The best French press coffee makers for 2026, tested and reviewed
Jump-start your day with a glass or stainless steel coffee maker that doesn't need a paper filter to brew an excellent cuppa.
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I don't know about you, but the smell of freshly ground coffee is all I need to get out of bed. I previously used a pour-over
to get my caffeine fix, but the best French presses have made my morning routine even quicker and more efficient — no paper filters required.
Most French presses operate the same way: You put coarsely ground coffee in the carafe, followed by hot-but-not-boiling water, let it steep and press the plunger down. But features like double-wall insulation or an easy-to-grasp handle make some of these at-home brewers stand out from the rest. After researching dozens of French press coffee makers, I narrowed the testing pool to eight highly rated models. I looked for simple assembly, ease of cleaning and, of course, a tasteful brew without sediment left behind.
In this story
Best French presses of 2026
Capacity:34 oz. | Material:Borosilicate glass carafe, stainless steel body | Care:Dishwasher-safe
The Danish company Bodum has been producing French presses since the 1970s, so it's no surprise it came out on top. The brand's iconic Chambord French press consistently brews rich, delicious coffee, plus it has a minimalist, Scandinavian design that won't go out of style anytime soon.
If you're worried about the durability of the glass carafe, don't be. This one is borosilicate, which is designed to withstand sudden temperature changes, and the steel frame keeps it elevated and firmly in place. The generously sized handle is easy to grasp, and the lid and plunger fit snugly inside, which helps reduce the chance of sediment ending up in your cup. My only complaint is that it doesn't keep coffee hot for long.
- Pours well
- Scant sediment
- Classic design
- Dishwasher safe
- Not insulated
Capacity:34 oz. | Material:Borosilicate glass carafe, plastic body | Care:Dishwasher-safe
Like our best French press winner overall, the Bodum Brazil has a snug, well-designed coffee filter system and borosilicate glass carafe. It produces an excellent cup of coffee too, and is just as easy to clean, with a streamlined, minimalist look that I really appreciate.
Where it differs from the Bodum Chambord is that this model rests flush on the counter, which may make it feel more stable. It also has several more plastic parts, which may be a sticking point if you're trying to limit your use of plastic kitchen tools . But if you don't mind it, this is a no-brainer for a budget-priced French press. You can't beat high-quality Scandinavian design for just about $20!
- Affordable
- Dishwasher safe
- Sleek design
- Scant sediment
- Plastic seems a bit flimsy
Capacity:24 oz. | Material:Stainless steel body and filter, polypropylene plunger, nylon handle | Care:Hand-wash carafe and lid; filter is dishwasher-safe
The Ferrari of French presses, the Clara is made by the coffee snob-approved brand Fellow, known for its popular Aiden Precision Drip Brewer . Fellow coffee makers feature modern silhouettes and consistently perform well in our testing.
They're pricey, though, and the Clara French Press retails for $100 (or $30 more if you opt for the walnut handle). That said, it was one of the easiest models to use. It also comes with the perfect wooden spoon agitator to help break up grounds during the brewing process. The press produced rich coffee that stayed hot, and it was easy to clean by hand (only the filter is dishwasher-safe).
My one complaint is that it's smaller than the average press at just 24 ounces, so you probably won't get more than two mugs of coffee. Fellow only offers one size right now, but perhaps future versions will offer more capacity.
- Top-notch design
- Easy to set-up and use
- Keeps coffee hot
- Includes wooden spoon agitator
- Pricey
- Smaller capacity
Capacity:34 oz. | Material:18/8 stainless steel| Care:Dishwasher-safe
If you're a sucker for all things Yeti, you're going to want to add this French press to your cart ASAP. The design is very similar to that of the brand's extremely popular tumblers, as is the double-wall insulation and vacuum-sealed lid that twists to lock. A nonslip bottom keeps it sturdy on your counter or picnic table, and its durable stainless steel construction makes it a popular choice for camping adventures.
While this 34-ounce press is pricey at over $100, it keeps coffee piping hot for hours, which is the major difference between the Yeti and the Bodum models. If you like to enjoy your coffee throughout the day, whether at home or at a campsite, this is the pick for you.
The Rambler is available in an array of neutral and bright colors, but the Sky Blue shade we tested is no longer available. You can complete your brewing station with a set of matching 6-ounce coffee mugs . Read more about this top-of-the-line French press in my full review .
- Double-wall insulation
- Vacuum-sealed lid
- Dishwasher safe
- Comes in a wide variety of colors
- Nonslip base
- Expensive
- Opaque carafe doesn't let you monitor the brewing process
Factors to consider when choosing a French press
My time spent testing French press coffee makers yielded these considerations to keep in mind while you're shopping.
✓ Features:What's great about a French press is that it's not fussy — you don't need additional filters, it doesn't take up a ton of counter space and it can cost as little as $20 for a 34-ounce model. If you feel strongly about design and plan to keep it on your countertop, you might lean towards a sleek carafe that doesn't show you what's inside or a glass carafe with colorful accents. If you prefer to make a pot of coffee and drink it periodically throughout the day, you may want to invest in a double-walled, insulated French press.
✓ Capacity:The classic size for a French press is 34 ounces, but there are mini versions that hold 12 ounces and large-capacity models, like the Stanley French press we tested, that hold 48 ounces. Generally, a 34-ounce carafe should make enough coffee for three to four servings.
✓ Material:Most French presses feature a glass carafe, but some are made of stainless steel for extra durability. Other models have more plastic components than others, so if that's a concern, make sure to check what materials are used to make the body, plunger and filter.
I used an electric burr grinder on the medium-to-coarse setting and weighed the grounds on a food scale before adding them to each French press.
(Lisa Schweitzer/Yahoo)How we test French presses
After opening each box, I noted how easy the French press was to assemble. I gave each carafe, filter and lid a quick wash with soap and water before brewing coffee, using the same dark-roast whole beans , which I ground on the medium-coarse setting of an electric burr grinder . I followed a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15 and noted if the brew tasted watery or if there was sediment at the bottom of my mug (too much could be a sign of a not-so-great filter system). I also noted how long the coffee stayed hot.
I broke these tasks into two tests; to rank on our list, the gadgets had to excel in both:
-
"Brews clues" test:I added coarsely ground coffee to the carafe, poured in enough hot water to cover the grounds and stirred them vigorously for about 30 seconds, then added the rest of the hot water and let it steep for about 4 minutes. Then I pressed down the plunger gently until the lid was closed. I poured a cup of coffee and drank it, evaluating the taste, if there was sediment and how hot it was.
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"Grounds-zero" test:After I made and drank the coffee, I emptied the grounds and rinsed off the plunger and filter and washed all the parts with warm, soapy water to see how difficult they were to clean.
Other French presses we tested
Espro P3 French Press Coffee Maker : This was the most complicated of all the French presses I tried, with its double-basket filter system. Because the filters take up a lot of space in the carafe, I found it difficult to brew anything smaller than a 24-ounce pot of coffee in the 32-ounce press, which is a bummer for days when you're making coffee for one person.
Coffee Gator French Press Coffee Maker : This 34-ounce press works just fine, and the pitcher and filter cleaned easily. But the stainless steel carafe almost always looks dirty because it shows every fingerprint, and this drove me crazy.
You'll know your coffee is the right size grind — and that you have a French press with a good filter — if you can press the plunger slowly without a struggle.
(Lisa Schweitzer/Yahoo)Stanley Classic Stay-Hot French Press Coffee Maker : This is jumbo size at 48 ounces, which is helpful if you have guests and want to brew a larger pot of coffee. I found more sediment than I could tolerate in the cup, and the handle was too plasticky and not well-integrated considering the cost of this press.
Oxo Brew Venture French Press : This 32-ounce French press has a large black plastic sheath over the Tritan plastic carafe, which the brand says is shatter-proof. It might be good for travel, but I didn't love the look and feel of it for daily use in my home.
How do you make the best French press coffee?
Making a cup of excellent coffee in a French press is easy and does not require paper filters. Grind your preferred beans at a medium-coarse setting (they should look like breadcrumbs) and measure them according to a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio. Add the ground coffee to the carafe, then pour in enough hot (but not boiling) water to cover the grounds. Stir them vigorously for about 30 seconds to bloom the coffee — this process releases carbon dioxide and some oils in the grounds and lets the water permeate all of the grounds evenly for the best brew. Add the rest of the hot water and let it steep for about 4 minutes. After steeping, slowly and steadily press down the plunger until it reaches the bottom and the coffee is separated from the grounds. Then serve!
Making coffee in a French press couldn't be any easier: Just grind and pour! (Lisa Schweitzer/Yahoo)
(Lisa Schweitzer/Yahoo)French press FAQs
How do you clean a French press coffee maker?
Once you've finished your coffee, you can dump the wet grounds into the trash or a compost bin . Avoid pouring them down the kitchen sink drain, which may cause clogging. You can easily wash the lid, filter and carafe with warm, soapy water, but many models have dishwasher-safe parts.
Best French press specs comparison chart
| Capacity |
Material |
Care |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker |
34 oz. |
Borosilicate glass |
Dishwasher-safe |
| Bodum Brazil French Press Coffee Maker |
34 oz. |
Borosilicate glasscarafe, plastic body |
Dishwasher-safe |
| Fellow Clara French Press |
24 oz. |
Stainless steel bodyand filter, polypropylene plunger, nylon handle |
Hand-wash carafe and lid; filter is dishwasher-safe |
| Yeti Rambler French Press |
34 oz. |
18/8 stainless steel |
Dishwasher-safe |
Update, July 31, 2026: We checked prices and availability for all products. Our No. 1 pick remains unchanged, but we added Fellow's Clara French Press to our best list. We also incorporated additional specs and added a comparison chart at the end of our guide.
We received complimentary samples of some products and purchased others ourselves, but we reviewed all products using the same objective criteria.
