A French press coffee maker lets you produce rich, robust-tasting coffee at home—without all the mess and complexity of a regular coffee maker. By combining coarsely ground coffee beans with hot water and letting it steep, then filtering out the grounds, you’re left with deliciously flavorful coffee that’s chock full of essential oils and antioxidants in each cup. But which model should you buy? And where should you buy it? Here are some tips to help you choose a great French press coffee maker and enjoy delicious, fresh coffee every morning!
What is a French press?
A French press is a coffee pot that uses steeping pressure and mesh filters to separate ground coffee from its grounds. The grounds are steeped in hot water for several minutes (the recommended time frame is about four minutes), then pushed down via a plunger. By using only one filtering step, French press coffee makers produce more concentrated brews than regular drip machines. Generally speaking, they also produce stronger brews—but as with any brewing method, there are things you can do to mess it up!
Different Types of French Presses
Before you buy, take some time to decide what type of French press you want. There are three main varieties: glass, stainless steel, and ceramic. Glass French presses are highly durable, but they’re also heavy and breakable—not ideal if you’re prone to clumsiness. They’re also harder to clean than other materials and won’t retain heat as well as steel or ceramic. However, it does look pretty cool on your countertop! If a style is what matters most to you, then go with a French press made of glass. If convenience is important, choose one, either a coffee presser stainless steel or ceramic.
Things to Consider When Buying a French Press
It’s important to consider how much you’re willing to spend, and also how much space you have. If you want one with additional features like a timed function, adjustable temperature settings, or an automatic shut-off mechanism, it may be worth spending a little more money. Additionally, consider what kind of coffee beans will work best for your taste—French press coffee makers are generally ideal for coarse-ground coffee varieties.
Tips for Buying
When you’re shopping for your French press coffee maker, there are some things you should know: The three main qualities that define one coffee maker over another are immersion, extraction, and filtration. A shorter immersion means more flavor in your cup, while a longer immersion can lead to oils ending up in your cup instead of in your bean. Extraction refers to how long (and how hot) it takes for all of those great flavors and aromas to drip into your cup. And filtration is just as simple as it sounds; if there’s an additional filter involved, then fewer grounds will end up in your brew. With so many factors to consider, we recommend doing some homework before buying anything.