I’ve been using small, approximately 8oz, French presses for maybe 30 years. I treat them well… our water is softened… I rinse after using and use to make one cup each day. I’ve had some pretty nice ones over the years - currently I have a gorgeous rainbow treated stainless steel one. It seems to be good quality.

Without fail, the welds at the end of the rod fail "prematurely". The steel one lasted about 6 months. The company did replace it - but I’m dying to know why this happens and if it can be fixed. I have several rod/press assemblies. Sometimes the area seems to be threaded, but you can’t screw the nut back on. It might be stripped, but that seems odd.

There’s never a dramatic break - you go to use it one day and surprise, the press doesn’t press anymore. The bottom is loose and dangly.

Anything I can do to avoid this problem or maybe have some of these fixed?

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

Quote
Speedy

Yeah… I would like it if that were the problem, haha!

I am pretty gentle - if you don’t press evenly and slowly, you can have an explosion anyway. But if you saw me, you would not say I have those guns! It also never breaks "in use", it’s always like "hey good morning I don’t work anymore".

any of these in your fail list?

Amazon: Best Sellers in Coffee Presses

The 12oz Bodum 10948-01BUS is ranked #4 and is only $16.
[www.amazon.com]
4.5 Stars with 9,414 ratings

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Why use a French press? How about the one cup basket type-heat water and pour in the basket that fits your coffee cup, especially for just one cup.

A thing about French presses is the "mud" produced which is the reason I don't use one.

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"Show me the man and I’ll show you the crime."- Lavrentiy Beria

I’ve tried everything, and I just love the strength and crema from the French press. I don’t mind the mess.. so used to it, and I use the grounds in the garden.

Yes, I’ve had Bodums fail. I like the small ones.

steel.
[smile.amazon.com]
I bought the coffee gator one and it has been fine for a few years.
But a slow light touch is important.
The only weak link in mine is the top isn't fully sealed. So I used the plastic top from a previous (cheap glass) Bodum.
If I were to buy again, I'd get the Mueller coz the top appears to be fully sealed.
I'd bet they all come out of the same Chicom sweat shop.

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!#$@@$#!

never do yesterday or today what you can put off til tomorrow or next year.

.....the French are all style.....but no substance.......???

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Learn how to re-weld them?

I've been using the same Aeropress daily for at least 20 years. No welds, all strong plastic and rubber. I replaced the rubber end once from their website.

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MikeF
Learn how to re-weld them?

Very small TIG required, or spot weld jig. Not easy and the equipment is expensive.

I use a cheap Frensh Press from Ikea. Glass pot, metal filters, comes apart for washing.

I broke one when I dropped it in my ceramic covered iron sink. Bought another.
[www.ikea.com]

EDIT: I re-read your post. Maybe its metal fatigue? Are you pouring boiling water in cold press? Are you rinsing a hot press with cold water? That COULD POSSIBLY cause the welds too fail...

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2021 12:38PM by Rolando.

Just had a thought (dangerous); maybe it's the small size of the 8oz press.
Thinner, weaker components perhaps?
Consider a larger size press & just make a single cup.

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39°36'17"N 75°44'43"W

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DemComm Records 2021 Greatest Hits
includes:
Taxman by Joe & Nancy's Rich Ice Cream Band
The Humpty Dance by The Harris-Brown Hookup
Lets Spend The Night Together by The Fang-Swalwell Gang
Díaz-Canel Is A Friend of Ours by The AOC Squad
My Old Kentucky Retirement Home by MitchMcC & The Soggy Boxer Boys
Burning Down The House by Merrick & The Goons
Back In the USSR by Bernie's Red Square Trio

Larger presses make worse coffee, IMO, if you only make a little. The proportion seems off and the press doesn’t want to go down low enough for the small volume of coffee. I did that for many years until I got a small one. I’m very gentle/even/level/slow with my press technique.

I don’t want plastic, which is why I don’t go with an Aeropress. I also don’t want to get into disposable filters.

The latest one that broke was a good steel one. Sigh.

Metal fatigue is possible - it’s room temp when hot water goes in, but I don’t rinse until it’s cooled down (because I’m drinking the coffee). I would hope it’d tolerate going from room temperature to hot water…

I bought the 36-oz. version of this one eight years ago at Home Goods for less than half of what Amazon sells it for today — never had a bit of trouble with it (prolly cuz it’s built like a tank):

[www.amazon.com]

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It is what it is.

Looks nice - that’s why I bought the steel one I did this year. I think it lasted less than any other I’ve had, unfortunately. It feels like it’s built extremely well… got and finish are super. At least I don’t think the carafe will break. The company did replace it, but I want the new one to survive!

Quote
RecipeForDisaster
Looks nice - that’s why I bought the steel one I did this year. I think it lasted less than any other I’ve had, unfortunately. It feels like it’s built extremely well… got and finish are super. At least I don’t think the carafe will break. The company did replace it, but I want the new one to survive!

I see in your OP that your welds failed - the unit I bought has no welds. Everything screws/bolts on and is user-replaceable, if needed. Like I said, it's built like a tank - I can't imagine it ever failing.

I can't get over how much it costs on Amazon - I only paid $50 bucks for mine.

EDIT: I took a closer look at this while making coffee this morning. It does have one weld — the handle is welded to the body. Everything else uses threaded fasteners.

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It is what it is.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2021 08:08PM by N-OS X-tasy!.

This one seems to have gotten its nut stripped (? How) rather than a weld going. It’s this one - I could never imagine it breaking either. [www.amazon.com]é-French-Press-Coffee-Maker/dp/B07NWCVS2C

I got a 1L SterlingPro French Press Coffee Maker six years ago from Amz
for $10 (crazy promo sale) [www.amazon.com]

Built like a tank. No issues but then again it's not a daily driver.

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39°36'17"N 75°44'43"W

DuckDuckGo
The search engine that doesn't track you.

DemComm Records 2021 Greatest Hits
includes:
Taxman by Joe & Nancy's Rich Ice Cream Band
The Humpty Dance by The Harris-Brown Hookup
Lets Spend The Night Together by The Fang-Swalwell Gang
Díaz-Canel Is A Friend of Ours by The AOC Squad
My Old Kentucky Retirement Home by MitchMcC & The Soggy Boxer Boys
Burning Down The House by Merrick & The Goons
Back In the USSR by Bernie's Red Square Trio

I actually think the steel one I got has replaceable parts - it may be stripped and not the weld that is the issue. I don’t know how to find a replacement strange nut/rod, though(and I can’t tell where the issue is - the nut or the rod). When I wrote to the company, they just replaced the whole press.

In any case, many of the presses I have spent good money on were higher end and still have not lasted. I do I use it daily. This one is a double wall steel one… which is why I’m asking for help. Getting nicer ones has not helped my issue. I was very surprised that this happened but I’ve said that before - This is not the first good one I’ve bought.