The 7 Very Best French Presses
A large part of the appeal of a French press is its simplicity. No accessories to buy, no deftness needed to pour, no stressing about precise timing (as you would with an espresso shot). For a coffee enthusiast, there’s room for experimentation in the coarseness of the grind, the ratio of water to coffee, and the interpretation of “water just off the boil” that’s to your liking. But at its heart, it’s a simple device, inspiring the same simple pleasure as brewing a pot of tea (which it also does rather well).
Summary of items we will discuss in this buying guide :
Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker
Stanley Classic The Stay-Hot French Press
ESPRO - P5 French Press - Double Micro-Filtered Coffee and Tea Maker
Frieling Double-Walled Stainless-Steel French Press Coffee Maker - Polished, 36 oz
Our top picks :
Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker
The Bodum Chambord is the one press that was mentioned by nearly all experts, who praised its affordability and classic look and the quality of the coffee produced. And in my own testing, it lived up to that reputation. It held heat as well as or better than its competitors (not including the presses with insulated carafes) and was easy to disassemble and clean. It edged out the competition due to its affordable price and the availability of models and parts.
Stanley Classic The Stay-Hot French Press
Most French presses look at home on the dining table, but Stanley’s French press, like the Yeti, is built for the great outdoors. Durable and well-insulated, the highlight of the Stanley is the volume at this price. Bodum makes versions of our picks above that are slightly larger than this model, but the glass carafes are more fragile than the Stanley’s stainless-steel one, and the 64-ounce Yeti, while also rugged, costs significantly more.
ESPRO - P5 French Press - Double Micro-Filtered Coffee and Tea Maker
Since French press is a full-immersion brew method and doesn’t use a paper filter, there’s a higher chance that grounds will make their way into your cup. That wasn’t an issue with any of the presses in my testing, but with the wrong grind size or a worn-out filter, it becomes more likely. That’s a much smaller risk with Espro’s presses, which come with a particularly fine, double-basket filter. They come in a range of models, all of which contain the same double filter and differ in price, body construction, and volume, so you can choose the one that most fits your needs. I chose the P5 for its more premium and durable finishes at a modest price difference over the P3, but all models should create a similar brew.
Frieling Double-Walled Stainless-Steel French Press Coffee Maker - Polished, 36 oz
“It’s the gold standard of French presses,” says Kelsey Horwitz, who uses the Frieling in her French-press classes at Beacon Coffee in Ventura, California. With an entirely stainless-steel construction, it’s dishwasher safe and, especially compared to its glass competition, virtually indestructible. Though it comes in at a higher price point than some of the competition, Frieling sells replacement parts at an affordable price. Horwitz suggests that, for someone whose daily cup is French press, it’s a better idea to spend more up front on a Frieling and never have to worry about buying another press ever again — just replace the filter as needed.
