I've only really woken up to proper coffee (e.g the non-instant variety) in the last couple of years, and have found that using a cafetiere is a simple way of preparing the morning brew. I've got a number of cafetieres in the house - not because i've set out specifically to collect them, but because the family has accumulated them over the years from birthday / Christmas gifts etc.

Today i'm reviewing the Debenhams silver eight cup cafetiere which is currently available for only £12 (RRP £14.99) - the price is arguably very competitive compared to the slightly pricier Bodum cafetieres on the market.

Appearance, Design, and Use
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The product is shaped in the traditional style, and has a pleasant appearance with a shiny chrome finish. The black plastic handle makes transporting the cafetiere easy, and doesn't become excessively hot whilst the product is filled with water. The packaging doesn't mention whether or not the glass is of the toughened borosilicate variety - although I can only speak from experience and say that it hasn't cracked when boiling water has been poured into it. Like most other cafetieres, the use of the device is straightforward - the following instructions describe the basic process;

1. Remove the lid and plunger before pouring in your ground coffee.

2. Fill the remainder of the cafetiere with hot water and then stir. Replace lid.

3. After around four minutes (depending on taste) the plunger can be slowly pressed downward - your coffee is ready to pour.

Once you're done, cleaning the cafetiere is very easy - just take the plunger out of the jug and rinse it under the tap, then swill the jug with water. Every so often, you may need to give it a more thorough clean - although rinsing is effective for the most part.

Final Word
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Overall, the Debenhams Eight Cup Silver Cafetiere is a well made and easy to use product which is available for a reasonable price. In my experience i've found than the plunger pushes down in a smooth manner, and the design is such that the product doesn't become excessively hot during use.