An Upgrade on a Classic Coffee Maker

I’ve had a love/hate relationship with French presses for over 30 years. They make a great cup of coffee, but they’re laborious in the coffee-making process, limited in size, cool quickly, and the coffee turns bitter when left with the grounds after plunging. So you’d better drink quickly or have to perform the entire ritual again, and if you’re making coffee for more than two people, you’ll have to do that anyway. 

But that all started to change, when one of my favorite brands, Yeti, sent me its new French Press to try. I was beyond impressed with what I found. 

Rambler 34-Ounce French Press

The Rambler French Press doesn’t make it any easier or more complicated to make a cup of coffee, and it certainly doesn’t save time over traditional designs. But, it has some excellent improvements over glass or plastic models. The first is the ceramic-lined inner chamber, surrounded by double-walled vacuum insulation that keeps your coffee hot. Really hot. Curiosity led me to check the temperature over time, which held about 140°F after four hours. However, the grounds sitting in the hot liquid should make for bitter coffee from the additional extraction over time, but I was surprised to find this wasn’t the case. A redesigned plunger, which Yeti calls the GroundsControl Filter, separates the coffee from the grounds after plunging, resulting in a pleasant-tasting cup, even four hours later.

There’s also a twist-lock lid that secures the pieces in place. Although I didn’t try this (I’m not going to risk spilling coffee everywhere), I’d wager that despite the pour-opening, one could pour their first cup and take this French press on the road with them without fear of spilling. 

Rambler 64-Ounce French Press

The Rambler even produces a respectable amount of crema in the first cup, something more closely associated with pressure-derived brewing. It’s not luxuriously thick and creamy, but it is still present.

All the parts are safe for machine washing and come clean quickly when washed by hand. The Rambler French Press comes in two sizes: 34-ounce (1L) or 64-ounce (1.9L), which allow you to pick depending on the number of cups you need or to provide coffee for a group. It’s also available in five colors, including the just-released Big Wave Blue and Tropical Pink. 

I definitely see the new Yeti Rambler French Press becoming part of my coffee routine on weekends when I have the time and the luxury to enjoy the fruits of a French press brew properly. The Rambler is a great choice for those who want to break free of the traditional French press tyranny while still reaping the benefits. 

Shop More Yeti Favorites:

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Tundra 45 Hard Cooler

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Rambler 20-Ounce Stackable Cup 

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