Courtney Irwin
Best French press coffee makers 2024: Jump Menu
1. The list in brief ↴
2. Best overall: Espro P7
3. Best classic: Bodum Chambord
4. Best modern: Fellow Clara
5. Best stoneware: Le Creuset
6. Best for single-servings: One Brew
7. Best stainless steel: Frieling
8. The ones that just missed the list
11. How to choose
12. How we test
French press coffee is some of the richest and most aromatic on the market. It's the classic, Sunday-morning coffee, allowing you to relish in your rituals and then slowly sip on your freshly brewed cup.
To truly enjoy these moments, you need a luxury French press and one of the best coffee grinders: the process will be smooth and the flavors will be smoother.
As a former barista, I'm well-placed to talk to you about the best French presses. These coffee makers, also known as cafetières and coffee presses, come in a few different shapes, sizes, and with a range of filter types.
With a team of expert product testers, I've tested everything the French press market has to offer: the good, the bad, and the beautiful. We brewed and sipped from Espro, Bodum, Frieling, and more. We've narrowed down your options to these nine best French press coffee makers.
The quick list
Here's a shorter highlights section about our top picks. We'll delve deeper into the details further down this article.
The best overall
This boasts a substantial, stylish design. It will make the best French press coffee and cold brew you'll ever taste.
The best classic
This has perfected the French press aesthetic. We wish the glass was a little thicker, but it's otherwise faultless.
The best modern
In true Fellow style, this is incredibly well-designed and it feels ultra-premium too. It's expensive, but worth every dollar.
The best stoneware
This is a truly timeless French press. Available in eleven colors, the glazed stone finish doesn't stain or absorb odors, so you can use it for a range of teas and oils too.
The best for single servings
This petite French Press is perfect for small servings. It's thoughtfully designed, makes a smooth brew, and doesn't require much effort to wash up.
The best stainless steel
This premium design is subtle but substantial. It feels like the kind of coffee maker you'll have for a lifetime. It's just a shame you can't see your coffee brewing inside.
The best French press overall
Espro make the top French presses on the market. If you want the very best of the best, this is it. It makes a consistently smooth, perfect cup of coffee. Sure, the P7 is expensive, but it's a splurge you won't regret.
There are plenty of features that make the P7 something special, but I put a large proportion of the coffee flavors and mouth feel down to the two-stage filtration system and extra tight seal. This means you don't get any coffee grounds or grittiness at the bottom of your cup, just a mouthful of velvety coffee.
Whilst I love watching coffee brew in a glass carafe, it always comes with the risk of shattering (especially if you're clumsy like me). The P7's stainless steel body means that it's durable, great for traveling, and shatter-resistant. Even better, it's double insulated, so you can lead a busy (or forgetful) life and you'll never find a cold carafe of coffee on the side. While it's a shame that the stainless steel isn't transparent, the fact that it can keep your coffee so warm means that it's a compromise worth making.
When you're finished, the P7 is easy to clean, dishwasher safe, and the seal doesn't loosen when it washes. There's a lot to love and very little to dislike, so the P7 has the top spot on our best French press coffee makers list.
The best classic French press
The Bodum Chambord French press takes the cake for the 'most beautiful' coffee maker, and in my opinion, is beautiful enough for a permanent place on your countertops. Aesthetically, it’s almost too pretty to use.
Whilst this traditional design might look complicated, it's not. This is really easy to use. The glass carafe sits snugly in a stainless steel frame, helping minimize the risk of shattering the carafe.
I say minimize because it's still possible that you could drop and shatter the Chambord. This thinner glass also means it has much less insulating capacity, so if you forget about your coffee and come back to it forty minutes later, you'll be closer to drinking iced coffee than you will a warming brew.
The Chambord produces an incredibly rich and silky cup of coffee. The instructions specify the user uses coarsely ground beans and that's really important. Not only are these less likely to sneak through your filter, they'll also deliver the bold and acidic flavors that French press is so popular for. I tried using slightly finer grounds and found that the filters stopped being so perfect, so only use this if you have a grinder that is consistent on coarse settings.
It's also great to know that Bodum as a brand utilizes entirely natural products. They incorporate glass, steel, wood, and bamboo into their beautiful pieces, and they’re all ethically sourced. It looks good, makes good coffee, and does good too.
You can find out more in my Bodum Chambord review
The best modern French press
The Clara French Press is designed to improve upon everything we know and love about French press coffee. Fellow's smart team has designed a 360-degree pour spout, non-stick interior for easier cleaning, ratio aid lines, and don't even get me started on its design-forward looks. It's a truly innovative French press.
Modern and minimalistic, the Clara looks beautiful and subtle on the countertop; the brand's Scandi style really shines through If you aren't sure about the matte black, this is also available with a wood accent. It doesn't draw attention to itself, but when you look closely at it, you can see how well-built this is.
As for coffee making, the Fellow incorporates subtle ratio aid fill lines to take out the measuring guesswork. You might need your reading glasses to see the lines though, or you can measure: the ratio lines calls for 60 grams of coffee and 840 grams of water. Once you've got your coffee in, the top of the French press can be placed on at any angle. After plunging the ultra-fine filter, you can pour a smooth cup of coffee. This can handle some finer grinds, without too much grittiness, so you can afford to pair it with a less-than-perfect grinder too.
If you forget about your coffee, you can come back to it and will very likely find it still warm. The Heat Lock Double Wall Vacuum body is made of 304 18/8 insulated stainless steel keeps coffee hot and consistent long after the coffee is brewed. Not to mention, the design is durable against accidental drops.
It's pretty hard to fault the Clara, because even the cleanup is easy. There's a non-stick interior and the filter is just one piece. All I can say is that sometimes it's nice to see your coffee brewing, but it's also nice to just admire the Clara, so you're not compromising too much.
You can find out more in my Fellow Clara French press review
The best stoneware French press
Nothing says luxury quite like Le Creuset. With its timeless design with a ten-year warranty, this doubles up as both a coffee maker and heirloom.
The French press is designed in classic Le Creuset style: with a beautiful gaze and vibrant colors. You can select eleven different hues, all are equally eye-catching and perfect for a range of kitchens. You can opt for subtle monotones or bright pops of color: the world is your (coffee equivalent of an) oyster.
The stoneware looks beautiful, but it's also extremely practical too: it's non-porous and strong, protecting it from staining, odors, and accidental knocks on the floor. The stoneware itself can withstand temperatures up to 500°F, meaning it's microwave-safe and an excellent insulator too. It's also perfect for hopping between coffee and teas, the floral notes and seasoned beans will not get absorbed into the French press body.
In addition to being ultra heat-resistant, Le Creuset is also safe to pop in the fridge. Reviewers swear by this for cold brew coffee, and naturally, we had to test their theory. It’s confirmed, Le Creuset French press makes an irresistible cold brew. Just make sure you use coarsely ground beans, as they yield the tastiest results.
The best French press for single-servings
The Barista & Co One Brew is one of the industry's best-kept secrets. You won't stumble across it unless you're looking for an ultra-compact, single-serve take on French presses.
I love the minimalist, modern aesthetic of the One Brew, especially since they've rethought some of the more traditional aspects of the French press. First, you don't have a sleeve around the carafe. Instead, the bottom is rubber-based. Some might think that it'll make the One Brew hard to hold, but it never gets wrist-straining heavy.
The other aspect that Barista & Co. rethought was the traditional plunge filter. This does mean that the coffee ends up tasting like a lighter, filter coffee balanced with the bold acidity of a traditional French press. French press purists might not enjoy it, but they wouldn't be able to deny that this makes a really delicious cup of coffee.
Everything is dishwasher-safe and easy to clean by hand. If you'll only drink single-servings of coffee, you can't go wrong with this.
You can read more in my full Barista & Co One Brew review
The best stainless steel French press
When it comes to French press style, simplicity is often best. The polished, stainless steel Frieling embodies that 'understated' look which our team love. It comes in four sizes (17, 23, 36, and 44 ounces), so will suit a range of different households.
Just because it isn't flashy, doesn't mean it can't deliver impressive coffee. According to expert reviewers, this makes a delicious, bold brew. In fact, we found lots of people who said that this was the most flavorful French press coffee they've ever made. Its biggest issue is the sediment. The first cup is great, but as you get to the dregs, you might notice some graininess.
If you're a slow sipper of your coffee, you'll be pleased to know that this is double insulated. That means that you can leave this on the countertop for half an hour and still enjoy a warm cup of coffee. The Espro P7 is a better insulator overall and, for the price, this could be better, but it's still a preferable option to the Bodum (insulation-wise at least).
When you're finished caffeinating, this is dishwasher safe. The plunger can even go in the dishwasher still assembled, which is music to most people'e ears. It's also really durable, so if you drop it, you won't risk shattering it either.
The ones that just missed the list
This affordable French press comes with a neat attachment called the GroundsLifter, which makes for a tidy clean-up. The coffee it makes is delicious too.
This might be bulky, with a 'functional' aesthetic, but it will keep your coffee warm for over four hours (and it comes with a lifetime guarantee too).
Modern and sleek, this is designed with Bodum quality and Bodum prices. It's inexpensive, but makes delicious French press coffee.
How to choose a French press
As coffee makers go, there aren't a great number of discrepancies between French presses. In theory, that makes your decision easier. In practice, it's a whole lot harder, because they'll all appeal. We have some discriminators which might help you though.
Size and capacity
This is a key factor to consider. If you're the only French press drinker in your home, you don't need a huge carafe. In fact, you'll make worse French press coffee in one, so choosing a small model is imperative. On the other hand, if you need to serve the whole family's coffee at once, you'll need quite some capacity.
Style
French presses can make great style statements on the countertop, so choosing one which fits the aesthetic of your coffee nook is important. Some minimalist styles look better in modern kitchens, whilst stoneware looks great in farmhouse-style interiors.
Filtration
Double and triple filtration options are great if you want a super-smooth sip-sperience with your French press, so I always look for double filtration. However, if you think insulation is more important, a single filter will be fine.
Insulation
There are two extremes in the French press world. Some will be double-walled, able to keep your coffee warm for hours and others will have fine glass carafe sides, which cool within fifteen minutes. If you drink coffee quickly, a delicate design shouldn't create any problems. If you need time between cups, you'll want a more insulated option.
How we test French presses
We put a lot of thought into how we test the best coffee makers, especially specialty makers like French Presses. Our team has had hands-on experience with each product, so that they can tell you, first-hand, whether it's any good and any quirks its worth knowing before making a purchase.
We consider factors like how easy they are to set up, the quality of the coffee they're able to produce, our thoughts on the user experience, the all-important cleaning process, and of course any noteworthy design features that set them apart from the competition. Once you've read what we have to say, we're confident that you'll know everything you need to in order to make an informed purchase.
