With frigid temperatures across most of the United States, it seems like a good time to discuss your coffee game. Before I was given this Desk Press with Brü-Stop to test, I didn’t know much about Planetary Design. This company, like many others, originated from problem solving. The founder was a passionate backpacker as well as brewer of the black gold. With very limited options for portable coffee, Planetary Design was founded and the travel french press was born. Now Planetary Design offers a host of coffee brewing products for discriminating drinkers.

Prior to my time in the Ranger Regiment, I didn’t drink coffee at all. Not even in college. But struggling to stay awake in Ranger School found me starting to accept the caffeinated drink into my daily routine. We used to tuck the grounds from the MRE coffee packet into our lips like chewing tobacco. Basically spit brewing coffee in our mouth. And living in the Seattle area for 12 plus years further fueled my love for these crack beans. Now fully addicted, my wife and I moved to Michigan, a state we quickly identified as void of drive-through espresso shops. So we opened one up in Petoskey, Michigan and began dealing to the locals. We were quickly purchased and moved onto other ventures. But good coffee or espresso remains my first order of business each morning.

The Desk Press from Planetary Designs features a new technology called Brü-Stop. The Brü-Stop press technology involves a physical barrier between the grounds and brewed coffee. Once the press is fully pressed down, a metal disc sits on top of the mesh screen preventing your coffee from becoming over-extracted, and bitter. Solving a common problem found in other French presses. The Desk Press also includes a conventional drink top for use as an insulated mug.

Desk Press with Brü-Stop details courtesy of planetarydesign.com

• Comes with an additional lid to convert the press into a conventional mug
• Constructed of double-walled, insulated 18/8 restaurant-grade stainless steel
• Innovative Brü-Stop plunger press and ultra-fine, stainless steel mesh screen
• Brushed steel or high gloss, scratch-resistant finish
• BPA-Free components
• Hand-wash recommended
• MSRP $31.49

Tired of going to work and drinking that gruel that’s been sitting in the break room coffee pot all day? Maybe it’s time to consider the Desk Press. All that’s required is access to hot water. And you can brew a fresh cup of whatever blend you prefer in just a few minutes. I personally like the variety of beans from veteran owned Black Rifle Coffee Company. Either way, simply follow the steps provided below from the Planetary Designs website and you’ll be fueled up and ready to crush the day.

Brewing is easy. Just add coarsely ground coffee (~2 Tablespoons per 8oz. of water) to the Desk Press, pour near boiling water over the grounds, and add cream and sugar if desired. Then place the Brü-Stop press screen on top with the plunger UP. Wait 3-5 minutes, press down the plunger, and enjoy. ~planetarydesigns.com