Top French Press Picks

I have 2 Bodums, then bought a Sterling Pro stainless steel French press. I'd buy the Sterling Pro again. Seems pretty solid, & retains heat nicely.

Might I suggest the Bodum Colombia? I absolutely love that thing. I've never had a French press leave less mud in the cup, and it keeps your coffee hot forever

Don’t buy a high end French press.

Double walled vacuum insulation is dirt cheap. There is no difference in performance between entry level and high end. You’re not gaining better heat retention by spending more.

Filtration is dirt cheap. Minimal gain from going high end. Most of the particles will settle anyway, and if you just put the extra money toward a better grinder you won’t have to worry about filtering out fines anyway.

I have this $25 French press. I love it. Double walled vacuum insulation. Double filters. All metal construction from good stainless steel. Dishwasher safe. Easy to take apart and clean. Keeps coffee hot for much longer than it takes me to empty a carafe. Survived 2+ years in a dorm, which is saying something.

A French press is an extremely simple, straight forward device. There’s no reason to spend more than like $30 on one.

We’ve had a Frieling as our daily driver for a little over 13 years. I’m assuming that if I’m not buried with it, my daughter will inherit it.

One thing I like about it is that it’s easy to disassemble to clean.

ESPRO all the way. Tastes like a press, mouthfeel like a press. But better filtration, easy to clean and it doesn't die. 8 years going strong.

Espro has a double wall stainless one with a great filter. Definitely what I'd get if I was looking for a new french press.

As /u/BrotherNuclearOption mentioned, a more expensive one won't necessarily make better coffee. They just might look better or, if they're made of steel, last longer.

I buy my French presses from a local restaurant supply store for about $5 each. All heavyweight glass, all brand new, excellent build quality, no negative impact on brew flavor. If one gets chipped or dropped, I can buy four more before I hit the cost of a stainless model.

By all means, get what you like. But I've been using three French presses for about 12 years now, and I've only ever broken one. Total cost = $15.

Loved my Bodums until I realized I broke 3 of them and needed something sturdier. Got a stainless Secura brand off amazon and it’s been great. I’ve even taken it camping a few times and it’s held up. Makes good coffee, could also be used to clobber a bear.

I'm a fan of Coffee Gator. You can find it on their site and on Amazon from $20 to $30. It uses two mesh screens and is vacuum insulated (think Thermos, Hydro flask) so it keeps your coffee hotter for longer.

The thing about french presses is that the more expensive ones don't necessarily do a better job at actually brewing the coffee, so you're mostly paying for aesthetics and maybe some convenience.

Stainless won't shatter and double-walled will hold heat better, but you can compensate by preheating a glass press or using slightly hotter water. Finer and/or doubled filters will keep more silt out of the cup, but you can achieve comparable results with patience and gentle pouring.

IKEA and Bodum both make good, cheap glass options. Amazon and co. have dozens of imports if you want double filters or stainless on the cheap.

Espro makes both glass and stainless options with a one of the better designed filters. Pricey.

Bodum French Press....It was recommended by a friend that’s why I got it

They're all the same. Seriously.

Go steel, as cheap as you can. Glass works the same but breaks eventually.

Anybody who claims they can taste the difference between a $10 French press and a $100 model, using the same brew method, is probably lying.

I’m surprised no one has mentioned the EsproPress they run a bit more than a normal FrenchPress, but they filter the coffee via a basket system (with optional paper added).

I have a 100% stainless press and it’s been great. Actually, I have 2 different brands and both perform well.

I’d say a good grinder is more important because it’s the fines that get through the screen

Yes. The lid and plunger aren't even needed anymore with this method. So it's an ingenious hack or workaround the inherent design weakness of the standard French press (i.e. sludgey coffee).

I have a Mr Coffee that I got at Walmart for $18 five or six years ago. Works as well as I need it to.

The best French press is the Espro, which filters out more insoluble particles than standard designs due to its double mesh, and is easier to clean because of its basket.

But if you use this hack, you'll get the best brew out even the cheapest French press, because you're effectively using it as a cup.

A better grinder or some nice beans are about it, unless the press is REALLY cheap (ie IKEA). Maybe an AeroPress, because it’s a bit different.

I have had a Bodum French press for nearly a decade and I love it. Haven’t had anything break, and it’s always done the job!

Most French presses function the same (the one that I can think of that is a little different is the espro). I personally use a bodum that I modded by adding a second mesh filter on. Try to get a French press close to the amount of coffee you plan on making (when you use a larger French press the extra glass is heated by the water which drops the brew temperature).

Also cannot fan girl enough about the James Hoffman method for French press. That method is what brought up my coffee game. Google it and try it. I’m 99% sure you will not be disappointed.

I have a standard Bodum FP and it has lasted me about 15 years by now. Apart from some rust it held up nicely, broke the glass once and got a spare part for it. Chrome top looks as good as new, I don’t have any reason to complain.

My standard brew method is the James Hoffmann one, it’s easy and it rarely disappointed me. I can walk away and when it’s done it has the perfect drinking temperature.

Better grinder is the biggest upgrade you can make in terms of flavor. Assuming you use fresh, quality beans. A refurb Baratza Encore is the best bang for your buck you will find. Anything cheaper will show

They're all about the same until you get to the Espro, and the Espro presses are worth spending the extra cash on.

A mason jar and a kitchen knife

Espro is great. Frieling is solid too.

Stainless steel version.

Top of the line espro

I have found lots of different Bodum ones for decent prices at TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Home Goods and have really liked them!

https://www.hario.jp/seihin/productdetail.php?product=DGC-40-OV

Edit: this Ikea one aren't so bad either https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/egentlig-french-press-coffee-maker-double-walled-clear-glass-90358976/

double walled Hario Olive wood press IS A GOSH DARN LOOKER if not the single walled press is also quite esthetic AF

https://www.hario.com/seihin/productgroup.php?group=CPSW

there's also Espro Presses if you like the industrial look

I'm a big fan of the Grosche Madrid. It has a classic look and the company which produces it helps fund water sustainability projects

https://m.saks.com/pd.jsp?site_refer=CSE_GGLPLA:Home:Grosche&CSE_CID=G_Saks_PLA_US_Home:Kitchen+%26+Dining&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv7L6BRDxARIsAGj-34poo_mo5bvPdm5Fja-NMT4rlRWRfSZWnvaoBZCHI0Pk8F24-PVTWb4aAsJFEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&productCode=0400097002647

Bodum Chambord Gold / Copper

I like my copper Espro. Makes me feel fancy.

All that same except for convenience features. Like heat retention and better filters, etc.

I’d say something like the espro would be near the top of the list

https://www.espro.com/catalog/french-press

These things are nice!

Maybe someone will correct me but spending up on a French Press in my opinion is kind of crazy unless you just want better heat retention or aesthetics. End of the day the beauty of the French Press is that even the cheapest ones make great coffee because its an old, relatively simple, but super effective design. Just snag any old French Press or clean up a used on and you should be good.

French Press are glorified containers. If you use a method like the James Hoffmann FP method they will all produce the same quality coffee

Espro. Hands down. Ive had multiple french presses over the years, got an espro during the summer, havent looked back. Will never need to buy another. Keeps coffee hot, very few fines in the coffee. Yes. Its expensive(but not really). Highly recommend, also, if you dont have a decent grinder id recommend to get one of those too. Being able to use a consistent coarse ground coffee makes it even that much better

Espro P7 - this one is not the same!

Any French press will work just fine.

With the Hoffmann method, which doesn't particularly depend on the quality of the strainer, you're not getting hugely different cups of coffee from any french press. Much more important are going to be things like build quality, ease of cleaning, aesthetics, and price. The glass Bodum is classic, and there's a significantly cheaper plastic model. Double-walled stainless steel ones are more expensive but will also keep the coffee hotter longer if that's something you value.

I've even used a camping kettle without a strainer and it worked 😄

Any glass one with a strainer top is A OK

Any.