About 5.9 million Bodum French press coffee makers are under recall, one of the largest kitchen recalls of the year. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says the glass carafes can break during use, and the company has logged 70 reports of breakage, 48 of them involving burns.
The fix is unusual: no refund and no replacement press, just a free plastic stirring spoon and a warning label. That makes it worth a look at the kitchen counter, since the recalled presses have been sold for decades.
Which French Presses Are Included
According to the CPSC recall notice, number 27-055, announced Oct. 29, 2026, covers Bodum French presses with replaceable glass carafes in the 8-cup and 12-cup sizes. The model names are Bistro, Brazil, Caffettiera, Chambord, Crema, Java, Jesper and Kenya. A recall on this scale often turns up in the same part of the house as other counter gadgets, and a similar check applied to the 4.4 million Walmart grill brushes recalled over wire bristles, while a list of little rituals from the 80s and 90s is a reminder of how long some kitchen habits stick around.
The Bodum name appears on the frame and inner lid of most models and is engraved on the glass carafes along with product warnings, the commission says. The presses were sold at Target, Walmart and coffee and home goods stores nationwide, and online at Bodum.com, Amazon.com and other sites, from 1974 through October 2026. Prices ran from about $15 to $65. Anyone who bought a press as a wedding gift decades ago may still own one, much as readers revisit breakfast classics that deserve a comeback. The presses were made in Portugal and Thailand, and Bodum USA of New York is the importer.
How the Carafes Break
The commission describes the hazard this way: a carafe that is damaged or cracked can break during use, including when coffee is stirred with a metal spoon, which can spill hot coffee and glass. Bodum USA has received 70 reports of carafes breaking in use, including 48 reports of burns. A law firm’s recall explainer republished the same numbers and advised inspecting the glass in good light for chips, scratches and hairline cracks.
Stirring with metal is a common habit, which is probably why the remedy focuses on it. With the holiday cooking season close, a guide to things never to do in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day makes a useful companion read, and households weighing small appliance decisions may like a look at whether a self-cleaning litter box is worth it. Plastic spoons do not scratch glass, and a warning label on the press is meant to remind anyone using it. Similar small-appliance recalls show up regularly, including the 77,000 HotHands rechargeable hand warmers and the 53,634 Scotch thermal laminators, and each one comes down to checking a model name against the notice. For a lighter look at old household routines, there are the boomer habits that are making a comeback.
The Free Fix: Plastic Spoon and Warning Label
According to the commission, owners should stop stirring coffee in the carafe with metal spoons or other metal utensils and should not use a cracked or damaged carafe. They can contact Bodum for a free plastic stirring spoon and a warning label. Bodum’s phone line is 888-879-8213, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, and the email address is Bodum3302@sedgwick.com. The company also runs a recall page reachable from Bodum.com under Recall Information.
Scripps News, which covered the recall, described the remedy the same way: request the spoon and label, and stop using any damaged carafe.
The notice lists repair as the remedy, so the press itself stays in the kitchen. The recall site run for Bodum, according to the commission, carries photos and model details for anyone unsure which line a press belongs to. Scripps News noted that its summary did not list model numbers or date codes, so the carafe size and the model name on the notice are the practical checks.
What to Do at Home
First, look at the carafe: an engraved Bodum name and warning text, an 8-cup or 12-cup size, and one of the eight model names mean the press is covered. Second, check the glass for cracks or chips and set aside any carafe that looks damaged. Third, switch to a wooden or plastic spoon right away while waiting for the free one to arrive.
Anyone whose press broke or caused a burn can file a report at the commission’s SaferProducts.gov, which lets the public report unsafe products and search reports others have filed. The law firm explainer suggested keeping the press and any broken glass rather than throwing them away after an injury, which can help if a report or claim follows. For everyone else, the job takes only a few minutes: confirm the model, request the spoon, and stir with plastic.
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
