While our British friends across the pond are mostly drinking tea, it’s estimated that as many as 64% of Americans drink coffee every single day.
There are various brewing methods to choose from when it comes to getting your daily dose of caffeine, and French presses are right up there as one of the best.
Today, we will showcase some of the best French press coffee makers to help you choose the right brewer for you.
We chose our top five French presses by considering the quality, materials, design, and price, and invite you to take a closer look at each, below.
Best French Press Reviews
Comparison Chart
Cafe Du Chateau French Press Coffee Maker (34 oz) – Stainless Steel Coffee Press with 4 Level Filter – Heat Resistant Carafe
Secura French Press Coffee Maker, 304 Grade Stainless Steel Insulated Coffee Press with 2 Extra Screens, 50oz (1.5 Litre), Silver
Veken French Press Coffee Maker (34 oz), 304 Stainless Steel Coffee Press with 4 Filter Screens, Durable Easy Clean Heat Resistant Borosilicate Glass – 100% BPA Free, Copper
1. Cafe Du Chateau French Press Coffee Maker
Cafe Du Chateau selects only the finest quality materials for manufacturing its products to ensure long-life and lasting performance.
Their French press coffee maker is stylish and elegant and features a superior four-level filtration system to ensure a rich, smooth cup of coffee every time.
Product Highlights
The French press from Cafe Du Chateau has been put together beautifully, and you can tell it has great quality when you hold it in your hands.
It’s European in style with a combination of glass and brightly polished metal with clean, elegant, modern lines.
The base, lid, and handle are all made out of 304 food-grade stainless steel, which offers resilient shine that won’t rust, and it’s been laser-cut for precision joins.
The glass carafe is made from heavy, German borosilicate glass that can withstand boiling temperatures and sits seamlessly inside the large stainless-steel housing.
The superior four-level filtration system includes dual stainless steel screen filters on top of a quality, durable plunger.
The plunger and filters are supported by a spring-loaded base to seal the edges.
It also features a final, BPA-free, top-lid strainer to ensure a perfect, zero-grounds coffee with every brew.
With a 34-ounce capacity, this French press will serve around eight cups of coffee with each full brew, so would best suit a large, coffee-loving family.
Cafe Du Chateau offers a fantastic, lifetime replacement guarantee with their French press, making this a superb investment.
If anything should happen to your French press coffee maker, Cafe Du Chateau will send you out a replacement, free of charge.
You’ll also receive a complimentary French coffee press brewing guide with every purchase.
The Good
We love the way this French press looks and think it will add a touch of elegance to just about any breakfast table.
The stainless steel housing also helps keep the coffee a bit warmer for a bit longer.
We also particularly love the lifetime replacement guarantee. It’s not the cheapest French press you can buy, but it’s also far from being the most expensive.
We think the replacement guarantee that you receive more than makes up for the extra pennies you’ll be spending.
The Bad
The only bad thing we can see with this French press is that the capacity may just be too large for some people.
Plus, you may not want to make the full eight cups of coffee every time you brew.
Without any measuring lines on the glass, it could be quite difficult to guess how much water to add for fewer cups.
PROS
- Large capacity
- Quality construction
- Elegant and stylish
- Large stainless steel housing will help keep your coffee warm for longer
- Large, comfortable handle
- Lifetime replacement guarantee
CONS
- Large capacity will be too much for some people
2. Secura French Press Coffee Maker
Secura is among the leading manufacturers of small appliances in North America and committed to providing high-quality kitchen products at affordable prices.
Their French press coffee maker will keep your coffee fresh and hot for a perfect temperature brew.
Product Highlights
The second French press is a double-wall stainless steel coffee maker available in nine different colors, so you can easily match with the present color scheme of your kitchen or breakfast room.
Not only does it look great, with its shiny or colorful surfaces and modern lines, but it will also retain heat more effectively than other coffee makers.
The double-wall construction will keep your coffee hot for the entire morning, unlike models with just a single wall.
Using top quality, 18/10 stainless steel, it will also outlast many other coffee makers due to it’s more durable materials.
It also features a cool-touch handle and a handy knob on its lid so that you can safely touch the parts you need without getting burnt.
This coffee maker also gives you a choice when it comes to capacity since it’s available in 17, 34, and 50 ounces.
That means you can choose from a personal, three-cup capacity, or if you host coffee mornings with your friends, the 50-ounce beast will be ideal.
This French press also features a three-layer stainless steel filter structure to trap even the smallest coffee grounds.
Use one, two, or all three screens, depending on how refined you like your coffee.
The Secura French press is also a dream to keep clean as every single part, including the filter, is dishwasher safe!
When bought from an authorized seller, this product also comes with a limited one-year warranty.
The Good
We love the fact that you can choose which capacity suits you best and that they all come in a stunning range of colors.
What we love the most, though, is that this French press keeps your coffee hot all morning.
The Bad
We absolutely love this French press, but it’s a shame that you can’t use finely ground coffee in it, as it will clog up the filters.
You also can’t see when your coffee is running out like you can with glass French presses.
PROS
- Keeps your coffee hotter for longer
- Attractive, modern design and color options
- Option to stack one, two, or three-layer filters
- Durable construction
- Limited warranty
CONS
- Not suitable for fine grounds
- Can’t see how much coffee you have left
- Priciest option on this list
3. Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker
Bodum is a family-owned company, renowned for this classic French press that dates back to the 1950s.
The Bodum Chambord is the original French press.
Product Highlights
The third French press that made it to our list is the classic Chambord French press from Bodum.
Although it’s now available in several more materials, design-wise, it still follows the classic design established to honor the iconic Chateau de Chambord in the 1950’s.
Now available in chrome, cork, black, copper, matte chrome, and white, this French press also presents buyers with fantastic choice when it comes to capacity.
Whether you’re looking for a small 12oz press, larger 17oz press, generous 34oz, or even a massive 51oz, Bodum has it all.
In fact, it seems that Bodum offers consumers more choices than any other company since you can also choose the materials used in manufacturing.
You can order the coffee carafe in durable, heat-resistant borosilicate glass or recyclable, shatterproof plastic.
Whichever material you prefer, both are easy to clean, and neither will go cloudy in the dishwasher.
The base and lid, though, unless made from chrome, need to be washed by hand, so we prefer the chrome finish over the plastic copper and cork alternatives.
The chrome varieties also underwent several chrome plating processes to ensure a highly durable surface that will stand up to the test of time, even with heavy use.
The three-part stainless steel plunger features a single mesh filter to perfectly extract the right amount of essential oils and acid from your coffee beans for the fullest flavor.
They also have a commitment to environmentally-friendly manufacturing processes and offer a one-year limited warranty with every Bodum purchase.
The Good
We love the classic style of the Chambord and the choices offered to consumers when it comes to colors and capacity.
The Bad
This French press is the most expensive on our list.
It’s also a shame that you can’t put the base and lid in the dishwasher unless you buy the chrome varieties.
PROS
- Classic and stylish design
- Good choice of colors
- Available in four different capacities
- One-year limited warranty
CONS
- Some of the design choices need to be hand-washed
- Most expensive brand
4. Veken French Press Coffee Maker
Committed to providing premium and functional household products, Veken is a customer-centric company that stands by a 100% hassle-free service policy.
Their French press is one of the most affordable options that met the high standards required to make it to our top five.
Product Highlights
Veken offers their French press in two different sizes, 12 and 34 ounces, which are the most popular sizes of a French press.
The carafe is a thick, borosilicate glass, while the metal frame is high-quality 304-grade stainless steel.
This product is one of our least favorite French presses when it comes to design, but what it lacks in aesthetic appeal makes up for in functionality and price.
The handle is large and comfortable, and the filtration system features four levels that you can use at your discretion, depending on how refined you like your coffee.
The glass carafe also features a measuring scale so you can easily measure exactly the right amount of coffee and water to suit your needs on any given day.
Unfortunately, this model isn’t dishwasher-friendly, but Veken does send you a complimentary cleaning brush and coffee scooper, which is pretty thoughtful.
Veken also offers a two-year replacement guarantee, offering buyers complete peace of mind with the purchase.
The Good
We love the affordable price of this unit and think it’s the ideal budget option for a great French press coffee maker.
The Bad
The only things we don’t like about this model are the way it looks and the fact that you can’t put it in the dishwasher.
PROS
- Budget-friendly
- Handy measuring scale
- Comfortable, large handle
- Complimentary cleaning brush and coffee scooper
- Two-year replacement guarantee
CONS
- Lacks visual appeal
- Not dishwasher-safe
5. QUQIYSO French Press Coffee Maker
QUQIYSO is a Chinese-owned brand that offers a range of great quality kitchen products at really affordable prices.
Although it’s only available in one size, which won’t suit every person’s needs, we feel it offers consumers the best value for money overall.
Product Highlights
The final French press we chose to feature is very similar to the Veken model, but it’s only available in a 34oz capacity, making it less suitable for solo coffee drinkers.
It has the thick, borosilicate glass carafe, 304-grade stainless steel base, four-level filter, handy measuring scale on the side, two-year replacement guarantee, and a comparable price.
Where it differs most is all the freebies you get with it! You buy the French press and receive two extra filter screens, two glass coffee cups, a milk frother, a measuring spoon, and two cleaning brushes.
This French press also has a triangular tripod base, making it extremely stable, and the lid twists shut to help keep more heat inside.
If you’re looking for great quality, budget-friendly, 34oz capacity French press and love freebies, this is the model for you.
The Good
We just love the combined functionality and budget price of this French press and can’t get over all of the freebies that come with it too!
The Bad
It’s a shame that QUQIYSO doesn’t also manufacture their French press in a 12oz capacity, as 34oz is just too large for most people’s needs.
It also really lacks visual appeal, in our opinion.
PROS
- Most budget-friendly option
- Handy measuring scale
- Very stable base
- Comfortable, large handle
- Lots of complimentary items
- Two-year replacement guarantee
CONS
- Only available in one capacity
- Lacks visual appeal
Buyers Guide
Before investing in a new French press coffee maker, there are several factors that you’ll need to consider to ensure that you buy the one that’s right for you.
You may think that all French presses are similar, but how they differ in size, design, filter, and the materials used in construction can alter the convenience they add to your life.
1. Size
Firstly, you want to make sure that you invest in the right size coffee maker. They are available in various capacities from single-serve, right up to 50 ounces, but generally, the 12oz and 34oz models are the most popular.
The 12oz French press will brew you enough coffee to fill one large mug or two small cups, while the larger model would be a better choice for a thirsty, coffee-loving couple.
A larger model would also better suit situations where there may be a few of you drinking coffee, whether it be with friends, other family members, or colleagues.
2. Design
The design of your coffee maker is also important to consider, and we’re not only talking about the aesthetics of the model.
Of course, you’ll want a French press that looks attractive in your kitchen or on your breakfast table, but you should also consider how practical the design is.
Look for a comfortable, ergonomic handle that is easy to grip and doesn’t position your fingers too close to the hot coffee.
3. Materials
Unless you’re looking for something lightweight and portable to take camping with you, you should ignore the cheaper plastic models completely.
They will save you a lot of money, but they won’t last very long.
The main two materials you should be choosing from are glass and stainless steel.
Glass carafes are more common and, although they’re more prone to breakages, we like them for two reasons.
Firstly, it’s nice to be able to see your coffee brewing, and secondly, you can see how much coffee you have left.
Stainless steel models, on the other hand, will keep your coffee hot for longer and are almost impossible to break.
If you like to have a couple of cups of coffee in the morning and want the first cup to be as hot as the last, then a stainless steel French press will be your best choice.
Although it is a shame that you can’t see when you’re running out.
4. Filter
The filter that you plunge can also differ quite dramatically from one French press to another.
They’re designed to let the coffee oils through, so some filters can let tiny coffee bit through.
Some French press coffee makers have more elaborate filter systems, though, so they can trap even the smallest sediments.
If you don’t like bits in your coffee, you should definitely look for a more advanced, multi-layer filter system.
5. Extra Features
Some coffee makers offer additional features, such as a measuring scale on their side so that you can accurately measure how much water to put in.
This is more useful in the larger capacity models, so you can change the amount of coffee you make, depending on how many people you have over.
It’s less useful in smaller models, as most likely, you’ll just fill the entire pot every time you make a coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why French Press Coffee Is Bad for You
Unfortunately, some years ago, it was discovered that French press coffee could raise your levels of bad cholesterol.
The problem occurs because of the metal filter over a paper one, so this applies to all coffee prepared with a metal filter or, indeed, no filter at all.
The filter in a French press doesn’t remove as much cafestol and triglyceride from the coffee, as a paper coffee filter does.
Cafestol and triglyceride can both indirectly cause your LDL (bad) cholesterol to increase.
We’re not talking huge amounts here, so for most people, it’s not a problem.
However, if cholesterol is already a problem for you, you may want to find a way to run your coffee through a paper filter or consider a pour-over coffee maker.
2. Does Quality of French Press Matter?
It depends on how fussy you are and how long you want your French press to last.
Buying a more quality French press means you’ll have a better filter on it (no bits), and if you like your coffee to stay piping hot, you’ll need to spend a bit more.
You can find cheaper stainless steel models, for example, but a quality stainless steel French press will be double-walled to preserve heat.
A more quality French press will also have a more durable build, which will last for years to come.
3. Is Glass or Stainless Steel Better for French Press?
This also depends on your preference. If you plan on drinking your coffee as soon as it’s brewed, a glass French press may offer you a better choice since you can see how much coffee you have left.
Good quality, stainless steel French presses, though, will keep your coffee hot for a lot longer, as well as be less prone to breakages.
4. What Size of French Press Should I Get?
If you just need a single mug of coffee before you go to work, or there are two of you, and just a small cup will do, then a 12oz French press will be perfect.
If you like to have a couple of cups of coffee each in the mornings to get you going, then opt for a larger model.
A 34oz model will better suit larger households and particularly thirsty coffee lovers.
5. Does French Press Have More Caffeine?
French press coffee does contain a lot of caffeine, but surprisingly less than coffee brewed in other ways.
An eight-ounce French press coffee will contain an average of 107.5 milligrams of caffeine.
Compare that to drip and filter coffee, which clocks in at 145mg, or percolated coffee, which contains approximately 200mg of caffeine.
Final Verdict
Choosing just one winner overall from this list was extremely difficult for us.
After much deliberation, we decided that the best French press of 2021 is the Cafe Du Chateau model that we featured at number one on our list.
Like the QUQIYSO model, it’s only available in the larger 34oz capacity, but what really sets it apart is the lifetime replacement guarantee.
It makes it a fantastic investment and well worth the extra couple of dollars.
It’s also really stylish, and we’re sure that you’ll want to store it on display somewhere in your kitchen proudly.
