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Someplace between pour-over and people large-format carafes from countertop drip espresso makers lies the French press espresso maker. Beginning at a measurement that makes simply sufficient for a single serving and going as much as a mannequin that would caffeinate a crowd, French presses aren’t as finicky and hands-on as some handbook strategies, permitting you to multitask whereas your espresso brews. Regardless of its comparatively old-school tech, when paired with recent entire beans and a fine-tunable espresso grinder, even newcomers could make some nice espresso with a little bit knowhow (simply learn our information to espresso brewing strategies).
Our high picks
Finest French press total: Espro P7
Finest cheap French press: Espro P3
Finest large-capacity French press: Yeti 64 oz. French press
French press brewing provides wealthy and daring espresso by merely steeping the espresso grounds in just-under boiling water (normally 195° to 200ºF) for a number of minutes, then plunging a filter right down to comprise the grounds earlier than pouring a recent cup of espresso. Whereas they’re generally a ache to scrub (extra on that later), a French press simply may be probably the most economical coffee-making possibility on the market: You’ll be able to usually brew as a lot or as little as you want, and it creates little or no waste (no paper filters, plastic pods, or different bespoke gear obligatory). It’s particularly good for weekend drinkers of brewed espresso who might get their caffeine repair from an workplace or barista most days and don’t want or desire a machine cluttering up their counter tops. French presses are available quite a lot of sizes, from one or two servings all the way in which as much as 64 ounces.
When you’re really all about one-cup-at-a-time espresso, you’ve single-serve espresso makers and different handbook strategies like pour-over and the Aeropress to select from as a substitute. Plus, we’re speaking full cups of espresso right here, not photographs of espresso for which you’ll need an espresso machine or Nespresso pods for one thing espresso-ish. However for the proper nexus of quantity and high quality, you’d be hard-pressed to discover a higher technique than French press.
The perfect French press espresso maker total: Espro P7
Espro P7 French Press
Execs
- Finest-in-class filtration
- Efficient insulation
Cons
- Costly
Espro’s top-of-the-line French press is our favourite for a lot of causes, however none extra so than its rigorously thought out filtration and extraction system.
The soiled secret of many low-cost French presses out there’s that their mesh filters aren’t one-way, which means in the event you let your sizzling water and low grounds sit collectively for too lengthy, you’ll get a bitter, gritty, over-extracted espresso that you just completely don’t need. So, usually talking, you’re imagined to serve or decant your brewed espresso after the timer goes off. You could marvel, isn’t the purpose of an insulated French press in an effort to hold your unpoured espresso sizzling inside it? If it’s Espro’s P7 (or the Yeti, beneath), the reply is sure. Espro’s filtration system provides two separate layers of mesh, plus a double silicone seal across the edge, successfully protecting the brewed espresso and spent grounds completely separate as soon as the plunger has been pushed down. This implies the double-wall, vacuum-sealed, stainless-steel physique of this French press can truly operate as a serving vessel, protecting your espresso heat all through the morning with out ruining the espresso inside. The plunger equipment (and lid, which options yet one more slotted filter) come aside and return collectively simply, and all components are dishwasher secure. It’s accessible in 18- and 32-ounce choices, and it is available in six colours to fulfill your aesthetic wants.
Whereas insulated, it doesn’t retain warmth all that lengthy, hitting room temperature after lower than two hours. For many morning espresso drinkers—or in the event you’re sharing your espresso with another person—this seemingly received’t be an issue. We had barely higher warmth retention outcomes with the Yeti French press.
Measurement: 6.7″ x 4.6″ x 10.1″
Weight: 2.7 lb.
Materials: Stainless-steel
Capability: 32 oz., 18 oz.
Guarantee: Restricted lifetime guarantee
The perfect cheap French press: Espro P3
Espro P3 French Press
Execs
- Finest-in-class filtration
Cons
- Feels a little bit flimsy
With the P3 you get the unbelievable filtration system of the P7, however for lower than a 3rd of the worth. You do surrender that insulated carafe although.
In line with Esprom, the thick glass used on this French press is similar borosilicate glass utilized in scientific beaker. And, for what it’s value, it’s good to truly see your brewing espresso at a look, one thing their insulated press would not permit . When you normally make espresso and instantly pour it right into a mug or journey tumbler, then this extra traditional-looking French press for beneath $40 is difficult to beat.
The plastic body, whereas light-weight, feels and appears cheaper than the Espro P7, as its lower cost tag would possibly recommend. Due to its blasé seems and the truth that it solely is available in black, we’d be much less thrilled about giving this a everlasting residence on our countertop. (For one thing extra polished however nonetheless color-limited, think about the shinier, stainless-steel Espro P5.)
Measurement: 6.1″ x 4.3″ x 9.5″
Weight: 1.8 lb.
Materials: Borosilicate glass and BPA-free polypropylene
Capability: 32 oz., 18 oz.
Guarantee: Restricted lifetime guarantee
The perfect large-capacity French press: Yeti 64 Oz. French Press
Yeti 64 OzFrench Press
Execs
- Glorious filtration
- Glorious insulation
- Sturdy sufficient to make use of outside
Cons
- A bit unwieldy to pour from
Because the model has continued to department out from its core of wonderful (however costly) coolers, Yeti has created numerous high performing, sturdy items of substances, together with this big French press.
We like Yeti’s tackle the French press for most of the similar causes we just like the Espro P7. Much like Yeti’s water bottles and journey espresso mugs, it options vacuum-insulated, double-walled stainless-steel building which retains espresso sizzling lengthy sufficient that you just needn’t suck down all 64 ounces in a single sitting (much like the Espro P7, we discovered it gave us about two hours of sufficiently heat espresso). It additionally has a white ceramic coating on the inside, which provides each simple cleansing and enhanced visibility of the contents when wanting by way of the clear, plastic lid of this opaque carafe. Talking of the lid, it twists on with a satisfying locking click on as soon as locked, and stays put whereas pouring. Just like the Espro P7, the plunger meeting is designed to completely separate the grounds away from the brewed espresso as soon as pushed down. Within the Yeti, that is completed with a single-layer mesh filter with a silicone gasket plus an extra silicone disc that retains siltier grounds at bay. The entire contraption unscrews into a couple of items which might be all dishwasher secure. Each sizes are available an array of stainless steel-accented colours so matching it together with your kitchen decor shouldn’t be an issue.
No 64-ounce French press goes to be simple to wrangle, and the utilitarian, practically rectangular deal with on this press doesn’t make that any simpler—in reality, you would possibly end up utilizing two arms to regular it. As a Yeti product, it’s most likely no shock it’s cumbersome and heavy even earlier than you add in 64 ounces of water. It might be good if the lid’s pouring spout wasn’t simply a gap and had some type of slider lock (like Yeti’s bottles and tumblers) which could additionally improve its warmth retention.
Measurement: 7.1″ x 10.1″
Weight: 3.7 lb.
Materials: Stainless-steel with ceramic lining,
Capability: 64 oz., 34 oz.
Guarantee: 5 years
How we examined French presses
After cleansing and inspecting every mannequin for design options or pitfalls, we examined every with a 14-to-1 ratio (by weight) of 200°F water to semi-coarse espresso grounds to account for various capacities. Then we disassembled and washed every press and its components in response to producer directions and famous any ache factors. Lastly, we included these French presses into our espresso routines for 2 weeks for additional one-the-job testing.
What we appeared for in French presses
Many French presses available on the market are of various thicknesses of borosilicate or heat-proof glass, which suggests they’re pleasingly clear but additionally susceptible to breaking. Whilst you can undoubtedly use a glass French press for years, we nonetheless opted for stainless-steel French presses as two of our high picks for longevity.
It ought to provide ease of use and really feel comfy in your hand, not solely from an ergonomic perspective, however for stability and management whereas pouring. The design of the particular product, its measurement and storability, and whether or not any of its parts truly received in the way in which of doing the factor it was imagined to do or really made issues simpler. Additionally, does it look good?
Ideally, components might be simply disassembled and reassembled for thorough cleansing. Bonus factors for dishwasher-safe standing.
Does it make good espresso?
Is the espresso that really comes out of the French press freed from grounds and sediment, and does leaving espresso within the carafe uncovered to the grounds threat over-extraction?
Different French presses we examined
Oxo Brew 8-Cup French Press with Grounds Lifter
Oxo’s penchant for making high quality, user-friendly merchandise is on show on this cheap French press that we’d rank proper up there with the Espro P3. Its filtration is ample for protecting most sediment out. We additionally appreciated the GroundsLifter characteristic, a silicone-lined disc on the backside of the carafe with a deal with (assume a flat ladle) that may slide your spent grounds out and into the compost bin with one movement. We expect this may be the French press that’s the simplest to scrub.
Bodum Chambord French Press
Bodum Chambord French Press
Assuming your grandparents drank French press espresso, that is mainly their French press. It has been round for many years for good motive: It does the job. However we merely favor the innovation of Oxo’s GroundsLifter and the more practical filtration of the Espro over this steel-and-glass traditional.
Le Creuset French Press
Like so many Le Creuset merchandise, this French press is extra about delivering on that French countryside aesthetic than any singular espresso brewing innovation. We’d liken its inner elements’ efficiency to that of the Bodum Chambord, however its stoneware building provides higher warmth retention. For every day use, it would simply be too fancy for its personal good. Nevertheless, it does are available some fairly Le Creuset colours, and would most likely serve a twin objective as a serving pitcher for any type of liquid.
Frieling Insulated Double-Wall Stainless-Metal French Press
Frieling Insulated French Press
This modern, stainless-steel French press is effectively cherished by different on-line reviewers, and whereas we usually favored it, we did discover the filter was maybe too good at protecting espresso and water separate to the purpose that it produced a lighter cup akin to pour-over strategies and never what we’d need from a French press. That efficient filter was additionally a little bit too cosy to push down the plunger simply. Nevertheless, it does are available quite a lot of sizes, and as for seems, it’s undoubtedly a stunner.
SterlingPro French Press
Sterling Professional French Press
When you’re in search of one thing insulated and stainless-steel that also seems fancy with out the excessive price ticket of the Frieling or Espro P7, this French press delivers on these factors. Nevertheless, it additionally delivered a couple of too many grounds in our espresso, which was weaker than we’d like.
Secura French Press
One other budget-friendly possibility that also manages to look modern, Secura’s French press carried out equally to the SterlingPro, however provides a matte black possibility along with a chrome steel end. It comes with further screens, which is sweet, however we expect the superior filtration of the Espro P3 nonetheless has this one beat in the identical worth vary.
Fellow Clara French Press
Fellow Clara French Press
The positives? That is one other lovely press that we’d need to hold out of the cupboard for sheer eye sweet worth. It additionally has an efficient filter and vacuum-insulted design for protecting warmth in. The factor it didn’t hold effectively was the espresso, which leaked from numerous components of the lid whereas pouring.
Stanley Traditional Keep Scorching French Press
Stanley Keep Scorching French Press
Whereas Stanley makes some cute and colourful water bottles and tumblers today, its French press harkens again to its rough-and-tumble utilitarian roots. It’s large and rugged-looking, and it solely is available in a 48-ounce measurement, making it extra splendid for serving a bunch of your outdoorsy buds round a campfire than every day use in a house kitchen. That mentioned, it does are available some cute colours.