If you’re underwhelmed by the coffee coming out of your Mr. Coffee or Keurig, it might be time to switch to a new brewing method. French Press coffee makers are great because they’re cheap, simple to use, and can offer you bold, unique flavors that you haven’t experienced from your coffee before. 

French Press is a manual brewing method that employs a beaker or carafe and a filter plunger. Unlike other brewing methods, coffee grounds interact directly with the hot water, which can leave you with a strong, oily taste. This might be a big change for people that are used to a watery cup of joe, and it can take some getting used to. Thankfully, you can use some of your favorite coffee beans or grounds to make French Press coffee. The best coffee for French Press is a coarse grind, but the roast doesn’t particularly matter. 

In this article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about the French Press, including how to brew, how to clean, as well as the best coffee for a French Press. 

The Best Coffee For French Press Ranked By Coffee Lovers

Brand	Roast	Size	Traits	Buy
Birch Glenn	Medium	16 oz	100% Colombian Coffee, Good for cold brew or French Press	Check Price
Tiny Footprint Coffee	Medium	16 oz	Shade-grown Arabica Carbon Neutral Coffee Whole bean, Organic Coffee	Check Price
Spare Moment	Medium	12 oz	Small batch roast 100% Arabica Coffee Award Winning Brand	Check Price
Primo’s Coffee	Dark	12 oz	Decaf made using Mountain Water Process Low acidity with notes of citrus	Check Price
Stumptown Coffee Roasters	Medium	12 oz	Citrus, berry, and caramel flavors Organic whole bean coffee	Check Price
Guru Coffee Company	Medium	11 oz	Single-source coffee 100% Arabica Low acidity	Check Price

Birch Glenn Medium Roast

This coffee brand has a reputation for producing full-bodied, quality coffee, and their medium roast is no exception. Birch Glenn is a micro-roastery, so each bag has been tenderly crafted to give you the best coffee brewing experience possible. 

We added this one to the list because its hint of vanilla is a good addition to the strong taste of 100% Colombian coffee. 

Birch Glenn claims that this is a coarse ground coffee, but we found it to be a bit finer than coarse. This really isn’t an issue, as you just have to carefully and slowly filter it with your French Press. 

Tiny Footprint Coffee – Cold Press Elixir

Tiny Footprint consistently impresses us with their commitment to great coffee and sustainability. Their brand is built around being carbon neutral, which is a big issue for coffee manufacturers. And while Tiny Footprint might leave–well–a tiny footprint on the world, they certainly leave a big impression on the taste buds. 

This whole bean coffee is labeled for Cold Brew use, but you can grind the beans to a coarse grit for use in a French Press no problem! It has a smooth taste and a powerful aroma, and it’s bound to wake you up each morning.

While this coffee is a bit pricier than others on this list, we definitely think it’s worth it, if not for the great flavor, for the carbon neutral and sustainability efforts of the roasters. 

Spare Moment Coffee – Award-Winning Coffee

Spare Moment Coffee Roasters produce artisan coffee, and have even won the America Best Cold Brew Competition in 2019 for this blend. We can certainly see why! This tiny bag packs a big punch, with a pleasant nutty flavor with hints of blueberry in the aftertaste. 

All of Spare Moment’s coffee is hand-picked for freshness, and made from 100% Arabica coffee. You can grab this bag pre-ground or as whole beans for the same price. The grind is coarse, which is perfect for either French Press or Cold Brew. (Maybe try both!)

Primo’s Coffee – Dark Roast

This is the only decaf option on our list of the best coffee for French Press, and even if you’re a caffeine-fiend, this coffee is worth a try. 

Primo’s is a small family operation, and all their beans are grown on the premises. For this particular blend, the premium Arabica went through Mountain Water Process, which is a gentle filtration process to remove the caffeine. 

It leaves a very dark roast, with hints of citrus in the deep, bold flavor. Many decaffeinated coffees are boring or bland, but Primo’s Dark Roast left us impressed. 

Stumptown Coffee Roasters – Holler Mtn. 

There’s a lot to love when it comes to Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Each of their blends is smooth, rich, and organic! Our personal favorite is Holler Mtn., which has a coarse grind, medium roast that’s perfect for French Press. 

While they might have a carbon neutral operation like Tiny Footprint, Stumptown offers a paleo, vegetarian, and vegan promise, as well as their dedication to Fair Trade. 

Holler Mtn. is a great every-day kind of coffee, with a sweet tint of citrus on top of a creamy caramel nuttiness. Stumptown encourages their customers to try new things with their coffee, so maybe switch up the brewing method or try a new kind of recipe!

Guru Coffee Company – Gourmet Beans

We’re back at it with another whole bean coffee! But Guru Coffee is built differently. It’s not Death Wish, but it’s got a high caffeine content (and you can even purchase a higher caffeine variety). 

Their single-origin Colombian coffee beans are roasted to a perfect medium roast, and with a fresh grind, you can get a whole spectrum of flavors in your cup. We can’t describe it other than a rich, sultry flavor. Even black, their coffee stands out as one of the best we’ve tried. 

You can brew it anyway you want–espresso, French Press, cold brew, drip, etc.–and you’ll still get a powerful, delicious cup of joe.

Our Personal Favorite Coffee For French Press

One of the most versatile coffee brands we’ve come to love is Chameleon Coffee. Their coffee is always rich, delicious, and gives you that extra kick you need to start your day. 

Chameleon Coffee is sustainably sourced from Sumatra, Peru, and Guatemala, but the brand was born in Texas. 

You can purchase exclusive 3-pack deals on Amazon, of either whole bean or ground coffee. For French Press, we recommend picking up the whole bean bags and grinding to a coarse consistency. But, we’ve tested the pre-ground coffee in a French Press, too, and that works fine.

Why Use a French Press?

The French Press has been around for quite some time, having first made an appearance in America in the late 1920s, with predecessors appearing as early as the 1850s in France and Italy. The French Press has undergone a few design modifications since the original invention, but fundamentally, the product has remained the same since it was patented in the USA in 1929. 

That’s really saying something, and it proves that the French Press is one of the best ways to brew coffee! While it’s not as fast or convenient as using an automatic drip coffee machine, the French Press lends itself well to the people who love savoring a rich cup of coffee. Here are a few other reasons we love the French Press over many other brewing methods:

• The French Press is cheap (spend less than $20 for a decent press!)
• Manually making your coffee gives you more control over the strength and flavor of the end product. 
• The French Press is easy to clean (see our section below for more details)
• Your Press is easy to store when not in use (put it in a cabinet or drawer to save counter space!)

A lot of coffee enthusiasts like using French Press because they enjoy the act of making coffee by hand. While the process might not be ideal if you’re always running late or have a tight schedule to keep, but using a French Press is nice if you work from home, want to start off a relaxing weekend right, or just enjoy cooking. 

Our Favorite French Press Coffee Makers

Like we mentioned, you can easily pick up a quality French Press for around $20, which is a great steal if you ask us. But, if you’re looking for a higher-end press with a tighter filter or larger beaker, we’ve got some suggestions for you, too!

Bodium Brazil French Press

• Size: 34 oz
• Price: $21.99
• Description: This French Press coffee maker keeps it simple. No fancy scoopers or flared handles, and no heavy insulated beaker. The glass beaker and wire-mesh plunger work together seamlessly to give you a great cup of coffee every time. This French Press is best for the no-frills coffee drinker. 

Veken Insulated French Press

• Size: 34 oz
• Price: $42.99
• Description: The Veken insulated French Press keeps your coffee hot for hours after you make it! Plus, its four-level filtration system ensures that you’re not going to get any coffee grounds in your final cup. 

Fellow Clara French Press

• Size: 24 oz
• Price: $135
• Description: This luxury French Press is no joke. It comes equipped with double-wall insulation for all-day hot coffee, a complex filtration piston, easy-fill markers inside the beaker, and a classy, stylish design. Perfect for the avid coffee drinker. 

French Press vs Other Coffee Brewing Methods

French Press is certainly one of the most popular brewing methods for coffee lovers, not only because of the unique flavor profile of each cup, but because of the hands-on experience.

Other popular brewing methods, such as drip coffee makers or automatic espresso machines, can’t quite give you the same personal satisfaction.

When it comes to choosing a brewing method, it really comes down to personal preference. Some people prefer the convenience of an automatic machine, while others like the control they have with a manual brewing method. There are pros and cons to both approaches, but at the end of the day it’s up to you to decide what’s best for your coffee-drinking habits.

Drip coffee makers are perhaps the most popular type of coffee maker on the market today. They are quick, easy to use, and produce a consistent cup of coffee. The main downside to drip coffee makers is that they can sometimes produce a weaker cup of coffee, and they don’t allow for much customization.

French Presses, on the other hand, give you a lot more control over the final product. You can experiment with different grind sizes, water temperatures, and steeping times to get the perfect cup of coffee. And because the coffee grounds are directly exposed to hot water, you’ll get a stronger cup of coffee with more pronounced flavors.

The downside to French Presses is that they can be a bit more time-consuming and messy than other brewing methods. But if you’re willing to put in the extra effort, we think you’ll find that it’s well worth it.

So, which brewing method is the best for you? Here’s some more information about each kind of coffee brewing method:

How to Use A French Press Coffee Maker

Brewing coffee in a French Press might not be as quick as turning on your Mr. Coffee, but many people prefer it because you can get a richer, more powerful flavor from a French Press. If you’ve never used a press to brew coffee before, here are some quick French Press coffee instructions:

• Step 1: Remove the piston from the beaker and add in your desired coffee grounds. Generally, the water to coffee ratio for a French Press is 2 tbs of grounds to 8 oz of water. Depending on the size of your press, you might need to add more or less. Your coffee grounds should be coarse, so as not to matriculate through the filter of your press. 
• Step 2: Once you’ve added in your grounds, pour in your hot water. It’s best to boil your water in an electric kettle or in a kettle on the stove, and an ideal temperature is around 180F to 200F. If you can’t measure the temperature of your water, just make sure it comes to a complete boil. 
• Step 3: Pour the hot water into the beaker slowly, making sure to completely cover the grounds. Don’t fill the beaker to the top, because you need to leave room for the piston. Let the coffee-water infusion sit for at least 4-5 minutes. 
• Step 4: Carefully put the piston and the lid back into the beaker. Using the rod, slowly depress the piston to filter the coffee grounds to the bottom of the beaker. Going too fast can lead to spills, especially if the beaker is full. Once you’ve depressed the piston all the way, you can pour the coffee into a cup!*

*Note: Leaving the coffee sit in the beaker while the grounds are depressed can create an undesirable bitter flavor to the coffee. If this is a problem, you should pour out the coffee into another container, like a warming pot or a large mug, and clean out your French Press. 

To Grind or Not To Grind?

One of the oldest debates when it comes to making French Press coffee has to do with grinding your beans. Is it better to grind whole beans or to use pre-ground coffee? 

There are a few arguments for both sides of this coin, and they’re all valid. 

On one side, grinding whole coffee beans allows you to get a fuller flavor, as well as dictate how coarse or fine your grounds are. When using a French Press coffee maker, the consistency of your grounds is very important, which is why people opt for grinding their own beans. Not to mention that it adds another step to the process, which coffee enthusiasts often enjoy. 

But, on the other side of the argument, grinding beans is more of a vanity project. It’s pretty simple to find coarse coffee grounds online or in the store, especially if they’re meant to be used in a French Press. Buying pre-ground coffee in the right grit eliminates user error (sometimes it’s easy to get overzealous and grind your beans too fine.)

In our opinion, either method works. If you want to spend an extra few minutes to make your coffee, grab yourself a grinder and some whole beans, like the Copper Moon Sumatra Blend or the medium roast from Kauai Coffee.  

But, if you’re using a French Press for the taste or convenience, and not so much for the practice of making coffee, you can certainly pick a pre-ground coffee from our list at the top of this page!

How To Clean A French Press

One of the main issues that we tend to encounter with electric coffee pots and drip coffee machines is cleanliness. If you’re in a rush, cleaning your coffee maker seems like an unnecessary chore. After all, you’re just going to use it to make coffee again tomorrow, right?

Well, because drip coffee machines create so much steam and hot water, there’s a lot of condensation inside the machine. This moisture tends to sit for quite some time, which can leave water stains, mildew, or even mold (if you’re not careful) inside your coffee machine. 

But the French Press is much easier to clean, and is a requirement for use. Here’s how to clean your French Press:

• When you’ve emptied out the coffee, remove all the spent grounds from the bottom of the beaker. 
• Rinse thoroughly and wash with warm water and dish soap. Washing is essential, because if you just rinse it, the oils from the coffee can build up in the corners of the beaker and leave an unpleasant taste in your next brew. 
• Rinse out the plunger and the mesh piston. You can use a dish brush or a toothbrush to clean out the mesh better. Using a sponge or soft dish rag isn’t advised, because fibers can get stuck in the mesh. 

You should clean the French Press after every use, which is one of the reasons that people choose the drip coffee machine. Out of sight, out of mind. But, using a French Press that’s been properly cleaned will give you a better-tasting coffee every time. 

Frequently Asked Questions About French Press Coffee

What Is The Best French Press Water to Coffee Ratio?

For a well-rounded cup of coffee, you’ll want to use 2 tablespoons of coarse grounds for every 1 cup of water. To get a stronger cup of coffee, you can either increase the amount of coffee grounds, or decrease the amount of water. 

How Do I Keep Grounds Out Of My Coffee When Using a French Press?

If you’ve got some stray grounds in your cup of coffee, that could mean one of two things. One, you might be using coffee grounds that aren’t coarse enough and they’re slipping through the mesh plunger. Or two, your plunger doesn’t have a fine enough filter. There’s a solution here, and it’s either to get coarser coffee grounds, or consider getting a new French Press with more than one filtration level. 

What’s The Best Coffee for French Press?

We personally really like the Chameleon Coffee, but any coffee with coarse grounds will work in a French Press. You can always find a coffee you really like and buy whole beans. That way, you can grind them to a coarse consistency and use them in your French Press. 

Why Do Some Of Your Suggestions Say Cold Brew On The Package?

When coffee beans or grounds are labeled as cold brew, it means that they were specifically designed to be used for cold brewing coffee. But, all that really means is that the grounds are coarse and the flavor is rich and/or chocolatey. These varieties are the best coffees for French Press action!