To Find the 5 Best French Presses, I Put 17 of the Top Models to the Test—and Drank Far Too Much Coffee

When making coffee at home, I don’t think there’s an easier way to brew a delicious cup than with a French press. With nothing more than ground coffee, hot water, and a little time, a French press can make a full-flavored, full-bodied pot.

All French presses work essentially the same way. The grounds steep in hot water for four to six minutes, and then the filter is pressed down, separating the beans from the freshly brewed coffee. French presses almost always have reusable mesh filters made from stainless steel, which allow more dissolved solids and oils through—creating a bolder, rustic-tasting coffee with a more substantial mouthfeel. While not quite as refined as a pour-over, a French press allows direct control over water temperature, grind coarseness, coffee-to-water ratio, and steep time. It’s customizable, but not something you have to work too hard at.

To find the best French press coffee makers, I tested 17 of them—uncovering a handful of design choices that determined whether coffee was balanced and flavorful or a sludgy mess.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best French Press Coffee Maker

Fellow Clara French Press

$99 at Amazon $100 at Williams Sonoma $100 at Target

This was the best French press I tested. It’s stylish, with a matte black exterior—and its build quality is exceptional. The double-walled design kept coffee hot, the weighted handle made the carafe easy to pour from, and it made great-tasting coffee with minimal sediment.

The Best Budget French Press Coffee Maker

Coffee Gator 34-Ounce French Press Coffee Maker

$35 at Amazon

Insulated French presses tend to be pricier, but the Coffee Gator is less than $40. It didn’t make as consistent or clean coffee as some of my other top picks, but the results were still very solid.

The Best Splurge French Press Coffee Maker

Frieling Double Wall French Press

$150 at Amazon $140 at Target $100 at Home Depot

The stainless steel Frieling French press was one of the best I tested. Aside from brewing nice, clean coffee, the design choices and build quality were excellent. It’s a perfectly designed, luxury French press.

The Best French Press for a Sediment-Free Brew

Espro P7 French Press

$150 at Amazon $120 at Williams Sonoma View on Neiman Marcus

If you’re looking for French press coffee with as little sediment and grit as possible, the Espro P7 is the way to go. Espro’s unique double filtration produces some of the cleanest, crispest French press coffee I’ve ever tried.

Editor's Pick

YETI Rambler 34 oz. French Press Coffee Maker

$110 at Amazon $88 at REI View on Yeti.com

This durable French press makes great coffee with minimal silt. It keeps coffee hot for hours, too, and is a favorite of a couple of Serious Eats editors.

The Tests

• Brewing Tests: I made two pots of coffee with each model. First, I used a standard recipe of 42.5 grams of coffee ground medium-coarse and 680 grams of water (a 1:16 ratio), using water that was between 195°F and 205°F. I preheated each French press with boiling water for a full minute, emptied it out, and then proceeded to make coffee. I stirred the grounds after one minute, then added the lid and allowed it to steep for four minutes before pressing, filtering, and serving the coffee. For the second test, I used this recipe from Nick Cho, who recommends grinding at the coarsest possible setting and brewing for almost double the amount of time. After both tests, I sipped and assessed the coffee and looked at the amount of residue and sediment left at the bottom of the mug.
• Heat Retention Test: To evaluate how well each French press retains heat, I took the temperature of the coffee at different points in the brewing process using an instant-read thermometer. I then let the coffee sit for three hours, taking the temperature of the coffee at the start of each hour.
• Usability and Cleanup Tests: I disassembled and reassembled each French press to see how well-built it was. I also hand-washed the presses after each brewing test, noted any unique design features, and evaluated how easy they were to use and pour from. 

What We Learned

What’s the Best Material for a French Press? 

The French presses I tested were made from a few different materials. “You can get anything from stainless steel to plastic to borosilicate and regular glass,” explains Maciej Kasperowicz, the in-house coffee expert for Trade Coffee. “Two big differences, which don’t necessarily affect extraction, but that I think are quite important, are breakability and aesthetic.”

Some home baristas may prefer a glass press so they can see the coffee while it’s brewing. While this style is iconic, glass beakers could crack or shatter. On the other hand, stainless steel presses are sturdier but need to be double-walled or insulated to maintain steady temperatures. This drives up the price of these presses significantly, but they do keep coffee hot and last a long time. Both styles of French press have their pros and cons, but there are two materials I recommend avoiding.

On the surface, plastic seems like a safer, less breakable alternative to glass. However, over time plastic beakers can still crack due to expansion and contraction under the stress of high temperatures. I also tested a ceramic French press from Le Creuset. Surprisingly, my testing showed that the ceramic beaker caused the water temperature to drop quicker than any other type of material. This caused an inconsistent extraction, resulting in subpar coffee.

Double-Walled Insulation Was Beneficial, but Not as Much as You May Think

Throughout testing, presses with double-walled insulation were the best at maintaining temperatures, which helped ensure the brewing temperature was as close to the ideal range of 195°F to 205°F for the duration of steeping. Single-walled, glass presses didn’t maintain temperatures nearly as well. However, my testing showed that after the initial temperature drop, they did a decent job of maintaining a steady, slightly lower water temperature for the first 10 minutes of brewing. 

“Double-walled French presses, like Frieling’s or Fellow’s, retain heat the best,” Kasperowicz says. “That said, I generally get my coffee out of the French press as it’s done brewing, so this isn’t that important overall.” Decanting coffee after brewing is something I recommend, too. While insulated presses help ensure steady brewing temperatures, their superior heat retention can lead to over-extraction and acrid, bitter coffee. That said, I know not everyone will decant their Joe! Because of that, I still prioritized winners that could keep coffee hot for a reasonable amount of time. 

Sediment Could Be Reduced, but It Was Always There

No matter what, some silt and sediment will make its way through every French press’s filter. “It comes down to filtration; metal filters will always allow oil and sediment through that paper filters won’t,” Kasperowicz explains. “So if you like that fuller, oilier body and can tolerate some sediment, the French press is for you.”

My testing showed that even presses with double filters, like the Espro P7, still allowed some sediment through. Though there’s no way to entirely avoid sediment, there are some steps you can take to minimize the amount of silt at the bottom of your cup.

An easy way to cut down on sediment is to brew with a very coarse grind. “Traditionally, French press coffee uses a pretty coarse grind, as you don’t want too many fine particles to pass through the metal filter, and the fine particles to clog up parts of the filter and create too much pressure,” Kasperowicz says. Taking a gentler approach to filtering makes a big difference as well. “One way to reduce sediment a little is to be less aggressive about pressing,” Kasperowicz says. “People think that pressing is an important part of the brewing process, but all the coffee extraction you want has already happened before the press. You don’t even need to press all the way down, just have the filter around the top of your liquid, and gently pour your coffee out without agitating the whole thing too much.”

The Criteria: What to Look for in a French Press 

The perfect French press is easy to use and clean and made from quality materials and parts that fit together well. Good filtration is also key. A French press with a fine strainer that fits snugly against its walls will prevent coffee from containing too much sediment or stray grounds. 

Our Favorite French Presses

The Best French Press Coffee Maker

Fellow Clara French Press

$99 at Amazon $100 at Williams Sonoma $100 at Target

What we liked: In recent years, Fellow has developed a reputation in the coffee world for producing aesthetically appealing equipment that performs at a high level. The Clara is more evidence Fellow knows what it’s doing. 

The biggest positive here is the build quality. The double-walled press has components that fit together perfectly and it features a number of thoughtful design choices. I particularly liked its lid that allowed pouring from any direction, its nonstick interior coating that helped with cleanup, its weighted handle, and its included spoon for agitating grounds mid-brew. The Clara also was one of the top performers in my temperature tests, clocking in at 122°F after three hours.

In taste tests, the Clara made great coffee. Its filter is relatively fine and has a rubber gasket, so the amount of grit and sediment was minimal. For all of these reasons, the Fellow Clara has been my go-to French press every morning for the past few years.

What we didn’t like: At about $100, the Fellow Clara is pricier. Its 24-ounce capacity is also smaller than many of its competitors. 

Key Specs

• Capacity: 24 ounces
• Dimensions: 4.53 x 6.69 x 7.87 inches
• Materials: Stainless steel, plastic
• Insulation: Double-wall insulated
• Filter type: Single screen
• Dishwasher-safe: No

The Best Budget French Press Coffee Maker

Coffee Gator 34-Ounce French Press Coffee Maker

$35 at Amazon

What we liked: Double-walled French presses tend to be expensive, but not the Coffee Gator. It features a stainless steel, thermal-insulated build for less than half the price of its competitors. 

Though quite not as sturdy and well-built as the Fellow Clara, I found the overall build quality to be more than satisfactory. The handle, lid, filter, and other components fit together well and in my temperature retention tests, the Coffee Gator also performed on par with other double-walled presses.

In taste tests, the Coffee Gator produced quality coffee but was a little inconsistent. Despite the double mesh filters, the coffee had a chewier mouthfeel, though it wasn’t nearly as gritty as some of the other presses I tried. Overall, you aren’t going to find a better-performing French press for the price.

What we didn’t like: Compared to my other top picks, the Coffee Gator allowed more sediment to pass through its filter, though it wasn’t enough to be a deal breaker. When pouring from this press into a mug, it spilled a few times due to the shallowness of the spout. 

Key Specs

• Capacity: 32 ounces
• Dimensions: 5.6 x 5.8 x 11.9 inches
• Materials: Stainless steel
• Insulation: Double-wall insulated
• Filter type: Dual screen
• Dishwasher-safe: No

The Best Splurge French Press Coffee Maker

Frieling Double Wall French Press

$150 at Amazon $140 at Target $100 at Home Depot

What we liked: The Frieling double-walled French press is as good as it gets when it comes to build quality and aesthetics. The full stainless steel press is incredibly well-built and sturdy. The lid and filter fit seamlessly into the beaker and the handle was firmly attached as well. Its design and brushed stainless steel exterior also give the press a timeless appearance. Using the Frieling feels like a luxury experience.

Coffee brewed with the Frieling had minimal sediment or murkiness and tasted well-rounded and fully extracted. It also had good temperature stability, dropping only 92 degrees in three hours.

What we didn’t like: It was one of the most expensive French presses I tested. Though it still performed well in taste and sediment tests, at this price point, it would be nice to see more thorough filtration.

Key Specs

• Capacity: 36 ounces
• Dimensions: 4 x 4 x 9.5 inches  
• Materials: Stainless steel
• Insulation: Double-wall insulated
• Filter type: Single screen
• Dishwasher-safe: No

The Best French Press for a Sediment-Free Brew

Espro P7 French Press

$150 at Amazon $120 at Williams Sonoma View on Neiman Marcus

What we liked: If you want the body and flavor of French press coffee without that last bit of grit, investing in the Espro P7 is the right move. 

It uses a unique style of filtration that employs two basket-shaped filters that lock together, which does an excellent job of reducing grit and sludge. In my brewing tests, the Espro P7 produced crisp, but still full-flavored coffee. The heavier degree of filtration made the coffee taste lighter and cleaner than most other models, so if you like the heavier mouth feel and bolder flavor of French press coffee, the Espro P7 might not be the choice for you.

Though the filter setup is nearly identical across all Espro presses, the P7 had the highest build quality of the three I tested. The stainless steel components felt durable and fit together snugly. The P7 also performed very well in the heat retention tests, maintaining a temperature of 120°F after three hours.

What we didn’t like: The only major downside to the Espro P7 is the price. If you’re looking for a more affordable option, there are cheaper Espro presses that have the same double filter baskets, but neither of the ones I tried performed as well as the P7. At this price, I also didn’t like that the lid had some plastic components. 

Key Specs

• Capacity: 32 ounces
• Dimensions: 4.68 x 6.37 x 10.4 inches 
• Materials: Stainless Steel, plastic
• Insulation: Double-walled insulation
• Filter type: Dual screen
• Dishwasher-safe: No

Editor's Pick

YETI Rambler 34 oz. French Press Coffee Maker

$110 at Amazon $88 at REI View on Yeti.com

What we liked: Yeti's French press makes great coffee, with little silt or sediment. Its vacuum-sealed construction keeps coffee h-o-t (like, for hours) and it has a non-slip base, which adds to its sturdiness. It comes in some fun colors, too.

What we didn't like: The Yeti’s filter fits tightly within the press. During one test, it required so much extra pressure to plunge that coffee shot through the opening of the lid. It sometimes dribbles when poured from.

Key Specs

• Capacity: 34 or 64 ounces
• Dimensions: 8.25 x 6.125 x 4.25 inches (34 ounces)
• Materials: Stainless steel, ceramic lining, plastic parts
• Insulation: Double-walled insulation
• Filter type: Single screen
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

The Competition

• Bodum Chambord: Although this press is the most recognizable on the market, I found its performance to be underwhelming with inconsistent results across multiple taste tests.
• Le Creuset Stoneware French Press: Surprisingly, this ceramic press had the worst heat retention of any of the models I tested. Yes, it even performed worse than glass. The metal components were also flimsy and didn’t fit into the press perfectly.
• Bodum Tribute: This double-walled stainless steel press proved capable throughout my tests, but I found the coffee it made was underdeveloped and weak.
• OXO Brew French Press: Although the GroundsLifter scoop seems like it would help with cleanup, it was less useful than expected—there were still grounds that needed to be dumped out.
• Espro P6: Like the other Espro French presses I tested, this produced crisp, clean coffee. The results were pretty much identical to that of the Espro P7, but according to customer reviews, the black finish on the P6 peels off over time.
• Stanley Classic The Stay-Hot French Press: This insulated French press from Stanley has a massive capacity, so it’s great for making a big batch of coffee. The coffee this press made, though, wasn’t quite good enough to topple any of my top picks.
• Bodum Brazil: This model from Bodum offers a more affordable alternative to the Bodum Chambord and produces similar results, but the plastic lid and body felt cheaper and flimsier.
• Espro P3: While this press cut down on sediment, its glass beaker led to poor temperature retention during the brewing process. 
• Sterling Pro French Press: This press had a decent performance, but a lower build quality than other comparable presses.
• Mueller French Press: Though it was a budget contender, the Coffee Gator was more affordable and performed better.
• Bodum Columbia: The performance of the Columbia was quite similar to the other insulated Bodum model I tested: adequate, but not outstanding. 
• Bialetti French Press: While the Bialetti press produced decent coffee, its build quality was subpar.

FAQs

Do French presses make better coffee than other coffee makers?

Taste is subjective, but French presses can make great coffee. However, French press coffee is unique. Because French presses use metal mesh filters, more oils, dissolved solids, and fine grounds pass through the filter than with drip coffee. This means coffee made in a French press has a richer mouthfeel with bolder flavors.

What grind size should you use for French press coffee?

With any coffee brewing method, the correct grind size depends on the method of filtration and how long the coffee will be brewed. For a French press, a coarser grind is normally recommended. This helps to ensure a minimal amount of sediment. 

Is it possible to find a French press that doesn’t leave sediment?

Because French presses use mesh filters instead of paper, there is almost always some degree of sediment in the bottom of your cup. French presses have different filters and gaskets that affect how clean the filtration is, but there will likely always be some cloudiness and sediment. 

Why We’re the Experts

• Dylan Ettinger is a Serious Eats contributor who specializes in coffee, spirits, cocktails, and barware. With over a decade of experience in the specialty coffee industry, he has spent the last four years testing and reviewing coffee grinders, espresso machines, pour-over cones, and other home coffee appliances for a variety of publications.
• For this piece, he combined his experience in the coffee industry with that of Maciej Kasperowicz, an in-house coffee expert at Trade Coffee, to determine what qualities make the best French press.
• Dylan tested 17 French presses for this review. He uses his Fellow Clara French press every morning.