May 6, 2024 8:00 AM

The Best French Presses for Low-Stress Morning Brew

The humble French press is affordable, effective, and hard to mess up. Here are our favorites to make your morning cup of coffee.

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Clear cylinder with black handle and silver top holding coffee inside

Black pitcher with coffee inside and pump up top

Clear cylindrical pitcher holding coffee inside with black case and a pump going through the top sitting on kitchen counter

Tall narrow silver pitcher with coffee inside and a silver pump up top sitting on a kitchen counter

4 / 5

The French press is a humble piece of coffee-making equipment. It doesn’t require electricity, yet experts agree that it can brew a richer and more full-bodied cup of joe in comparison to its more technologically advanced peers. For example, natural oils that would otherwise be filtered out in a drip coffee maker remain fully intact, making the coffee aromatic and robust.

The French press method of making coffee is straightforward, cost-effective, easy to use, and hard to mess up. It also doesn’t take up too much counter space. Once you have your measurements down, it’s a quick process of steeping coarse coffee grounds in near-boiling water. We tested these models using the James Hoffman French press technique, in which he uses 30 grams of coffee to 500 grams of water, waits for four minutes, and stirs through the crust. Whether you end up choosing a French press made from glass or stainless steel, a few factors make a difference based on your personal coffee needs. Want to make the process even easier? Take a look at our favorite electric kettles and our guide to coffee subscriptions.

Photograph: Tyler Shane
The Best Overall
Bodum Chambord
If you want to keep it classic, go with the Chambord. The founder of Bodum, Jørgen Bodum, first designed the Chambord in the 1970s, but it was not until 1991 that it got the instantly recognizable design that we see today, with a heat-resistant glass carafe and sturdy stainless steel frame. It's an iconic piece of equipment that makes for a consistent pour. The stainless steel filter and spiral plate plunge down easily and create a grit-free, luscious brew. Cleanup is a breeze as the carafe, filters, and plunger are all dishwasher safe. One major downside with a glass French press is that it breaks when mishandled. However, Bodum offers replacement parts for those who need them.
$25 at Amazon
$25 at Target
Photograph: Tyler Shane
A Beautiful Upgrade
Fellow Clara
Spending almost $100 on a French press when you can get a perfectly good one for a quarter of the cost means it would have to be worth the splurge. But Fellow's products rarely disappoint, and the Clara doesn't either. It has a minimalist modern design, with a BPA-free plastic exterior and a matte black finish. The interior, however, is stainless steel with vacuum-insulated walls. So it has some weight to it but is portable and shatter-resistant.
Most French presses come in three separate parts to separate the grinds from the water: A cylindrical carafe, a mesh filter, and a handle to plunge the the grinds down without burning your hands. The Clara's standout feature is that there are two separate filters on the handle—one to push the grinds down, and another to catch any stray sediment for a silt-free pour. Overall, it’s worth the price tag. We noticed a difference in taste right away. The coffee was smooth without being overly acidic or bitter. The smooth taste is in part due to its heat-locked double walls that maintain the brewing temp for optimal extraction. Even an hour after the first cup was poured, the brew maintained a 157-degree temperature.
$99 at Amazon
$99 at Fellow
$135 at Nordstrom

Photograph: Tyler Shane
A Shatter-Resistant Option
Oxo Brew Venture
When it comes to durability, OXO’s Brew Venture has you covered. The shatter-resistant BPA-free plastic carafe is doubly protected by a plastic frame, making it a great option for camping or traveling. Never fear: It still has windows to help you keep an eye on how much coffee you have left. It also has a volume size of 32 ounces, which means you can make two to three cups of coffee at a time if you're in a group. A silicone ring around the filter hugs the walls to trap even more coffee grounds, and the lid has a slotted spout for an extra layer of filtration. Finally, each part of the press is dishwasher safe and can be taken apart to be cleaned.
$25 at Amazon
$25 at Oxo
Photograph: Tyler Shane
A Stainless Steel Option
Mueller French Press
Unlike a plastic or glass press, a stainless steel French press can last for a lifetime. This double-walled option is insulated and can keep coffee warm over an extended period of time, and also has a clean aesthetic that looks great on the countertop. The plunger has two fine mesh filters to ensure your coffee is grit-free. The stainless steel interior extracts incredible flavor, and the insulation means it holds heat longer than most run-of-the-mill presses. It also comes with a small canister to hold coffee grinds, which may be useful if you’re taking it on the go. All parts are dishwasher safe.
$28 at Amazon
$35 at Mueller

Photograph: Amazon
A Classic Stainless Steel Option
Frieling French Press
I feel obligated to note that the Frieling French presses can range upward of $99, but they also regularly sell for half off on Amazon. Sure, its stainless steel, stylish design (complete with a slightly curved handle for an extra touch of finesse) makes a great addition to any countertop. But the double-walled design (which includes the lid) keeps coffee warm, and it also has a double-screen filter. Each cup of coffee is consistently brewed to near-perfection. Not only is it durable, but it also produces a grounds-free brew that keeps a warm temperature for your cups of coffee to come. Each part of the press comes apart to make for easy clean up, and the model comes in a variety of sizes, from 17 to 44 ounces.
$53 at Amazon
$77 at Home Depot

TopicsShopping buying guides kitchen coffee Food and Drink

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