Which one is better? – In Chemex vs French press

Everyone needs a strong shot of energy to start their day so they can be energetic all day, and for that, we don’t think that any other thing than coffee is a better option to gain energy. There are many brewing methods of coffee that everyone loves.

But while scrolling on Facebook, we caught some people who were fighting that the French press is a suitable brewing method while the other person was saying that the Chemex is better so, by going through their comments, we got an idea for our article that why not we compete for these two and found out which one is better so, let’s compare them.

Points Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker Bodum 1928-16US4 Chambord French press
Method The brewing method that was used in this coffee maker is called Filtration or dripping The brewing method of the French press is called Steeping
Taste The taste of coffee after this brewing method is rich and clean While the taste of coffee after this brewing method is Full-bodied
Size The sizes available in this coffee are 3 cups, 6 cups, and 8 cups. The sizes available are 8 ounces, 16 ounces, 23 ounces, and 36 ounces.
Time It will take 4 minutes to brew the coffee. In this, it will take 5 minutes to brew your coffee
Material The body of this coffee maker is fully made of glass. The body of this coffee maker is made of stainless steel, glass, and plastic.
Portability It is a good lightweight machine which is very good for the portability The weight of this machine is the same as the Chemex, and this is also good for portability
Measure temperature In this brewing method, you need to measure the temperature of water manually Same as the Chemex brewing method, you need to measure the temperature of the water manually.

Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker

Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker

This Chemex coffee maker was invented by chemistry doctor Peter J. Schlumbohm, Ph.D. He was a coffee lover obsessed with the laboratory equipment that helped him make this awesome coffee lover’s product. It has been a family-owned company since 1980, but the Chemex coffee maker was invented back in 1941.

The design of the coffee maker is unique and modern, even though it was invented back in 1949. The design is included in the Illinois Institute of Technology list as one of the 100 best-designed modern times products. If you are a true coffee lover and want to drink a clean and flavorful brew, then this coffee maker is for you.

How it works

  • First, take a paper filter and unfold it that it has three face sides
  • Now pour the hot water to rinse the filter and eliminate the paper taste from it.
  • Now when you rinse it off, it’s time to pour the medium-coarse ground beans of coffee on the filter paper.
  • Boil the water to 200° F and pour double the coffee into it.
  •  You will notice the bubbles on the coffee wait for 30 seconds
  • Now you need to pour the water in a circular motion on the coffee grounds
  • Now the water will start to drain in the sink, and it would take 4 to 5 minutes
  • Now serve the coffee with the beautiful Chemex carafe
  • It is how you can make your coffee with the Chemex coffee maker.
Pros
  • Elegant and attractive design
  • It is made of non-porous Borosilicate glass
  • It is very simple and easy to use
  • Clean and flavorful brew
  • A family-owned business since 1980
Cons
  • Poor customer service
  • The warranty only applies if you buy directly from Chemex.

 

Bodum 1928-16US4 Chambord French press

Bodum 1928-16US4 Chambord French press 

It is a very old method of coffee brew that was probably invented in the 1920s, but at that time, it was not that popular but slowly, it started to be popular in Europe and America in the 195,0s, only three decades after its invention. The other name of the French press is cafetière.

If we talk about the stats, only two percent of coffee lovers in the United States like and drink the French press brewing method. The people who like to drink heavy and full-bodied coffee tend to go for the French press brewing method. This brewing method will take 5 to 6 minutes to brew your coffee. The body of this coffee maker is made of stainless steel, glass, and plastic that gives it a very nice and decent look.

How it works

  • You need some things to make the coffee in the press: filtered water, kettle, coffee grinder, coffee beans, and a scoop of coffee.
  • The first step is to add some hot water into your press and then leave it so that the press will absorb its temperature.
  • Now discard the water; this process is called preheating process
  • Now you need to measure the weight of your freshly ground coffee beans
  • Now measure the temperature of water it should be around 195° to 200° F
  • Ok now you need to put the ground beans and hot water in the tube with the ratio of 1:15
  • Put the lid of the coffee maker and wait for 5 minutes
  • Now put the plunger down slowly
  • Now your French press is ready, enjoy your coffee.
Pros
  • This coffee maker is straightforward to use and clean
  • This is a budget option
  • This machine has a very low profile design
  • Durable design that will last for a long time
Cons
  • It has some health concerns
  • There are some additional things required

 

Product Weight Dimensions Model Color Brand
Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker 1.35 lbs 9.6 L x 6.3 W x 1.35 H inches CM-6A Multicolor Chemex
Bodum 1928-16US4 Chambord French press 1.46 lbs 5.3 L x 7.7 W x 11.8 H inches 1928-16US4 Chrome Bodum Kitchenware

Difference

The above mentioned are some short differences between these two brewing methods, but let’s talk about these two differences in some detail.

Brewing Time

These are the two most popular coffee brewing methods, but let’s find out which one takes the least time to brew the coffee.

Chemex

If we look at the time that the Chemex takes in brewing your coffee, it is around 5 minutes. But there are some preparations that you need to do before the brewing process, and that was like preheating the tube and then preparing the filter for it. So it might take some additional time, according to your resources.

French Press

On the other hand, this brewing method will also take 5 to 6 minutes in the brewing process, and then you can serve coffee to your guests, but the thing which makes this brewing method better than the Chemex is that you don’t need to do some preparation before brewing so, this might take less time in brewing in coffee.

Conclusions

At this point, we have French press as the winner because it will take 5 to 6 minutes to brew your coffee without any preparation, while in Chemex, we have to do some additional steps before starting the brew so, it will add some additional time.

Ease of Use

We need to know which brewing method is easy and which ones a bit hard so that we are comparing these to how we can use these methods for coffee making.

Chemex

The first step that you need to do for making coffee in the Chemex is to use the filter, which is specially made by the Chemex, not any other normal one. Then there is some preheating process of the tube, and at last, you need to pour the hot water in a circular motion. Then you have the coffee to drink.

French press

In the French press, you don’t need to set the filter before making the coffee, and the process of coffee making is really simple in this method. You just need to pour the hot water into the ground beans, and then after some time, press the plunger slowly, and your coffee is ready.

Conclusion

In this comparison, again, the winner is the French press because it is way easier to brew coffee with this method than the Chemex, with two points for the French press and zero for Chemex.

Portable

There are many people out there who want to go on camping or travel the world, but they are worried about how will they drink their favorite coffee there so, the best option they have is to take a coffee maker with them but let’s see which one of these coffee makers are suitable for portability.

Chemex

The Chemex is a good coffee maker if you want to take it with you while traveling. It is not a big coffee maker, and the weight of this coffee maker is also less than two pounds. Usually, the height is also under 9 inches so, you can easily put it in your traveling bag.

French press

The coffee makers that are used for the French press are also smart and tiny; the height is under 8 inches while the weight is the same as the Chemex coffee maker under 2 pounds so, this is also a good coffee maker that you can take with you while traveling and enjoy your coffee.

Conclusion 

Portability is the only thing in which we can say that these both have the same number because they have the same weight, height, and length so, you can take them with you while traveling.

Taste

All the other things are secondary, but the taste of the coffee is a permanent thing that impacts the people, and they want to buy the coffee maker.

Chemex

Many people like the taste of the Chemex brewing method because it has a filter that eliminates all the particles and makes your coffee clean and very rich in flavor. But the drawback of the filter is that it eliminates some important oils of the coffee, too, to remove some distinct flavor of the coffee.

French press

In this method, you don’t have to waste your time with the filters, but you can directly start the process, and by eliminating the filter, you’ll get the coffee that is rich in all the distinct flavors and have an aromatic smell everyone loves. But the drawback is that it might have some dirt particles in it that you eliminated in the Chemex.

Conclusion

These two coffee makers have different brewing matters and different tastes, which many people love. We can’t judge that this taste is good and this is bad because every person has different taste buds, so we can say that both are good in taste and earn one point each.

Price

Price is a very important part of any coffee maker because not everybody can pay a lot of dollars for the coffee maker, so we are comparing these two coffee makers in the price.

Chemex

Chemex is a good brewing method, but it is a more expensive coffee maker in the market; it is included in some premium coffee makers because of the design. Some additional expenses occur because of the filter paper, so this is a high-end coffee maker in price.

French Press

French press is a more budget option for coffee lovers, and it does not have any other additional expenses like the Chemex, so if you are on a budget, you can go with the French press.

Conclusion

The winner of the price comparison is the French press because it is cheaper than the Chemex. If you are trying the coffee first time, you will look at which one is suitable for your budget. But if you are a true coffee lover, then the price does not matter for you; what matters for you is the taste; if you like Chemex’s taste, you will pay the price for it.

Verdict

It is the comparison between these two manual coffee makers. We discussed their pros and cons and the differences between these two; if you are looking for the winner of this comparison, the winner is Chemex.

Chemex has smoother and less bitter coffee than the French press, and it is also not harmful to your health because the water filter is thicker than the other brands, so it removes all the toxic oils from the coffee gives you a good shot of energy.

FAQ’s

Is Chemex better than Bodum?
If we talk about the design of both coffee makers, then the Bodum is more into the durable option with the borosilicate glass and stainless steel, while on the other hand, the Chemex is a bit weak but creatively designed coffee makers that are made of borosilicate glass. In taste, both are good in their type of coffee and have many lovers.
Is Chemex better?
The shape of the Chemex is very creative and good with the borosilicate glass, and the taste is also very good. It has a filter that eliminates some harmful particles and makes the coffee taste smoother, and has a low level of bitterness compared to the French press. So, it is a very good coffee maker.
Why French press coffee is bad for you?
Why French press coffee is bad for you? Yes, It does not have any filter in the brewing process so, that allows some harmful oils into your coffee and can cause bad cholesterol, according to the research published in the Harvard health blog. So, the French press is really bad for your health, and you should avoid it.
Is Chemex better than the French press?
Yes, the Chemex is better than the French press because it does not have any side effects on your health, and it has a filter that removes all the harmful particles from the coffee. The Chemex gives you a better, smoother, and less bitter taste than the French press. So, there is not a 1% doubt that Chemex is a better option for you.

 

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