The Bodum French press is, for many coffee drinkers, the French press: a tall glass beaker in a slim metal frame that turns coarse grounds and hot water into rich, full-bodied coffee in about four minutes. Bodum is a Danish housewares company, founded in 1944, and its Bodum Chambord design made the cafetiere a kitchen icon. This guide walks through who Bodum is, which models differ how, what the confusing "cup" sizes really mean, and how to choose and use one.
If you want the brewing method in full, see our french press guide; for getting the grind right, read how to grind coffee for a French press. This page is specifically about the Bodum brand and its line.
What the Bodum French press is, and who Bodum is
Bodum was founded in Copenhagen in 1944 by Peter Bodum and is still family-owned, run today from Switzerland by his son Jorgen Bodum. The company is known for clean Scandinavian design and affordable, well-made coffee and tea gear sold in more than 50 countries. Its most famous product is the press pot, and the Bodum coffee French press remains the reference point most people picture when they hear "cafetiere."
The classic is the Chambord. Its design traces back to the MELIOR press, designed by the French firm Martin S.A. in the 1950s. Bodum acquired the rights to that Melior pot in the early 1980s, refined it, and registered the "Chambord" trademark in 1983, naming it after the Chateau de Chambord; Bodum went on to acquire Martin S.A. itself in 1991. The look is unmistakable: a borosilicate glass beaker held in a polished chrome-plated steel frame, with a domed lid and a rounded handle. It is the design that most other presses imitate.
How a French press makes coffee
A French press is full-immersion brewing. Coarse grounds steep directly in hot water, then a metal mesh plunger pushes the grounds to the bottom so you can pour. Because the mesh lets oils and fine particles through, the cup is heavier and more textured than paper-filtered coffee. Nothing about that is unique to Bodum, but Bodum's frames, beakers, and three-part mesh screens are the parts most widely copied and most widely available as spares.
The Bodum French press model range
Bodum sells several presses that brew identically but differ in frame material, insulation, and price tier. Knowing the line makes it easy to pick the right one.
Chambord (the classic)
Glass beaker in a chrome-plated steel frame with a steel-and-plastic handle. It is the iconic Bodum cafetiere French press: elegant, repairable, and the model most guides mean when they say "a Bodum." The glass shows the coffee and is easy to clean, but it offers no insulation, so coffee cools as it sits.
Brazil and Kenya (budget, plastic frame)
The Brazil uses the same borosilicate glass beaker as the Chambord but sets it in a BPA-free plastic housing instead of a steel frame, which lowers the cost; it often comes in a range of colours. The Kenya is a similar entry-level press with a plastic casing and a simpler look. Both brew exactly like the Chambord; you are mainly trading the metal frame for plastic to save money.
Columbia (double-wall stainless, keeps coffee hot)
The Columbia is the thermal model. Instead of glass, it uses a double-wall insulated stainless-steel pot that keeps coffee hot far longer than a glass press, which makes it the pick for slow morning drinkers or anyone serving a table over time. It is more durable and shatter-proof, but you cannot see the brew and it costs more.
Eileen (designer)
The Eileen is a tribute to the Irish-born designer Eileen Gray, built from borosilicate glass, stainless and chrome-plated steel, and plastic, with a more sculptural frame. It brews like a Chambord with a dressier silhouette.
Travel Press (a press that is also a mug)
The Travel Press is a press built into an insulated travel tumbler: brew, press, screw on the lid, and walk out the door with the grounds held at the bottom. It is the easy pick for commuters and travelers. Note that Bodum also sells a near-identical travel mug with no plunger, so check that the listing actually says "Travel Press" if you want the brewing version.
Shatter-resistant and sustainable options
If breakage worries you, the stainless options (Columbia, Travel Press) remove the glass entirely. Bodum has also introduced presses such as its Eko line using more sustainable materials including recycled plastics, if that matters to you.
Comparison: Bodum French press models at a glance
| Model | Beaker / frame material | Keeps coffee hot? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chambord | Glass beaker, chrome steel frame | No (glass, cools) | The classic look and repairability |
| Brazil | Glass beaker, plastic frame | No | Lowest-cost way into a real Bodum |
| Kenya | Glass beaker, plastic frame | No | Entry-level / occasional use |
| Columbia | Double-wall stainless, all steel | Yes (insulated) | Hot coffee that lasts, no breakage |
| Eileen | Glass beaker, sculptural steel frame | No | Design-led kitchens |
| Travel Press | Insulated stainless tumbler | Yes | Commuters, travel, one mug to go |
Bodum French press sizes explained
This is where most people get caught out. Bodum measures capacity in small European "cups" of roughly 4 ounces (about 120 ml) each, not full mugs. So the cup number on the box is much larger than the number of real mugs you will pour. Divide the listed cups by about two to estimate 8-ounce mugs.
- 3-cup (~12 oz / 0.35 L): roughly one to one and a half mugs, for a solo drinker.
- 4-cup (~17 oz / 0.5 L): about two mugs, good for one or two people.
- 8-cup (~34 oz / 1 L): the most common size, around three to four mugs, for a couple or a small group.
- 12-cup (~51 oz / 1.5 L): the largest, for entertaining or a busy household.
The practical takeaway: an "8-cup" 1-liter press does not make eight mugs of coffee. It makes about three to four. Buy a size up from what the cup count suggests if you regularly fill big mugs.
Materials, beakers, and replaceable parts
Most Bodum presses use borosilicate glass, a heat-resistant glass that shrugs off the temperature swing of near-boiling water. Glass is light, cleans easily, and lets you watch the brew, but it can crack or shatter if knocked or thermally shocked. Double-wall stainless steel (the Columbia and the Travel Press) trades that visibility for insulation and toughness. The plastic-framed Brazil and Kenya keep costs down while still using the same glass beaker.
A real advantage of buying into the Bodum line is parts. The glass beakers and the three-piece mesh filter screens are sold separately, so a dropped beaker or a worn mesh does not mean a new press, it means a cheap replacement. That repairability is a genuine reason the Chambord has lasted so long. Pair any press with a steady burr grinder and you have a setup that can last for years.
How to use a Bodum French press
The method is the same across the range. Here is the short version; for the full walkthrough and ratios, see our french press guide and the basics in how to make coffee.
- Use a coarse grind, like coarse sea salt. Too fine and the cup turns muddy and bitter, and the plunger gets hard to push.
- Aim for roughly a 1:15 to 1:16 ratio of coffee to water by weight (for example, about 30 g of coffee to 480 g of water in an 8-cup press).
- Heat water to just off the boil, around 200 F (93 C). Add the grounds, pour in twice their weight in water, and let it "bloom" for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the rest of the water, set the lid on with the plunger up, and steep about 4 minutes.
- Press the plunger down slowly and steadily, then pour right away so the coffee does not keep extracting on the grounds.
Care and cleaning
Empty the grounds (compost them or toss them; do not pour a thick slurry down the drain). Rinse the beaker and unscrew the three-part mesh screen now and then to clear trapped oils and fines, since a clogged mesh is the usual cause of a sluggish plunger. Hand-washing is gentlest, especially for the frame and glass, and replace the mesh screen when it loses its spring or tears. Treat a glass beaker like glass: let it cool before scrubbing and store it where it will not get knocked.
How to choose your Bodum French press
- How long does your coffee sit? If you sip slowly or serve a group, the insulated Columbia or a Travel Press keeps it hot. If you drink it straight away, a glass Chambord is fine.
- Glass or stainless? Glass for the classic look and easy cleaning; stainless for insulation and no breakage.
- What size, really? Remember the cup-equals-4-ounces rule. Most households are happy with the 8-cup (1 L); solo drinkers do well with the 3- or 4-cup.
- Budget or icon? The Brazil and Kenya save money with a plastic frame; the Chambord and Eileen give you the metal-framed classic.
- On the move? The Travel Press doubles as a commuter mug, just confirm the listing is the press, not the lookalike travel mug.
- Repairability: all of these take replaceable beakers and mesh screens, so factor in that you are buying into a serviceable system, not a throwaway.
The bottom line
A Bodum French press is a smart, low-tech way to make genuinely good coffee, and the lineup covers nearly every preference: the glass Chambord for the classic, the Brazil or Kenya to spend less, the stainless Columbia to keep coffee hot, and the Travel Press for the road. Match the model to how long your coffee sits and how many mugs you actually pour, then dial in a coarse grind and a 4-minute steep. For the technique itself, our french press guide and grind guide will take you the rest of the way.