French Press
Filter Separates From Plunger

by Marlene
(San Jose, CA, USA)

Question:

I love this coffee maker. However, a few days ago when I attempted to 'depress' the plunger, I was met w/ resistance and then the mesh filter part broke away from the plunger. I did not realize that one could screw the 'filter' off the plunger, and I cleaned the entire pot daily. Can you tell me what caused this?

Thanks, Marlene

Answer:
Any number of things could have caused your problem. The glass or plastic beaker might have a bulge or other imperfection in it causing it to keep the plunger from going past that point. It probably broke because you used too much pressure. The instructions on the page you posted from explain this problem in detail: "Use as little pressure as possible. If while pushing the plunger down the filter clogs or you have trouble pushing the plunger down, stop. Then remove the plunger and stir the brew. Then try plunging again." Did you do this before pressing down when it got stuck?

Another problem could have been the wrong grind of coffee that could have plugged grounds to the sides of the filter, keeping it from going down. Without actually seeing the item it would be hard to know for sure what the problem is.

As for the filter, the instructions also state "7. After using, always clean the plunger by unscrewing the filter assembly."