With the Espro Travel Press, I can now enjoy the perfect cup of coffee at home, at work, while traveling, or even when camping. But don’t let the fact that it’s easy to use fool you. This vacuum bottle/French press combo has a bit of high tech to it, yet takes no special skill to press a delicious cup, any time, and any place.
The main feature is the pair of filters, each of which is 9-12 times finer than what you will find in your typical press. Your coffee gets filtered twice, for the best flavor, without the grit that lesser filters pass through. They form part of the plunger that seals the grounds from the finished brew, so that when you stop plunging, it stops extracting. That means the last sip tastes as fresh and delicious as the first. With the right beans, it’s the tastiest cup of coffee I have ever made.
It would be enough to be able to make such a great cup of coffee, but Espro takes it a step further. Their Travel Press is a double wall stainless vacuum bottle, so your coffee will stay hot for 4-6 hours. It’s even got handy marks inside to show how much water to add for coffee (or tea). On top of the bottle is a lid that has four slots which make it easy to drink or pour from any angle. A leak-proof stopper threads into that for travel.
By my second cup of coffee, it was easy to see why the Espro Travel Press has won awards. Dump a scoop of grounds in, and fill to the line marked inside. Let it brew for a few minutes. Insert the plunger, and slowly press to extract. Coffee is now ready. You can pour it into cups, and prepare another batch, or put the stopper lid on, and take it wherever you go. To clean, dump out the used grounds (into your garden or lawn) and separate the two filters, then rinse it all with water. It’s that simple. Pour-over fans can get in on the action too, as Espro also offers a paper filter option, for those that like their coffee without the oils. I was not able to test this or their loose tea option, but since it uses the same filter technology, there is no doubt you will get the same great results.
As you would expect, the Travel Press fits in most car drink holders. It will also fit your bike’s water bottle cage, that pocket on the side of your backpack or messenger bag, and just about any other place else a water bottle might go. For camping or travel, carry your grounds in a baggy inside the bottle, to save space. While it does not have a sip-through lid (you have to take out the stopper), I found that it does not spill easy, and has just the right flow rate. This is a must-have for coffee aficionados, as you can press a fresh cup anywhere you have hot water. It already goes with me to the office, and on every photo shoot. I’ll be packing it for road trips and camping trips too. My new best friend. If you can’t find one at your local coffee, specialty, or outdoor store, visit Espro.ca to get yours delivered.
– Brian
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the Espro Travel Press for free from Espro, in consideration for review publication. * I was prepared to buy one, but they saw that coffee-lover gleam in my eye, and handed me a demo unit.