20 products reviewed

French Press

Presses compared on filtration and how much sediment reaches the cup, plus whether you can still buy parts in three years.

How we rate french press — the 6 criteria behind every score on this page.

Our pick

· research-based, chosen for a reason, not a rating

★ Editor’s pick

Secura Stainless Steel

The insulated steel press for somebody who does not want to pay ESPRO money

8.7From $27.99Read review →

Unless…

…you want it cheap

Utopia Kitchen French Press6.1

Least expensive here, at $14.24.

The best french presses, ranked

scored on what the maker publishes · open a row for the working

1Secura Stainless SteelFrom $27.998.7
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
10.0
Build Quality & Durability
6.9
Heat Retention
10.0
Ease of Cleaning
7.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
8.3
Value for Money
10.0
Weakest link: Build Quality & Durability — 6.9 of 10, carrying 20 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1479ml
Brew Size
3-4 to 12+ cups
Body Material
18/8 Stainless Steel
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
From $27.99
Read review →
2Frieling Double-Walled Stainless Steel French Press 36ozPricing N/A8.3
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
8.5
Build Quality & Durability
9.0
Heat Retention
10.0
Ease of Cleaning
8.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
8.3
Value for Money (no price published)
5.0
Weakest link: Value for Money (no price published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 12 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1000ml
Body Material
Double-walled brushed stainless steel throughout
Insulated
Yes
Price
Pricing N/A
Read review →
3Mueller French PressFrom $59.998.0
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
10.0
Build Quality & Durability
6.8
Heat Retention
10.0
Ease of Cleaning
7.5
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
7.5
Value for Money
5.0
Weakest link: Value for Money — 5.0 of 10, carrying 12 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1000ml
Brew Size
3-4 cups
Body Material
Stainless steel, double-walled
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
From $59.99
Read review →
4Bodum Travel Press 15ozPricing N/A7.9
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
6.2
Build Quality & Durability
8.1
Heat Retention
10.0
Ease of Cleaning
9.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
10.0
Value for Money (no price published)
5.0
Weakest link: Value for Money (no price published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 12 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
440ml
Body Material
Vacuum-sealed double-wall stainless steel
Insulated
Yes
Price
Pricing N/A
Read review →
5STANLEY Classic Stay-Hot French Press 48ozPricing N/A7.9
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
6.2
Build Quality & Durability
10.0
Heat Retention
10.0
Ease of Cleaning
9.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
5.8
Value for Money (no price published)
5.0
Weakest link: Value for Money (no price published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 12 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1400ml
Body Material
Two layers of 18/8 stainless steel, naturally BPA-free
Insulated
Yes
Price
Pricing N/A
Read review →
6YETI Rambler 34oz French PressPricing N/A7.9
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
6.2
Build Quality & Durability
9.1
Heat Retention
10.0
Ease of Cleaning
9.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
7.5
Value for Money (no price published)
5.0
Weakest link: Value for Money (no price published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 12 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1000ml
Body Material
18/8 kitchen-grade stainless steel, puncture, rust resistant
Insulated
Yes
Price
Pricing N/A
Read review →
7Utopia Kitchen Stainless SteelFrom $24.997.6
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
8.5
Build Quality & Durability
6.9
Heat Retention
10.0
Ease of Cleaning
2.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
8.3
Value for Money
10.0
Weakest link: Ease of Cleaning — 2.0 of 10, carrying 14 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1479ml
Brew Size
3-4 to 12+ cups
Body Material
304 stainless steel
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
From $24.99
Read review →
8ESPRO P6From $114.957.2
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
6.9
Build Quality & Durability
6.9
Heat Retention
10.0
Ease of Cleaning
8.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
8.3
Value for Money
2.4
Weakest link: Value for Money — 2.4 of 10, carrying 12 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
946ml
Brew Size
7-10 cups
Body Material
Polypropylene, Stainless steel
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
From $114.95
Read review →
9ESPRO P7From $114.997.2
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
6.9
Build Quality & Durability
6.9
Heat Retention
10.0
Ease of Cleaning
8.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
8.3
Value for Money
2.4
Weakest link: Value for Money — 2.4 of 10, carrying 12 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
946ml
Brew Size
5-6 cups, 7-10 cups
Body Material
Polypropylene, Stainless steel
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
From $114.99
Read review →
10Bayka French PressPricing N/A6.9
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
9.2
Build Quality & Durability
7.9
Heat Retention
4.0
Ease of Cleaning
7.5
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
7.5
Value for Money (no price published)
5.0
Weakest link: Heat Retention — 4.0 of 10, carrying 16 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1000ml
Brew Size
1-2 cups, 12+ cups
Body Material
Borosilicate glass
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
Pricing N/A
Read review →
11Coffee Gator French PressFrom $37.996.7
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
6.9
Build Quality & Durability
6.9
Heat Retention
10.0
Ease of Cleaning
3.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
6.7
Value for Money
6.3
Weakest link: Ease of Cleaning — 3.0 of 10, carrying 14 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1005ml
Brew Size
12+ cups
Body Material
Stainless steel
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
From $37.99
Read review →
12Home Hero French PressFrom $17.996.6
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
8.5
Build Quality & Durability
6.9
Heat Retention
0.5
Ease of Cleaning
7.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
8.3
Value for Money
10.0
Weakest link: Heat Retention — 0.5 of 10, carrying 16 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1005ml
Brew Size
7-10 cups
Body Material
Bamboo, Borosilicate glass, Stainless steel
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
From $17.99
Read review →
13Le Creuset Stoneware French Press 34ozPricing N/A6.2
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
6.2
Build Quality & Durability
7.5
Heat Retention
2.0
Ease of Cleaning
9.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
9.2
Value for Money (no price published)
5.0
Weakest link: Heat Retention — 2.0 of 10, carrying 16 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1000ml
Body Material
Glazed stoneware, nonporous, non-reactive
Insulated
No
Price
Pricing N/A
Read review →
14Bodum Chambord French Press 34ozPricing N/A6.1
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
6.2
Build Quality & Durability
9.0
Heat Retention
0.5
Ease of Cleaning
9.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
8.3
Value for Money (no price published)
5.0
Weakest link: Heat Retention — 0.5 of 10, carrying 16 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1000ml
Body Material
High-heat borosilicate glass carafe in a chrome-plated stainless steel frame
Insulated
No
Price
Pricing N/A
Read review →
15Utopia Kitchen French PressFrom $14.246.1
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
8.5
Build Quality & Durability
6.9
Heat Retention
0.5
Ease of Cleaning
4.5
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
7.5
Value for Money
10.0
Weakest link: Heat Retention — 0.5 of 10, carrying 16 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1479ml
Brew Size
3-4 to 12+ cups
Body Material
Borosilicate glass, BPA-Free Plastic, Stainless steel
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
From $14.24
Read review →
16QUQIYSO French PressFrom $33.246.0
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
8.5
Build Quality & Durability
6.9
Heat Retention
0.5
Ease of Cleaning
7.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
7.5
Value for Money
6.7
Weakest link: Heat Retention — 0.5 of 10, carrying 16 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1508ml
Brew Size
5-6 to 12+ cups
Body Material
Borosilicate glass, Polypropylene, Stainless steel
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
From $33.24
Read review →
17Café Du Chateau Stainless SteelFrom $37.965.8
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
8.5
Build Quality & Durability
6.9
Heat Retention
0.5
Ease of Cleaning
7.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
6.7
Value for Money
5.4
Weakest link: Heat Retention — 0.5 of 10, carrying 16 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1005ml
Brew Size
7-10 cups
Body Material
304 stainless steel, Borosilicate glass
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
From $37.96
Read review →
18Bodum Brazil French Press 34ozPricing N/A5.7
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
6.2
Build Quality & Durability
7.1
Heat Retention
0.5
Ease of Cleaning
9.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
7.5
Value for Money (no price published)
5.0
Weakest link: Heat Retention — 0.5 of 10, carrying 16 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
1000ml
Body Material
Borosilicate glass carafe in a lightweight BPA-free plastic body
Insulated
No
Price
Pricing N/A
Read review →
19ESPRO P3From $34.995.6
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
6.9
Build Quality & Durability
6.2
Heat Retention
0.5
Ease of Cleaning
8.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
7.5
Value for Money
6.0
Weakest link: Heat Retention — 0.5 of 10, carrying 16 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
946ml
Brew Size
5-6 cups, 7-10 cups
Body Material
Borosilicate glass, Polypropylene
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
From $34.99
Read review →
20ESPRO P5From $49.994.6
Brew Quality & Filtration (mesh fineness not published)
6.9
Build Quality & Durability
6.9
Heat Retention
0.5
Ease of Cleaning
3.0
Pour & Handling (weight not published)
8.3
Value for Money
3.4
Weakest link: Heat Retention — 0.5 of 10, carrying 16 of the 82.1 points scored here.
Capacity
946ml
Brew Size
5-6 cups, 7-10 cups
Body Material
Borosilicate glass, Polypropylene, Stainless steel
Filter Type
Reusable metal mesh
Price
From $49.99
Read review →

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More french presses guides

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How to choose a french press

A French press is the least mechanical way to make good coffee, and that is both the appeal and the catch. Nothing meters the water, nothing regulates the temperature, and the filter is a screen rather than a barrier. What you buy is a vessel and a mesh, so the mesh is where the money should go.

Filtration is 26 of the 100 points, and here is why

Brew Quality and Filtration is the heaviest criterion in the category, because it is the one that decides whether the last inch of the cup is drinkable. A metal screen does not trap oils and fines the way paper does. That is the point of the method, and it is why press coffee has more body than filter coffee, but it also means a poor screen puts silt in the cup.

Two published specs move this number. Filter layers: a single coiled screen is the minimum, and stacked three and four layer assemblies catch progressively more of what the layer above passes, at the cost of a slower plunge. A dual micro-filter of the ESPRO kind goes further again. Fit: a screen that does not meet the wall lets grounds past regardless of how many layers it has, which is why a press that arrives slightly out of round never comes right.

The grind matters as much as the press. A press wants a coarse, even grind, and a cheap grinder producing fines will put silt in the cup through any filter on this page. If you are buying both, spend on the grinder first.

Heat retention is worth 16, and glass gives it away

A press steeps for four minutes with the lid on and no heat source. A single-walled borosilicate beaker sheds heat through that whole steep; a double-walled stainless body does not. That is the entire argument for steel, and it is why the vacuum-walled models score above the glass ones here even when the filter is the same.

Glass buys you something back: you can see the bloom, it does not hold odours, and it is cheaper. For a press used at the table and poured out immediately, that trade is fine. For one that sits while you drink a second cup, it is not.

What to ignore

Cup counts. A "12 cup" press is measured in 4 oz cups and holds about 1.5 litres, and the same body is sold as 8, 10 or 12 cups depending on the seller. Read the millilitres, which we list on every product page.

Colour ranges and bundled scoops. Neither changes the coffee, and both are where a thin spec sheet goes to look full.

Reading on french press

What to know before you pick one.

How to Use a French Press Properly
The press is the most forgiving brewer there is, and the two things people get wrong are the same two every time: the grind, and pressing it like a plunger rather than a lid.
What Coarse Ground Coffee Is For
Three brew methods need it, everything else is ruined by it, and the bag in the supermarket marked coarse is usually medium.
Immersion vs Percolation: The Two Ways to Brew Coffee
Every brewer either soaks the coffee or runs water through it. Knowing which one you own explains why some methods are forgiving and others punish a careless pour.
How to Brew Coffee by Weight
Scoops measure volume and coffee is sold by mass, which is why the same scoop gives you a different dose every time you change beans. Weighing fixes it in about ten seconds.

Frequently asked

Is a stainless steel French press better than glass?

For heat it is, clearly. A double-walled steel press holds brewing temperature through a four minute steep where a single-walled glass beaker sheds it, which is why steel scores higher on the 16 points we give Heat Retention. Glass is cheaper, lets you watch the bloom, and holds no odours. If you pour out immediately, glass is fine; if the press sits, steel earns the difference.

How many filter layers does a French press need?

One coiled screen is the minimum and it will pass fines. Three and four layer assemblies each catch more of what the layer above lets through, and a dual micro-filter goes further still. The trade is a slower plunge and more parts to wash. Filtration carries 26 of the 100 points in this category because it is what decides whether the bottom of the cup is drinkable.

What grind size should I use in a French press?

Coarse and even. A press filter is a screen, not a barrier, so any fines your grinder makes end up in the cup. This is why a good burr grinder improves a cheap press more than an expensive press improves a bad grinder. If you are buying both at once, spend on the grinder.

Can you make cold brew in a French press?

Yes, and it is one of the best uses for one. The beaker is the steeping vessel and the plunger is the filter, so no second container or paper is needed. Steep coarse grounds in cold water in the fridge overnight, then plunge and pour. An insulated body keeps condensation off the counter but makes no difference to the brew.

How big a French press should I buy?

Read millilitres, not cups. Sellers measure a cup as 4 oz, so the same 1 litre body is sold as an 8, 10 or 12 cup press depending on the listing. A litre is two large mugs. Buy for the pot you actually brew, because a press half full loses heat faster and a press overfilled spills through the lid when you plunge.

What is the best french press?

Based on our research across the category, Secura Stainless Steel is our editor's pick for french press. The insulated steel press for somebody who does not want to pay ESPRO money

Is there a cheap french press worth buying?

Utopia Kitchen French Press is the least expensive we have reviewed in this category at $14.24. Cheapest is not the same as best value: the review says which corners were cut.

How much does a french press cost?

The ones we have reviewed run from about $14.24 to $114.99. Price tracks build material, capacity and how much of the specification the maker publishes.

Our pick

The best french presses, ranked

Secura Stainless Steel

Frieling Double-Walled Stainless Steel French Press 36oz

Mueller French Press

Bodum Travel Press 15oz

STANLEY Classic Stay-Hot French Press 48oz

YETI Rambler 34oz French Press

Utopia Kitchen Stainless Steel

ESPRO P6

ESPRO P7

Bayka French Press

Coffee Gator French Press

Home Hero French Press

Le Creuset Stoneware French Press 34oz

Bodum Chambord French Press 34oz

Utopia Kitchen French Press

QUQIYSO French Press

Café Du Chateau Stainless Steel

Bodum Brazil French Press 34oz

ESPRO P3

ESPRO P5