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The best French press makes rich, full-bodied coffee with nothing more than coarse grounds, hot water and four minutes of patience. The differences between models come down to how well the filter keeps out grit, how long the carafe keeps coffee hot, and how easy it is to clean. We compared expert reviews from America’s Test Kitchen, CNN Underscored, TechGearLab, Reviewed and others, plus owner feedback, to pick nine presses for every budget and kitchen.
Part of our Coffee Buying Guides.
Our top picks at a glance
- Best overall: ESPRO P3 French Press
- Best for large batches: Stanley Classic Stay Hot French Press 48 oz
- Best classic glass press: Bodum Chambord 34 oz
- Best budget: Bodum Brazil 34 oz
- Best stainless value: Secura Stainless Steel French Press
- Best grit-free splurge: ESPRO P7 French Press
- Best design: Fellow Clara French Press
- Best stoneware: Le Creuset Stoneware French Press
- Best for travel: ESPRO P1 Travel Press
| French press | Best for | Capacity | Body | Filter | Price tier | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESPRO P3 | Best overall | 32 oz (also 18 oz) | Glass in plastic frame | Dual micro-mesh with gasket | $$ | See price |
| Stanley Classic Stay Hot | Large batches | 48 oz | Insulated stainless steel | Stainless mesh | $$–$$$ | See price |
| Bodum Chambord | Classic glass | 34 oz | Glass in metal frame | Stainless mesh | $$ | See price |
| Bodum Brazil | Budget | 34 oz | Glass in plastic frame | Stainless mesh | $ | See price |
| Secura Stainless Steel | Stainless value | 12–50 oz | Double-wall stainless steel | 3-layer stainless | $–$$ | See price |
| ESPRO P7 | Grit-free splurge | 32 oz (also 18 oz) | Insulated stainless steel | Dual micro-mesh | $$$$ | See price |
| Fellow Clara | Design | 24 oz | Insulated stainless, coated interior | Fine mesh | $$$ | See price |
| Le Creuset Stoneware | Stoneware | 34 oz | Glazed stoneware | Stainless mesh | $$$ | See price |
| ESPRO P1 Travel Press | Travel | 12 oz | Insulated stainless steel | Dual micro-mesh | $$ | See price |
Price tiers: $ under $30, $$ $30–60, $$$ $60–100, $$$$ over $100. Prices change often, especially during sales, so check the current listing.
1. ESPRO P3 French Press — Best overall
The ESPRO P3 is the press we’d suggest to most people. It pairs a borosilicate glass carafe with a sturdy polypropylene frame and, more importantly, ESPRO’s dual micro-mesh filter with a gasket around the edge. That filter is the reason the P3 keeps showing up at the top of expert lists: CNN Underscored made it its best overall, saying it produced the brightest cup with almost no grit, and Reviewed and TechGearLab both praised its smooth, clean results.
It comes in 32 oz and 18 oz sizes, and you can add an optional paper filter for an even cleaner cup. ESPRO says its design stops extraction once you press, so coffee left in the carafe turns bitter more slowly than in a standard press. CNN also noted that its glass felt thicker than other glass models it tested.
Why we picked it: It delivers much of the clean, low-sediment cup of pricier presses at a mid-range price.
Keep in mind: It isn’t insulated, the plastic frame feels less premium than steel, and TechGearLab found that its very clean filtration can mute some of the heavy body French press fans love.
What owners say: Owners like the low-grit cup and easy brewing, though some find the final pour awkward and say the filter needs a careful rinse.
2. Stanley Classic Stay Hot French Press 48 oz — Best for large batches
If you brew for a crowd or drink coffee all morning, the Stanley Classic Stay Hot is the one to get. It’s made of double-wall, vacuum-insulated 18/8 stainless steel, holds 48 oz, and Stanley says it keeps coffee hot for up to four hours. America’s Test Kitchen named it a co-winner of its 2025 testing, citing its sturdy base, easy plunge and well-liked coffee, and TechGearLab picked it for large groups after it posted the best insulation in that test.
It’s dishwasher safe and BPA-free, and Stanley backs it with a lifetime warranty. Being steel, it also survives bumps that would crack a glass carafe, which makes it popular for camping and cabins.
Why we picked it: Big capacity plus hours of heat retention means you can brew once and pour all morning.
Keep in mind: It’s heavy and a bit unwieldy when full, and it comes in only one size.
What owners say: Owners love how long it keeps coffee hot, while the most common complaint is a filter that feels flimsy.
3. Bodum Chambord 34 oz — Best classic glass press
The Bodum Chambord is the French press most people picture: a borosilicate glass carafe held in a metal frame, with a simple stainless mesh plunger. America’s Test Kitchen calls it its Best Buy for being classic, simple and inexpensive, and Saveur made it its best overall, partly because replacement carafes and filters are easy to find.
It holds 34 oz, enough for about three large mugs, and comes in several frame finishes, including chrome and copper. Because it has been made for decades, it’s also one of the easiest presses to repair rather than replace.
Why we picked it: It’s a proven, good-looking design, and replacement parts keep it running for years.
Keep in mind: ATK found the glass carafe kept coffee hot for only about 30 minutes, and the standard mesh lets through more fine grit than gasketed or double filters.
What owners say: We found too little recent owner feedback to summarize fairly.
4. Bodum Brazil 34 oz — Best budget
The Bodum Brazil uses the same basic recipe as the Chambord, with a borosilicate glass carafe and a stainless mesh plunger, but swaps the metal frame for a BPA-free plastic one to bring the price down. It holds 34 oz (Bodum calls that eight 4 oz cups), and the parts are dishwasher safe.
None of the expert reviews we checked tested the Brazil specifically, but it shares its filter design with the Chambord, so expect similar coffee for less money. It’s a sensible first press if you’re not yet sure you’ll use one every day.
Why we picked it: It’s one of the cheapest ways to get a full-size press from a reputable brand.
Keep in mind: The plastic frame looks and feels basic, the glass can break if dropped, and like other standard mesh presses it lets some grit through.
What owners say: We found too little recent owner feedback to summarize fairly.
5. Secura Stainless Steel French Press — Best stainless value
The Secura is the budget way into an insulated, unbreakable press. It’s made of double-wall 304 stainless steel with a cool-touch handle and comes in 12, 17, 34 and 50 oz sizes. Its three-layer stainless filter, which ships with extra screens, earned the top filtration score in TechGearLab’s testing, where it was named best overall for its clean brew, good insulation and low price.
The range of sizes is a plus: the 17 oz makes two mugs for one person, while the 50 oz rivals the Stanley for groups.
Why we picked it: It gives you the durability and heat retention of steel, plus impressive filtration, for not much more than a glass press.
Keep in mind: TechGearLab felt the parts were lower quality than pricier presses, and its filter basket bent during testing.
What owners say: We found too little recent owner feedback to summarize fairly.
6. ESPRO P7 French Press — Best grit-free splurge
The ESPRO P7 is the press for people who love French press body but hate the sludge at the bottom of the cup. It uses two nested micro-mesh baskets, a fine outer filter and an ultrafine inner one, inside a double-wall, vacuum-insulated stainless steel body. It’s one of the most widely praised presses around: ATK picked it for the cleanest cup, CNN Underscored named it its splurge pick, Reviewed called it the smoothest and Saveur gave it its best-flavor award.
CNN found it kept coffee hot for about an hour. It comes in 18 and 32 oz sizes and several finishes, and like the P3 it accepts optional paper filters.
Why we picked it: No other press here gets as close to a clean, sediment-free cup while keeping the rich French press texture.
Keep in mind: It’s expensive, ATK found the two baskets fussy to clean and rated its heat retention only fair, and CNN found the fill lines hard to read.
What owners say: We found too little owner feedback we could verify, though reviewers consistently say it’s worth the price for daily drinkers.
7. Fellow Clara French Press — Best design
Fellow’s Clara is the most thoughtfully designed press here. It’s made of double-wall stainless steel with a nonstick-coated interior, and it adds ratio fill lines, a bamboo agitation stick for stirring and a lid that pours in any direction. TechGearLab said it brewed the sweetest cup in its test and was the best-insulated in its class, and Saveur named it its aesthetics pick. Reviewed found it still held coffee at about 120°F after five hours.
It holds 24 oz, which is plenty for one or two people, and the mesh filter is dishwasher safe.
Why we picked it: Its smart details and excellent heat retention make everyday brewing a little nicer, and it looks great on the counter.
Keep in mind: It’s pricey for its size, and ATK recommended it only with reservations, citing a tricky lid, coffee some tasters found acidic, and grounds that still stick to the coating. Only the mesh filter can go in the dishwasher.
What owners say: We found too little recent owner feedback to summarize fairly.
8. Le Creuset Stoneware French Press — Best stoneware
Le Creuset’s French press brings the brand’s glazed stoneware and bright colors to the coffee counter. It holds 34 oz, uses a stainless steel mesh plunger, is dishwasher safe and carries a 10-year warranty. ATK recommended it for sweet, full-flavored coffee, and Reviewed named it the best stoneware press and the most attractive model it tested.
Stoneware is opaque, so you can’t watch the coffee steep, but it makes a handsome serving piece for brunch or dessert.
Why we picked it: It’s the best-looking way to brew and serve French press coffee, and it comes with a long warranty.
Keep in mind: Le Creuset says stoneware holds heat well, but ATK found it wasn’t insulated like steel models. Testers also found it heavy, with a wide spout that can splash and a lid that may slip.
What owners say: We found too little recent owner feedback to summarize fairly.
9. ESPRO P1 Travel Press — Best for travel
The ESPRO P1 is a French press and travel mug in one. You brew right in the vacuum-insulated stainless steel body, press, and drink from it, with a leakproof lid for the commute. ESPRO says its dual micro-filter is 9 to 12 times finer than a standard press filter. OutdoorGearLab found it made clean, flavorful coffee with little sludge and liked it for car camping.
It holds 12 oz, enough for one generous mug.
Why we picked it: It lets you brew fresh French press coffee at your desk, in a hotel room or at a campsite without carrying a separate mug.
Keep in mind: It has several parts that take time to clean, and OutdoorGearLab found it too heavy for backpacking.
What owners say: Owners praise the grit-free coffee and heat retention, though some wish it were larger and find the plunger stiff.
How to choose a French press
Glass, stainless steel or stoneware?
Glass presses like the Chambord, Brazil and P3 let you watch the coffee brew and cost less, but they lose heat fast and can break. ATK found an uninsulated glass press kept coffee hot for about 30 minutes, compared with more than an hour for insulated steel models such as the Stanley. Double-wall stainless steel is the best choice if you sip slowly or want something that can survive camping. Stoneware looks great but is heavy and fragile.
Pay attention to the filter
A metal mesh filter lets coffee oils and very fine particles through, which is what gives French press its rich body, and also its sludge. ATK notes that a filter with a silicone gasket holds back more fines than a basic wire-coil edge. Double micro-mesh filters, like ESPRO’s, cut grit even further. If sediment bothers you, choose one of those, or use a press that accepts paper filters.
Get the grind and ratio right
Use a coarse grind. Stumptown compares it to breadcrumbs, and Bodum to coarse sea salt. Grinding too fine makes the plunger hard to push and the cup gritty, so a good burr grinder helps a lot (see our coffee grinder guide). Stumptown’s recipe uses about 56 grams of coffee to 850 grams of water (roughly 1:15) at around 205°F, a stir at one minute, and a press at four minutes. Bodum suggests one rounded scoop per 4 oz of water at 195–205°F for four minutes. Either way, pour all the coffee out right after pressing, or it will keep extracting and turn bitter.
Choose the right size
French press “cups” are usually 4 oz, so a 34 oz “8-cup” press makes about three standard mugs. A 12–18 oz press suits one person, 32–34 oz suits a couple, and 48–50 oz is for families or guests.
Cleaning and care
After each use, rinse out the grounds and unscrew the filter assembly to rinse it, since trapped coffee oils go rancid and spoil later brews. Wash it with soap regularly, and avoid pouring boiling water into a cold glass carafe. Presses with double filters take longer to clean, and many insulated models are hand-wash only.
A note on unfiltered coffee and cholesterol
Harvard Health notes that unfiltered coffee, including French press, contains oily compounds called diterpenes that a paper filter would normally trap, and that drinking a lot of it may raise LDL cholesterol. If you’re watching your cholesterol, it suggests limiting how much pressed coffee you drink and talking to your doctor. Adding a paper filter to an ESPRO press is one compromise.
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FAQ
What grind size should I use for a French press?
Coarse, roughly like breadcrumbs or coarse sea salt. A fine grind passes through the mesh, makes the coffee muddy and makes the plunger hard to push down.
How long should French press coffee steep?
About four minutes is the standard recommendation from both Bodum and Stumptown. Steep longer for a stronger cup, but decant right after pressing so it doesn’t turn bitter.
Is a stainless steel French press better than glass?
For heat retention and durability, yes. Insulated steel presses keep coffee hot for an hour or more, while glass cools in about half an hour. Glass is cheaper and lets you see the brew.
How do I get less sludge in my French press coffee?
Grind coarser, let the grounds settle before pressing, press slowly and leave the last bit in the carafe. A press with a gasketed or double micro-mesh filter, like the ESPRO P3 or P7, makes the biggest difference.
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- All coffee buying guides
- The best coffee grinders
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- The best coffee roasters in the USA
- The best coffee subscriptions
Sources
America’s Test Kitchen: Best French presses · CNN Underscored: Best French press · TechGearLab: Best French press · Reviewed: Best French presses · Saveur: Best French press coffee makers · Tom’s Guide: ESPRO P7 review · OutdoorGearLab: ESPRO Travel Press · ESPRO: Travel Press · NRS: Stanley Stay Hot specs · Le Creuset: Stoneware French press · Seattle Coffee Gear: Bodum Brazil guide · Stumptown: French press brew guide · Harvard Health: Pressed coffee
Owner feedback is summarized in our own words from public reviews. Photos courtesy of Unsplash.