We Tested the Best French Press Coffee Makers in 2023—Here Are Our 7 Favorites

How We Tested

We researched top-rated French presses in a variety of sizes and materials and sent 20 models to our Lab to be tested side by side. The testing methods included making multiple cups of coffee and assessing consistency and brew quality, filling the French presses with hot water and measuring the temperature after a period of time to gauge the insulation, and taking them apart to clean. Our testers then rated each French press on its design, brew quality, and ease of use. We use a 1-5 scale with set criteria to ensure accurate and consistent reviews of all the products we test. We also sent several models to at-home testers for additional insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the French presses.

Other Options We Tested

• Secura Stainless Steel French Press: The Secura Stainless Steel French Press is a well-rounded option that fell just short of making our list. Its design doesn't stand out—although, the stainless steel is durable—and, most importantly, we found the coffee bitter and below average in quality.
• Kona French Press: This is another French press where the negatives outweigh the positives. The materials feel cheap and the coffee it makes is weaker than other models we tested.
• Bodum Travel Press: Despite being convenient and reasonably priced, this portable French press didn't live up to expectations. The main issue is the filter. An excess amount of grounds repeatedly escaped through the plunger, making the coffee unpleasant and, even, undrinkable.

What to Look for When Buying a French Press

Material

The material is a great place to start narrowing down your options. French presses can be made from glass, stainless steel, or stoneware. Each one has its own pros and cons and will bring a unique aesthetic to your kitchen. Glass is by far the most common material, as well as the most affordable, but it's the easiest to break and leads to poor heat retention. Stoneware and stainless steel, on the other hand, are pricier but make up for it with better durability and heat retention.

Fortunately, the flavor is not affected by the material that you choose. The coffee will be delicious no matter what.

Heat Retention

While this key consideration is directly tied to a French press's material, it is worth mentioning on its own. Coffee drinkers who have gotten used to drip machines with two-hour hot plates may, at first, be disappointed when switching to a French press. All non-electric coffee makers, not just French presses, naturally struggle to keep coffee hot for as long as electric brewing devices can.

If you only make a cup or two and drink it quickly, this isn't an issue. But if keeping coffee hot for a long time is important to you, consider buying a thermal or insulated French press.

Capacity

French presses only make a few cups of coffee at once, with capacities ranging anywhere from 12 to 51 ounces. If you intend to use a French press for an entire household, go with a larger option, roughly 8 cups and up. Just know that size and price are linked together: Larger French presses are more expensive, and smaller French presses are cheaper.

One last detail to keep in mind is that the coffee world is a little misleading with its measurements. Many customers assume that each "cup" equals 8 ounces. However, coffee brands consider a cup to be 4 to 6 ounces. For example, the popular 8-Cup Bodum Chambord French Press has a capacity of just 34 ounces, not the 64 ounces you would expect using standard measurements.

Ease of Cleaning

Making the coffee is only half of the process. When you're done, you need to remove the plunger, discard the used coffee grounds, and clean the carafe for the next use. Dishwasher-safe components will speed up the process, although some people prefer to wash their press by hand right after so that it's ready to go whenever they need it. It's not difficult or time-consuming to clean a French press by hand, but some may grow tired of having to clean it after every batch of coffee.

Warranty

French presses with a glass carafe are an extremely fragile type of coffee maker, quicker to chip or break than most. Brand instructions typically advise against using metal spoons when stirring so as not to damage the glass. Take a look at an item's warranty beforehand to see what damages may or may not be covered.

Types of French Presses

Glass

The instinctive image when picturing a French press usually involves a gleaming glass carafe. Not only are these the most popular kind of French press, they are also the most affordable. Other advantages of going with glass include its light weight and that you can see the amount of coffee left inside. Many glass French presses are dishwasher safe too, which makes the cleaning process quicker. However, they can break more easily, so avoid stirring them with a metal spoon when preparing your coffee.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is the second most popular type of French press. They are more expensive than glass ones (some even pass the $100 mark) but have several advantages, especially heat retention and durability. Most are dishwasher safe, too; just check the manufacturer's instructions ahead of time. As far as designs go, you can choose between the classic silver steel or find a variety of bold colors. The last thing to keep in mind is that stainless steel presses can be heavy when lifting and pouring, so if you prefer a lightweight option, go with glass.

Ceramic

Ceramic, or stoneware, French presses are a favorite among design-oriented people. The material is often more striking and provides a more personal touch than glass and stainless steel. While prices vary, ceramic French presses drift toward the more expensive end, at least compared to glass. As for insulation, a ceramic French press should keep coffee hot longer than a glass one but not as long as a stainless steel model. Make sure to rinse ceramic French presses with boiling water before brewing to preheat them and maximize their insulation.

Portable

Yes, there is such a thing as a truly portable French press. These wondrous little devices look like travel mugs but, inside, have a filter and plunger to make delicious coffee on the go. They are typically constructed from stainless steel, so you can toss them in a bag or suitcase when camping or traveling. Designed for personal use, expect portable French presses to have a smaller capacity than household ones. The best part, though? They are just as affordable as standard French presses.

Brands/Manufacturers

Bodum

Bodum is the number one brand to know if you're interested in buying a French press. Founded in 1944, the company manufactures all sorts of coffee-related products, from grinders to milk frothers, but it is best known for its line of budget-friendly French presses. Many start as low as $10. Few other brands offer the sheer variety that Bodum does. The company makes several different kinds of French presses, from ones constructed of glass and stainless steel to travel presses. The sleek Chambord is its most popular option, but the Brazil, Eileen, and Columbia are all worth considering, too.

Frieling

Founded in 1988, Frieling is a well-known American manufacturer of high-end kitchenware. The brand's most popular French press—simply called the Frieling French Press—is constructed from heavy-duty stainless steel and comes in a number of sizes. Others include the all-glass Aroma French Press and the uniquely designed Perfetto French Press.

Le Creuset

This French brand has long been heralded for its colorful cast-iron cookware. For almost 100 years, Le Creuset has manufactured everything from skillets to Dutch ovens to French presses. It does not have a wide selection to offer, but its best-known French press stands out compared to others on the market. The Le Creuset Stoneware French Press is a high-end option made from sturdy enamel and available in 10 colors.

Brewing

It can be daunting to brew your first pot of French press coffee, so here are quick, simple instructions to ensure tasty results every time. First, use coarsely ground coffee. Too fine a grind and you'll end up with coffee silt in the bottom of your cup. Second, scoop in roughly 1 gram of coffee for every 15 grams of water you intend to use. Third, once the water is heated to 195 to 205 degrees, slowly and evenly pour it over the coffee grounds. Many experts recommend blooming the coffee for 30 seconds before pouring in all of the water, but others say blooming is unnecessary with a French press because they are immersion brewers, not pour overs. Either way, it doesn't hurt to bloom the coffee, just to ensure the grounds have had time to de-gas. Finally, let the coffee steep for about four minutes. That's it! Plunge it, pour it, and enjoy.

Maintenance

French presses need to be cleaned after every use. Check to see if yours is dishwasher safe beforehand, as this will speed up the process. If not, start by dumping the wet coffee grounds into a strainer and then trash or compost them. After that, disassemble the plunger into its individual parts—the mesh, the spring, and the cross plate—and rinse each one. Place the parts on a towel to dry and finish by cleaning the carafe with a soapy sponge.

Accessories

One accessory specifically useful for French press owners is a gooseneck kettle. With their elegant and sloped spouts, gooseneck kettles provide better precision when pouring. This, in turn, helps thoroughly cover the coffee grounds in a French press, leading to a tastier cup of joe. Gooseneck kettles can be designed for stovetop use (typically made from stainless steel) or they can be electric. The latter is certainly more expensive but has added convenience and can include unique features like specific temperature control.

Another accessory worth looking into is a coffee grinder. This is recommended for any kind of coffee maker, not just French presses. Coffee beans release the most flavor just minutes after being ground, when all the aromas have been freshly cracked open. You can choose from manual coffee grinders, which are more affordable, or electric ones. Bodum, Breville, and KitchenAid all manufacture dependable grinders.

FAQs

Is French press coffee better than drip coffee?

Neither French press nor drip coffee is truly better than the other. They each have different pros and cons. French press coffee tends to be stronger, more acidic, and have a heavier, more noticeable mouthfeel because the coffee grounds stay in contact with water for several minutes. On the other hand, drip coffee is often lighter, smoother, and contains less sediment because the water passes through the coffee grounds so quickly.

The brewing methods themselves have different advantages too. French presses take up less room, can be more aesthetically pleasing, and are often more affordable than drip machines. That said, drip coffee makers require less effort, have a lower chance of user error, and generally brew larger batches of coffee. So, it's not about figuring out which method is best, just which method is best for you.

How much coffee should I use for a French press?

There's a phrase in the coffee industry called "The Golden Ratio," which is a general recommendation for the amount of coffee grounds and water to use when brewing. The Golden Ratio is typically 1 gram of coffee for every 18 grams of water (1:18). While this is an excellent rule of thumb overall, some brewing devices produce better results with a slightly different ratio. When using a French press, Timothy Johnson, the Head of Education and Training at Vibe Coffee Group, recommends a ratio of 1 gram of coffee for every 15 grams of water (1:15). "We like to use a little bit more coffee per water to punch through and get that body from the French press,” he says.

What grind size should I use?

French press coffee is best made by using coarse or medium-coarse ground beans. If the grounds are too fine, the coffee may end up bitter and over-extracted, not to mention that small grinds can slip through the filter and ruin the entire pot. Coarse-ground beans, on the other hand, will lead to a balanced and sediment-free brew. We asked Timothy Johnson of Vibe Coffee Group what the recommended grind size for a French press is and he added that, while coarser is the way to go, experts are "finding that taking your grounds and going a little more fine than we traditionally thought works. You should do about a medium coarse, not super coarse."

Finding coarse to medium-coarse beans in the grocery store or grinding them at home may be an extra step, but it's worth it in the end for delicious coffee.

Is French press coffee more caffeinated?

It's logical to assume that French press coffee is more caffeinated than standard drip coffee. After all, it certainly tastes stronger when brewed properly. But caffeine content depends more on the type of coffee being used and the number of scoops you put in than the brew method. Sometimes French press coffee is slightly more caffeinated than, say, drip coffee because it's common to use a higher ratio of coffee grounds to water. Yet, French press coffee can often wind up less caffeinated than both drip and pour-over coffee. This is because the grounds used are coarser than that of other brewing methods and, as a result, don't extract as quickly. So, in short, caffeine content varies too much for there to be a definitive answer.

Can a French press be used to make other drinks?

Absolutely! Even though French presses are primarily designed for brewing hot coffee, there are many other ways to use the device. Cold brew is perhaps the most popular alternative drink to make with a French press, but users can also whip up tea, juices, and fruit-infused water. French presses can even froth milk for lattes and cappuccinos.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

This piece was written by Derek Rose, the coffee and tea expert for The Spruce Eats. He tested many of the French presses that appear on this list, including the Bodum Brazil, which lasted several years as his everyday brewing device, and the Espro P7, which he found to be one of the best French presses he has ever used. Derek received an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University and a BA in Communications from Marist College.

Sources

The author of this article spoke with Timothy Johnson, the Head of Education and Training at Vibe Coffee Group, to gain more insight into French presses. Timothy has worked in the coffee industry for 16 years. Vibe Coffee Group is the parent company of three Washington-based coffee brands: Victrola Coffee Roasters, Whidbey Coffee, and Seattle Coffee Works.