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Coffee preparation is personal, much like how one most enjoys toast. From the roast level to the strength of the coffee to the way it is prepared, every step in the process yields different results. For many coffee lovers, selecting how to enjoy coffee depends upon which method of preparation they're in the mood for; from French press to percolator to pour-over, the options sometimes feel endless. For those who prefer a lot of flavor extraction, French press preparation is a great choice. They bring out the bold flavors of coffee, intensely filter the grounds and leave behind a smooth and silky body, and offer a strongly made cup of joe every time.

Our expert testers looked at nearly two dozen French presses and sipped their way through them to discover which ones had the best design, ease of use, and brew quality. With their superfine filtration and brew time, French press coffee yields a smooth sip, bold flavors, and a lot of strength. Our top choice and the runner-up — the classic Bodum Chambord and reliable Espro P3 —produced perfectly balanced cups of coffee with no bitterness or sediment. Grab a mug, set the water to boil, and these French presses will have you brewing in no time.

Pros: Crafts a clean and smooth cup of coffee consistently every time.

Cons: The small screw that holds the cage in place with the handle may need to be tightened with frequent use.

Coffee addicts will instantly know the Bodum Chambord French Press because it's one of the most classic presses on the market and has been for what feels like forever. Testers agreed that the history behind this French press delivered exactly what you expect from French press-made coffee—a cup that drinks smoothly, has nice body, and shows off balance of acidity and flavor. While there is no added insulation, the Chambord maintains the consistent brew quality we've come to expect from this brand.

Pros: For those who like glass, this is a sturdy and safe option because it's reinforced with a thick, non-breakable cage that locks in place.

Cons: The glass carafe becomes quite hot to the touch.

This affordably priced and classically styled French press produces a very balanced and overall pleasant cup of coffee. Our testers raved about the taste results, which showcased clean, balanced, and flavorful coffee with no sediment. We like the sturdy base of this French press and the strong, locked-in cage that holds the glass carafe—which is by no means fragile, as it's engineered to be 40% thicker than classic French presses. For purists who believe glass is the only way to go, this is a tried and true style with essential features.

Pros: Double micro-mesh filters keep your coffee extra smooth and sediment-free.

Cons: The carafe becomes quite hot to the touch, so users should be vigilant.

The Espro P7 makes perhaps one of the smoothest cups of coffee you'll taste from a French press. It crafts a clean and consistent cup of coffee every time, and the insulation keeps whatever's left inside the press hot for whenever you're ready for the next cup. The plunger system was smooth and seamless, which resulted in a smooth and balanced cup of coffee with little to no sediment. Did we mention it's beautifully made? The quality of construction and brew makes this French press worth investing in. One thing to note here is that the basket filter is very fine, so you may consider grinding your coffee beans finer to find the perfect fit for your taste preference. Because the filter is so fine, there is no worry that grounds will end up in your coffee.

Pros: This is a more affordable version of the original Bodum Chambord model but still functions similarly.

Cons: In our tests, this French press left a moderate amount of superfine silt in the bottom of the coffee cup.

This slightly more affordable Bodum French Press, the Brazil model, is made of polypropylene plastic instead of glass and offers the same style and functionality as the original Chambord. Testers agreed that it produced a medium-bodied cup of coffee with rich flavors and a smooth texture, though it detected a small amount of bitterness. The quality level of the brew held true to the Bodum brand, but one thing to note is that the handle sits inside the glass at the top where it connects, so testers were concerned about chipping the carafe with extended use.

Also available at Williams Sonoma

Pros: The insulated carafe of this French press is not hot to the touch at all, and the all-direction pour spout is a great feature.

Cons: This French press is not dishwasher-safe, and the wood agitation stick will be hand-wash only as well.

The sleek look of this French press makes it a winner for design. It's modern and functional and will look lovely accompanied by a fancy brunch spread just as much as a coffee with dessert. In addition to this French press making a well-balanced and clean cup of coffee with rich and deep flavor, testers liked the extra features: an agitation stick for stirring grounds, a counterbalanced handle for easy pouring, an all-directional pour lid, and guidelines for ratio of coffee grounds to water.

Pros: The double-wall construction for extra insulation keeps your coffee hot, and the press comes in four sizes, including a jumbo 44-ounce.

Cons: The testers noted lid is a bit wobbly when plunging.

This is an eye-catching French press and one you have likely bumped into at your favorite trendy breakfast spot. Our testers said it crafts a bold and strong cup of coffee with well-balanced flavors. The plunger offers medium resistance, but the lid itself is a bit wobbly, testers stated. While the carafe and lid are hot to the touch, the handle is not affected, despite its full stainless steel form. The true pro here is that if it takes you a while to enjoy your coffee, or if you quickly want a second cup following the first, the double-wall construction provides so much insulation that the coffee inside the press stays hot for quite some time.

Also available at Le Creuset

Pros: The stoneware construction is solid and one piece, making it durable and easy to clean.

Cons: The stoneware construction renders the body of this French press very hot. The plunger and lid felt unstable while pouring, testers noted.

Le Creuset offers a unique enameled stoneware construction that looks beautiful, though testers did note that the carafe became very hot to the touch. This French press makes a nice, full-bodied cup of coffee but leaves a bit of fine silt at the bottom of the cup. Drawbacks here are that the plunger and lid felt unstable while pouring, despite the solid construction of the carafe itself, testers stated. That said, they did very much like the solid stoneware construction, which eliminates the need for inserting a carafe into a cage or base to use—making it solid and easy to clean.

Select from this expert-tested list to take your coffee game to the next level. Our best overall, the Bodum Chambord, came out on top because it made a very balanced and enjoyable cup of coffee and had a high level of form and function for an affordable price. Testers felt that the ultra-fine, double filtration made a difference in the quality of the coffee and we think you will, too.

French press pots can make as little as one cup or as many as a dozen cups at a time. Narrowing down your choice begins with determining how many cups of coffee or tea you want to make at once. If you just need a couple of cups at a time, your coffee or tea will brew quicker in a smaller model. If you make large amounts, you may want to consider an insulated model that will help keep the coffee hot for a while.

The mesh filter inside the press is what captures the grounds or leaves and allows the coffee or tea to fully bloom. The mesh should allow for smooth function; too tight or too close a mesh will remove too many essential oils from your coffee or tea. Too loose, grounds and leaves can remain in the liquid as you pour.

Some French presses are dishwasher-safe; some are not. Cleaning a French press can be a bit complicated since grounds and tea leaves can get stuck in the filter spring, so if easy cleanup is important to you, check that the model you choose is dishwasher-safe. Glass containers might also need occasional descaling or can get foggy over time. A combo of vinegar and baking soda will return them to their original shine.

Our expert testers assessed everything from design and ease of use to brew quality. We also took note of the insulation, additional special features, and how easy it is to clean. During the testing, each French press was tested for performance and quality of taste.

We talked to Jessica Easto, author of Craft Coffee: A Manual about French presses to answer some important questions.

"That is a matter of preference," Easto says. "I often recommend French presses to people who are beginners when it comes to manual coffee making. They are easy to master. A French press is a full-immersion method, which means the water and coffee are in contact for the whole brew time. Then you filter the grounds out. You don't have to worry about pouring, just how long you let your coffee set. French press coffee has a distinct quality because French presses use a metal filter. The metal filter lets through coffee oils and fines (tiny coffee particles), which contribute to a distinct mouthfeel (heavier, more texture). Some people love this. Paper (or cloth) filters capture most of the oils and fines, so the mouthfeel is different (some describe it as "cleaner" or "lighter") with coffee brewed on devices that use paper or cloth filters. But whether you like it or not is your own preference."

Probably the trickiest part of French press coffee is figuring out when to press! "I have a recipe in my book. I do quite a long brew time: 8 minutes. But the trick is using very coarse coffee grounds."

Easto is a fan of cold brew, and her recipe requires patience for the best results. "For cold brew in a French press, I recommend a medium-coarse grind and about a 1:6 ratio of coffee to water. This will make a cold brew concentrate that you can dilute to taste (try 1:1 to start) with fresh cold water. In the book, I suggest using 96 grams of coffee (about 1 cup) and 600 grams of cold water (about 20.3 fl oz). Grind the beans and put them in the chamber of a French press, gentle shaking to level them out. Add the cold water and insert the plunger and depress it just enough to keep the grounds submerged under the water (so not all the way!). Put the French press in the fridge for 12 hours to brew. After that, you can depress the plunger and pour the cold brew concentrate into a separate container for storing. However, instead of just plunging quickly, I learned from James Hoffman that there is a gentler way that does not agitate the coffee too much: stir the coffee a couple times to break up the crust and let the grounds sink to the bottom for about 10 minutes. Then put the plunger back in and depress it just enough so that it rests on top of the coffee. Then pour the concentrate into a separate container. It should keep in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks."

Years of tasting and writing about food, wine, and spirits guide Melissa Vogt's research. Vogt is well acquainted with where to find good libations in her hometown of Santa Rosa, Calif. Read more of her writing on her website and in Napa Valley Life, Very Napa Valley, and Wine Country This Month. For this piece, expert testers in our test kitchen looked at nearly two dozen French presses to discover the very best. Using their product testing expertise, they assessed different designs, ease of use, brew quality, and overall function of each French press to curate this list. Stacey Ballis, a freelance writer, recipe developer, and product reviewer, provided additional reporting for this piece. She spoke with Jessica Easto, author of Craft Coffee: A Manual.

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