OXO Brew Venture Travel French Press Review
Photo: OXO
If you are on the lookout for a well-built and highly portable French press for use on the go, the Oxo Brew Venture is a perfect buy as it is compact and super easy to carry around and will hence be perfect for use on your travel.
Besides portability, this French press is also made to serve you for a long time as it features a highly durable and shatter-resistant carafe that can handle abuse for a long time. And most of the other parts are made from plastic and hence making this French press almost indestructible.
Pros:
Cons:
Features and Specs
- Highly durable and shatter-resistant Tritan carafe
- Spout designed with filter for extra filtration level
- Uniquely designed plunger with silicone gasket
- Comfortable handle and non-slip knob
- Clear window for simple level monitoring
Product Overview
Photo: OXO
With a highly affordable and portable French press like the OXO Brew Venture, making coffee on the go and at home is simpler and faster. But while this is generally an amazing coffee maker, certain things make it stand out and set it apart from many others in its price range.
Durable, Shutter-Resistant Carafe
The carafe on this French press is designed with durability in mind and it is the kind that will serve you for ages.
Unlike other French press coffee maker like the Bodum's model 1548-01US that features a more delicate glass carafe, this model has a shatter-resistant Tritan carafe that can withstand the occasional accidental drops and bumps for long service life.
But while the Tritan carafe is highly durable, it will still not last as long as the stainless steel ones you get on top French press coffee maker models like Secura SFP-34DS and Bodum 1308-16. However, these other models will retail for at least double of what you would pay to get the Oxo Brew Venture.
Lightweight, Compact and More Portable
Portability is at the heart of this Oxo French press coffee maker and perhaps what gives it an edge over many others like the larger Bodum Chambord which can be a little hectic to carry around.
And its portability stems from the fact that it comes in a more compact design and is also more lightweight given that it weighs less than 16 ounces.
But, it is also worth noting that there are still many other French press coffee makers with similar capacity out there that are more portable than this model.
Comfortable Stay Cool Handle
The handle on the French press has a more important role to play than what many users tend to assume. And this is because it is what you hold when plunging and also when pouring the coffee and Oxo seems to understand this better than many other brands.
With this model, you get a more comfortable handle that will remain cool to touch even when the beaker is full of hot coffee which makes pressing and pouring a lot easier. And there is also a non-slip knob on the press which ensures that you always get a more secure hold.
Extra Level of Filtration
While this French press might not have 4 levels of filtration like the Cafe Du Chateau PKHTWTR46.5, you can still be sure of getting a cleaner and grounds-free cup of coffee when using it.
And this is thanks to a specially designed pour spout that includes a filter to provide an extra level of filtration that will trap any coffee grounds that the mesh filter might miss when plunging.
More Efficient Plunger Design
The plunger is one of the most crucial components of a French press as it affects everything from the ease of use to the coffee flavor. Hence with the uniquely designed plunger on this Oxo press, you can be certain you will get a highly delicious brew.
With this French press, you get a silicone gasket on the plunger which not only ensures it slides up and down smoothly but will also provide a tighter fit to make it harder for any coffee grounds to pass through.
Highly Affordable
This Oxo French press coffee maker will also help you save cash as it costs a fraction of what you would pay to get others like Freiling’s model 104 stainless steel French press. And given the quality of coffee that it makes, portability and ease of use, this coffee maker will give you great value for cash.
Although there are still many other models in its class that are a little more affordable like the Bodum 1548-01US, it will not offer the same level of service and is also not as rugged and durable.
Q&A
Q: Is this French press coffee maker expensive?
A: No, this is one of the cheapest French press coffee makers you can get out there. And given its quality and performance, you would need to spend at least double its price to get something better. But with that said, it is still not the cheapest in the market as there are many others like the Bodum 1548-01US that work fairly well and cost significantly less.
Q: What is its strongest point?
A: Portability, as many users seem to prefer it over many other models out there as its compact size and lightweight makes it easy to carry around as they can easily pack on their travel or camping bags since it does not take a lot of room.
Q: Will this work well for a large family?
A: It depends on the number of coffee drinkers in the house and also how much coffee each will drink. But, the 32-ounce capacity means you can make around four 8-ounce cups which for heavy drinkers might not be good enough. Hence, for a larger family of heavy coffee drinkers, other models like the 50-ounce Secura SFP-50DS-2Y would be more appropriate.
Q: Is it microwave safe?
A: No, if you are planning to reheat your French press coffee on the microwave when using this press, it will not work for you since the metal rod that holds the plunger makes it not to be microwave-safe. But, this is not a deal-breaker because most French press coffee makers in its class are also not microwave-safe and furthermore it is not always a great idea to reheat coffee in the microwave.
Q: Does it produce a clean cup?
A: Yes, this French press will give you a clean enough cup of coffee thanks to the efficient mesh filter and the extra level of filtration on the spout. And while the coffee might still not be as clean as what you get with the 4 levels of filtration on the Cafe Du Chateau PKHTWTR46.5, it should still be clean enough.
Should I Buy this Product?
Ultimately the decision on whether to buy the Oxo Brew Venture French press will depend on your individual preferences, like any other appliance, it might not appeal to all coffee drinkers.
However, if you are on the hunt for a lightweight and portable French press for use on the go that comes at a great price tag, this will be worth trying out, and you can almost be certain it will serve you long enough as it is also well-built and durable.
But for those looking for something with insulation that will keep coffee hot for long, this might not be it as it does not have any insulation. All in all, this is still an amazing coffee maker for use when camping, backpacking or on your travels.
