Best French Presses Under $50
The best French presses under $50 depend on whether you want glass or steel, how long the coffee sits in the pot and how much you brew at a time. This page ranks every French press we reviewed in that range on the same criteria, with a comparison of glass and stainless steel, a guide to insulation and filter types, and a plan by budget.
How this list is ordered
Ranked by arithmetic, not opinion. Every score is worked out from the specifications each maker publishes, so you can open the working on any product page. Anything commercial is labelled and sits outside that order, and how we score explains what each criterion measures.
French Presses Under $50, ranked by score
scored on what the maker publishesOpen a row for the score working1
SecuraSecura Stainless SteelFrom $27.997.9How it scored
Brew Quality & Filtration7.5Build Quality & Durability6.8Heat Retention10.0Ease of Cleaning7.5Pour & Handlingweakest link5.7carries 12 of the 97 points scoredValue for Money10.0Price from$27.99Score7.9Capacity1479mlBrew Size3-4 to 12+ cupsBody Material18/8 Stainless SteelFilter TypeReusable metal meshRead the Secura Stainless Steel review →2
ESPROP3From $34.997.0How it scored
Brew Quality & Filtration10.0Build Quality & Durability7.4Heat Retentionweakest link1.0carries 16 of the 97 points scoredEase of Cleaning8.8Pour & Handling5.0Value for Money7.5Price from$34.99Score7.0Capacity946mlBrew Size5-6 cups, 7-10 cupsBody MaterialBorosilicate glass, PolypropyleneFilter TypeReusable metal meshRead the ESPRO P3 review →3
Utopia KitchenUtopia Kitchen Stainless SteelFrom $24.996.5How it scored
Brew Quality & Filtration6.2Build Quality & Durability6.8Heat Retention10.0Ease of Cleaningweakest link1.2carries 14 of the 97 points scoredPour & Handling5.7Value for Money9.3Price from$24.99Score6.5Capacity1479mlBrew Size3-4 to 12+ cupsBody Material304 stainless steelFilter TypeReusable metal meshRead the Utopia Kitchen Stainless Steel review →4
Coffee GatorCoffee Gator French PressFrom $37.996.4How it scored
Brew Quality & Filtration6.2Build Quality & Durability6.8Heat Retention10.0Ease of Cleaningweakest link2.5carries 14 of the 97 points scoredPour & Handling5.7Value for Money6.4Price from$37.99Score6.4Capacity1005mlBrew Size7-10 cupsBody MaterialStainless steelFilter TypeReusable metal meshRead the Coffee Gator French Press review →5
Home HeroHome Hero French PressFrom $17.996.1How it scored
Brew Quality & Filtration6.2Build Quality & Durability6.2Heat Retentionweakest link1.0carries 16 of the 97 points scoredEase of Cleaning7.5Pour & Handling7.1Value for Money10.0Price from$17.99Score6.1Capacity1005mlBrew Size7-10 cupsBody MaterialBamboo, Borosilicate glass, Stainless steelFilter TypeReusable metal meshRead the Home Hero French Press review →6
ESPROP5From $49.995.6How it scored
Brew Quality & Filtration10.0Build Quality & Durability7.4Heat Retentionweakest link1.0carries 16 of the 97 points scoredEase of Cleaning2.5Pour & Handling4.3Value for Money4.4Price from$49.99Score5.6Capacity946mlBrew Size5-6 cups, 7-10 cupsBody MaterialBorosilicate glass, Polypropylene, Stainless steelFilter TypeReusable metal meshRead the ESPRO P5 review →7
Café Du ChateauCafé Du Chateau Stainless SteelFrom $37.965.5How it scored
Brew Quality & Filtration6.2Build Quality & Durability6.8Heat Retentionweakest link1.0carries 16 of the 97 points scoredEase of Cleaning7.5Pour & Handling5.7Value for Money5.5Price from$37.96Score5.5Capacity1005mlBrew Size7-10 cupsBody Material304 stainless steel, Borosilicate glassFilter TypeReusable metal meshRead the Café Du Chateau Stainless Steel review →8
QUQIYSOQUQIYSO French PressFrom $33.245.4How it scored
Brew Quality & Filtration6.2Build Quality & Durability6.2Heat Retentionweakest link1.0carries 16 of the 97 points scoredEase of Cleaning7.5Pour & Handling5.0Value for Money6.0Price from$33.24Score5.4Capacity1508mlBrew Size5-6 to 12+ cupsBody MaterialBorosilicate glass, Polypropylene, Stainless steelFilter TypeReusable metal meshRead the QUQIYSO French Press review →9
Utopia KitchenUtopia Kitchen French PressFrom $14.245.4How it scored
Brew Quality & Filtration6.2Build Quality & Durability6.2Heat Retentionweakest link1.0carries 16 of the 97 points scoredEase of Cleaning4.4Pour & Handling5.0Value for Money10.0Price from$14.24Score5.4Capacity1479mlBrew Size3-4 to 12+ cupsBody MaterialBorosilicate glass, BPA-Free Plastic, Stainless steelFilter TypeReusable metal meshRead the Utopia Kitchen French Press review →10
OXOBrew 8 Cup French Press with GroundsLifterFrom $49.995.0How it scored
Brew Quality & Filtration5.6Build Quality & Durability6.2Heat Retention6.5Ease of Cleaningweakest link1.9carries 14 of the 97 points scoredPour & Handling5.0Value for Money3.9Price from$49.99Score5.0Body MaterialBorosilicate glass carafe in a stainless steel housingFilter TypeFine mesh stainless steel filterInsulatedYesRead the OXO Brew 8 Cup French Press with GroundsLifter review →
What to know about French Presses Under $50
A French press is the simplest way to brew a full-bodied pot of coffee, and under $50 the real differences are the body (glass or steel), whether the walls are insulated, how the filter is built and how much the carafe holds. This page sets nine presses side by side on exactly those points.
Glass vs stainless steel French press: which should you pick?
Glass is cheaper and lets you watch the brew, but it breaks and cools fast. Stainless steel survives a drop, and a double wall keeps the coffee hot. Pick glass for quick pours and steel for slow mornings.
Glass
The Home Hero, QUQIYSO, Utopia Kitchen glass press, ESPRO P3, ESPRO P5 and Cafe Du Chateau all use borosilicate glass. It tolerates hot water, shows you the bloom and the plunge, and costs least. The trade-off is that a glass press is not insulated, so the coffee cools while it sits, and a knock on the counter can end it.
Stainless steel
The Secura, the Utopia Kitchen stainless press and the Coffee Gator are all double-walled steel and all insulated. They are harder to break and keep heat for longer. You cannot see the brew, so you work by timer. Our stainless steel French press guide shows more of them.
The Cafe Du Chateau sits between the two. It pairs 304 stainless steel with borosilicate glass and a steel handle, but it is not double walled, so it cools like a glass press despite the metal.
Insulated French press: is a double wall worth it?
An insulated press matters if coffee sits in the pot for more than 20 minutes. If you pour everything out within a few minutes, you pay for heat retention you never use.
Three of the nine are insulated: the Secura, the Utopia Kitchen stainless press and the Coffee Gator. Only the Gator publishes a figure, with vacuum insulation and 60 minutes of heat retention. Neither the Secura nor the Utopia publishes a number, so you cannot compare their insulation on paper. Every other press here is uninsulated. Whichever you buy, pour the whole pot off the grounds once it is plunged, because coffee left in contact with the grounds keeps extracting and turns bitter. Our insulated French press list shows the wider field.
French press filter types: micro-filter vs layered mesh
The design of the filter matters more than the number of layers on the box. A sealed micro-filter catches the fines a plain screen lets through and stops the brew when you plunge. A layered mesh sits in the middle, and no metal filter removes every grain.
ESPRO P3 and P5
ESPRO says its double micro-filters are stainless steel and 9 and 12 times finer than other French press filters, and that they stop extraction once you plunge, so the last cup tastes like the first. If sediment is your main complaint, these are the two presses built to fix it.
Utopia Kitchen, Home Hero, QUQIYSO, Du Chateau, Secura
These makers count four or three layers, and the count usually includes the spring and the cross plate that hold a mesh screen against the glass. It traps more than a single loose screen, but none of them states how fine the mesh is.
Coffee Gator
The Gator uses a two-stage filter. Its selling point is vacuum insulation, not filtration, so grind coarse to keep the cup clean.
More layers also means more parts to rinse, so a four-layer filter takes longer to clean than a single screen. Grind coarse whatever you choose, as covered in our coarse grind guide. Dose and water matter too, which our coffee to water ratio guide sets out.
How many cups is a French press? Sizes explained
Makers count a press cup as 4 ounces, so a 34 ounce press is billed as 8 cups but pours about four mugs. Judge by milliliters and by who you brew for.
Small presses
The ESPRO P3 and P5 start at 532 ml, the QUQIYSO at 621 ml, and the Secura and both Utopia presses at 355 ml. These suit a solo drinker or a travel kitchen.
Mid-size presses
The Home Hero, Coffee Gator, Cafe Du Chateau and QUQIYSO hold 1005 ml, and the ESPRO presses 946 ml. That is enough for two to four people at breakfast.
Large presses
The Secura and both Utopia presses reach 1479 ml and the QUQIYSO 1508 ml. That is up to 50 ounces, enough for a table.
Are French presses dishwasher safe? Cleaning and care
A press has more parts than it looks like, and the filter traps grounds. The dishwasher rating tells you how much that costs you every morning.
Three presses
The Secura, the Cafe Du Chateau and the ESPRO P3 can all go in the dishwasher, which makes them the easy-clean choices. Our how to use a French press guide covers rinsing the grounds out first.
Two presses
The Home Hero and the QUQIYSO are dishwasher safe in parts only. In practice you wash the handle and carafe by hand and put the removable pieces in the machine.
Four presses
The Utopia stainless press, the Coffee Gator and the ESPRO P5 are not dishwasher safe, and ESPRO does not recommend the dishwasher for the P5. The Utopia glass press has no dishwasher rating, and Utopia recommends hand-washing its lid.
French press problems: sediment, heat loss and breakage
A press makes a full, oily cup with no paper filter, and that is also the source of every complaint about it: grit at the bottom, a cooling pot and a glass that can crack.
What a press does well
It needs no electricity, it extracts all the oils into the cup and it asks only for a timer. Every press here is a reusable metal mesh design, so there are no filters to buy. Comparing it with a stove method? Read our moka pot vs French press guide.
Where presses fall short
Six of the nine are glass and uninsulated, so the cup cools fast. Several makers give no warranty term, and six of the nine state no country of manufacture. Plastic handles on several glass presses are a weak point.
Which French press should you buy?
Decide how long the coffee sits, then whether you want the dishwasher, then the filter. That order narrows nine presses to two or three.
If the coffee sits for an hour
Buy an insulated steel press. The Coffee Gator publishes 60 minutes of retention. The Secura is dishwasher safe and holds 1479 ml, and the Utopia stainless press has the four-layer filter. See the Secura vs Utopia Kitchen stainless comparison for the dishwasher trade-off.
If you hate sediment
Look at the ESPRO P3 or P5. The P3 is dishwasher safe with a plastic handle, and the P5 has a steel handle but is not dishwasher safe. Neither is insulated.
If you want the dishwasher
The Secura, the Cafe Du Chateau and the ESPRO P3 are the three that go in whole.
If you want a first, cheap press
The Utopia Kitchen glass press is the cheapest in the group, with a four-layer filter and a choice of colors. The Home Hero adds a bamboo handle and trim for natural materials.
If you brew for a table
The QUQIYSO offers the widest choice of sizes, from 621 ml to 1508 ml. The Secura and Utopia stainless presses reach 1479 ml with insulation.
French press by budget: under $25 and under $50
Under $25 you get glass presses and one insulated steel press. Between $25 and $50 you get the dishwasher-safe, double-filter and better-insulated builds.
| Budget | French presses | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Under $25 | Utopia Kitchen glass, Home Hero, Utopia Kitchen stainless | The lowest entry price. Two glass presses and the only insulated steel press in this band. |
| $25 to $50 | Secura, QUQIYSO, ESPRO P3, Cafe Du Chateau, Coffee Gator, ESPRO P5 | Dishwasher-safe steel, ESPRO's double filter, vacuum insulation and the widest size range. |
Start cheap
Buy this tier if you are trying a press before committing. Utopia's stainless version is the one that keeps heat, though it needs hand washing.
Pay for a feature
Spend more only for a feature you will use: dishwasher safety, vacuum insulation or ESPRO's filter. Browse every French press or step up with French presses under $100.
If you would rather brew on the stove, see our moka pot guide for under $50.
French Presses Under $50 FAQ
Is a glass or stainless steel French press better?
It depends on how you drink. Glass is cheaper and shows the brew, but it breaks and cools quickly. Stainless steel is tougher, and a double-walled steel press keeps coffee hot for longer. If you pour and drink at once, glass is fine. If the pot sits on the table, buy steel.
Are insulated French presses worth it?
Yes, if coffee sits for 20 minutes or more, because an uninsulated glass press loses heat quickly. An insulated steel press holds it much longer. Only one of the three insulated presses here, the Coffee Gator, publishes a retention figure, which is 60 minutes. If you drink at once, insulation adds nothing.
Which French press filter gives the least sediment?
A micro-filter. The ESPRO P3 and P5 use a double stainless steel micro-filter that ESPRO says is 9 and 12 times finer than other French press filters. The layered presses here count three or four layers, which usually includes the spring and cross plate, and none states how fine its mesh is. A coarse grind matters as much as the filter.
Are French presses dishwasher safe?
Some are. The Secura, the Cafe Du Chateau and the ESPRO P3 are dishwasher safe. The Home Hero and QUQIYSO are safe in parts only. The Utopia stainless press, the Coffee Gator and the ESPRO P5 are not. Check before you load one, because heat and detergent can ruin seals and plastic handles.
How many cups is a 34 ounce French press?
Makers count a press cup as 4 ounces, so a 34 ounce press is billed as eight cups. In practice it pours about four mugs of coffee. A 12 ounce press makes one small mug, and a 50 ounce press serves a table. Choose by volume rather than the cup label.
Why is there sediment in my French press coffee?
Fine particles pass through any metal mesh. A grind that is too fine is the main cause, followed by pressing too hard. Grind coarse, and let the plunged coffee settle for a minute. Pour the cup slowly, and leave the last bit in the pot. A micro-filter press such as the ESPRO P3 helps most.
Can I leave coffee in a French press after brewing?
It is better not to. Coffee left on the grounds keeps extracting and turns bitter, even in an insulated press. Pour everything into a cup or a flask once you have plunged, and an insulated press then just keeps the cup warm.
French press or moka pot: which should I buy?
A press gives a fuller, gentler cup and needs no stove. A moka pot gives a strong, concentrated cup and needs a burner. Choose a press for sharing a pot, or a moka pot for small, strong drinks and milky coffee. Our moka pot vs French press guide goes through the differences.