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Choosing Cafetieres/French Press Coffee Makers

If you’re looking to purchase a cafetiere/French Press coffee maker, there are several things you should bear in mind:

Capacity

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a French Press coffee maker is capacity. Ground coffee takes up a large amount of space when swollen by water, so there must be room at the top of the glass for the filter to rest upon it during brewing.

Bear in mind the number of people that you are likely be making coffee for on a regular basis. Will you just be making coffee for yourself or also for dinner guests? If it’s just for yourself, then there are a number of extremely reasonably-priced small models of cafetiere available, but if you’re likely to be making coffee for a number of people, it’s better to buy a model with a greater capacity, so you won’t have to make more than one pot.

Glass Quality

The quality of glass is a very important consideration. When coffee is being pressed in a cafetiere, a large amount of pressure is applied to the glass. Thin and cheap looking glass is best avoided.

Insulation

French Press coffee makers tend to lose heat rather rapidly, so some people prefer an insulated press. Bear in mind, however, that insulated models to tend to cost slightly more.

Budget

Make sure that when you choose your machine, you decide how much money you are prepared to spend before shopping. You’ll find many great deals on cafetiere/French Press coffee makers online, so it’s worth shopping around, as you might be able to find a bargain and get a better model than your budget would normally allow.

Further Information

You can find out about specific brands and models of cafetiere/French Press coffee maker in our Brands section and on our Top Models page.

For information about some of the top online suppliers, including details of their delivery times and post and packaging costs, visit our Where to Buy section.