Bodum Assam 34-Ounce Glass Teapot with Stainless-Steel Filter

Bodum design and quality has always intrigued me in both positive and negative ways. I have in the past easily broken a bodum glass item and yet I am still drawn into purchasing another product.

I''ve wanted the Bodum Assam 34-ounce cast-iron version for longevity, but the weight of it alone is too much to handle to brew tea. So I opted for this 34-ounce glass version which is very light and, like other Bodum borosilicate glass items, delicate. I have yet to break porcelain items by simple bumps while washing, but with a Bodum I am sure to crack them in time.

However, after much searching for a tea brewing device which affords functionality and simplicity, I fall for a Bodum yet again.

WHY? It is only this brand that features a tea press that stops the brewing process when the desired strength has been reached.

HOW? The loose leaves are placed on the center inside the stainless steel filter. When you want the brewing process to stop, the plunger pushes the leaves down the bottom of the filter away from the liquid and sealed by a silicon rubber ring surrounding the plunger. It''s a simple ingenious design carried and modified from their coffee press.

PROS:

Effective and ingenious plunger to create a tailored brewing strength depending on user, water volume and type of tea leaves

Despite a thin glass container, surprisingly keeps the liquid hot for a relatively long time.

Simple design makes an elegant product that matchces any interior as well as hand washing very easy.

No spill in pouring. I was afraid the small lip may cause spilling while pouring, but I experienced none. No spills travelling down the wall after pouring as well.

Glass version allows you to view the brewing the process and cater to your needs.

CONS:

Thin borosilicate glass makes the tea press more fragile than you think.

Plunger design is simple, but clumsy as well. Plunger stalk has to be aligned completely vertical or pushing straight down will be met with great resistance especially as the silicon rubs against the stainless steel wall.

Loose leaves are not all contained on the bottom as some may escape thru the silicon seal and shred against the stainless steel filter wall. If this happens, the brewing process is not effectively and completely stopped. The leaves especially escape if you don''t align the plunger completely vertically. (You will know what I am talking about when you own it and experience the same).

VERDICT:

You have a choice between an extremely heavy cast-iron version or the extremely light glass version. I wish Bodum created a thicker-walled version in glass so I can still view the brewing process and have it less fragile than most Bodum products these days.

For the price, I really can''t complain so I find myself purchasing yet another functional and patented Bodum product. Until another company has come up with an ingenious plunger system that is better built, I guess Bodum it will be for now.

Pro''s: nice size for 2 people, easy to make tea with loose tea or tea bags, poors well, easy to clean up, pleasing to the eye and works with most kitchen decors, utilitarian with a little bit of flair.

Con''s: I would like to be able to remove all the stainless parts and have an all glass tea pot too, but I couldn''t find a teapot with that design.

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I owned this product for about a month. Suddenly when I poured in hot water, the glass broke. I called customer service and they do not stand behind thier products at all. I received a sorry we are out of stock on that replacement part and there is no date when they will receive more. Basically they will not stand behind their products.

Read Best Reviews of Bodum Assam 34-Ounce Glass Teapot with Stainless-Steel Filter Here

I really want to like this press, but having a hard time. Don''t get me wrongit''s beautiful sitting on the counter, but I just don''t see the hype in these reviews. I''ve had it a couple of weeks, and here are my concerns:

1) the glass is really thin. I don''t think it''s going to take much banging on the granite counter, or in the sink before it shatters. Bodum sells quite a few glass beaker replacements for their coffee press line (I have one), and that is for a device that has the beaker encased in some type of frame. This tea press glass is unprotected, and I can''t imagine that it is going to last too long.

2) The plunger mechanism is a good concept, but poor execution. When you plunge down to stop the brewing, there is no where for the water to go after you get past the strainer. Imagine trying to plunge (or unplunge) a capped syringe. It just doesn''t work well, and you have a vacuum lock when you pull up to remove the tea leaves.

3) The strainer sits so high in the carafe, you have to make a pretty big pot of tea to get a brew. It needs to be at least half full to get going (more the better). If you only need a serving or two of tea, you''re going to waste a bunch of leaves to get a pot bigger than you need.

4) the rubber gasket at the top has airspace behind. This is an area that collects junk, as it''s hard to wash. A good brew is all about puritybig $$ leaves, reverse-osmosis water, clean carafe, etc. No telling what bacterial colonies are growing in there.

5) the lid fits loosely, when you tilt to pour, the chrome top can slide off, and out comes your tea leaves everywhere.

6) You can''t use this carafe to brew flowering pots with the beautiful hand sewn tea leaf boquets. The top of the carafe is part of the plunger mechanism. Use the strainer or this model stays in the cabinet.

Again, it''s a pretty pot, but I don''t think anyone serious in tea brewing would take this model seriously. YMMV.

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I purchased the Bodum glass teapot, loved the design and mechanism for brewing tea. Like the other reviews, one day I pour hot water into it and the glass broke. Then I was foolish enough to purchase another one. I put it in the dishwasher and the glass broke. So I decided to stay away from their glass teapots and went on the Bodum site to purchase a stainless steel one. The tea just tasted funny like some metallic particules leached into the tea. I returned it and Bodum charged a restocking fee for the return. Between paying for shipping, the restocking fee and paying for the return shipping I was out almost $40! Stay away do not buy Bodum. They look good but very poor quality.