Skip the french press, get an Aeropress instead.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...Ck%3Aaeropress
http://aerobie.com/products/aeropress.htm
30 seconds to about the best coffee I've had, and it certainly feels like I've tried probably almost every machine or method out there looking for it. Only thing else that comes close is my Chemex or some insanely expensive machine costing thousands of dollars.
Don't bother with the stainless filters, they kind of defeat the purpose/method of brewing.