Fellow Clara French Press

Before first use, wash the Clara's components by hand with warm water and mild dish soap. The mesh filter (plunger screen) is the only dishwasher-safe component — everything else should be hand-washed. Rinse thoroughly.

The Clara is a 24oz (710ml) French press with a double-wall vacuum-insulated stainless steel body and a non-stick PTFE-coated interior. The dual-wall insulation maintains brewing temperature from start to finish, unlike glass French presses that lose heat quickly. The non-stick interior makes cleanup much easier — grounds slide out rather than sticking.

The Enhanced Filtration Mesh on the plunger is finer than standard French press screens, reducing the amount of sediment in the final cup. A secondary filter at the lid's pour spout catches any remaining fine particles. Together, these produce a noticeably cleaner cup than most French presses.

Ratio aid lines on the inside of the body guide dosing — add your coffee first, then add hot water to the corresponding line for your desired batch size. The included agitation stick is used to stir the grounds after adding water.

French Press Brewing Method

Grind your coffee coarsely — about the size of breadcrumbs or coarse sea salt. A too-fine grind passes through the mesh filter and produces a gritty cup. For 24oz of coffee, use approximately 40–50g of coarsely ground coffee (1:15–1:17 ratio).

Step 1: Pre-heat the Clara by adding a small amount of hot water, swirling, and discarding. This ensures the brewing temperature stays consistent throughout.

Step 2: Add your coarsely ground coffee to the Clara.

Step 3: Fill to your desired volume mark with hot water at approximately 200°F (93°C). Use the agitation stick to stir the grounds — give 5–10 stirs to ensure all grounds are saturated.

Step 4: Place the lid on top (do not plunge yet). Steep for 4–5 minutes. Adjust steep time to taste — longer for stronger, shorter for lighter.

Step 5: Press the plunger slowly and steadily all the way to the bottom. Apply gentle, even pressure — if resistance is very high, your grind is too fine.

Step 6: Pour immediately after plunging. The all-directional pour lid opens in any orientation — no need to align the spout with the filter position. Pour from any angle.

Agitation Stick

The included agitation stick is designed for stirring the grounds after adding water. It also fits through the lid opening to stir without removing the lid. Use it after adding water to ensure complete, even saturation before steeping.

Ratio Aid Lines

The lines on the interior measure your brewed coffee volume in 4oz increments. Add coffee first, then use the lines to measure water. A 2:1 coffee-to-water starting ratio by volume (not weight) is common; adjust the weight-based ratio (1:15–1:17) for more consistent results.

Heat Retention

The double-wall vacuum keeps coffee hot for several hours. Unlike glass French presses, the Clara maintains brewing temperature throughout the steep — this produces more consistent extraction from first cup to last. Pour any remaining coffee into a separate container after steeping and plunging to prevent over-extraction.

After Each Use

Remove the plunger assembly from the Clara. Disassemble the plunger — unscrew the cross plate to separate the mesh filter. Rinse all plunger components under warm water. The mesh filter is dishwasher safe; all other components should be hand-washed. Rinse the Clara body with warm water — the non-stick interior makes this quick and easy. Dry thoroughly.

Deep Clean

Fill the Clara with warm water and a drop of dish soap. Shake and swirl to clean the interior, then rinse thoroughly. For stubborn coffee oils, soak for 10 minutes before rinsing.

Wooden Components

If your Clara has a walnut handle or press, apply food-safe mineral oil to the wood once a month to prevent drying and cracking — particularly important because the wood is exposed to heat and moisture during brewing. Do not put wooden components in the dishwasher.

Plunger Hard to Press

Grind is too fine — coarsen by 2–3 settings. If the plunger is very difficult to push, stop and adjust the grind before trying again. Forcing a too-fine grind can damage the mesh filter.

Gritty Sediment in Cup

Grind is too fine for the mesh filter. Coarsen the grind. Ensure you're using a burr grinder — blade grinders produce inconsistent particle sizes with many fines that pass through the mesh.

Coffee Cooling Too Quickly

Pre-heat the Clara by filling with hot water and discarding before brewing. This ensures the stainless steel body is up to temperature before coffee is added.