From the Manufacturer

When Bodum took over a small clarinet factory in Normandy in 1982, it was not because of the fine orchestra clarinets they were producing. In addition to musical instruments, the factory also produced the coffee of a relatively-unknown brewer called "The Chambord." Bodum combined the skills of these Normandy craftsmen with modern production. The result was a unique culinary tool, affordable to the many who loved the taste of what we now know as French press coffee.

Thanks to Bodum, and thanks to the increasing need for better coffee, the French press coffee maker has become one of the most popular in the world. Yet, the design has not strayed a bit from the original drawings, and Bodum still makes the Chambord with the same painstaking care and knowledge they gained from those Normandy craftsmen years ago. The ease of brewing and the delicious smell and taste of French roasted dark coffee have remained unchanged.

Awards & Accolades

In 2004, the Bodum Chambord coffee press received The American Culinary Institute’s award for best French press coffeemaker.

The American Culinary Institute judges food preparation products such as mixers, waffle makers and electric teakettles. These products are judged on criteria important to consumers such as ease-of-use, safety, and the quality of the food produced. They also judge food preparation products used in restaurants and hotels, including institutional mixers, large volume coffee machines and food slicers.

Instructions for Use

1. Place pot on a dry, flat, non-slip surface. Hold handle firmly, then pull the plunger straight up and out of the pot.

2. For each 1,25 dl/4 oz. cup, put 1 rounded tablespoon or 1 Bodum scoop of coarse ground coffee into the pot.

Caution: Use only coarse ground coffee. Fine grind can clog the filter and create high pressure. Place coffee maker on a heat proof, non-slip surface.

3. Pour hot (not boiling) water into the pot. Leave a minimum of 2,5 cm/1 inch of space at the top. Stir the brew with a plastic spoon.

Caution: Metal spoons can scratch or chip the glass beaker and cause breakage.

4. Place the plunger unit on top of the pot. Turn lid to close off the pour spout opening. (Does not apply to the Brazil models) Do not press down. Let the coffee brew for at least 4 minutes.

5. Hold the pot handle firmly with the spout turned away from you, then using just the weight of your hand, apply slight pressure on top of the knob to lower the plunger straight down into the pot. Lowering the plunger slowly with minimal pressure produces best results. If the filter clogs or it becomes difficult to push down the plunger you should remove the plunger from the pot, stir the brew and then slowly plunge again.

WARNING: Using excessive force can cause scalding liquid to shoot out of the pot.

6. Turn the lid to open the pour spout and then pour coffee.

7. Unscrew the filter assembly and clean the plunger unit after each use. All parts are dishwasher safe.

Safety Instructions

• Not for stove top use.
• Check glass beaker for scratches, cracks or chips. Do not use a pot which is scratched, chipped or cracked. Install a replacement beaker before using the pot again.
• Keep children away while using. Hot water is a hazard to small children!
• Do not allow children to use this coffee maker.

• Excessive plunging force can cause scalding hot liquid to shoot out of pot. Excessive plunging force can cause
• Do not plunge with force.
• Turn lid to close spout.
• Use only coarse ground coffee

Company History

In 1944, Peter Bodum, the father of today's owner, Joergen Bodum, started Bodum in Copenhagen Denmark. Times were difficult at the end of World War II; there was hardly any trade and people were out of work. Peter Bodum managed to wholesale a very small variety of houseware products by Danish manufacturers.

After the war, Peter Bodum got an import license for kitchen and tabletop products; he traveled all over Europe and ended up importing kitchen and houseware to Denmark. As in the rest of Europe in those days, a lack of products in Denmark meant a market existed for almost anything to be sold. He specialized in glassware from Eastern Europe.

In the fifties, Peter Bodum started developing his own products. He collaborated with the Danish architect Kaas Klaeson for a range of coffee makers. At the time, industrial design type kitchen products were very rare. The first Bodum product to hit the market in 1958 was the Santos coffeemaker – based on a vacuum coffee brewing system. It became an instant sensation not only in Denmark but in all of Europe. Bodum still produces the original Santos design to this very day.

Bodum grew steadily during the sixties but sadly, in 1967, at the age of only 57, Peter Bodum passed away. His wife managed the company until 1974, when she offered her 26-year-old son Joergen to join her in the management of the company. Joergen quickly brought Carsten Joergensen on board – then a teacher at the Danish School of Art in Copenhagen--and soon put him in charge of overall design for Bodum, including everything from products to corporate design, exhibitions, shops, buildings, catalogues and advertising. It turned out to be a very long and fruitful collaboration. The two men began to fulfill Bodum's credo--"good design doesn't have to be expensive"--in lots of different ways.

In 1974, the first fruit of Joergen and Carsten's collaboration was introduced: the French coffee press Bistro. It was also the first incorporation of the new Bodum design language – beautiful simplicity and excellent materials for everyday life. Many more variations of coffee presses followed. Since 1974, Bodum has produced over 50 million French presses, taken the leap from "coffee" to "kitchen" and developed and produced a large variety of beautiful household and tabletop designs.

In 1979, when he took over the company, Joergen Bodum decided to move to Switzerland in order to be more centrally located in Europe. He chose the Lucerne area, where Bodum's head office has been located since the early eighties.

In 1980, Bodum Switzerland and its design unit, Pi-Design, were founded. Then, in 1986, the opening of Bodum's first shop in London marked another milestone in the Bodum history. It was designed not only to be the perfect showcase for the large variety of Bodum products but to embody an even stronger presentation of Bodum as an international brand. Many more shops in many more cities all over the world followed: Paris, Copenhagen, Zurich, Lucerne, Tokyo, New York, Dallas, Okinawa, Auckland and many more. To this day, there are 52 Bodum stores worldwide.

With more and more of its own stores in place, Bodum continued broadening its collection of beautifully designed everyday life products--from kitchen to home. Today, Bodum offers its customers everything from the latest coffee and tea making products to tabletop, kitchen, storage, textiles, bathroom and home office products. Some stores also have a café where Bodum's own selection of coffees and teas are served.

The Bodum Group is, and always has been, a 100% family-owned business. Today the company operates in 14 different countries with over 700 employees worldwide. Bodum has holding companies in Denmark and Switzerland as well as twelve sales companies, three production companies and a design company called Bodum Design Group, located in Switzerland.

When using a coffee press, or any other coffee machine, make sure you FRESHLY grind your coffee for optimal taste. I recommend all serious coffee drinkers to invest in a good burr grinder-- you really can taste the differnce. Also for a coffee press the ginds must be large and coarse in thickness, otherwise your pressed coffee will taste lousy-- do not use automatic drip sized grinds. I also recommend a quality dark/French roast when using a press.

Please note that this press makes 3 French-sized cups of coffee. In Paris cafes, you're served coffee in a press with a "bowl sized" cup half filled with steamed milk (Cafe Au Lait).

The 12-pot size is best for most people. Two people will drink roughly this much in one day. One person will need two days.

I have had to replace the glass in my 12-cup press, but only once in five years.

This coffee maker brews up to twelve cups of coffee at a cup-a-minute rate, which it then keeps at a constant, piping-hot serving temperature. An indicator light in the base announces when the coffee is ready. The inner fixtures--the filter basket and perk tube--are also made of stainless steel, rather than the more common (and less durable) aluminum. The power cord is removable to make storage simple.

Before cleaning the coffee maker, unplug the unit and allow it to cool completely. Wash the coffee maker with warm, sudsy water and dry it thoroughly; it is not immersible. To preserve the gloss of the stainless steel, do not use steel wool or harsh, abrasive cleansers. The perk spout and filter basket can be cleaned with a brush or pipe cleaner. If necessary, coffee stain remover can be used periodically on the interior surface. The coffee maker measures 10 by 5 by 13 inches (including handle, lid, and spout). Presto guarantees this product with a one-year limited warranty. A simple instruction sheet is enclosed. --Garland Withers