Jennifer Allen
A French press is a great way to enjoy really delicious coffee without a lot of effort. We’ve rounded up some fantastic models to help you get rich flavor in every cup, morning after morning.
The great thing about French press coffeemakers is you can make fresh and delicious coffee super fast with them. As soon as the water’s hot enough, simply pour it into the carafe, stir the grounds a bit to “bloom” the coffee, put the lid on and wait a few minutes. Press the plunger down, pour the coffee, and you’re treated to a super rich coffee that blows drip coffee out of the water. (French press coffee allows more of the coffee’s natural oils to make it to the cup and the results are quite flavorful.)
If that sounds like something you’d like to try out, below you’ll find traditional (just glass) models, insulated models, models with specialty filter screens, and more. Here’s our top picks, sorted by category.
Best Gift Idea: Espro Press P7 Stainless Steel French Press ($100)
If you feel in need of a whole kit, rather than tracking down items individually, Espro’s Press P7 French Press bundle is an ideal starting point. It contains everything you need except the coffee itself.
Made from stainless steel, the Espro Press P7 has BPS and BPA-free coffee micro-filters which promise two times the filtering power over other French Press coffee makers. A double-lip seal stops over extraction and grit from getting in the way of your delightful flavors, with vacuum-insulated double walls that stabilize the brewing temperature throughout the experience.
It’s durably designed with no glass that can break, plus it comes with an 8.5″ long handmade wooden bamboo stirring coffee paddle for added convenience. It’s an ideal starter kit and a great gift idea.
Best Premium Purchase: Frieling USA Double Wall Stainless Steel French Press ($100)
When money is no object, the Frieling Double Wall Stainless Steel French Press is fantastic addition to your coffee arsenal. It looks super stylish thanks to its minimalist style exterior, it’s sizable (36 oz. capacity) so you can make plenty of cups of coffee from one press, and it makes flavorful coffee too.
Design wise, it offers a full length handle for added convenience and style, with a 2 stage filter system that ensures there’s zero sediment in your cup. The carafe doubles as an insulated serving pitcher so it retains heat 4 times longer than any glass French press carafe can manage. It even has a no-drip spout so you don’t have to worry about coffee spills. It’s the definition of ‘you get what you pay for’.
Best All-Rounder: Bodum Chambord Coffee Maker ($41)
The Bodum Chambord Coffee Maker is a classic in the French press market; Bodum has been making French press coffee makers since 1974 . It looks stylish, it’s durable, and it promises to brew a great cup of coffee in just 4 minutes.
It has a 3-part stainless steel plunger with a mesh filter so it extracts just the right amount of your coffee’s aromatic oil, without leaving any grit behind. It’s a far superior method than utilizing paper filters like some cheaper French presses (and most drip machines). A decent size, there’s plenty of room to make up to 8 cups of coffee each time you use it too. Part of the classic look is the classic glass carafe made from borosilicate glass—it’s heat resistant and reasonable sturdy, but you’ll definitely need to handle it with more care than the stainless steel models.
Best Budget Purchase: KONA French Press Coffee Maker ($20)
There are plenty of benefits to spending a lot of money on a French Press but that’s not to say that it’s not worth starting out with a budget offering. The KONA French Press Coffee Maker still offers a great cup of coffee at a low price.
The French Press has a reusable stainless steel filter with a large comfortable handle, and a glass exterior so it looks pretty stylish. It’s reasonably durable too, with a bit more protection around the glass carafe than more traditional presses. The trade off with this budget model is a simpler filter and plastic housing.
$31.99 
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Best Stylish French Press: Le Creuset Stoneware French Press ($70)
Le Creuset has a great line in stylish cook and kitchenware. That continues to be the case with its French Press. Available in a selection of different colors, the French Press looks great and it also works exceptionally well too.
It’s made of durable, high-fired stoneware with a glossy enamel glazing, and a non-porous enamel finish. That way, it resists staining, chipping, and cracking, no matter how often you use it. Inside is a stainless steel plunger and mesh press so it does the coffee making job well too. If you’re keen to have a stylish yet practical kitchen setup, and you’re not into the traditional (and fragile) glass look or the industrial stainless steel look, this is a great option.
Best for Unique Features: Secura Stainless Steel French Press ($27)
On the surface, the Secura French Press might look like a regular French press. It has a little more going for it than the competition, however. Its design includes a three screen system that means the first screen brushes the wall evenly and tightly, while the second one catches any tiny grounds that may have got past the first one. If you’re worried about getting “fines” in your cup of coffee, this will go a long way towards avoiding that.
Providing a smoother cup of coffee is just one of the benefits of this French Press. Its stainless steel double wall design also means your coffee is kept warm while the exterior is still cool to the touch. There aren’t any plastic parts either, so the French Press looks super cool and stylish. It’s ideal if you’re paranoid about drinking coffee grounds because who wants to suffer such horror, right?
