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Review french press coffee makers


The Best French Press Coffee Makers of 2023

Straight to the Point

Our favorite French press coffee maker is the Fellow Clara French Press. Its heat retention was unmatched in our testing and it has smart design features, like a weighted handle that makes pouring easier. Our budget pick is the Coffee Gator French Press Coffee Maker. This double-walled model is about $40 and a solid performer.

Brewing coffee on a French press is highly rewarding and very simple: you pour hot water over coarsely ground coffee, wait a few minutes, and press down. Coffee that comes out of a French press is wonderfully bold and heavy, and you don't need to know too much about brewing or extraction techniques to get it right.

Almost all French presses have the same design: There’s a brewing chamber with a handle and a plunger with a mesh filter. But the details of a French press brewer can take your brew from just okay to extraordinary. I tested a range of models and tried a variety of brewing recipes to figure out the best French press for most people. Here’s what I found. 

Editor's Note

We recently tested eight more French presses (models from Bodum, SterlingPro, Brim, Stanley and more) at our Lab and compared them to the performance and usability of our favorite French press from Fellow. You can read our thoughts on each of these new additions towards the bottom of this page.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Overall French Press: Fellow Clara French Press

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The Fellow Clara combines innovative design with excellent heat retention. With its sleek matte finish, double-walled chamber, and weighted handle, the Clara proves that the folks at Fellow understand what makes a French press brewer great.

Best for: Design-minded folks who want a beautiful piece of coffee equipment; people who want to keep their coffee piping hot for extended periods; people who want a brewer that can make an excellent cup of French press coffee without any fuss.  

The Best French Press for Folks Who Like to Tinker: Espro P3 French Press

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The Espro P3 is probably the most “innovative” of the models I tested. The filter is a two-layer mesh cage meant to filter out fine particles, which means you can play with grind settings more. (What if you ground your coffee at an espresso setting? Wild things are happening!). The resulting coffee is cleaner than any cup I made with the other French presses, but it’s difficult to clean and doesn’t give you the hefty, almost viscous coffee you'd expect from a French press. 

Best for: Folks who like to geek out on coffee; who have a burr grinder and can tinker with different grind settings; who want their coffee to taste closer to a pour over with the ease of a French press. 

The Best Affordable French Press: Coffee Gator French Press Coffee Maker 

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The Coffee Gator is made of layered stainless steel that's both sturdy and keeps coffee hot over long periods of time. The dual filter ensures that grit and coffee sludge don’t end up in the final cup but still produces coffee with the heft you’d expect in a French press. It also comes with a bonus canister to bring your beans on the road. 

Best for: Folks looking for a classic cup of French press coffee; travelers and campers; those who are accident-prone and need a brewer that’ll withstand drops. 

The Criteria: What We Look for in a Great French Press

Serious Eats / Ashley Rodriguez

A great French press has to make great coffee. It should be easy to use and easy to clean. It also should keep coffee hot and maintain that temperature for long periods of time.

To improve your coffee drinking experience even more, use freshly ground coffee if you can. Buy the best beans available to you and invest in a burr grinder as opposed to a a blade grinder.

What's the Best Temperature for Coffee Extraction?

Serious Eats / Ashley Rodriguez

Coffee is made by extracting soluble components out of ground coffee. The way coffee releases those components—which is where flavor comes from—is through interaction with water. The National Coffee Association states that the ideal brewing temperature for coffee is between 195°-205°F. 

Anything hotter than 205°F will result in over-extraction, which causes bitter, acrid, and unpleasant flavors. Anything cooler than 195°F will result in under-extraction, where the resulting brew is sour and hollow. “Heat typically speeds up chemical reactions, so adding heat to your brewing process will increase the extraction rate of your brewing method,” says Erica Chadé, Specialty Coffee Educator.

A French press is a full immersion brewer, meaning that the coffee and water are hanging out with each other for a long time. Most French press recipes require water and coffee to brew together for at least four minutes before you plunge and separate the grounds from the final brew. That means you want to try to keep your water within that ideal brewing-temperature range for as long as possible.  

Let’s be clear—you won’t be able to keep water within that range the entire time you’re brewing, and that’s not even really the point (every brew method will lose heat, even pour-over brewers). In every French press I tested, the water I used lost at least 20 degrees between the initial pour and the final brew. Yet while it's inevitable that the water will lose heat, the rate it does so depends on how the French press is insulated.

“Temperature stability is a variable that we understand will change throughout the French press brew process, and anything we can do to minimize its loss of heat helps with extraction and consistency from brew to brew,” says Akaash Saini, National Sales Manager for Ground Control Coffee Brewers in New York. “Pre-heating your vessel, and using double-walled french presses (like Fellow and Espro) will help.”

What's the Right Grind Setting for French Press Coffee? 

Serious Eats / Ashley Rodriguez

Almost all French press recipes call for you to grind your coffee on the coarsest setting possible, but that's not what I recommend. There are two reasons: First, every grinder’s coarsest setting is different; second, you can increase extraction when you grind just a teeny bit finer. 

To test my theory, I did a Very Scientific Thing: I asked #coffeetwitter what they thought. 21.7% said you should grind coarse, 19.6% said finer than you’d think, and 58.7% said medium-coarse. 

We Tested 12 Coffee Grinders—Here Are the Best Ones

When it comes to determining the right grind setting, your best tool will always be your palate. I think that’s where lots of folks make mistakes—sometimes, coffee recipes are treated as prescriptive, but really, they’re meant to be jumping off points, and coffee is so easy to tinker with as long as you listen to what your palate is telling you. In general, if your coffee tastes sour and thin, try grinding finer. If it tastes bitter and syrupy, try a coarser grind setting.

Why You Should Trust Us

I worked in two different cafes that made all their drip coffee using a French press. One was appropriately called Daily Press, and the other was so busy that we’d sometimes have one barista just continuously brewing and cleaning out French presses during busy rushes. 

As baristas, part of our job is to talk with customers about brewing coffee at home, and a good percentage of customers asked me about brewing coffee in a French press. There are certain principles that are true to coffee brewing in general, and one of the earliest and most important skills you learn as a barista is how to brew properly extracted coffee—and how to change variables when the coffee flavor is off. 

I also wrote the Serious Eats review of the best espresso machines and the best milk frothers, where I detailed my years of experience making and writing about coffee. 

The Testing

I designed three tests for determining the quality of a French press. First, I evaluated how functional and usable the press was. Second, I measured how well it retained heat over a half-hour period. Lastly, I evaluated the flavor of the coffee at various points and used two different brewing recipes to determine how the flavor was affected by each French press. 

Test 1: Usability and Functionality

Serious Eats / Ashley Rodriguez

Cleaning a French press is hassle. However, being able to easily clean a French press is vital: because it’s a full immersion brewer, coffee oils and residue can build up quickly, so taking the brewer apart (so you can clean it) and putting it back together should be straightforward and simple. 

I evaluated how easy each French press was to use, clean up, and store. I also took into account any stylistic elements, updates on the classic French press design, and the materials used to make each model. The French press is an iconic brewer, so I also took into account how visually appealing each brewer was and how the handles felt in my hand as I poured. 

Test 2: Heat Retention

Serious Eats / Ashley Rodriguez

As I broke down above, heat retention in a brewer is the most consistent predictor of coffee quality. The brewers that were able to retain as much heat as possible always brewed the best coffee, so I tested how hot each brew was at multiple intervals: when the water initially hit the coffee, after each brew cycle (one recipe called for a four-minute brew, another eight), and then five and 20 minutes after brewing. 

I preheated each brewer for a full minute with boiling water and used water that was 30 seconds off boil to brew. For each sample of coffee I took, I preheated each mug to ensure no heat was lost to a cold drinking vessel. 

A note on time tests: many French press recipes call for you to pour the coffee into a separate carafe once it’s finished brewing. Even though the plunger on a French press is meant to separate the grounds from the final coffee, they’re still interacting with one another and flavors will continue to extract. I didn’t do this for these tests, mostly because I don’t think most people pour off their coffee into a different carafe, and because that wouldn’t tell us anything about the brewer’s ability to retain heat over time. I did note how the flavor changed over time, and was surprised by how well each coffee held up in the brewer. 

Test 3: Flavor

Serious Eats / Ashley Rodriguez

There’s no point to these tests if they don’t produce excellent coffee. Heat retention and taste are linked, but I wanted to see if each brewer could handle different French press recipes. 

I made coffee with all 10 presses using a standard recipe: 42.5 grams of coffee for 680 grams of water (1:16 ratio). I chose these particular parameters because some brewers were bigger than others, so I wanted a coffee to water ratio that could be made in each one. I pre-heated each brewer for a full minute, added the grounds, added all the water, stirred the grounds after one minute, covered the brewer with the lid, and then pressed down after four minutes total. I used a medium-coarse grind setting on a Baratza Encore and a coffee from Ruby Coffee Roasters called Creamery, a blend they recommend for both espresso and drip coffee. (Full disclosure: my partner works for Ruby). 

I then took my top four brewers and tried a totally different recipe from Nick Cho, who recommends cranking your grinder to its coarsest setting and brewing for almost double the time typically recommended by other recipes. I kept the ratio of coffee to water consistent, but stirred the slurry after 45 seconds and plunged after eight minutes. 

Serious Eats / Ashley Rodriguez

One thing I kept consistent in each brew recipe was stirring the coffee after the initial pour, or blooming the coffee. My classic recipe calls for stirring the bloom after one minute while Cho’s calls for a stir after 45 seconds. When you initially pour hot water onto coffee, the coffee (depending on how fresh it is) will create a crust with trapped volatile components, and stirring the bloom will release some of those gases. “It is...important to include a bloom pour/stage when constructing a French press recipe since I find that this vital step tends to be excluded for this particular brewing method,” Chadé says of designing recipes. “Blooming is a great technique that enhances extraction for all brewing methods, even batch brew!”

I stirred each bloom three times back and forth in order to break up the crust. “Incorporating agitation into the bloom stage can be helpful for ensuring that all of the coffee in the brew bed is adequately saturated for necessary degassing,” Chadé says. “If a crust forms during your brew, reincorporating those grounds into your brew with a gentle stir is best for promoting an even extraction. The goal of this stir should be reincorporation and not agitation, as agitation at this stage of brewing would most likely result in an uneven extraction.”

Just to make sure I didn’t miss anything, I took my top three brewers to my trusty friend, Phil—he helped test some of the models I recommended in my home espresso machine article—and asked him to brew coffee and talk through what he liked and disliked about each brewer. I gave him no instructions; I simply asked him to brew and record his thoughts.  

The Best French Press: Fellow Clara French Press

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What we liked: The Clara gives you everything you need to brew beautiful coffee. The brewer comes with an agitation stick so you can stir your grounds after the initial bloom. No scale to measure coffee? No problem! There are fill lines etched inside the brewer to indicate how much coffee and water to use (I’d still use a scale if you can because volume and weight can vary). The handle is weighted so when you pour your first cup, you’re not straining to carry a heavy brewer with an uneven weight distribution. 

It's also beautiful. The matte black finish and curved lines sit beautifully on any countertop. The Clara has a heat-lock double-walled vacuum to insulate the brewing chamber, a non-stick coating on the inside to make clean-up easy, and perhaps the most deceptively ingenious design upgrade I’ve seen on any French press: an all-directional pour lid. As a person who has spilled hot coffee on themselves hundreds of times because they’ve forgotten to align the spout with the lid, I very much appreciated this touch.

In my temperature tests, the Clara kept coffee the hottest. From initial pour to the end of the four minute brew, it lost about 19 degrees during the brew cycle. Coffees on the Clara tasted like nougat and chocolate. I’m not 100% convinced that has to do with the brewer directly, but rather indirectly through heat retention. On brewers where heat retention wasn’t as strong, there were noticeable sour notes and weird, lingering finishes that were unpleasant, but the coffee on the Clara drank well no matter when I poured a cup. 

It feels weird to say that cleaning a French press is a pleasant experience because they’re notoriously annoying to take apart and clean properly (if you have a traditional French press at home and you haven’t taken the bottom apart, now is a good time to unscrew the mesh screen and give it a soak to remove old coffee oils). The Clara screen is just one piece lined with rubber to create a seal so no coffee grounds slip past the side of the filter when you plunge. All you have to do to clean is unscrew the bottom. 

I know $99 is a lot to ask for a French press—the Bodum Brazil starts at $13—but this is a forever piece of equipment, and for the combination of brewing power, temperature consistency, and aesthetic and design choices, the Fellow Clara delivers on all fronts.

What we didn't like: Not much—besides the steep price, the Fellow Clara is an all-around fantastic French press. 

Price at time of publish: $99.

Key Specs

Serious Eats / Ashley Rodriguez

The Best French Press for Folks Who Like to Tinker: Espro P3 French Press

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What we liked: In order to avoid sooty, sediment-laden coffee—a common French press complaint—Espro redesigned the entire bottom plunger piece, using two interlocking fine-mesh baskets to prevent any coffee particles from getting into your final cup. 

Because the Espro P3 is able to filter out so much of the sediment that ends up in coffee, this French press is actually primed for experimentation. In the section above, I talked about how to grind for a French press, and with the Espro P3, you can push your grind setting finer, which can be fun for folks who like to try new things and push the limits on coffee. 

This is also a great press for people who might not love the flavor of French press coffee, or at least don’t crave the characteristic grit produced by the brewing method. You might ask why someone would buy a French press if they didn’t care for French press coffee, and the answer is simple: it’s the easiest way to brew coffee.

What we didn't like: One thing I did miss on both Espro models I tested was the heft of a French pressed coffee. I did get some higher notes—think more acids and fruit flavors—from the P3 and P6 versus other brewers, but that’s not what I’m pulling out a French press for. I want some of the weight that comes from the coffee oils, and every cup I had just missed a little bit of that. Another downside: It's a pain to clean with its micro filters; you can't just quickly rinse it and set it aside.

But if you want to experiment and try out different brewing recipes (or hate experimenting and just want a nice, clean cup of coffee) this might be the press for you. 

Price at time of publish: $40.

Key Specs

Serious Eats / Ashley Rodriguez

The Best Affordable French Press: Coffee Gator French Press Coffee Maker

 

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What we liked: I wasn’t sure what to expect from this French press. It looks like most classic presses and has the mesh screen I’m used to seeing, but the folks at Coffee Gator seem to know exactly what they’re doing and this press boasted all the right features: their double-walled carafe was one of the top performers in my temperature testing, and the small adjustments they made to the French press’s classic design only enhanced the drinking experience, including the small arrow on top of the plunger to indicate where the lid and the pour spout should align to prevent spills.

This brewer is almost ideal for traveling. It’s virtually indestructible—but it’s also pretty heavy. That being said, it made what I would call the most “classic” cup of French press coffee out of the bunch. Not only did it extract well, but it’s dual mesh filters gave some nice flavor clarity.

What we didn't like: Their website says that you can only use coarsely ground coffee for a French press, and while technically that’s not true—you can use whatever you want! Who’s going to stop you?—I likely would keep the grind fairly coarse when using the Gator. It doesn’t have the rubber seal or micro filter that the Clara or the Espro models have, so you will get a significant amount of grit if you go too fine. 

Price at time of publish: $40.

Key Specs

Serious Eats / Ashley Rodriguez

The Competition

FAQs

What type of coffee is best for a French press?

Any type of coffee will work in a French press; feel free to use your favorite beans! The most important thing to consider is the grind size. French press filters aren’t as fine as paper filters, so a coarser grind size ensures less sediment and grounds in the finished cup of coffee.

What material is best for a French press?

Stainless steel tends to make the best French press. It’s easy to clean, doesn’t break easily, and retains heat well. With glass beakers, there is always the potential for the glass to crack or chip and our testing shows that it isn’t as effective at maintaining temperature as stainless steel. Avoid plastic beakers if possible; they can stain and crack from regular use.

How long should you brew French press coffee?

Brew time is dependent on how coarse the beans are ground as well as how hot the water is. At a coarse grind and a water temperature of the recommended 205°F, it should take about four to six minutes to brew a pot of coffee in your French press.

We Tested Automatic Drip Coffee Makers—Here Are Our Favorites

10 Best French Press Coffee Makers in 2023 – Top Picks & Reviews

The French press coffee maker is one of the most popular at-home brew methods. It’s quick and easy, and you can brew several servings at a time. What’s not to love? But you don’t need any convincing of how awesome the French press is. The real dilemma is that there are so many to choose from, so how do you pick just one?

We’ve tested out some of the most popular French presses on the market, and we were able to narrow the list down to our top ten picks. But we didn’t stop there. After you go through the reviews, you’ll find a buyer’s guide to help make choosing a French press much easier. By the time you’re done reading this guide, you’ll be a relative expert on all things French press-related.

Quick Overview of Our Favorites (Updated in 2023)

Image Product Details
Best Overall Barista Warrior French Press
  • Attractive minimalist design
  • Built-in thermometer and insulation
  • Flavorful, silt-free coffee
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    Best Value KONA 8-Cup
  • Stainless steel filter
  • Sleek design
  • Great price
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    Bodum Chambord
  • Classic aesthetic
  • High-quality glass
  • Triple-layer filter
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    Best Stainless Steel French Press Secura Insulated
  • Insulated
  • Three-layer filter
  • Secure lid
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    Bodum Travel Press
  • Insulated
  • Two-in-one model
  • Smooth plunger
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    The 10 Best French Press Coffee Makers

    1.

    Barista Warrior French Press (34 Oz) – Best Overall

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    The Barista Warrior French press is one of the best on the market. From its sleek design to its enhanced durability, there’s no wonder why it’s our top pick. This sturdy stainless steel coffee maker features double-wall vacuum insulation, a built-in thermometer, and an incredibly effective filter. You’ll appreciate the comfortable handle and minimalist, elegant design. All this at a reasonable price!

    We were impressed with the flavorful, silt-free coffee this French press brewed. Plus, it’s sturdy enough to take on a camping trip or another adventure. You will want to pre-warm this press, and none of the pieces are dishwasher-safe. But the bottom line is that we consider this to be the best French press you can buy this year.

    Read our full review of the Barista Warrior French press here!

    Pros

    Cons

    2.

    KONA 8-Cup French Press Coffee Maker – Best Value

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    The KONA 8-Cup French Press Coffee Maker is another good option. What our team enjoys most about the KONA 8-Cup is the stainless steel filter. The downfall with French presses is the high possibility of coffee grounds escaping through the filter and into your coffee. Luckily, that is not the case with the KONA 8-Cup French Press. This makes for the bold, balanced brew that French press extraction is known for.

    This French press does have lower-quality plastic parts, and the filter isn’t as effective as our top pick. But this is a great budget French press with plenty of nice features.

    Pros

    Cons

    3. Bodum Chambord French Press (34 oz)

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    The Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker is a classic, so we had to include it on our list. This coffee maker is high-quality. Yes, it is a glass French press, but don’t let that deter you. It was introduced in the 1950s, and not much has changed about it. The carafe or beaker is made of a high-quality borosilicate glass that can handle some wear and is heat-resistant.

    We recommend this French press for coffee lovers who are into a classic aesthetic as well as a quality coffee maker. The beaker detaches easily from the chrome frame for easy cleaning. The three-layer filter doesn’t leave any grounds in the coffee. The only negative thing about this French press is that it’s not insulated.

    Pros

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    4. Secura 34 oz Insulated – Best Stainless Steel French Press

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    The stainless steel Secura 34oz Insulated French press keeps your coffee warmer longer. It’s constructed with a double wall for maximum heat retention, and that’s what our team loves about it. It also has a superb three-layer stainless steel filter designed to keep grounds out of your coffee.

    We recommend this for those who don’t want the typical glass French press. The high advantage of a stainless steel French press is that it usually lasts longer than glass presses. Another thing our team noticed and loved about the Secura 34oz Insulated is that the lid is very secure when pouring the coffee out. The plunger is easy to use and moves fluidly. The one thing we didn’t enjoy is that the stainless steel alters the flavor of coffee.

    Pros

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    5. Bodum Travel Press – Best Small French Press

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    The Bodum Stainless-Steel Insulated Travel Coffee Press is one of the best portable French presses available. What really stands out to us is the fact that it serves as a mug as well. That alone raises a lot of questions pertaining to the quality and taste of the coffee. But neither quality nor taste are sacrificed. It’s a stainless steel mug, so it keeps coffee hotter longer. The plunger resists just enough and flows down easily.

    What we don’t particularly like about it is the price. This mug/French press is only 15 ounces, so unless you really want your joe on the go, you may want to pass on this one.

    6. Veken French Press Coffee Maker (34 oz)

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    The Veken French Press Coffee Maker is another aesthetically pleasing French press. It’s got a look and feel like the Bodum Chambord French press, our number two pick. However, it doesn’t cost as much as the Bodum French press. The carafe/beaker is made of high-quality glass, and it shows. We put it to the test, and it proved to be a durable coffee maker. The copper frame gives it a unique aesthetic pop.

    What sets this French press apart from the rest is its four-layer filter system. Instead of one mesh screen, this press has two. We can’t guarantee that this will leave your coffee ground-free, but it’ll come really close to it.

    Pros

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    7. Espro P3 Glass French Press (32 oz)

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    The Espro P3 Glass French Press is an elite French press. We had to have it on our list. It’s another glass French press, utilizing high-quality thick Schott-Duran glass. The thick glass means your coffee will stay hotter longer. You’ll come to find this is an important function of a great French press. We love the specialized double filter with the optional paper filter to make certain no grounds enter the coffee.

    The frame is made from plastic, however. The Espro P3 would be so much better if the frame was made from a metal. Having the frame be made of metal would coordinate more with the Espro’s high price tag.

    Pros

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    8.

    GROSCHE French Press Coffee Brewer (34 oz)

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    The sleekly designed GROSCHE Madrid French Press is a glass press, complete with a strong glass beaker from PYREX. However, the minimalist frame leaves a bit more to be desired. We can’t deny that, like all the French presses on this list, the GROSCHE Madrid makes a fine, rich cup of coffee. This is the press we recommend for tea lovers, because of the secondary filter in the lid to block any coffee grounds or tea leaves that made it past the initial filter.

    If you decide to get this French press, be aware that the lid is made of two separate pieces, a metal part and a plastic part. The metal part is liable to rust if those pieces aren’t separated during each wash.

    Pros

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    9. Le Creuset Petite French-Press Brewer (12 oz)

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    The Le Creuset of America Stoneware Petite French Press is a truly unique item to have, and we strongly recommend it for Le Creuset aficionados who don’t mind brewing a single cup at a time. Le Creuset is known for beautiful ceramic cookware, and this French press falls right into that category.

    As much as we want to love this French press, it’s important to note that Le Creuset of America is not a company that specializes in making coffee makers. The main flaw of the Petite French Press is the lid. It doesn’t fit snugly on the carafe, so you have to hold the lid down when pouring. Something else to consider is its small size. The press is 12 ounces, which means one should expect about 8-10 ounces of servable coffee.

    Pros

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    10. Stanley Classic French-Press Coffee-Maker (48 oz)

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    The Stanley Classic Stay Hot French Press was made for the outdoors, considering that the company specializes in outdoor gear. Just like the Le Creuset French press, the Stanley French press has a few flaws that most likely exist because the company doesn’t specialize in making coffee makers. One thing we do really enjoy is that it keeps your coffee hot for four hours.

    Unfortunately, the filter on this press is not made well, and it allows some coffee grounds to escape. This is a huge no-no when it comes to French presses.

    Cons

    Buyer’s Guide – Finding the Best French Press Coffee Maker

    This section will help you in choosing your next French press. It’ll give you some criteria to put your top choices to the ultimate test. Not everyone looks for the same things when it comes to coffee makers, so it’s worth it to dissect what you’re specifically looking for. Some things to consider are size, durability, ease of use, brand, and price.

    It’s also worth mentioning that we have a separate guide covering our favorite coffee blends for brewing French press coffee.

    Size

    An overall advantage of making coffee with a French press is its size. All French presses are pretty low maintenance. Some coffee makers can take up room on your kitchen counter and become a permanent fixture, but almost all French presses are portable.

    It’s relevant to know the size of your beaker or carafe, because that determines how much coffee you’ll produce. It’s no use getting a French press like the Le Creuset Petite if you wish to brew multiple cups at once.

    Most coffee lovers who use French presses either end up sharing with others or are single consumers of multiple cups. For both the beginner and the expert, we recommend anywhere from 36 to 64 ounces.

    RELATED READ: Everything You Need to Know About French Press Sizes

    Durability

    Another common question asked when choosing a French press is how durable it is. No one wants to waste their hard-earned money on a coffee maker that won’t last a week. With French presses, this question directly correlates with what the carafe is made of.

    Which material is better, glass or stainless steel? It all depends on what suits your specific needs. Stainless steel is great for those who want to keep their coffee hot longer. Stainless steel French presses can also take a beating. You can drop one several times without it breaking.

    Glass French presses look a lot more appealing than stainless steel ones. Stainless steel ones have a more uniform look to them.

    Ease of Use

    For the most part, French presses are pretty simple to use. However, some are a little more complicated than others. Do you have time for a coffee maker that’s not as intuitive as the next?

    When considering ease of use with a French press, some factors to keep in mind are plunger smoothness, filter effectiveness, and ease of cleanup.

    One of the advantages of having a French press coffee maker is how easy it is to use. So it’s important to keep these things in mind.

    Brand

    We hate to say it, but the brand is important when considering a French press. If you’re not interested in one of our top picks, start exploring with a brand that you know or are familiar with. Not familiar with any coffee maker brands? Ask around. Surely someone you know has a brand they recommend.

    It’s best to choose a French press from a company that specializes in making coffee brewing equipment. When you stray away from the experts, you have to deal with rookie mistakes.

    Price

    As with every purchase or investment, keep the price in mind. French presses can range in price. Some cost as little as $20, while others are upwards of $100. We recommend the safe route of finding a happy medium, not going too low or too high. In our opinion, the best budget French press coffee maker is the Kona 8-Cup French press.

    Conclusion

    If you’ve made it this far, we know you’re close to choosing the right French press for your needs. Maybe one of the French presses from our list caught your eye, and your mind is set on that one. Either way, we hope this guide and review list was helpful.

    If you’re still on the fence about which is the Best French press coffee maker for you, we totally recommend the excellent Barista Warrior French press. It fits all our criteria, so you won’t be dissatisfied. If your budget is a bit tighter, you may want to try the KONA 8-Cup, a nice glass-and-plastic model that produces tasty coffee. We wish you luck in your search!

    RELATED READS:

    Table of Contents

    SterlingPro French Press Review

    SUMMARY: SterlingPro

    It is very durable, of exceptional quality and retains heat in hot liquids for some time. – Magnifico

    WATCH ON AMAZON

    Doesn't that sound like the perfect slogan for the SterlingPro French press?

    Of course, only if he keeps his promise to give you a different, better coffee!

    To this end, I have tested the SterlingPro coffee press to make sure it meets your requirements exactly. nine0003

    If you don't know what coffee to expect from this French press, rest assured that your question will be answered. And if you're wondering what makes this French press unique, just keep reading.

    Contents

    The whole truth about espresso in the French press

    Let's be honest about the SterlingPro coffee and espresso maker as described on Amazon.

    You can't make real espresso with it!

    In other words, the SterlingPro French Press and any other coffee press can make strong coffee, but not espresso!

    Still, this might be the richest, smoothest cup of Java you'll ever brew at home. nine0003

    And you control: grind size, brewing time, water temperature - everything can affect the final taste of coffee!

    For some this may be too much work and responsibility. Maybe it's a challenge for you to get better and better with your next brew.

    And if you do it right, you can enjoy a strong coffee with an intense taste that might remind you a little of espresso - let me call it "Frenchpresso" - just kidding, but I like that word. nine0003

    Now that we've debunked the espresso myth, let's go ahead and take a look at the SterlingPro French Press itself.

    No more grounds in your coffee

    If you had a French press before the next paragraph is probably not new to you.

    In case this is your first contact with a coffee press, you are entitled to know that French presses have one major drawback.

    This flaw actually makes people think twice whether to buy a French press or not, even though the brewed coffee itself is class! nine0003

    Coffeeble says: According to SterlingPro, this French press removes ALL grounds from coffee.

    So why do people hesitate to buy a coffee maker that promises such exceptional coffee quality?

    I'm telling you, it's the unpleasant feeling of ground coffee in your mouth.

    To explain how these deposits get into your coffee, let me start with the actual brewing process.

    After you have added ground coffee, you pour hot water into a glass and wait about 4 minutes. Some of these coffee ground particles find a way to escape when you press the plunger in the next step. nine0003

    You end up with nasty coffee beans where they shouldn't be - in your cup.

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    SterlingPro knew this and invented a simple yet ingenious dual screen system. In short, the large screen fits snugly against the glass and captures most of the coffee grounds.

    On the second sieve, the SterlingPro French Press filters the smallest particles that have passed through the main sieve.

    SterlingPro claims their Double Screen system is the only one on the coffee press market. They are so convinced of their concept that they give you a 100% guarantee that your coffee contains no ground coffee! nine0003

    Although I'm not sure about your chances of winning a lawsuit if you find grain in your face.

    Already convinced?

    Classic elegance meets the highest quality

    The SterlingPro French Press can brew up to 34 ounces of coffee.

    I intentionally used ounces and not cups because coffee presses usually count a 4 ounce cup. If you can't imagine 4 ounces in a cup at the moment, you really should give it a try - or you'll just believe me when I say it just doesn't look right. nine0003

    Coffeeble says: French press glass is heat resistant. So don't worry that it will break when you pour hot water.

    However, if you prefer a smaller French press, see below. SterlingPro offers a 28oz coffee press but with a different design.

    The SterlingPro coffee maker looks elegant and shiny. With its chic design, it does not deserve a place in the wardrobes. If you leave it on the counter, your friends and family will surely admire this beautiful coffee maker. nine0003

    You don't have to worry about hot water breaking the glass because it's heat resistant.

    But never put your SterlingPro French Press in the microwave because the stand is made of metal. Also, don't put the glass on the stove to heat the water, otherwise it might break!

    Sterling Pro 6-Cup French Press - smaller version for less demand

    As you can see in the picture, 6 cups or 28 oz. The Sterling Pro French Press is strawberry red in color. nine0003

    However, you can be sure that all quality features such as double screen system or heat resistant glass are the same.

    So if you just like the red design or want to save a few bucks, you can choose the smaller version without any problem.

    My Verdict on the SterlingPro French Press

    To sum up my review of the SterlingPro French Press, the 8-cup and 6-cup versions are a fantastic way to make great coffee at home. nine0003

    Its dual screen system eliminates the biggest disadvantage of French presses - sediment in the cup. And if you're passionate about finding the perfect DIY coffee flavor profile, I highly recommend this excellent French press.

    Now it's time for you to decide! Get the SterlingPro French Press Now!

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    Thomas

    Husband, father and former journalist, I combined my love of writing with my love of coffee to create this website. I love high quality products, but I write all my content for coffee lovers on a budget. I prefer a light roast and my usual drink is something like a pour over, although my guilty pleasure is sometimes a flat white. nine0003

    Test. Geyser coffee maker, french press, Turk. How utensils and brewing methods affect the taste of home-brewed coffee Each of these types of dishes has its own characteristics of preparing a coffee drink, and in its own way reveals its taste and aroma. We made coffee in three different ways and compared the results. The Alessi Moka geyser coffee maker, the Bodum Bistro Nouveau French press and the Ceraflame ceramic cezve took part in the test.

    nine0003

    Tested twice on beans of the same variety (Arabica 100% Medium Roast, Made in Italy). The first time we took coffee from a pack of factory grinding. The second time we used coffee beans, which was ground according to the usual recommendations: fine grinding - for the Turks, slightly larger - for the geyser coffee maker and coarse grinding - for the coffee press. In both tests, we took 15 grams of coffee per 150 grams of water (bottled drinking).

    The prepared drink was evaluated on a five-point scale according to four criteria: aroma, bitterness, saturation, acidity. nine0003

    For those who don't like unnecessary details, here are the test results. Details and tips for making coffee in a geyser coffee maker, French press and Turk can be found below.

    Test 1. Factory ground coffee

    Index

    Turk

    Geyser coffee maker

    French press

    Aroma

    5

    4

    5

    Bitterness

    3

    5

    2

    Saturation / Density

    4

    5

    3

    Acidity

    3

    5

    3

    Test 2. Different grind coffee

    Index

    Turk

    Geyser coffee maker

    French press

    Aroma

    5

    4

    5

    Bitterness

    3

    5

    2

    Saturation / Density

    4

    5

    3

    Acidity

    3

    5

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    4

    General conclusions

    The most dense and rich coffee is obtained in a geyser coffee maker. Compared to both a Turk and a French press, a drink from a geyser coffee maker seems to be more concentrated, the main flavors are more pronounced in it: bitterness and sourness. Turkish coffee and French press are similar in taste, but nutty and chocolate motifs are better manifested in the Turk, less sour and fruity. Turk allows you to prepare coffee with a fairly dense and stable foam. Coffee from a French press turns out to be the softest; against the background of a geyser coffee maker and Turks, it can be called watery. In a French press, subtle flavors are better manifested: berry, fruit, vanilla, etc. nine0003

    In general, in a geyser coffee maker, coffee is more concentrated, bright and rich, in a French press - soft, but with a richer flavor palette. Turk - between them, but closer to the French press.

    Geyser coffee maker

    The geyser coffee maker (Moka) was patented by the Italian engineer Alfonso Bialetti in 1933. The principle of operation is quite simple: the water heated in the lower tank under steam pressure passes through the filter with ground coffee, the finished drink is collected in the upper tank. The cooking process takes a few minutes and includes a few simple steps. If you strictly observe the dosage of coffee and water, you can get almost the same drink from time to time. nine0003

    1. The lower reservoir is filled with water (not above the level of the valve). Water can be poured cold or hot, in the latter case, the coffee is more saturated, the preparation time is significantly reduced.
    2. The filter is inserted into the lower tank and filled with ground coffee (it is better to use a grind less than medium, but not the finest; coffee does not need to be tamped).
    3. The lower and upper tanks are interconnected (the thread must be tightened tightly so that there is no steam escape). nine0007
    4. The coffee maker is put on fire. The end of cooking can be understood by the characteristic sound of hissing or gurgling. As soon as it has begun, the vessel is removed from the fire. To stop the heating process, the lower tank can be cooled under running water.
    5. Ready coffee is poured into cups. The temperature of the drink immediately after the end of the preparation process is about 75°C.

    Pressure relief valve is a guide - the water level in the lower tank must be below

    Before washing, the geyser coffee maker is dismantled. If it is hot, you can put it under cold water. If you do not want the remnants of previously brewed coffee to not give a rancid taste, all parts should be rinsed well with hot water each time. Classic coffee makers are made of uncoated cast aluminum and can only be washed by hand.

    French press

    French press (cafetière), despite the name, is also an Italian invention. He invented the French press Paolini Ugo, and patented the designers Attilio Calimani and Giulio Moneta at 1929 year.

    Brewing coffee in a French press at first glance is quite simple - coffee is added to the flask, filled with hot water, infused for several minutes and decanted through a press with a sieve. Several nuances affect the taste of coffee - the temperature of hot water, the temperature of the flask (it is better to pre-rinse it with hot water), how long the coffee was infused. Unlike a cezve and a geyser coffee maker, in a French press, coffee is prepared at lower temperatures (the initial infusion temperature immediately after pouring hot water into a preheated flask is 72-74 ° C). The strength of the coffee can be adjusted using different steeping times. Cold extraction coffee is also prepared in a French press. nine0003

    The usual recipe for making coffee in a French press (takes about five minutes, the temperature of the finished drink is about 60 - 63 ° C):

    1. Remove the filter, rinse the container with hot water (optional, affects the strength and saturation of coffee, speeds up the process brewing), add coarse coffee (finely ground coffee clogs the filter).
    2. Fill with hot but not boiling water (about 93°C).
    3. Let stand 4 minutes or more if you prefer a stronger coffee. nine0007
    4. Lower filter, pour coffee. If there is more than one serving of coffee in the container, the filter can not be lowered completely, then the brewing process will continue.

    The French press is best cleaned by hand with hot water without soap. It is necessary to rinse well both the flask and the filter.

    Most French presses have a borosilicate glass bulb, but there are also stainless steel, plastic and ceramic French presses. The material plays a significant role - the greater its thermal conductivity, the faster it cools down, the lower the temperature at which coffee is infused. Filters are usually made of stainless steel; cheap models use a plastic mesh. nine0003

    Turk

    Turk (cezve, ibrik) is one of the most ancient types for making coffee drink. It is ubiquitous in the Middle East, Turkey, the Caucasus, the countries of Southern Europe, the countries of the former USSR. The principle of brewing is very simple: coffee is added to the cezve, filled with water, put on fire and removed when the drink reaches the boiling point.

    Learn more