What to Look for When Buying a French Press

Are you considering trading in your run-of-the-mill drip coffee maker for something a little nicer? YES! 👏👏 Buying a French Press can be a great home brewing method if you’re new to the world of slightly more upscale coffee. And you are rewarded like WHOA. The coffee this brew method makes is unlike any other—with no filters to withhold the delicious natural coffee oils, you’re left to indulge on a cup of coffee that feels creamier and more delectable than the rest.

Here’s what to look for in a high-quality French Press coffee maker—and the things to think about before buying a French press.

The best French Press Coffee makers will check off these boxes:

1. Solid Material

You’ve probably seen a variety of French Press Coffee Makers available at your favorite home goods store—maybe even Wal Mart or Target. These can vary in materials from plastic to steel to glass. But which is the best French Press coffee maker for first timers? We recommend glass or stainless steel. It’s a step up from the cheap nasty plastic stuff, but isn’t such a high investment that you’re left questioning if the steep costs were worth it.

2. The Right Size

If you’re planning on using the French Press Coffee Maker as your at-home default and you’ve got a family of three or more, we recommend purchasing a version that can make at least X ounces of coffee (that gives everyone roughly one cup). If you’re just making a batch for lil’ ol you, you can self-determine how much coffee you’d like to make at any given time.

In my opinion, the bigger the better—some days you need more than one cup, and some days you need to make a big batch for all of your lovely house guests. Instead of grinding up 2x the coffee and warming up 2x the water, just make a bigger batch in your big boy instead!

3. A High-Quality Brand

As with anything, there are cost differentiations between different brands of coffee makers. We consider the Cadillac of French Press Coffee Makers to be the Espro Press P7, Stainless Steel French Press—sold for $110 on Amazon. It’s elegance is unmatched, and it makes 3-4 solid cups in its double walled, insulated carafe.

If you’re looking for a good top-shelf equivalent that doesn’t eat up ALL of your disposable income, check out the Espro P3 for $65 on Amazon. Espro makes remarkably high-quality machines and should be your first stop when buying a French Press. The P3 is different than the P7 in that it is not stainless steal (simply glass) and that it makes twice as much coffee at a time (win!).

Prefer a mid-self equivalent? We recommend this Cafe du Chateau’s French Press Coffee Maker for $24 on Amazon. It also has some stainless steel in the body, plus a four level filtration system and a lifetime guarantee.

And if you’re reeeeally unsure of the cost and only want to make a nominal investment in this new brew-haha, the cheapest one we can feel good about recommending is Bodum’s Brazil from $17 on Amazon. Bodum is just a powerhouse—always reliable and always sleek in design. You can even get it in bright green or red!

4. Other Factors You Might Consider

For your first time buying a French Press Coffee Maker, you might also care about whether or not it looks sharp / matches your kitchen decor, or perhaps if the machine has a warranty for a given period of time. Ultimately, you have to choose the best French Press Maker for you—follow these guidelines, and you’re bound to find something that checks off all of your boxes STAT.

Now that you’ve got yours picked out, here’s how to make your first cup GREAT

Here’s how to nail French press coffee making—all it takes is about 7 minutes!

1. Grab your brand new shiny coffee maker. Aren’t you pleased you went through with buying a French press?!
2. Grind your coffee to the correct size. You want it coarse compared to what you used in your drip maker or what you’d find in espresso grounds. 
3. Heat the water just right—and only use the right amount. Aim for around 200 degrees Fahrenheit (this is easily accomplished with a Gooseneck Electric Kettle or by bringing water to a boil and letting it sit for about 30 seconds before you pour it over your coffee grounds). Use 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds for every six ounces of water.
4. Pour in the coffee grounds and water, then push the plunger down just below the top of the water line. This ensures all the beans are submerged and making magic.
5. Let it steep for 4 minutes—maybe do a quick stretch? Some deep breaths? Run to get the mail?
6. Delight! Push the plunger down and pour yourself a fresh hot cup of friendship. MMmmM.

Buying a French Press is the best decision you can make this year

If you’re on the hunt for an easy to master home brewing coffee method, buying a French Press just makes sense.

What French Press have you found and loved? Do you have any secrets to how to make the best French Press cup of coffee EVER? Comment below! <3

Our recommendations for the best French Press Coffee Makers on the market:

• Luxury: Espro Press P7
  
• High end: Espro P3
• Middle ground: Cafe du Chateau
• Standard: Bodum