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You can brew coffee in a number of ways, but many caffeine addicts swear by the French Press method. Of all the French Presses we researched and tested, the SterlingPro French Press is the best one you can buy with its glass and metal design that's as durable as it is beautiful.
Coffee brewing methods are many and varied — You have pourover, cold brew, classic espresso, and more. One of the most popular methods is the French Press, which lets your coffee grounds swirl around in boiling water to brew before you push the plunger down and pour the coffee right into your mug. There are dozens of great French Press coffee makers out there, but they're not all created equal.
We've researched the best ones and tested a few ourselves to find out which French Presses are the best you can buy. Before we get into our picks, let's get into important terms, things to look for in a French Press, and how these special coffee makers work.
What to look for in a French Press
French Presses come in a variety of sizes and materials. Here's what to look for in a French Press:
- Glass French Presses: Glass carafes are gorgeous because you can watch the coffee brew and see the grounds go down as you plunge. They are more fragile, of course, so you should get one that's made out of borosilicate glass to avoid thermal shock and breakage. Most glass French Presses also have plastic or metal braces for added protection. Having a sturdy base is important, too.
- Stainless Steel French Presses: A double-walled design is key for stainless steel French Presses. Two walls will help keep the heat in and make for a better brew. You should also check for the quality of the stainless steel — 18/8 and 18/10 ratios of chromium to nickel are best. Stainless steel carafes are more durable, but you miss out on the fun visual element of glass French Presses.
- Plunger and handle design: The plunger keeps the grounds out of your cup of Joe, and the handle helps you keep the carafe steady as you push the plunger down. It's also key for pouring coffee into your cup. Most plungers have multiple metal screens to keep the grounds out of your coffee, including a large steel screen and a finer mesh screen to catch tinier particles. Some use a basket design, but most don't. The handle should be sturdy, strong, heat resistant, and not prone to breakage.
- Capacity: How much coffee do you want to make? French Presses come in different sizes, as do coffee mugs. It's best to look for a French Press with a capacity of one liter or more, depending on your needs. You can always fill a big carafe with less water, but you can't fill a smaller one with more, so bigger might be better. Take into consideration that many coffee mugs range is capacity from 8 to 16 ounces, so "cups of coffee" is a tricky metric to follow.
Updated on 03/22/2018 by Malarie Gokey: Updated prices and added related coffee maker buying guides.
Read on in the slides below to learn why the SterlingPro French Press is our top pick and why you'll also like the Frieling Double Wall Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker, the Bodum Brazil French Press Coffee Maker, the SterlingPro Double Wall Stainless Steel French Press, and the Bodum Stainless-Steel Travel French Press Mug.
SEE ALSO: The best espresso machines you can buy
The best French press overall
Why you'll love it: The glass SterlingPro French Press has a durable glass body with a solid metal frame and double-layered screen system to make amazing French Press coffee.
There are so many great French Presses out there, and many of them have the same basic design. The SterlingPro French Press is the best one you can buy with its sturdy glass and metal design. Its double-layered screen system keeps most of the grounds out of your coffee cup to make a delicious brew.
The borosilicate glass carafe has a one liter or 34-ounce capacity, which it says results in 8 cups of coffee, though your use may vary based on the mug you use. At the end of the plunger, there are two screens to help keep the coffee grounds out of your mug when you pour the coffee. As with all French Presses, you're likely to see some particles in your mug, but you'll get less in there with the SterlingPro. The company even includes two extra replacement screens in the box.
You can pop the glass carafe out of the metal frame to wash it by hand or in the dishwasher when you need to clean it. Reviewers say you should let it cool down fully before you clean it so as to minimize the risk of breakage. The borosilicate glass is strong and ought to withstand temperature changes, but it's best to treat it with care.
The SterlingPro is a number one best-seller on Amazon, and user reviews are mostly positive. Buyers love the flavor of the coffee this French Press produces and say that it's great at keeping most grounds out of the cup. Coffee enthusiast blogs like Coffee Maker Picks, Roasty Coffee, Freshpresso, Brown's Coffee, and the Little Coffee Place all recommend it as a great French Press.
Pros: Durable borosilicate glass, metal frame and plunger, double-screened design keeps particles out of your cup, one-liter capacity is good, easy to clean, affordable
Cons: Not as durable as steel
Buy the SterlingPro French Coffee Press 8 Cup on Amazon for $25.98 (previously $27.98)
The best high-end French press
Why you'll love it: The Frieling Double Wall Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker is the ultimate high-end French Press with its gorgeous design, superb build, and long warranty.
If you want a top-of-the-line, stainless steel French Press, the Frieling Double Wall Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker is the best one you can buy. It's made of remarkably high quality 18/10 stainless steel, and it has a double-wall design to keep the heat inside and away from your hands.
The dual-layer steel wall also keeps your coffee piping hot, and Frieling claims it's four times better at keeping your coffee warm than glass French Presses. The Frieling French Press we recommend has a 36-ounce capacity, but the company also makes French Presses in sizes ranging from eight ounces to 44 ounces.
Inside, there's a 2-stage filter system with both a big metal filter and a fine mesh one, and a metal wire inside the coil presses the plunger tight against the stainless steel wall. Together, these features ensure that you don't get many coffee grounds in your cup. Frieling's French Press is also dishwasher safe, so it's very easy to clean when you're done.
The company offers a five-year warranty in case of any defects, and buyers on Amazon are very happy with how durable it is. While glass French Presses tend to break in accidents, stainless steel ones like this do not. The handle is also long and comfortable to hold.
A number of sites call the Frieling the best high-end French Press you can buy, including Consumer Reports, FreshPresso, Brown's Coffee, the Little Coffee Place, and Coffee Maker Clips.
Pros: Quality stainless steel design, double wall insulates coffee, durable, large handle
Cons: Expensive
Buy Frieling USA Double Wall Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker on Amazon for $99.95
The best affordable French press
Why you'll love it: The iconic Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press Coffee Maker makes great coffee for less than $20, and it's a fun, funky French Press.
The Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press Coffee Maker was designed in the early 80's, and it was the company's first coffeemaker. All these years later, it's still one of the most iconic French Presses you can buy.
Like most of the other French Presses in our guide, the Bodum Brazil has a 34-ounce capacity and is made from durable, heat-resistant borosilicate glass. It has a BPA-free Plastic handle and base that's dishwasher safe and great at dissipating heat, so you can handle it easily.
The plunger ends in a 3-part stainless steel mesh filter that keeps most coffee grounds out of your cup of Joe, but doesn't mess with the coffee's flavors. Bodum's Brazil isn't as fancy looking as the Frieling or SterlingPro models, but it is extremely affordable and very reliable.
Buyers on Amazon rate it highly and love how sturdy the plastic base, handle, and lid feel. You can also get the Brazil in different colors to add some fun to your kitchen. The low price tag and delicious coffee it produces make the Brazil a top pick for many people on a budget.
Consumer Reports, Brown's Coffee, and Coffee Maker Picks all recommend the Bodum Brazil as a great French Press for less than $20. If you want something more durable and fancy with a metal case and plunger lid, you can check out the Bodum Chambord, which costs $28 on Amazon, and is also highly recommended.
Pros: It's affordable, sturdy design, strong borosilicate glass, nice big handle, fun colors
Cons: Glass can break under duress
Buy Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press Coffee Maker on Amazon for $19.99
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