I got offered the chance to play with one of these and didn't want to pass up on that opportunity. The Bodum Bistro brewer came in the mail today - since I am off from work and it's rainy here in my part of North Carolina the timing couldn't be better. Also, my wife just received a visitor so I have been dismissed to the coffee den while she catches up with her friend Christine - it's good time for me to play with this new toy!
Some neat features include a gold filter that looks to be woven from the same quality material you would find on a Swiss Gold filter. The Carafe is not glass lined but does hold heat well. The overall size is a bit hard to get used to though since it is very tall. Still the rectangular shape with a cut out in the middle for the carafe and filter does have a certain visual appeal. This one is matte black but I think they come in many colors too if you can find one in stock anywhere.
The fit and finish is a bit more plasticy than I would prefer for an item that retails for $249.99, but the looks do not make coffee so I will hold off on any criticism for now. The water tank is clearly marked and easy to remove - one nice feature mentioned in the manual is the safety shut off - the brewer will not cut on if there is no water to heat or if the tank is not seated properly. You can not kill it through neglect - I like that feature.
Also unusual but nice in the feature department is a removable shower head - now clean up is a breeze. Last but not least, the entire back panel is transparent plastic - you can watch this thing bubble away while brewing if that is your thing. I will post more about it after I have more time to brew but I am excited to put this thing into the rotation.
