Description
Two things separate the ESPRO P7 from every other French press in this catalog. It uses two micro mesh filters in sequence rather than one coarse screen, and the body is double walled stainless steel rather than glass or ceramic. The first changes what ends up in the cup, and the second changes how long the coffee stays drinkable.
What it is and where it fits
The listing gives the dimensions as 6.37 inches deep by 4.68 inches wide by 10.4 inches high and the weight as 2.7 pounds, with a stated capacity of 32 ounces. That is around four mugs, which suits a couple or a small table rather than one person. The listing also names tea and infusions alongside coffee as intended uses.
Where it fits is a household that likes press coffee and dislikes the two things that come with it, which are sediment in the bottom of the cup and a brew that turns bitter while it sits. It is the direct alternative to the stoneware Le Creuset press, which handles heat differently and does nothing about sediment.
Living with it day to day
The routine is the same as any press: coarse grounds, hot water, four minutes, plunge. What happens after the plunge is where this differs. ESPRO’s design seals the grounds inside the double filter assembly when it is pushed down, and the company presents that as the reason coffee can be left in the press without continuing to extract. On an ordinary press, coffee sitting on the grounds keeps getting stronger and then bitter, which is why the standard advice is to decant immediately. Anyone who has poured a second cup from a press twenty minutes later knows the difference this is aiming at.
The double micro mesh is the other half. A single coarse screen lets fine particles through, which is why press coffee has sediment at the bottom of the cup and why some people dislike it. Two filters in sequence catch far more of it. The trade is that a finer filter clogs more readily and needs proper cleaning, and two filters means two things to scrub rather than one.
Double walled stainless holds heat the way a vacuum flask does, so a 32 ounce brew stays hot without a heat source. It is also opaque, so the level is invisible, and it does not shatter, which is the failure that ends most glass presses. Cleanup is disassembling the filter stack, clearing the grounds and rinsing, and coffee oils will build up in fine mesh if that is done carelessly.
Controls and connected features
There are none. No power, no switch, no display, no app, no firmware and no account. The variables are grind size, dose, water temperature and steep time, and every one belongs to the person brewing rather than to the equipment.
The one thing worth understanding is grind. A press needs a coarse grind, and a double filter is more forgiving of fines than a single screen but not immune to them. Too fine a grind will slow the plunge and force fines through, which undoes the reason for buying it. Anyone brewing on a blade grinder or with pre ground coffee sold for drip machines will not see the benefit the filter is designed to give.
Running cost and upkeep
There is no electrical or plumbing requirement of any kind. No voltage, no plug, no amperage, no gas, no venting, no water line and no drain. A kettle supplies the hot water and that is the only companion equipment.
There are no consumables at all. Both filters are permanent, so there is no paper, no pod and no cartridge, and the coffee is the entire running cost. There is nothing to descale because nothing heats water.
The parts that wear are the filter meshes and their seals. A fine mesh eventually distorts or clogs, and the seal that makes the double filter work is the component the whole design depends on. ESPRO sells replacement filter sets for its presses, and confirming that for a specific model is worth doing, because a press whose seal has gone is an ordinary press with extra parts. The stainless body itself does not wear out.
The listing gives a first availability date of February 8, 2017, the country of origin as China, and does not flag the model as discontinued.
Highlights
- Double micro mesh filtration, which removes far more sediment than a single screen press.
- Sealed filter assembly that the manufacturer states stops the brew continuing after plunging.
- Double walled stainless body that holds heat without a heat source and will not shatter.
- 32 ounce capacity, around four mugs, with no consumables of any kind.
- Rated on the listing for tea and infusions as well as coffee.
- No power, no plumbing and nothing that can lose software support.
Things To Consider
- Two filters means two things to clean, and fine mesh holds coffee oils if cleaned carelessly.
- The stainless body is opaque, so there is no way to see how much is left.
- Requires a genuinely coarse grind. Drip grind coffee undermines the whole design.
- The filter seal is the component the design depends on, and it is a wear part.
- Heavier at 2.7 pounds empty than a glass press of the same volume.
- No temperature control or timer of any kind, since it is unpowered.
Who it is not for
Anyone who wants the clean, light cup a paper filter gives should use paper, and the cones in the pour over coffee makers section do that at a fraction of the price. Anyone who wants coffee ready without making it needs a machine with a timer. Anyone brewing a single cup will find 32 ounces excessive, and the OXO Rapid Brewer handles one portion in a travel sized body. And anyone who simply wants a handsome press for a table, with no interest in sediment, will be happier with the Le Creuset in Cerise or the rest of the French press range.
