Top 10 Best French Presses for Coffee to Buy Online 2020

Our list of top 10 best French presses below is handpicked after a lot of research and reading. Scan our selection to see if your perfect press is here.

It's no surprise that many owners of the old drip coffee makers want to trade them with a chic and very utile French Press. Read on to find what you need to consider before buying a French Press. 

The material can say a lot about the functionality of the machine and the taste of the coffee that it can brew. We took into consideration the materials used to make the carafe, plunger and lid assembly, the filter screen, and the structure disc the filter holds onto. Here are some common materials and how they affect the machine.

Glass carafes do not interfere with the coffee brewing of the French Press machine. The best part is that they do not retain the coffee flavor, which makes them ideal for brewing a fresh cup of coffee. They are easy to clean and maintain and retains no flavor of the coffee inside the machine. 

They can last for a long time if maintained properly. However, they can be easily broken, so take your surroundings into account (watch out for children and pets!).

Most French Presses with stainless steel carafes are double-walled with a vacuum seal. They offer better insulation and keep the coffee hot for hours. 

They are functionally great, have a great design, and are available in polished and brushed styles. You get more color options for the brushed type of stainless steel carafes. 

Similar to glass carafes, stainless steel ones do not interfere with the coffee brewing experience. They are easy to handle without fear of breakage. Yet, the fact that you can’t see the coffee brewing inside can be a disappointment for some. 

With good flavor retention properties, plastic carafes can keep your coffee flavorful even after hours. Plastic French presses are easy to handle and do not break easily. Being lightweight and greatly portable, they make the best choice for travel. 

On the flip side, plastic is not an ideal material for brewing coffee and can be unsafe if it is not BPA-free. The components of a low-quality plastic carafe can easily make their way into the coffee, impacting the health.

Stoneware and ceramic carafes are beautiful and are available in a range of enamel colors. They come with an internal coating to prevent staining and odor retention. Being sturdy and resistant to high temperatures, they are great at making rich and flavorful coffee that can delight your senses. 

They are dishwasher safe, yet easily breakable and pricey. We'd only suggest a ceramic press if you keep it in a secure place and value interior design.

Thermal French Presses come with double walls for better insulation and heat retention. The inner wall comes mostly in stainless steel for the best brewing experience, and the vacuum seal between the outer and inner walls minimizes heat transfer. This means a hot brew for a long time.

Since the ground coffee keeps brewing inside the thermal French Press, the coffee might turn bitter after a period. Those wanting their coffee hot and fresh can better brew it in a glass or stainless steel machine and decant it into a thermos.

The features of a French press vary depending upon the maker of the machine and the materials used. Beginner or not, you should take into account, the material used, its capacity, portability, and design before closing the deal. 

The filter mesh decides whether the coffee grounds can escape through it into the beverage while pressing. An ideal one should be firm and have a spring system that can tightly press against the sides without letting the ground escape. Multi-layer filters can ideally brew without leaving unwanted grounds in your coffee. 

Plastic filters can break down over time, causing the grounds to escape through the wears and tears that can form on the sides. However, most filters allow some ground coffee to pass through. The ones with cheaper filters might require frequent replacements. 

The best machines are equipped with multiple filter screens to facilitate proper filtering of grounds. Metal filters can retain the firmness for a long time. They don’t degrade and can last long unless bent. 

Capacity comes into play while considering the number of people the machine is going to serve. French presses with larger capacities are ideal for brewing coffee for a considerable number of people. 

If you brew the coffee in a big machine for a small number of people, it might lead to unnecessary waste. When the temperature of the leftover coffee drops, the coffee grounds can release chemicals, resulting in a bitter and distasteful beverage.

For a cup of French Press coffee, 4 ounces is the standard size. The capacity of the French Press required for fresh brewing is up to you, but it's a good idea to know before you make your purchase. There are also travel mugs with a built-in French press for those constantly on the go.

Unless you're only use your French press occasionally, give appearance the least consideration. If it's that important to you, though, glass, ceramic, and stainless steel French Presses are all available in beautiful designs. Besides, they are good at brewing a fresh cup of coffee.

French press coffee is for you if you are a coffee lover but don't like the taste of drip coffee. Drip coffee sits in the brewing pot and continues cooking the ground beans, burning it in the process, and causing it to taste stale and bitter. 

Besides, the mess created by drip coffee makers can make it a bad experience. Their inability to thoroughly and efficiently clean the inside can result in the build-up of residue, which can result in a stale or old-tasting brew.

If you love the fresh flavor of natural oils in your coffee, go for a French Press. You can enjoy the infused beverage without losing its rich and robust flavor.

Most machines need disassembling to clean them thoroughly. Using a mesh strainer, you can collect the leftover ground coffee and dispose of it. 

The best way to clean parts is by using some warm water and dish soap and swishing the water around. Then pump the plunger a few times to remove excess oil, stains, and dirt.

You can remove stubborn residues using baking soda and water. Once cleaned, wipe with a soft and dry cloth. Clean the filter screen after every use to prevent the grounds from clogging it. If your machine is dishwasher-safe, an occasional deep cleaning in it would be good.

Now that you've got the gear, it's time to add the goods. Do you prefer tea or coffee?

French Press machines are not only meant for coffee enthusiasts and connoisseurs; it's the best choice to greet a group of unexpected guests or to warm up your mornings with freshly brewed and mud-free coffee. Most coffee presses function the same way. But when you invest in one, understand the purpose and assess your daily brewing needs. 

If handled properly, a French Press can last long. Researching well and going for a very functional and durable one ensures that you made the best buy. 

Author: Biji Bella Ravindran

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