Do you want the perfect french press?
In this post I am going to give you some key things to consider in selecting a French Press.(First I want to start by saying that I use the terms Coffee Press and French Press to say/mean the same thing.)
I get this question a lot. People say, “alright I am ready to start doing some coffee tastings with my friends, or I want to try this way of drinking coffee but what do I look for in a french press?”
How To Pick a French Press
#1 Price $$
When looking at French Presses cost is dynamically connected to quality. I have found coffee presses on the internet for as low as $10. Once I received it in the mail however I was a bit surprised to find that it was flimsy, light weight and small. It did the job and the cup of coffee I drank tasted just fine but it only made enough for one cup and was not something that I would be proud to break out at a dinner party. So, If go cheap, you get cheap.
#2 Type
The type of french press basically comes down to this: What do you want to use it for? Most people will answer in 1 of 3 ways.
1) I just want to enjoy one cup of coffee each morning, I am the only one that drinks coffee in my house. – If this is the case then I would suggest going with something smaller like a 2cup/16oz coffee press. Whether you get glass or stainless steal basically comes down to how much money you want to spend. Glass looks more attractive but stainless steal keeps the coffee hot longer and will last longer. Some of people in this category are in college so that $10 press I talked about would be a fine option for you.
2) I want a french press for my dinner parties or for when company comes over. – If this is the case then I would suggest a glass french press made by bodum. They make good looking presses (so you can adequately show off) that are high quality and have replacement parts that are readily available. There are many different styles and options but all the essentials are the same in every press so don’t get overwhelmed it’s all esthetics from here. The only downsides are that the glass beaker may break and a replacement is about $10, and the coffee only stays hot for 20 minutes.
3) I want something for my household, we all like coffee and/or want to do some coffee tastings. - If this is the case I would steer you towards a stainless steel french press. Your coffee stays hot for up to 1 hour in this press. (though I would encourage you drinking it within 30 minutes after the steeping, how to make a french press tutorial here) If you have 1-2 coffee drinkers I would go for a 8cup/32oz press. If 3-4 coffee drinkers then a 16cup/64oz press.
Really what it comes down to when selecting a french press is 3 things: Quality, Beauty, & Practicality. You just have to decide which is most important to you. Who knows maybe you will find all three in one Coffee Press.
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Related Posts: How To Prepare a French Press
Thanks for the tutorial, Jason. I have thought about buying a French Press since reading about them in some books I read. My sister has two and loves them. This is really helpful.
I am glad it is helpful!
I know this is meant to be a basic tutorial, but I find it lacking in resources. Maybe a few links to some reputable online retailers, or some price comparisons of large retailers on similar products?
I appreciate the effort though. More than I have gone out of my way to do for coffee education. Cheers.
good suggestions I will think about how to modify it to fill those gaps for you. -jason
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I am the first to comment?
Amen to french presses!
DOH!!! found it now
You ask the folks at Starbucks!
I was the first. “asdf” man!
Hey Jason,
I can’t find your email address.
I love me some french press
I love my French press – it’s the bomb!
french press is the best….
I’ve been using french presses for years, and love them! I currently have 3 that I use, for various situations. They really do make the best cup of coffee!
Great informative content!
I’m planning on getting a french press soon and very soon.
love the site! #kopiluwak
Hey Jason, just wanted to let you know I just purchased a French Press with the guide you provided. I don’t like my coffee steaming hot, so I’ve found that my glass press is the perfect blend of functionality and ability to look nice on my counter! Its the best looking thing in my college apartment kitchen for sure…thanks for this guide! Oh…and because I just heard about the contest… #kopiluwak
Really helpful and informative article. I definitely fit into the first category, and being a poor college student, it’s nice to know there are some less expensive options out there. Thanks!
#kopiluwak
this is some very goood information…. Thank you!!!
Love the site!
Hi ther!
Hi