What to Buy
10 Best French Presses for That Flavorful, Full-Bodied Cup
And to make mornings just a little bit smoother.
Ask a coffee connoisseur to name the best way to brew a perfect cup of joe, and you’ll likely get a slew of different answers. Some believe that there’s nothing wrong with the classic drip or pour-over method, and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Others are partial to their fancy glass Chemex, while those who enjoy waking up to the smell of fresh coffee take the set-it-and-forget-it approach. And some are still using the stainless steel, two-tiered stovetop coffee maker their grandparents handed down to them—and we’re not here to slander anyone’s nonna. They are, however, all wrong.
The best way to make coffee (in my humble opinion) is via a French press. It’s the purest, most efficient way to squeeze every drop of flavor out of each bean. There’s no technology involved, so you won't be left with an empty mug at 7am when your pot was supposed to auto-brew, and no flimsy, constantly-tearing filters are needed, so it saves you money, too. All it takes to make coffee with a French press are coarsely ground beans, super hot water, and a little bit of muscle. Plus, they’re timelessly beautiful.
But like any popular piece of kitchenware, there are tons of options out there. We narrowed it down to our 10 favorites, with the details on each to help you make the best choice, below.
1. Frieling Double-Walled French Press, $140–$190 $119.50–$159.95
Another French press that deviates from traditional glass models, this super insulated one boasts day-long hot temperatures for your morning brew in a sleek, modern vessel. The Frieling boasts a four-minute flat delivery on your coffee and since the entire thing is made out of stainless steel, it’s the only one we wouldn’t hate to accidentally drop. As the details smarty note, this press is also great for brewing tea and, with the plunger removed, can serve milk or orange juice on your breakfast table, too. One shopper said it works “just perfectly” and travels like a dream since the material is so tough.
2. Chantal Ceramic French Press With Stainless Steel Plunger and Lid, $60 $54.95
This French press has stainless steel pieces so you can be sure it won’t rust or corrode over time, and a ceramic body that insulates heat better than glass models, keeping your coffee hotter for longer. It has a discreet maximum fill line on the inside to keep you from accidentally over-filling it and a uniquely designed thumbprint is embedded into the handle for easy, spill-free pouring. It also comes in four different colors to match a variety of kitchen styles, too. One shopper said buying this Chantal press is a “repeat purchase” for them because they loved their first one so much.
3. Le Creuset Café Stoneware French Press, $80
The legendary French cookware company makes a French press, too, of course. This colorful enameled stoneware piece would look really good paired with other Le Creuset cookware you might never put away because it’s so beautiful, but it’s great on its own, too. The press is dishwasher safe, for easy and thorough cleaning and the materials resist chipping, staining and scratches. One reviewer wrote that they’ve been making French press coffee for 30 years in total and for six months with this Le Creuset press and described it as akin to being “in heaven.”
4. OXO Brew 8-Cup French Press with GroundsLifter, $41.99
OXO is known for making quality kitchen tools at affordable prices, and the brand’s French press is no exception. This one is made with what OXO has dubbed the “GroundsLifter,” a handy little feature that seamlessly pulls every little coffee grind backwards with the plunger so you can sip confidently knowing you won’t end up chewing your caffeine. It has a classic, glass carafe design that’s housed in a protective metal cage of sorts that keeps everything safe. It’s not something you’ll toss in the dishwasher, but it’s large enough to make eight cups, so it’s the press you’ll reach for when you have company.
5. World Market Stone Gray Ceramic And Brushed Silver French Press, $29.99
This chic, ceramic press is adorned with a sleek brushed-silver knob, making it perfect for those of us who would like a coffee maker that they’re proud to keep out on the counter at all times. It has great heat-retention, so coffee stays hot while you get through your morning emails, and shoppers say it’s heavier than other models so it isn’t easily toppled over. Reviewers also note that it’s easy to take apart and clean, too, and that it stayed stain-free even after one buyer accidentally left coffee in it overnight.
6. Fellow Clara French Press, $99—$125
There are two options here with this coated stainless steel carafe—one with a plastic and steel lid, or one with a walnut wood lid, handle and stirring spoon. This press has a built-in ratio guide so you know exactly how many scoops of ground coffee and how many cups of water to add to get the perfect amount of fresh, hot coffee. The whole inside is coated, too, so nothing (not even forgotten coffee grinds) sticks, and everything rinses out easily for quick cleanup. That lining is also an insulator so coffee stays at temperature, too. Happy customers say it’s “beautifully designed” and the elegant container is “easy on the eyes first thing in the morning.”
7. Veken French Press Coffee Maker, $31.99
This popular press says it can produce a cup of coffee in just three minutes. It has a beveled lid that promises a drip-free pour, is insulated with double-walled construction (a popular theme here), so coffee is hot for hours, and the outside is stainless steel that the brand says just won’t break, no matter how many times your cat swats it off the counter. One of the nearly 5,400 shoppers who left a five-star rating said the fine mesh in the plunger removes everything but the “finest dust” and that the packaging was “absolutely beautiful” so it makes a great gift.
8. Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker, $36.79—$49.99
Bodum is one of those brands that coffee lovers know as synonymous with quality and care. This French press comes in five different sizes, depending on how much coffee you need to make (or how severe your need for caffeine is in the morning), ranging from 12 ounces to 51. Each size variation is made out of stain- and heat-resistant borosilicate glass that won’t “alter or impair the coffee’s natural flavor,” according to the brand—something that some coffee aficionados say might happen with other materials. Shoppers agree that it makes “great tasting coffee,” and that the glass “maintains fragrance and flavor.”
9. Espro P5 32-Oz. Glass and Polished Stainless Steel French Press, $69.95
Another coffee-specific brand, this Espro was made by a pair of engineers who delivered a press that has an isolated interior chamber that quickly stops extraction when the plunger is pulled back and double micro-filters that result in a cup of coffee that’s totally sludge-free. This press, however, can also function as a pour-over coffee maker, too, and comes with a paper filter that can be placed between the filters to mimic that brew method. Also made of thick, sturdy borosilicate glass, this carafe is totally dishwasher safe.
10. Bayka French Press Coffee Maker, $24.99 $18.69
Amazon’s best-selling French press is also the most affordable option on our list—even before it went on sale. Another 4-minute pro, this borosilicate glass press is housed in a stylish copper holder with matching lid and plunger knob, too. Shoppers say it comes with simple, detailed instructions so it’s easy even for beginners and those not used to a French press design to figure out on their own. Plus, they add that it’s easy to open it up, rinse out, and put back together in just a few minutes, and it looks great on their breakfast tables.
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