retention during your preheating and steeping phases. The method I employ can hold brew temps between 195 and 204 throughout the entire steeping / brewing phase, and I could never accomplish that with other presses made of glass, plastic, etc. Some have claimed that the Freiling is vacuum sealed in addition, but it is not - it is double walled and that is it. *** Note - I typically keep my brew temps around 200-202 degrees - please Google "SCAA recommended coffee brewing temperatures" for some background on correct temps to brew / extract coffee**- 100% 18/10 stainless - beautifully finished, but it is more than just good looks - the thick stainless assures the press will last for a long time and it will aid in heat retention already mentioned. It is durable and virtually indestructible if used with any modicum of care and not dropped daily on the tile! My 33oz Freiling is 3 years old, and it operates like the day I bought it. Plus, it still looks good also - other than a couple of minor scratches to the polished stainless exterior.- Top / Plunger assembly comes apart for thorough cleaning. You get a sense of the attention to detail and the cost it takes to make a Freiling press when you disassemble the constituent parts that make up the top / plunger. It wreaks of quality through and through... the fact it can be disassembled, and remains 100% stainless is no small feat, and a testament to the quality - and why it costs so much. Consider what it takes to be able to deliver this assembly - and why competing press makers don't!- Double walled top / lid - I already mentioned the double walled carafe - but the fact the lid is ALSO double walled construction is worth calling out- again, the competitors don't even approach this and even make their tops / lids out of PLASTIC says it all.- They are darned nice to look at! Let's face it - they are an attractive vessel.Here is what I don't like about the Freiling:- Price - this one is more of a whine ;-) and not anything wrong with the product, but hey, I can still not like it! Bottom line is I would still buy it again.. To make it less painful, I got this 44oz version for $98 here on Amazon - it was in my cart for over a year in the $125 range, and when I saw the price drop temporarily I jumped on it!- The top on my 33oz version had a weld seam failure around the hole where the plunger is inserted - causing the top to fill with water that I could not get back out. HOWEVER, Freiling sent me a new top when I asked with no hassle... it was a "one-off" problem and don't expect it to happen on my other Freilings.- I can't think of anything of substance I DON'T like about the Freiling - if you learn how to use it, perfect your method then this is the top of the heap when it comes to French Press. It is the best tool for the Press job IMHO.In addition to this 44oz Freiling Stainless Press, I have owned the 33 oz Freiling Stainless Press for a few years and have used it almost daily to make my morning coffee (except for the once a week I use my Technivorm drip brewer). Therefore, I do have experience with Freiling's presses, and understand how to best utilize them to squeeze out the optimal cup of coffee. So, why did I buy the 44oz Freiling when I already own the 33oz? For one, that extra cup on some days makes a difference ;-) and second I think the Freilings are cool, have grown attached to them and see absolutely nothing wrong with owning two different sizes!! Lol. So there it is...Finally, some pointers / things to think about as you pursue the "perfect" cup of coffee:- Make sure and pre-heat your Press and storage carafe in advance - don't put your coffee / boiling water into a cold French Press; and don't put your finished product in a cold storage carafe!!! (google it, this affects the taste). At a minimum, use hot tap water to pre-heat, which usually gets to 130-140 degrees. Personally, I use boiling water to pre-heat - you can boil it on the stove, or perhaps use something like a Zojirushi hot water kettle / boiler that is ready in advance when you wake!- Use fresh beans, and grind the beans right before use. Coffee beans are best within two weeks of roasting, and most store bought beans can be MANY weeks old by the time you buy them. If you can find a local source for your beans that are fresh, do it. You will notice a marked improvement in your finished product.- Buy a decent quality grinder. The $20 blade grinders are just not good enough for French Press - it needs a consistent, coarse grind. At a minimum, I recommend a Capresso Infinity for around $70, then use the "Coarse" settings, dialing it in to where you eliminate 95% of the sludge in your cup. I use an Orphan Espresso LIDO hand grinder ($150), and alternate that with a Capresso Infinity. You can also get a Baratza Virtuoso if you want to spend more! The grind is CRITICAL - it needs to be the correct coarseness - but more importantly needs to be CONSISTENT. Consistency is the main challenge for most cheap grinders on the market.- Assure your steeping / brewing temperatures are in the 195-204 degree range. This is not my own recommendation, this is the "proven" range for the best coffee extraction. Invest in something like a Thermapen, or a cheaper temperature probe, that allows you to test the water temperature while steeping. Another critical step to success. For my brewing, I stay in the 200-202 range typically during the four minute brew cycle. *** Note - please Google "SCAA recommended coffee brewing temperatures" for some background on correct temps to brew / extract coffee**- Depress the plunger SLOWLY when it is time, doing it too fast will cause sediment. Also, if the plunger seems to get "stuck", lift it ever so slightly, then depress again!- Fill the water level BELOW the spout depression / line in the carafe when filling for brewing / steeping. This will help guarantee less grounds in your finished product.To summarize - now that you have spent the $$ on a top of the line French Press, consider getting a good grinder that can consistently grind on a coarse setting without a lot of "fines" in the grind; considerr purchasing a good temperature probe (like a Thermapen to check your temperatures of different components throughout the process to find what needs tweaking; consider getting fresh coffee beans. This will give you an even better cup in the end... also, search the web for you tube videos, etc on different processes, find out what works best for you. Once you experience a "perfectly" executed cup of press coffee, you will be hooked!! ;-)Thanks for reading, and best of luck in your choice!This is a very expensive item, but I thought it better to spend on the small 0102, rather than the 0130. The 17 fl oz 0102 fills a large mug, so it is not worth thinking about the smaller sizes for everyday use. The difference between this, and other French Press devices becomes obvious from first use. The Frieling USA is manufactured in China, but the build quality is excellent. I use the KitchenAid Burr Grinder, and a specially purchased egg timer which runs for 4 minutes (it is much simpler than setting a digital timer 15 times a day). If you are going to get the larger Frieling, you need to decant the brewed coffee after the 4 minutes Press time, into a pre-warmed insulated carafe (I have a Zojirushi). The Frieling 0102 is my go-to device every day now. It should last for years, but I have added the Frieling 0130 to my Amazon Wish List. ******* the expense, buy it, highly recommended.If you like coffee there is no other french press this thing is great coffee stays warm for an hour easily with it’s insulation i’ll Never buy another french press again!Almost immediately the rivet on the lid detached. The press is still usable but the lids gets filled with water/liquid over time. I contacted the comapany and the warranty required shipping to the US. So it was worthless. I recommend checking out the Mueller brand instead. It's half the price and doesn't have this flaw.I've broken so many glass beakers that it was time to upgrade to stainless steel. Mine is an 8 oz. capacity (baby bodum), which I verified with water and a measuring cup. However, the actual coffee yield is LESS than 8 oz. because of the grinds at the bottom taking up space and absorbing water, etc.When making my coffee, I fill it right to the point where the base of the spout indentation begins, about an inch from the top. There is no marker or line, so you have to eyeball it. A smidgeon higher, and you'll have grinds in your coffee. A solution would be to only fill it to BELOW the spout, but the yield is so small that I go right to the base of the spout and use a small strainer when pouring my coffee. DO NOT try to fill it higher, or else you will have hot water and grinds spray out as you begin to push the plunger down, no matter how gently.Anyway, I read a lot of reviews and decided to go with the Frieling, despite the high price point. It's a solid press, and the coffee does not have any metal taste, as I've read with other brands. Although I wish it yielded a full 8 oz. of coffee, I'm still quite happy with it.Amendment: I just finished my coffee and thought I'd measure again before dumping the grinds and washing up. I poured tap water into the unit, pressed it, and poured the brown water into a measuring cup. Just a hair shy of 8 oz. Hmmm... sorry about that. I'll change my rating from 4 stars to 5.Used one of the smaller models for ages and decided we needed something a bit bigger. Item arrived with some scratches on the plunger and the seller reached out immediately. Apparently this is common with their machining process as she sent pics of a few more that had the same thing. She gave me her direct contact and said to call if there are every any issues. Great service!Solid press regardless. Thick insulated wall, keeps coffee warm for a while but of course as it sits in the grounds the flavor takes a hit. If anything the insulation keeps the water hot during brewing. Easy to disassemble and clean. They seem to have been updated in the past few years as they now feature a double mesh filter. Much smoother coffee than the old version.