The London Sip French Press

A French press is a very simple device. The most important part of using a French press is following the steps, adjusting how much coffee you use based on how strong you like your coffee, and adjusting your brew time and temperature depending on the type of coffee you're using. You can't really do any of this with an automatic drip coffee machine, besides the amount of coffee. I'd recommend this if you're starting to get into specialty coffees.Everything onside this French press is made of plastic and glass, and inside is metal and glass. It might not last as long as one made of just metal and glass, depending on how quickly the plastic deteriorates, but I'm sure it would last quite a while. Since all the plastic is on the outside, I don't really see a reason the life should be significantly shortened. Disassembly of the plunger is very easy, you just need to remember the order the parts are stacked in, but you realistically don't need to do that terribly often. I wash mine while it's assembled, and every few uses I'll disassemble it to get rid of any stray coffee grounds. Don't put this in the dishwasher, though. It's quick enough to hand wash anyway.For overall, broad strokes on how to use this properly:- Pre-heat the French press with hot water while you heat water for your coffee- When your coffee water is ready, drain the French press of hot water and pour in your desired amount of coffee- Pour in enough hot water to just cover the grounds, and stir (bloom phase)- Wait 30 seconds- Pour in the rest of the water- Wait around 4 minutes- Press the plunger down with ONLY the weight of your hand, no pressure. It will go down very slowly.- Once the plunger is all the way down, pour your coffee, but DO NOT try to get every last drop or you'll end up with coffee sludge in your cup (this happens with all French presses)- Dump your coffee grounds and wash your French pressNot sure how hot the water should be? A good rule of thumb is to boil some water, then let it sit for a minute. Adjust from there based on your preference and your coffee grounds. Not sure how much coffee to use? Start with 2 tablespoons per 8oz cup of water and adjust from there.