6 Best French Press Picks for a Rich Cup of Coffee Every Morning
Updated: Feb. 01, 2024
Enjoy your cup of joe just the way you like with the best Fresh press coffee maker.
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If you want to wake up to a rich, full-bodied cup of high-quality coffee every morning, you should consider buying the best French press you can find.
Unlike many other types of coffee makers, including coffee makers with grinders and drip coffee makers, French presses don’t rely on paper filters, which can absorb some of the coffee’s flavors. Instead, they feature an open cylindrical container in which coffee grounds are mixed with hot water and left to steep. After a few minutes of mingling, the grounds are pushed to the bottom via plunger, leaving their natural oils and complex flavor compounds in the now-brewed coffee.
And there are plenty of other reasons to seek out the best French press besides a great-tasting cup of coffee! These one-pot wonders can also be used to make tea, hot chocolate, adaptogen beverages and even cold brew! Small and portable, these are the ideal personal coffee makers for camping, tailgating or working.
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Best Overall French Press
Fellow Clara French Press
With fine details and upgraded features, the Clara French Press is the overall best French press you can add to your kitchen. Convenient line markers within the carafe make it easy to use, no matter how groggy you are in the morning. Its stainless steel design maintains a consistent temperature and is both sturdy and portable. But what sets the French press apart from the rest is Clara’s signature Enhanced Filtration Mesh, which brings out all of the clean and complex flavors in your coffee, without a trace of sludge or silt.
The all-directional lid lets you pour your coffee without needing to align the spout, and an agitation stick aids in extraction. When you’re finished, the nonstick interior makes cleanup a snap.
Pros
- Outstanding quality
- Has clear measurement lines
- Features vacuum-insulated walls
- Has a 24-ounce capacity
- Proprietary Enhanced Filtration Mesh eliminates “sludge”
Cons
- Pricey
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Best Budget French Press
Bayka French Press
Made of high-quality, heat-resistant glass, the affordable Bayka French press features an innovative four-level filtration system that eliminates coffee grounds or tea leaves from your brew. This means you’re left with a smooth, full-flavored beverage every time. And because every part of this budget-friendly French press can be disassembled, cleanup is a breeze.
“I was a bit apprehensive to buy a French press because it just seemed a bit too extra, but the quality and the taste of my coffee is by far the best that I’ve ever had,” writes five-star reviewer, Suzanne. “It took a little bit of getting used to the amount that I would put in, but it’s worth it…It’s beautiful and works just great.”
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Four-level coffee filter
- Easy to clean
- Great for beginners
Cons
- Some reviewers note it’s not as durable as pricier models
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Best Splurge French Press
Espro P7 Stainless Steel French Press
If you take your coffee seriously, the Espro P7 French Press is worth every cent. In fact, because it makes coffeehouse-quality brews in the comfort of the kitchen, this best French press pick will likely end up paying for itself quickly! Its patented filter design features deep micro-filters that twist and lock together, resulting in one of the cleanest, smoothest mugs of coffee you’ll ever taste. The Espro P7 is remarkably user-friendly, too, with easy-to-follow instructions and simple disassembly for quick cleanup. With a generous 32-ounce capacity that serves four 8-ounce cups, this press lets you enjoy your coffee at your own pace without sacrificing taste. Plus, it’s available in six colors.
“I’ve had French press coffee before, but not as good as this!” says five-star reviewer, Justin C. “The Espro P7 produces the cleanest, most flavorful coffee you can have. The design was very well thought out on how to keep the grounds from winding up in your coffee. I couldn’t be more happy with my decision to purchase an Espro P7.”
Pros
- Delivers delicious coffee
- Sleek, modern design
- Patented twist-and-lock micro-filter system
- Brews four 8-ounce cups at a time
- Rust-resistant and dishwasher safe
Cons
- Pricey
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Best French Press on Amazon
Secura French Press Coffee Maker
More than 25,000 people have given the Secura French Press five out of five stars on Amazon—and it’s not hard to see why. Made from top-quality stainless steel inside and out, it features double-wall construction to keep your coffee or tea hot. A three-layer stainless steel filter ensures that even the smallest coffee grounds are trapped, producing full-bodied flavor sans grittiness.
Pouring your coffee is comfortable and safe, thanks to the Secura’s cool-touch handle and knob. With a generous 4-cup capacity, you can easily make enough coffee to share with friends and family. When finished, all parts of this best French press pick are dishwasher safe for quick and easy cleaning. Just choose between the five colors to go with your kitchen decor.
“I’ve had every invention known to man on my quest for the perfect cup of coffee, and well, I’ve found it,” says verified purchaser, Barbara L. Ibarra, in her five-star review. “I can’t say enough good [things] about the experience with this stainless steel French press.”
Pros
- Has an average of 4.7 out of five stars
- Double-wall stainless steel construction
- Dishwasher safe
- Features a triple-layer filter
Cons
- Some reviewers note it’s prone to leaks when pouring coffee
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Best Large-Capacity French Press
SterlingPro French Press Coffee Maker
If you enjoy entertaining—or have an insatiable thirst for coffee yourself—check out the 1.75-liter French press from SterlingPro. Its innovative two-screen system ensures that your coffee is free from any unpleasant coffee grounds. The double-wall stainless steel design keeps coffee and tea warm for longer, which is ideal if you enjoy multiple cups of coffee throughout the day. Tired of drinking hot coffee exclusively? You can also make tea, hot chocolate and, like these niche coffee makers, cold brew.
“Pleasantly surprised by the quality, ease of use and the flavor of the coffee from this coffee maker,” writes verified Amazon reviewer, J. Janney, who claims this large French press makes the best-tasting coffee. “We used it for a weeklong camping trip. It was super easy to use and easy to clean, and the coffee tasted better than anything I get at home.”
Pros
- Makes enough coffee for two to four people
- Includes two stainless steel screens
- Keeps beverages hot for hours
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Some reviewers had difficulty pushing the plunger down smoothly
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Best Stoneware French Press
Le Creuset French Press
When it comes to heat retention, few things beat high-quality stoneware. The Le Creuset French Press keeps your coffee or tea hot for hours, and it looks good while doing it. The colorful glaze is nonporous, nonreactive and stain-resistant, and it comes in 13 different shades, including Caribbean, Cerise and Oyster. The virtually nonstick surface ensures that cleanup is a breeze, and it’s safe for use in the dishwasher, refrigerator or microwave.
Pros
- Beautiful exterior
- Keeps beverages hot
- Easy to clean
- High-quality materials
- Built to last for years to come
Cons
- Pricey
What to Look for When Buying a French Press
If you’ve decided to add a French press to your coffee routine, think about how much coffee you need it to produce. Most French presses only brew enough coffee for one or two people, so if you have a whole crew to caffeinate, seek out a high-capacity model.
Next, consider its materials, which aren’t just for show. French presses with glass are traditional, but if you drink a lot of coffee, you might remember that glass is easy to break. Stainless steel is durable and easy to clean, and holds heat well. Ceramic and stoneware French presses are made to last, keep beverages hot for hours and add an element of luxury to your daily coffee ritual.
Another important factor: filters. French presses are notorious for producing cups of coffee with a layer of “sludge” (unfiltered coffee grounds) at the bottom. Investing in a French press with a high-quality filter will result in better-tasting coffee.
How We Found the Best French Presses
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—what products are made of, what they look like and how much they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). Finally, we do the work of combing through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test.
Originally Published: May 08, 2023
