We all know French cuisine- it’s gentle, rich in flavors and aromas- well guess what, the same goes for French press coffee! This special type of your favorite caffeinated beverage became a world-renowned method for coffee-brewing, and it is the essential part of baristas’ “arsenal”.
This text will briefly examine how exactly the French press method for coffee-making works. Furthermore, it will help you choose the best product for your personal use. Hold in mind that the “French Technique” necessitates a bit more skill than some other coffee-brewing methods (like, for example, automatic espresso machines). And that’s the beauty of it- the best things in life don’t come without work.
List of 10 Best French Press Coffee Makers:
 | Best Overall Mueller French Press |
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 | Best Budget Womice French Press Coffee Maker |
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 | Runner up AMOVEE Travel French Press |
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 | Secura French Press |
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 | Secura French Press |
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 | Kona French Press Coffee Maker |
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 | Café du Chateau |
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 | Bodum Maker |
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 | Kitchen Supreme French Press Coffee maker |
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 | Barista Warrior with thermometer |
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1. Secura Stainless Steel – French Press Coffee Maker
Made from stainless steel, this Secura product won’t break under pressure. Your drink will be nicely filtered thanks to 3-layer stainless steel filter.
Moreover, you’ll receive a bonus filter screen also made from stainless steel- which means that you can experiment with different sorts of filters and get the best flavor out of your coffee grounds.
There will be no nasty burns thanks to Cool touch handle and knob. Additionally, these accessories are extremely comfortable and ergonomic.
It has a large water container – 1l or 34 ounces – which means that you’ll be able to make about 4 cups of coffee in one go.
- Cheap
- Robust
- Some reviewers say that coffee goes cold after a short amount of time
2. Bodum Chambord – French Press Coffee Maker
This is the typical example of French press makers made from borosilicate glass. While being heat-resistant, this material is extremely light. Aesthetics of this kind of glass won’t pale after a few runs in the dishwasher.
Excluding carafe, components of Bodum Chambord Press are made from stainless steel- filters, screens, etc.
As already mentioned, steel filters will let more materials through, which is a good thing if you like stronger flavors. This is emphasized by the manufacturer, according to which all important oils and acids will stay in your drink.
- Borosilicate glass
- Bodum Safety lid
- Faster than some French presses
- A bit more expensive than other products from the same category
- Reviewers complain about container’s capacity
- Cleaning might be tiresome
3. Womice – French Press Coffee Maker
This is the first double-wall product on our list. It will thus retain heat for longer periods of time than most other French Presses.
As it’s made from food-grade stainless steel, you won’t have to anxious about your health.
According to the manufacturer, their steel is thicker and more durable than the competition’s.
This French press will retain heat for up to 3 hours! Now you can enjoy your coffee on the go, and save some money that you’d otherwise spend in Starbucks. As this product is “dishwasher friendly”, you won’t have any problems with cleaning.
- Retains heat
- Reasonably priced
- Can make tea
- Carafe is not transparent
4. KONA – French Press Coffee Maker
Kona is made from a perfect combination of stainless steel and borosilicate glass. This product has a smart design that protects the fragile glass carafe.
Thanks to comfortable handle, every cup will be a charm to pour, without any unnecessary spills.
Like most other French Presses, this one is portable and suitable for long outdoor activities and hikes. Furthermore, it’s Eco-Friendly.
This is one of the most popular products in the category, with 10,000 + customers, most of which are absolutely amazed by their Kona French Press.
- Moderately priced
- One of the most popular French Presses on Amazon
- Smart designed that should protect the precarious glass
- Fragile
5. Café du Chateau – French Press Coffee Maker
This Café du Chateau coffee maker is special because it has a 4-level filtration system.
Say goodbye to coffees saturated with grounds- this filter system will stop even the finest particles from getting into your cup.
You can make a wide variety of drinks with it- espressos, teas, French coffee, and cold brew.
This manufacturer offers a lifetime guarantee- which speaks enough about their confidence. If anything happens to your product, you will get a replacement.
All plastic parts are BPA (bisphenol A)- free, which means that there are no health concerns with this French press. Finally, even if you’re not an expert in coffee-making, you can become one with Café du Chateau Instructions.
- 4- level filter
- Lifetime guarantee
- Amazon’s choice
- You have to be especially careful with the glass
6. Mueller – French Press
Completely made from stainless steel, this coffee maker will last a long time. Mueller Austria (the manufacturer) states that their products went through a series of tests, which allowed them to achieve perfection.
If you love a good cup of “java”, don’t hesitate to buy this product.
As this Mueller has double walls, your beverage will stay warm for more than 60 minutes- longer than most other glass and stainless steel models.
It has so much steel that it’s probably bulletproof, although it would be best not to test this at home. It’s most certainly dustproof and rustproof. This French Press is also rather versatile- you can make normal coffee, hot chocolate, cold brew coffee, all sorts of milk with different flavors, and other herbal drinks.
- Good customer service
- High- quality production
- Versatile
- Retains heat
- Hard to disassemble and clean
7. Bodum Columbia – Thermal French Press Coffee Maker
Apart from being extremely stylish and good-looking, this coffee maker has a large water tank. Container’s capacity is 1l, which equals about 8 cups of coffee.
This thermal French press is insulated, thanks to double walls and stainless steel construction.
Steel plunger consists of 3 separate parts, one of which is a mesh filter that will extract all essential oils and aromas.
Thanks to diverse types of materials used for the making of this mesh filter- such as, polyoxymethylene thermoplastic, silicone, steel, and others- this filter is extremely efficient and healthy at the same time.
- Insulation works perfectly (up to 2 hours)
- Attractive, high-quality
- Some customers mentioned that this product is not dishwasher safe
- There are complaints about the plastic components in the strainer
- A bit more expensive than the competition
8. French Press Coffee & Tea Maker – Complete Bundle
If you buy this product, you’ll get more than you’d expect. First of all, it has a high-capacity container (1l- 8 cups of coffee, or 4 mugs). 4 filter screens will stop any kind of sediments from getting in. Moreover, you’ll receive 1 stainless steel spoon and 1 tea scoop.
To make things even better, you’ll also get an instruction book (hard copy) with barista recipes and coffee-making instructions.
This product is completely plastic-free, which is a big plus considering that the presence of plastic is one of the customers’ biggest complaints. The product’s Amazon page states that their product is the only one that has a double lid made from stainless steel.
- Made from German borosilicate glass- it won’t break as easily as other glass French presses
- Good price
- Some buyers say that the new design is “awkward” and “flimsy looking”
9. Stainless Steel French Press with Thermometer – Insulated French Press Coffee Maker
This product by Barista Warrior has a built-in thermometer, so you’ll be able to know the exact temperature of your beverage at each moment.
We all know the correct temperature for coffee brewing (195° to 205°F).
Good insulation will keep your coffee hot for longer periods of time- according to Barista Warrior- as much as 1 hour longer than most glass French press coffee makers.
This is all possible thanks to double wall stainless steel design.
The dual filter is easy to clean, apart from stopping coffee grounds residue and other substances.
- Sturdy
- Good insulation- keeps your drink hot
- The thermometer doesn’t show the temperature of water before the grounds are pressed
10. AMOVEE – French Press Travel Coffee Press Mug
Although almost all French presses are nominally portable, this is the only one on our list that is made for long travels. Moreover, this is the smallest and the cheapest product for our list, so it is a good solution if you want something that you can take on vacations without fearing that you’ll lose it.
It is made from food-grade plastic. Needless to say, this is a big minus, and customers simply don’t like plastic, even if it’s high quality and safe.
As this is a travel French Press coffee maker, it doesn’t have the largest water tank you’ve ever seen in your life. But 350 ml should be enough for one or two cups of fast coffee. Okay, it’s not that fast- your favorite caffeine beverage will be finished in about 5 minutes.
- Ideal for travels- it’s easy to carry
- Extremely cheap
- Made from plastic
- Small water container
Editors Choice
Hands down to Mueller’s impeccable French Press Coffee Maker! The Austrian manufacturer makes high-quality products that are made from durable and robust stainless steel. Moreover, this Mueller French Press Coffee Maker will retain heat for longer periods of time, unlike most other products from the same category.
It’s also quite versatile- it will make a wide variety of drinks- black, standard coffees, all sorts of teas, cold brew coffee, and a variety of drinks with milk. The best thing is that it’s not even that expensive!
3 Best French Press Coffee Makers Comparison Table:
Best French Press Coffee Makers Buying Guide
How Does French Press Work?
Considering that “press Francaise” has been around for quite some time now (more than a century), this is a fairly simple technique. Most French press coffee makers are “technology-free”, and don’t rely on modern “smart” gimmicks that have found their way into our lives.
French press, ironically, was patented by an Italian man- Attilo Calimani. He just took the already existing design, improved it a bit, and made quite a lot of money.
As already mentioned, this type of coffee-maker is rather simple- there are only 2 essential parts- carafe (beaker) and a plunger system.
French Press Beaker
This is, simply put, a water container. The carafe is usually made from fireproof glass, but as the popularity of French Press Coffee increased manufacturers became more and more creative. Today, carafes are made from a range of materials- stoneware and ceramics, plastic, and stainless steel. These materials have distinct properties, and it is useful to analyze these features.
- Fireproof glass – usually, fire-resistant glass owes its special properties to silica and/or boron trioxide, hence the name- borosilicate glass. Normal glass might break when you pour boiling hot water into it. This is not only bothersome but also dangerous, as fragments of shattered glass might injure you. This is why it’s best to use French press apparatus made from borosilicate glass- most products on this list are made from fireproof glass.
- Ceramics – usually, fire-resistant glass owes its special properties to silica and/or boron trioxide, hence the name- borosilicate glass. Normal glass might break when you pour boiling hot water into it. This is not only bothersome but also dangerous, as fragments of shattered glass might injure you. This is why it’s best to use French press apparatus made from borosilicate glass- most products on this list are made from fireproof glass.
- Steel – while ceramics and especially glass break quite easily, stainless steel will endure even the harshest treatment. Furthermore, most steel carafes are vacuum sealed, which means that hey will retain heat for some time. Stainless steel French press carafes come in a lot of colors and finishing styles (brushed or polished).
- Plastic – this is the last resort when it comes to the material of your carafe. You should be careful, as some types of plastic react to heat, and might release toxic matter into your beverage. Be careful that your plastic carafe is bisphenol-A (BPA) – free, as this chemical poses a significant health risk. Styrene- acrylonitrile plastic (SAN) is the best for high-temperature liquids.
French Press Assembly
- Plunger – this is the part that presses the water through the filter. You can adjust the amount of pressure, but most of the time you’d want to push gently.
- Filter – this is an extremely important part, as it filters the coffee grounds- there are some advanced filters that have as many as several different filters. There are a few main types of filters: metal and paper. According to some sources, metal filters are linked with cholesterol, as they let some fatty oils pass through. The other alternative, paper filters, might stop these cholesterol-inducing oils, and thus save your health. Note that the type of grind also plays a role- too fine grounds combined with a bad filter will result in a bitter, dense coffee nobody likes to drink.
Step By Step: How to Use A French Press
Let’s be honest here- it takes some practice to make a good coffee. You have to work hard in order to get the right flavor and aroma. As coarse grounds are best for French press, the brewing process lasts a bit longer- compared with some other methods, such as automatic coffee makers. The rule of thumb is the coarser the grounds, the longer the brewing.
- Grind style – fine grounds, used for espressos, are not suitable for French press method. Usually standard coarse ground coffee is used- needless to say, you would want to use fresh grounds. As we’ve explained in other texts, grind type is of utmost importance for getting the right flavor.
- The right amount of coffee – the amount of grounds that will be used depends on the amount of water. If you are using a 17 oz water container, 12 ounces (about 350 g) of coffee should be enough. If you’re brewing only 1 cup (200-250 ml) put one tablespoon of coffee (15g); for 2 cups (500ml) you should put 30g of grounds. If you prefer a stronger, more bitter flavor, feel free to put a bit more of our favorite caffeine powder- the same goes if you love milder, less strong coffees, just in the reverse direction.
- Add the desired amount of coarse coffee grounds to your carafe.
- Pour the half of boiling hot water in the French press. Let the mixture of coffee grounds and coffee for about one minute.
- Pour the remaining boiling water into the carafe. The coffee will steep after about three minutes, but you can leave it steep a bit longer if you love stronger, more bitter flavors.
- After you’ve done all this, slowly push the plunger. Being gentle is essential. Just let the weight of your hand push the plunger down, no need for additional pressure.
- The most important part – Enjoy!
This method is also suitable for cold brew- although you’d have to wait a lot longer. To make cold brew coffee with a French Press, simply mix the grounds with water and put the carafe in the fridge. Let it sit for at least 12 hours, then take it out, push the plunger, and you’ll have a nice cold cup of your favorite drink.
French Presses are rather simple pieces of equipment, and cleaning them isn’t a big hassle. Most importantly, the worst enemy of automatic machines- limescale- isn’t a problem for the French press- because the water is boiled in a separate container.
Conclusion
Comprising this list wasn’t an easy task as there are many good French Presses on the market, and we had to exclude some interesting products, for the sake of conciseness and brevity. As you’ve probably realized by now, your choice depends on your requirements- if you need your coffee to stay hot for longer periods of time, it’s best to buy a thermal French Press (made from thick borosilicate glass or double stainless steel walls). Also, if you are a bit clumsy and things keep eluding your grasp, buying a fragile, thin glass carafe might not be the best option. Finally, keep in mind that French Press is a slower method of coffee brewing- you will have to wait about 4 minutes (sometimes even longer) until the cup of your favorite beverage is finished. However, it’s worth it!
And now we’re off to take a sip of a good-old French coffee. Cheers!
