There are many modern spins on the classic French press coffee maker, each with interesting and beautiful design choices to stand out from the crowd. Admittedly however, not many of them have poured (get it?) nearly as much intention into filtering out coffee grit as the P7 press from Espro, who you may remember for their awesome travel coffee press.

Available in 18-ounce and 32-ounce sizes, the P7 makes use of a double micro-mesh filter system they developed in-house, with one filter (ultra-fine) nesting inside the other (fine) to ensure no grit can get through, so the coffee that ends up in your cup is consistently smooth and clean.

Moreoever, the top/inner filter has a double-lipped silicone sealing gasket around its edge to create a tight barrier between the upper and lower portions of the carafe, which immediately stops the extraction once you press the plunger down, rather than letting it continue and thus become bitter before pouring.

Combine that seal with the press’ double-walled stainless steel construction that keeps the results hot for hours, and you have a method of coffee brewing that takes only 4 minutes to prepare but can be enjoyed all morning long.

The Espro P7 French press is typically listed at $120 for the 18-ounce size and $140 for the 32-ounce. As I write this on September 4th, 2024 though, most of the color/size combos are marked down to various degrees, so jump on those deals while you can!

(Note: The Polished and Brushed stainless steel options are both top-rack dishwasher safe. The four color-coated options — Matte Black, Matte White, Aegean Blue, and Cranberry — are hand-wash only.)

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If Stanley can make a French press, so can YETI. Built essentially like an oversized version of their Rambler mugs, their Rambler French press is constructed with dishwasher-safe 18/8 stainless steel with double-wall vacuum insulation to keep your freshly brewed coffee hot between pours.

The interior of the press features YETI’s “DuraSip” ceramic lining that helps it resist stains and makes it easier to clean, without the fragility or heat loss of a traditional ceramic mug. Also included is a specially designed twist-to-lock lid + filter plunger that can be easily disassembled after brewing and is also dishwasher-safe.

Get the YETI Rambler French press for $110 on Amazon.

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We’ve written so many words about the AeroPress coffee maker over the years. We’ve discussed our favorite brewing recipes, the best attachments and accessories, nifty organizer stands, alternate forms of the brewer itself, and more.

So, I won’t repeat what you probably already know about the thing. All I’ll say is that if you’ve never liked the dull gray or brown color of the more recent AeroPress models, you’ll be glad to know there’s finally a crystal clear version available once again! And this time, it’s made of BPA-free shatterproof Tritan plastic.

Look Ma, you can see what the coffee’s doing in there!

Now before you go buy this thing, you might want to know that despite costing more than previous models, the clear AeroPress no longer includes the funnel accessory, and it comes with fewer paper filters than before (100 instead of 350).

Actually, if there’s anyone whose first impressions are worth listening to about this, it’s James Hoffmann:

If those factors aren’t major concerns for you, then you can get the AeroPress Clear for $50 on Amazon.

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Before we get started, let me just say it: I know this is an expensive French press. I’m aware you can get a decent one for like 25 bucks and be perfectly happy. I get all of that.

But man, if the Fellow Clara ain’t the prettiest danged French press I’ve ever seen…

French press or coffee table centerpiece? You decide.

And more than that, they put all their usual thoughtful design thinking into getting every little detail right. Any pain point you’ve ever had with a French press, they tackled it head-on:

• Don’t own a scale? That’s okay, because the Clara has fill/ratio lines for both coffee grounds and hot water, so your brew comes out great every time.
• Sick of having to line up a small strainer ‘zone’ with the pour spout? Those days are over, because this press has an all-directional pour lid.
• Feel like your French press never makes enough coffee? Fellow’s beautiful creation holds up to 24 ounces per batch, which should be enough for you and a companion to have at least a cup each — maybe two with a lighter pour.

• Does your coffee cool down too quickly? Well not only is the body of the Clara double-walled and vacuum-sealed, the pour spout is too:

  It was extremely difficult to make a vacuum-sealed body and spout; it took six months to get it right. The biggest issue we faced during the prototyping phase was lining up the spout and body properly while maintaining the welding and seal. The team wanted to maintain high-quality aesthetics while keeping Clara up to snuff, quality-wise. This was exceptionally hard to do, but we eventually got there.

• Hate cleanup? They added a nonstick coating to the interior that makes it easy to get out all the grinds and gunk after brewing. To protect that coating, they include a wooden agitation stick so you can stir the grounds without scratching the inside of the brewer.

The Fellow Clara comes in your choice of plain matte black ($154) or matte black with walnut accents ($200).

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Here at T&T, we’ve long touted the large Espro Press as the best version of a French press pot there is. However, the FikaPress — named for a Swedish word/cultural concept — might just give it a run for its money, at least in the looks department.

Like the Espro Press, the FikaPress is practically indestructible, built entirely from premium stainless steel with a double-walled construction for better insulation, keeping your coffee hot and fresh between cups. It can brew up to 34 ounces of the stuff, enough for four servings.

What really caught our eye though is its matte navy blue color, which brings yet another level of attractiveness to the whole experience.

Inside the pot are measurement marks that make it easy to tell how much water to add, so you’ll get just the right brewing ratio every time. As for how well the pot’s insulation works, the company answered that question here:

Q: How long does it keep the coffee hot?

A: Here’s the result of our own test:

1.Start: 194℉
2. After 20 minutes: 190.4℉
3. After 1 hour: 158℉
4. After 2 hours: 140℉

If you pre-heat the pot, it would stay hot a bit longer.

You can pick up the FikaPress for just $34 on Amazon.

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Alright fellow AeroPress nerds, this is it. The folks behind the mega-popular AeroPress coffee maker have finally developed a version of it that’s made for traveling right out of the box: the AeroPress Go.

The AeroPress Go looks pretty similar to its predecessor, except it’s a little smaller, holding only 8oz. (237 ml) of coffee versus the original 10oz. (296 ml). But more critically, it now comes with its own drinking mug (with lid) that conveniently doubles as a carrying case for the brewer and its accessories.

Watch the demo video to see how it works:

The mug holds 15oz./ 444 ml of coffee — enough for about two servings. It’s also microwaveable. The scoop it comes with holds the same 14g of coffee grounds as the old one, but it’s shaped differently so that the new folding stirrer (below, left) can nest within it for travel. The AeroPress Go also comes with 350 of the same micro-filters used by the original, twenty of which fit into the travel filter holder included with the set (below, right).

When it’s all packed up together into the mug with the lid on, the entire kit weighs only 11.4 ounces (323 grams) and fits easily into a bag. If you wanna see the differences between the original AeroPress and the Go, I’ve got the handy chart right here:

Click here to view full size.

I feel like this is a perfect occasion for watching one of my favorite videos to this day:

The AeroPress Go is $32 on Amazon, which is right around the same price of the old one. Happy travel brewing ☕️🛫

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Jessica Do Tully’s invention, the Palmpress, is a portable, single-serve coffee press with an interesting concept that might just give the AeroPress a run for its money.

It’s a collapsible silicone brewer that looks a bit a pour-over cone when expanded, except the whole thing is the press. You just fill it with coffee grounds and hot water, screw the lid on, wait a few minutes, flip it over onto a mug (watch out for that initial stream of hot coffee!), and gently press down. That’s it.

Notice how I didn’t say anything about using a paper filter or pod or anything like that? That’s right — it’s essentially a waste-free brewing process, every time.

Not only is it great to use at home, you’ll never have to rely on terrible office or hotel coffee again. It packs down very small, it won’t crack like glass or plastic would, cleanup is a breeze — it’s even top-rack dishwasher safe — and most importantly, it makes a great cup of joe.

Part of that is because the coffee only ever makes contact with the inner food-grade silicone and the stainless steel filter, never touching the BPA- and phthalate-free plastic exterior.

The cap/stand is an ingenious bit of design, holding the cone upright and giving you a nice chunky non-slip grip to hold onto while brewing, without burning your hand.

You can get the regular black brewer for $39 at the Palmpress site. There’s also a lovely eggshell blue version sold exclusively by Food52 for the same price.

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GSI Outdoors’ Commuter JavaPress combines two of our favorite things here at T&T: coffee presses and travel mugs. It’s essentially a French press that you can drink out of after brewing, except instead of an intrusive center rod, it employs a clever nesting carafe/plunger design — it brings the AeroPress to mind — that doubles as extra insulation post-brew.

Watch it in action:

See how simple that brewing process is? And even as a travel mug, the JavaPress excels, with its spill-resistant top, sealable spout, non-slip “foot” that helps keep it upright, and the ballistic cloth-wrapped foam cozy sleeve that insulates both your hands and the coffee inside for a secure grip. You can take this thing anywhere and everywhere with the assurance that your caffeine addiction will be safely satisfied.

The standard 15 fl oz. model is $23 on Amazon and comes in a handful of colors:

• Red
• Blue
• Graphite
• Orange
• Green (almost yellow, if you ask me)

They also have a larger 30 fl oz. version ($30), a two-piece “personal” set that includes a standalone brewer/carafe with a separate mug you pour into ($32), and a whopping 50 fl oz. press/carafe ($44) for which you’ll have to provide your own mug(s).

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Ever wish you had a Star Wars droid around to give you a little wake-up jolt each morning? The officially licensed R2-D2 coffee press is about as close as it gets. It can brew up to 32 oz. (about four cups) of coffee that’ll have you in first-class condition (see what I did there?) in no time, and it’s kind of fun to have out on your countertop. If nothing else, it works as a great novelty gift for the nerd in your life.

(Note: This press is not dishwasher safe. Hand wash only unless you want it to be fit for a scrap heap.)

Get it for $40 on Amazon.

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Similar to how the Espro Travel Coffee Press is like a mix of French press and travel mug, the Stanley Classic Vacuum French Press is sort of what you’d get if you mixed the French press with their own 64-ounce growler instead (and downsized it to 48 ounces in the process).

The two main selling points are 1) since it’s a Stanley product, this thing is a nigh-indestructible beast that can take a beating no problem, and 2) it keeps coffee steaming hot for 4 hours, cold for 9 hours, or iced for 24 hours. In case you’re wondering, the pour spout does indeed close by rotating the lid, which helps even more with temperature retention.

Get it for $60 on Amazon.

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When it comes to brewing coffee, no method is more classic than the French press. However, in recent years there have been many interesting takes on the concept of pressing coffee.

Below are a few of our favorites.

The AeroPress coffee maker. ($30)

AeroPress »

What, you thought we weren’t going to mention the AeroPress? Pfft, you don’t know who you’re dealing with here.

*Ahem* Anyway, the AeroPress remains our favorite way to make a cup of coffee. It’s just so simple to use and easy to clean up, plus there are lots of ways to brew with it. You can also take it with you anywhere.

Espro’s Coffee Travel Press. ($27–$33, depending on color)

Espro Coffee Travel Press »

With the Coffee Travel Press the folks at Espro took everything we loved about the original Espro Press and turned it into something you can easily take with you on the road.

The main body is your standard double-walled stainless steel insulated tumbler that can keep liquids hot for 4–6 hours. What makes it special is the double micro-filter integrated with the drinking lid, which means you can brew your coffee (or tea), twist the travel lid on, throw the whole thing into your bag, and go.

Watch their short how-to video to see it in action:

The Espro Coffee Travel Press comes in your choice of matte black ($29), brushed stainless ($27), bright white ($33), or red ($30).

+ For something in a similar vein that holds much more coffee, check out the Stanley Classic Vacuum French Press. (Temporarily out of stock as of this writing, but still worth a gander.)

The American Press coffee maker. ($80)

American Press Coffee Maker »

The American Press is a single-serve coffee maker created by a guy named Alex Albanese, with a design that falls somewhere between an AeroPress and a classic French press. That is, it’s not a full immersion brew, but more like a hand-powered percolator.

Here’s how it works:

1. You fill the internal brew basket with your coffee grounds of choice (medium-fine to coarse works best). This “pod” has micro-mesh filters (100-micron, to be exact) on both the top and bottom when closed.
2. Close the pod, thereby mounting it onto the plunger stem.
3. Fill the carafe with hot water. (The carafe is made from double-walled, air-gap insulated Tritan, meaning it’s super durable and safe to touch even with boiling water inside.)
4. Mount the plunger assembly and slowly press down. The amount of time you press can last anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes, depending on how much extraction you want.

The pressure of this brewing process forces water up through the grounds (or loose leaf tea, if that’s your thing) and into the space above the plunger, resulting in a rich, clean, and complex cup of coffee that can be poured into your vessel of choice.

Check out this video by Prima Coffee Equipment for a great overview of the American Press, plus a couple tips on ways you can experiment with your brewing:

The Manual Coffeemaker Nº3. ($115 pre-order)

Manual Coffeemaker Nº3 »

After a successfully funded Kickstarter, you can now pre-order the Manual Coffeemaker Nº3, a double-walled, hand-blown glass pitcher with a natural cork lid that can actually do any of three whole-pot coffee-brewing jobs:

1. French press (the kit includes a special cork lid with a built-in French press plunger)
2. Pour-over
3. Cold brew

Once brewed, the pitcher keeps the coffee warm for over an hour. You can also use it as an all-purpose pitcher, where the double-walled, no-sweat construction similarly helps keep drinks cool longer.

Yield Design’s borosilicate glass French press. ($85)

Yield Design’s Glass French Press Coffee Maker »

Perhaps you consider yourself something of a purist when it comes to coffee presses, and yet you appreciate owning beautiful versions of things. If that hits close to home, then you ought to check out this glass French press by Florida-based studio Yield Design.

It works the same as any French press you’ve ever used, but aesthetically speaking, it might be the most beautiful one you ever own. It’s also made from borosilicate glass, the same super durable stuff that old Pyrex kitchen products are still prized for (compared to their less-heat-resistant soda-lime glass counterparts today in the US).

This French press comes in clear, gray, and amber.

+ If glass isn’t your thing, Yield Design also offers a line of ceramic French presses.

Five years ago, we declared the Espro Press to be the best press pot coffee brewer. With the Coffee Travel Press, the folks at Espro took everything we love about the original brewer and turned it into something you can easily take with you on the road.

The main body is your standard double-walled stainless steel insulated tumbler that can keep liquids hot for 4–6 hours. What makes it special is the double micro-filter integrated with the drinking lid, which means you can brew your coffee (or tea), twist the travel lid on, throw the whole thing into your bag, and go.

Watch their short how-to video to see it in action:

The Espro Coffee Travel Press comes in your choice of matte black ($29), brushed stainless ($27), bright white ($33), or red ($30).

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