Swapped my fancy coffee machine for a basic French press and I'm not going back

I had this big espresso machine sitting on my counter for like two years. Barely used it because cleaning the thing took forever with three kids running around. Then my neighbor offered to trade me her old French press for it, straight up swap, no money. I almost said no because I kept thinking about the $300 I spent on it. But honestly, that French press makes better coffee in 4 minutes and I just rinse it out after. Has anyone else downsized their kitchen gear and actually liked it more?

3 comments

3 Comments

josephmartin2d ago

Ha, my French press has seen more counter time than all my fancy gadgets combined.

joel_martinez2d ago

The "cleaning the thing took forever with three kids running around" part hit way too close to home. I had this fancy espresso gadget too and spent more time scratching dried coffee off parts than actually drinking the stuff. The French press is so simple it almost feels like cheating. You just pour hot water in, wait, push down, and you're done. I've got a cheap stainless steel one that's survived two falls off the counter and still works fine. Plus the coffee does taste better somehow, maybe because all the oils actually get through instead of getting stuck in a paper filter.

price.gavin18h ago

Gotta push back a little @joel_martinez on the taste thing lol. I actually think French press lets too much gritty sludge through, and that bitter kick at the bottom ruins it for me. Paper filters catch that stuff, so the cup comes out cleaner even if you lose some oils. Plus cleaning a French press screen is its own kind of annoying when coffee grounds get stuck in the mesh.