Bodum Chambord 8-Cup Press with Bonus Pavina Thermal Glasses

My press has been making coffee for nearly a year. Great coffee. Solid construction. This rating is for the product, not the shipping or packaging. Albeit the shipping and packaging were fine, too. Pressing coffee uses at least twice the coffee grinds. Can't live without it.

I had to send the items back because the glasses were broken. Amazon has been slipping in the QC department. I have had a similar press which I really like. The coffee has a richer flavor because the oils (and fine grind dust)pass through the mesh filter. There is only a small amount of sediment, which does not bother me, left behind in your coffee cup. This is a decent deal, but only if you can get the items shipped without breaking.

I wasn't expecting quite the hassle related to this product's packaging, but color me unimpressed. The first set arrived with one of the bonus glasses shattered; I contacted Amazon and they were quick to overnight a replacement to me. The second set arrived in even worse condition as both the glasses and the press were completely shattered in the box. Generally speaking, that's an awful lot of broken glass to deal with in two days.

As it turns out, the bonus thermal glasses - beautifully designed, based on one of the four that actually arrived intact - are extremely delicate. There's little in the way of protection or padding inside the product's box apart from a little flimsy piece of cardboard and some bubble wrap that ostensibly separates the press and the glasses from each other. In my case, these bits of protection were not enough to get the job done and the contents were able to shift around and bang into each other. Maybe I just have bad luck, who knows.

Regardless, I point my finger squarely at Bodum and not Amazon, as both product boxes individually arrived with plenty of cushiony plastic air pillows. It's clear that this particular box set needs something more substantial inside to withstand the rigors of transport. Needless to say, I called Amazon again and was offered a full refund.

Not wanting to chance another damaged shipment, I went to a local store and picked up the exact same French press, sans bonus glasses, and am enjoying a delicious cup of coffee as I write this review. The press works quite well and is - amazingly! - still in one piece. Kudos to Amazon's awesome customer service for picking up Bodum's slack, and I guess kudos to Bodum for making an easy-to-use press when you can find one that's not broken. Now just invest some R&D in better packaging.