A French press for your Mason jar, manufactured in Oregon using raw materials from the USA.

Home coffee-making equipment has come a long way, but the typical French press is still assembled from plastic and delicate glass in an overseas factory. We want to improve your coffee making experience with quality and materials that you can relate to. That’s why we’re introducing the Portland Press:

The Portland Press is a French press for a Mason jar, made in the state of Oregon, out of materials sourced in the USA. It’s a simple, clean, practical design made out of fundamental materials: glass, wool, steel, wood. Most importantly, the Mason jar is easy to replace if it breaks.

Our favorite part about this project is telling the story behind the people who are making the parts. The Portland Press was designed by Bucket, but the components are made by a variety of people with different backgrounds. Some of the manufacturers who we’re working with include Custom Stamping & Manufacturing, Spooltown, Creekside Fiber Mill, Puddleduck Farm, B&L Wood Creations, Northwest Spring Manufacturing, Oregon Screw Machine Products, and Tualatin Valley Workshop.

Oregon Wool Cup Cozies with mason jars

These felted wool cozies are 100% Oregon made. Thanks to Puddleduck Farm, Creekside Fiber Mill, and Spooltown for making this product a reality. Fits on all 12-oz regular-mouth quilted crystal jelly jars and comes with two jars to get you started.

The Portland Press

A french press for a 24-oz. Pint & Half Mason jar that’s made entirely in the state of Oregon, and looks nice on your counter top. Backed with a lifetime warranty. Includes press, one 24-oz. Pint & Half Mason jar and a custom size cozy to keep your coffee hot.

The Portland Press Package

Receive The Portland Press and two felted wool cup cozies with jars. A french press for a 24-oz. Pint & Half Mason jar that’s made entirely in the state of Oregon, and looks nice on your counter top. Backed with a lifetime warranty. Includes press, one 24-oz. Pint & Half Mason jar, a custom size cozy to keep your Portland Press hot and two felted wool cup cozies and 12-oz jars.

Risks & Challenges

Some of the metal components for the Portland Press have not gone through final design phase. This phase of the design process is cost-prohibitive without external funding due to the tooling that is required to produce the spring and the stamped sheet metal components. We have completed the prototype and proof of concept phases for all of the Portland Press components. We have also completed final design and prototype phases for the wool cozy and the wood lid.

We have detailed quotes and fulfillment lead times from all suppliers for order quantities of 100, 1000 and 10,000. If the designs change during the final design phase, the production costs will also change. However, the proof of concept phase has shown that final design changes will be minor. Only a few minor dimensions may change, while the overall design of the french press mechanism will stay the same, ensuring that changes in production cost will be minimal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why a Mason jar?

Designing the Portland Press to fit on a Mason jar solves a number of problems. First, it reduces the cost of the press substantially vs. a custom piece of glass. Second, some people can use jars they already own, which in the big scheme of things means less stuff needs to be made. Finally, the Mason jar saves the user money over the long run by making it cheap to replace the glass. Most of us have broken a french press at some point; with the Portland Press, it’s a \$1 fix instead of a \$20 fix.

Won’t the glass jar break if I try to brew hot coffee in it?

Glass canning jars or Mason jars are designed to withstand temperatures well above boiling, and well below freezing. However, all glass, even your standard french press, will break if they heat or cool too rapidly- it’s just the nature of the material. There is a straightforward solution: preheat your jar before you brew your coffee. It’s as simple as rinsing the jar out with hot tap water before using it. By doing this, you ensure that the jar will not break when you’re ready to brew, and you also keep your coffee hot for longer.

Won’t the hot coffee and steam degrade the wood over time?

Hardrock Maple is a great material to handle the abuse of the kitchen. It’s used to make butcher blocks, wooden spoons and bowls. However, wood kitchen wares have special care instructions, and the Portland Press is no exception. The care instructions include hand washing the press parts after using it, and treating it with a butcher block treatment from time to time. Never put the press in the dishwasher. And never let old coffee grinds sit in the press for extended periods of time. Always wash and dry the press after each use, and it will last you a lifetime.

Will the wool smell over time?

Wool is naturally antimicrobial, so no need to worry about weird smells coming from it. Also, most of the lanolin has been washed out of it, so it won’t smell like a wet dog when it get’s wet. If it ever does start to smell or get dirty, simply soak it in hot water for a little while and dry it out. Never wash it in the washing mashine or dry it in the clothes drier.

Why do you need $50,000 for this project?

We originally were shooting for \$80,000, because that’s what we needed to place an order of 1000 presses. 1000 presses was about the point where we could get our manufacturing costs down to a reasonable level. After the campaign started, we went back to our suppliers to see if we could reduce the minimum order quantity, and still keep the price down to a level where we wouldn’t lose money. We were able to reduce the minimum order quantity to 500 units, and still keep the costs at a reasonable level, which is why, with the approval of Crowd Supply, we were able to lower the goal to \$50,000.

Will you ship internationally?

Yes. An international shipping fee will be added to your final purchase price.

Will the press be available for sale after the Crowd Supply campaign?

Yes, the Portland Press will be available for sale on the Crowd Supply website after the campaign is over.

Does the warranty include the jar?

No, the warranty does not cover replacement of the jars.

Do the cup cozies come with jars?

No, jars are not provided for the cup cozies. But they’re readily available at stores and online.

Does the press come with a jar?

Yes, the press does include a jar.

Is it possible to buy a press without the cozy?

At this time, we’re not selling the Portland Press without a cozy. The cozy is actually a key part of the visual and functional design. Trust us - you want the cozy.