Best French Press for a Home Coffee Bar: Picks, Sizes and How to Brew
This post has affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How I pick products
On this page
The best French press for most home coffee bars is the Bodum Chambord 34 oz: a borosilicate glass carafe in a stainless steel frame that brews about 3 mugs and still looks good on an open shelf. For a press that won’t break and keeps coffee warmer, pick the double-wall Secura stainless steel press.
A French press (also called a cafetière, press pot or coffee press) steeps coarse grounds in hot water for about 4 minutes, then a mesh filter on a plunger pushes the grounds to the bottom. Below are 4 picks by material and budget, the real number of mugs each size makes, and the brew method.
How I picked: this guide is research-based, not a hands-on test. I started from the presses Wirecutter, CNN Underscored and Food & Wine recommend, then kept only models whose Amazon listing was in stock, sold by Amazon and well rated when I checked on October 25, 2026. Specs come from the listings.
The best French presses at a glance
There are 4 French press picks: 2 glass presses from Bodum, 1 double-wall steel press and 1 glass-in-steel press from OXO. All 4 hold 32 to 34 oz, which brews about 3 mugs, and all 4 use a stainless steel mesh filter, so the choice comes down to material, cleanup and budget.
| Pick | Best for | Capacity | Price tier | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bodum Chambord French Press, 34 oz | Families and weekend big-pot brewers | 34 oz (1 L) | $$ | Check Price for Bodum Chambord French Press, 34 oz on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| Secura Stainless Steel French Press, 34 oz | Households that drop things, and slow sippers | 34 oz (1 L) | $ | Check Price for Secura Stainless Steel French Press, 34 oz on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| Bodum Brazil French Press, 34 oz, Black | A first French press on a small budget | 34 oz (1 L) | $ | Check Price for Bodum Brazil French Press, 34 oz, Black on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| OXO Brew 8 Cup French Press with GroundsLifter | Anyone who hates scooping grounds out of the carafe | 32 oz (8 cups) | $$ | Check Price for OXO Brew 8 Cup French Press with GroundsLifter on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
Best French press picks
All 4 French presses hold 32 to 34 oz (about 1 L), the size most households buy. The Bodum Chambord is the classic, the Secura is the steel press that won’t break, the Bodum Brazil is the budget pick and the OXO GroundsLifter is the easiest to clean.
Bodum Chambord: best overall
The Bodum Chambord 34 oz has a borosilicate glass carafe in a polished stainless steel frame, with a stainless mesh plunger. Wirecutter names the Chambord its runner-up.
- Size: 4.2 x 5.5 x 9 in (Amazon listing)
- Worth it if: you want the classic look and a carafe you can see through.
- Skip it if: you knock things over. The glass carafe breaks if it hits tile.
Best overall
Bodum Chambord French Press, 34 oz
- Best for
- Families and weekend big-pot brewers
- Why it's here
- A borosilicate glass carafe in a stainless steel frame with a mesh plunger. It brews about 34 ounces, enough for 3 to 4 mugs.
- Watch out
- Glass breaks. Pick a steel press for clumsy kitchens or camping.
- Price
- $$ · Mid
What we like
- Pro: Classic look on a coffee bar
- Pro: No paper filters to buy
- Pro: Easy for beginners
Keep in mind
- Con: Glass carafe is fragile
- Con: Some fine sediment in the cup
Check Price on Amazon for Bodum Chambord French Press, 34 oz (opens in a new tab)
Affiliate link · Price may change
Secura stainless steel: best for durability and heat
The Secura French Press is double-wall 18/8 (304) stainless steel inside and out, with a 3-layer steel filter and 2 spare screens. It holds 34 oz (1 L), and every part is dishwasher safe.
- Size: 6.1 x 6.7 x 9.8 in (Amazon listing)
- Worth it if: you sip slowly, have kids, or want a press for camping too.
- Skip it if: you like watching the coffee bloom through glass.
Best steel
Secura Stainless Steel French Press, 34 oz
- Best for
- Households that drop things, and slow sippers
- Why it's here
- A double-wall 18/8 (304) stainless steel French press with a 3-layer steel filter and 2 extra screens. It holds 34 oz (1 L) and all parts are dishwasher safe.
- Watch out
- You can't see the brew level through steel.
- Price
- $ · Save
What we like
- Pro: Won't shatter
- Pro: Double wall keeps coffee warmer than glass
- Pro: Spare screens in the box
Keep in mind
- Con: Opaque, so no watching the bloom
- Con: Heavier than glass presses
Check Price on Amazon for Secura Stainless Steel French Press, 34 oz (opens in a new tab)
Affiliate link · Price may change
Bodum Brazil: best budget French press
The Bodum Brazil uses the same 34 oz borosilicate glass carafe idea as the Chambord but in a BPA-free plastic frame. Wirecutter’s budget pick is a close Bodum sibling, the Caffettiera.
- Capacity: 34 oz (1 L), dishwasher safe
- Worth it if: you want to try French press coffee for the least money.
- Skip it if: the press lives on open shelves; the plastic frame looks plainer.
Best budget
Bodum Brazil French Press, 34 oz, Black
- Best for
- A first French press on a small budget
- Why it's here
- Bodum's lowest-priced 34 oz press: a borosilicate glass carafe in a BPA-free plastic frame with a stainless steel plunger and mesh filter. Dishwasher safe.
- Watch out
- The plastic frame looks plainer than the Chambord's steel one.
- Price
- $ · Save
What we like
- Pro: Same 34 oz glass carafe idea as pricier Bodums
- Pro: Dishwasher safe
- Pro: Many colors
Keep in mind
- Con: Glass can break
- Con: Plastic frame and lid
Check Price on Amazon for Bodum Brazil French Press, 34 oz, Black (opens in a new tab)
Affiliate link · Price may change
OXO Brew GroundsLifter: easiest to clean
The OXO Brew 8 Cup French Press holds 32 oz in a borosilicate glass carafe with a stainless steel shell. Its GroundsLifter basket lifts the spent grounds out in one piece, so you don’t scoop sludge into the sink.
- Size: 5.8 x 5.8 x 8.9 in (Amazon listing)
- Worth it if: cleanup is the reason you stopped using your last press.
- Skip it if: you want the fewest parts; the lifter is one more piece to rinse.
Easiest cleanup
OXO Brew 8 Cup French Press with GroundsLifter
- Best for
- Anyone who hates scooping grounds out of the carafe
- Why it's here
- A 32 oz (8-cup) French press with a borosilicate glass carafe in a stainless steel shell and a GroundsLifter basket that lifts the spent grounds out in one piece.
- Watch out
- The GroundsLifter is one more part to rinse.
- Price
- $$ · Mid
What we like
- Pro: Easiest cleanup of these picks
- Pro: Non-slip grip
- Pro: Steel shell guards the glass
Keep in mind
- Con: Slightly smaller than 34 oz presses
- Con: Extra part to wash
Check Price on Amazon for OXO Brew 8 Cup French Press with GroundsLifter (opens in a new tab)
Affiliate link · Price may change
The Espro P3 is the top pick at Wirecutter and CNN Underscored. Its double micro-filter catches more silt, and Wirecutter found it slows extraction after you press. I didn’t box it because its Amazon listing fell below my rating cutoff in October 2026, but it’s worth a look if a gritty cup is your main complaint.
Which French press material is best: glass, stainless steel or ceramic?
Choose borosilicate glass if you want to see the brew and spend the least, double-wall stainless steel if you want a press that won’t break and keeps coffee hot longer, and ceramic or stoneware if you want color and heat retention. All 3 make the same coffee; material changes durability and warmth.
This table compares the 3 French press materials.
| Material | Heat retention | Breaks if dropped | See the brew | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borosilicate glass | Lowest (single wall) | Yes | Yes | Bodum Chambord, Bodum Brazil |
| Double-wall stainless steel | Highest | No | No | Secura |
| Glass inside a steel shell | Low to medium | Shell protects glass | Partly | OXO GroundsLifter |
| Ceramic or stoneware | Medium to high | Can chip or crack | No | Le Creuset Stoneware |
Food & Wine’s testing found double-wall presses kept coffee hot longer than single-wall ones. Ceramic presses like the Le Creuset Stoneware were out of stock on Amazon when I checked, so there’s no ceramic pick here.
What should you look for in a French press filter?
Look for a filter with at least 2 layers of fine stainless mesh, a snug seal against the carafe wall and replacement screens you can buy separately. The filter decides how much silt reaches your cup, and it is the part that wears out first, so spare screens keep an older press working.
There are 3 common French press filter types:
- Single mesh screen: the classic Bodum design. Food & Wine calls a single layer of metal mesh the most common filter; it lets more fine particles through.
- Multi-layer mesh: the Secura stacks 3 layers and ships with 2 spare screens, so you can add a layer for a cleaner cup.
- Double micro-filter: Espro’s design, with a finer second filter. Wirecutter found it left the least grit in the cup.
Also check that the plunger has a tight edge. Food & Wine points out that some presses add a silicone gasket around the mesh, and CNN Underscored says a plunger that drops too fast usually means a poor seal. A loose seal lets grounds float past the filter.
What size French press do you need?
A 34 oz (1 L) French press brews about 3 mugs of 8 oz, because the grounds and the headroom take up a quarter to a third of the carafe. Labels like “8-cup” use 4 oz cups, so the number on the box is about twice the mugs you’ll pour.
Food & Wine notes that a press’s real coffee capacity is a quarter to a third less than the water it holds. This table converts common sizes into real mugs.
| Labeled size | Total capacity | Brewed coffee (about) | 8 oz mugs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-cup | 12 oz (350 ml) | 8 to 9 oz | 1 |
| 4-cup | 17 oz (500 ml) | 11 to 13 oz | 1 to 2 |
| 8-cup | 32 to 34 oz (1 L) | 22 to 25 oz | 3 |
| 12-cup | 51 oz (1.5 L) | 34 to 38 oz | 4 to 5 |
For a household of 2 that drinks 1 mug each, the 34 oz size leaves a refill. If you brew for 1, a 12 oz or 17 oz press wastes less coffee.
How do you brew French press coffee?
Brew French press coffee with coarse grounds, a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, water just off the boil and a 4-minute steep, then press slowly and pour it all out. For a 34 oz press, that’s about 60 g of coffee to 900 ml of water.
- Heat water to just below boiling, about 200°F (93°C).
- Grind coarse, like coarse sea salt. Our coffee grinder guide has a grind size chart.
- Weigh 60 g of coffee into a warmed 34 oz press.
- Pour 900 ml of water, stir once so all the grounds are wet, and put the lid on with the plunger up.
- Steep 4 minutes.
- Press slowly and steadily. CNN Underscored notes the plunger should push back only slightly; hard resistance means the grind is too fine.
- Pour every drop into mugs or a thermal carafe, leaving the silty last half inch behind.
The French press ratio
CNN Underscored recommends a 1:15 ratio: 15 grams of water for every gram of coffee. Wirecutter’s tests used 25 g of coffee to 350 ml of water, a slightly stronger 1:14. A scale like the Greater Goods 0.1 g scale takes the guessing out.
How long to steep French press coffee
Steep French press coffee for 4 minutes, the time Wirecutter and Food & Wine both used in testing. Go to 5 minutes for a stronger cup, but grind coarser rather than steeping longer if it turns bitter.
A French press setup for your coffee bar
Can you make cold brew in a French press?
Yes. Stir coarse grounds into cold water at about 1:8, steep 12 to 13 hours in the fridge, then press and dilute to taste. A 34 oz press makes about 600 ml (2.5 cups) of concentrate, enough for 4 to 5 iced coffees once you dilute it 1:1.
Kaldi’s Coffee uses a 1:8 ratio for French press cold brew, and La Colombe steeps for 12 to 13 hours. In a 34 oz press, that’s about 100 g of extra-coarse coffee to 800 ml of cold water. Keep the press in the fridge with the lid on and the plunger up while it steeps. Press slowly, pour the concentrate into a jar, and serve it over ice with water or milk.
Bodum or OXO French press?
Pick Bodum for the classic glass look and the widest choice of sizes and colors; pick OXO’s GroundsLifter for easier cleanup and a steel shell that protects the glass. Both brew the same 4-minute coffee, hold 32 to 34 oz and use a borosilicate glass carafe.
This table compares the 2 brands’ best-known presses side by side.
| Feature | Bodum Chambord | OXO Brew GroundsLifter |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 34 oz | 32 oz |
| Carafe | Borosilicate glass in a steel frame | Borosilicate glass in a steel shell |
| Cleanup | Scoop grounds out | Lift grounds out in a basket |
| Look | Open frame, classic | Closed shell, modern |
On a coffee bar, both take about 6 inches of shelf. Store the press next to your grinder and kettle; our countertop coffee station guide shows layouts, and a French press makes an easy pick in our gifts for coffee lovers guide. For a cleaner, brighter cup, see our pour-over coffee maker guide.
Who should skip a French press?
Skip a French press if you dislike any sediment in your cup, want coffee ready when you wake up, or brew a single small cup most days. A paper-filter brewer or a programmable drip machine suits those habits better than a 4-minute manual press.
- No-sediment drinkers: a Chemex or Hario V60 paper filter catches the fine silt a metal mesh lets through.
- Hands-off mornings: a French press needs you there to pour water and press at 4 minutes. A drip machine with a timer doesn’t.
- One small cup: a 34 oz press is overkill for 8 oz; a 12 oz press or a single-cup pour-over wastes less.
If a French press fits your routine, add it to your shelf with the rest of the kit in our coffee bar essentials list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best coffee for a French press?
A medium or dark roast ground coarse brings out the heavy body a French press is known for, though any bean works. Buy whole beans and grind right before brewing if you can. Pre-ground coffee is usually ground for drip machines, which is finer than a French press needs and adds sludge to the cup.
Why is my French press coffee bitter or muddy?
Bitter coffee usually means the grind is too fine or the coffee sat on the grounds too long. Muddy coffee means fine particles slipped past the mesh. Grind coarser, press slowly, and pour all the coffee into mugs or a carafe as soon as you press. Leave the last half inch in the press.
Can you leave coffee in a French press?
Not for long. In a standard press, the coffee keeps touching the grounds after you press, so it keeps extracting and turns more bitter the longer it sits. Pour the coffee out right away and keep it warm in a thermal carafe or insulated pitcher, then reheat gently if needed rather than leaving it on the grounds.
Is a French press better than a drip coffee maker?
It's different, not better. A French press uses a metal mesh filter that lets coffee oils through, so the cup is fuller and heavier than drip coffee from a paper filter. A drip machine is more hands-off and keeps a full pot warm. A French press needs no electricity or paper filters.
Free coffee bar essentials checklist
Every tool and supply on one printable page, tagged essential, upgrade or splurge, so you buy the right things first.