Sometimes known as a French press, cafetières have stood the test of time and refuse to give way to even some of the best coffee machines. Why? They brew coffee in just a few minutes, they’re an eco-friendly choice, and they’ll save you money on takeout coffee, too.
They also offer a good middle ground between instant coffee and coffee machines, usually consisting of a heatproof jug (or ‘carafe’) with a separate plunger/press.
Once you’ve spooned in your ground coffee and added not-quite-boiling water, you leave it for two to four minutes before gently pushing the plunger to the bottom.
This separates the grounds from the liquid, leaving you with coffee-infused water and no trace of gritty ground coffee bits. The press itself consists of a piece of mesh sandwiched between two filters, which can be taken apart to clean.
To brush up further on coffee, we’ve also reviewed a range of the best espresso machines, best coffee pod machines, best bean-to-cup coffee machines, best filter coffee machines, best coffee grinders and best reusable coffee cups.
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Best cafetières to buy at a glance
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5/5 stars:
- Best cafetière: La Cafetière Roma, £23.20
- Best small cafetière: La Cafetière Pisa, £27.99
Best of the rest:
- Best premium cafetière: Fellow Clara French Press, £99.95
- Best cafetière travel mug: Bodum Travel Press, £19.90
- Best value cafetière: Timemore U French Press, £22.95
- Best stainless-steel cafetière: Grind French Press, £35
- Best glass cafetière: Bodum Chambord French press, £29.95
- Best large cafetière: Stellar double-walled 8-cup cafetière, £36
- Best one-cup cafetière: ProCook satin stainless-steel double-walled cafetière, £21
- Best-looking cafetière: Le Creuset stoneware cafetière, £69
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How we tested cafetières
We tested a representative sample of cafetières and scored them against the following test criteria:
- Smooth operation: we looked for plungers with a smooth plunger action, easy-pour spouts that didn’t drip, and handles that were comfortable to hold.
- Ease of cleaning: if cleaning your cafetière is time-consuming and fiddly, you’re more likely to reach for the jar of instant. We unscrewed the press of our samples to see how easily they came apart and whether they were straightforward to put back together. We checked the instructions to see if they could go in the dishwasher, too.
Photography: Natalie Bass / Good Food
- Value for money: our samples ranged in price from £6.50 to £160.
- Good looks: a cafetière is a bit of a party piece, something to bring out with a flourish at the end of a meal. It will usually sit in the middle of the table, so it needs to look stylish.
Best cafetières to buy in 2026
La Cafetière Roma
Available from Amazon (£24.99)
Best cafetière
Pros:
- Attractive
- Easy to use
- Spare plunger mesh and scoop included
- 10-year manufacturers’ guarantee
- Fully recyclable packaging
Cons:
Star rating: 5/5
This cafetière was a joy to use, and earned its star-buy status for a multitude of reasons. Made with a stainless-steel frame and dishwasher-safe borosilicate glass, it has a simple yet elegant look that would slot well into any style of kitchen.
Lots of thought has clearly gone into its longevity and environmental impact, and extras like a spare mesh filter and a generous 10-year manufacturers’ guarantee are included. We loved that every bit of the packaging could be recycled, and a handy scoop for adding coffee grounds is thrown in, too.
We tested the four-cup cafetière, which easily filled in a couple of standard-sized mugs, but three-cup, six-cup and eight-cup versions of the Roma are available. The glass design may mean it’s perhaps less efficient at retaining heat than a double-walled French press, but we’re really splitting hairs here.
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La Cafetière Pisa
Available from Amazon (£24.99), Lakeland (£27.99)
Best small cafetière
Pros:
- Stylish Scandi design
- Spare mesh filter provided
- Fully recyclable packaging
- 10-year manufacturers’ guarantee
Cons:
Star rating: 5/5
Like the La Cafetière Roma above, the Pisa cafetière comes with a spare mesh filter, fully recyclable packaging, and a 10-year manufacturers’ guarantee. If you’re looking for a brighter pop of colour, however, the Pisa is the one to go for – it has a beechwood handle and a choice of six shades, including green, black, copper, white, red, and silver.
At 350ml, the three-cup Pisa is ideal for one mug of coffee, but a larger eight-cup version is also available. In test, we found plunging the coffee grounds was quick and seamless, and pouring was also smooth and splash-free.
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Fellow Clara French Press
Available from Healf (£78), Amazon (£80), Origin Coffee (£99.95), Kiss the Hippo (£103.45)
Best premium cafetière
Pros:
- Large 24oz capacity
- Wooden ‘agitation’ stick included
- 360-pour lid
- Quality design
Cons:
- Expensive
- Plunger needs a bit of force
Star rating: 4.5/5
Fellow is known for its high-spec coffee gadgets, and the Clara is no exception. It features the brand’s signature minimalist black design with stainless-steel accents on the handle, and at 24 ounces (approximately 709ml), it’s the largest cafetière on this list.
There are useful features like ratio aid lines on the inside of the carafe, so you can measure out your coffee grounds without reaching for a set of coffee scales – though 60g is advised if you’d prefer to be precise.
A wooden ‘agitation’ stick is included to stir and infuse the grounds in the hot water, after which the manual recommends leaving it to bloom for four minutes. The plunger needed more force than those of other cafetières we tested, but pouring was smooth and effortless.
At this price, this cafetière is probably one for enthusiasts who recognise and trust the Fellow name, but if you have the budget to spare, even coffee novices should have a lot of fun with it.
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Bodum Travel Press
Available from Amazon (£25.11)
Best cafetière travel mug
Pros:
- Travel-friendly
- Tight-fitting lid
- Dishwasher-safe
- Available in different colours
- Double-walled design keeps coffee hot
Cons:
- Some non-recyclable packaging
Star rating: 4.5/5
Ideal for coffee drinkers on the move, this portable French press wowed us with its hardy design and fuss-free set-up. Unlike the other cafetières on this list, it doubles up as a flask and has a tight-fitting screw-on lid, minimising the risk of spillages and leaks.
The silicone mesh filter reduces the chance of any sediment slipping through, ensuring a smooth finished result. We loved the lightweight portability of it, and the heat retention is excellent.
The only piece of criteria that let this cafetière down was its plastic packaging, which couldn’t be recycled. Otherwise, it’s a worthy buy that offers convenience and value.
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Timemore U French Press
Available from Origin Coffee (£22.95)
Best value cafetière
Pros:
- Minimalist design
- Compact
- Smooth results
- Fully recyclable packaging
- Works for both coffee and tea
Cons:
- No handle
- Not dishwasher-safe
Star rating: 4.5/5
This French press oozes style, and its compact size means it’s great for camping or travelling with. Its rounded silicone base means it’s impressively well balanced, too, and we found it stayed upright on the worktop even when we knocked it gently.
The specificity of the instructions suggests this is a cafetière targeted at coffee enthusiasts: 12-15g of grounds and 150-180ml of water (at 92C) are recommended, with a three-minute brew time. In test, the plunger was satisfyingly smooth. Pouring from the Timemore U was a little more awkward as there’s no handle, but the silicone outer shell does provide some grip. All the components need to be washed by hand, though everything disassembles and rinses clean fairly easily.
What we were struck by most of all was the price tag. Even though it has a small capacity, the quality of the materials are that of a much more expensive piece of kit – a real win in terms of value.
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Grind French Press
Available from Grind (£35)
Best stainless-steel cafetière
Pros:
- Large capacity
- Double-walled stainless-steel design
- Fully recyclable packaging
Cons:
- No manual or instructions provided
- Not dishwasher-safe
- Lid fits a little loosely
Star rating: 4/5
From the popular pink brand that’s known for its coffee subscriptions, this cafetière is smooth and elegant, with a double-walled design that keeps heat in – so you can enjoy your coffee throughout the morning.
It offers a 24oz (roughly 709ml) capacity, so it’s perfect for brewing large batches. We also loved the timelessness of the stainless-steel jug, and though the lid fitted a little loosely, it felt like a coffee maker built to withstand years of use.
The only issue we had with the Grind French press was that no instructions were provided, and we had to go onto the Grind website to get any idea of the recommended water/coffee ratios and brew time, as well as care and cleaning instructions.
No manual does mean less paper waste, but it would have been helpful to have a QR code or reference to where instructions could be found on the packaging.
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Bodum Chambord French press
Available from Amazon (£34.22)
Best glass cafetière
Pros:
- Sleek design
- Tight-fitting plunger
- Dishwasher-proof
Cons:
- A slightly more expensive option
In both design and operation, it’s super-smooth. The stainless steel plunger fits snugly into the carafe, making for a velvety cup of coffee with plenty of ‘coffee bloom’ on top (those frothy surface bubbles that you get on a decent cup of coffee).
Plus, the dome-shaped lid – which reminds us of one of those old-fashioned ring-for-service desk bells – slots in place tightly, too. That means minimal loss of heat, keeping your cup of coffee hot.
For small hands, the D-shaped handle is on the big side – but the cafetière is still easy to use, regardless. A bigger price tag, but it’s probably worth investing in a cafetière this reliable.
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Stellar double-walled 8-cup cafetière
Available from Stellar (£40), Harts of Stur (£59.95)
Best large cafetière
Pros:
- Seriously satisfying pour
- Great insulator
Cons:
This Stellar cafetière poured smoothly every time and never dribbled. It has an argon-welded spout, smaller than your average cafetière spout, and it’s this feature that made it a joy to use. It’s also double-walled, so that means plenty of thermal insulation – we came back to it an hour later and the coffee was still warm enough to drink.
The stainless steel filter (replacements available) guarantees a smooth cup of coffee, with no floating grinds. It’s dishwasher-safe and comes with the Stellar Lifetime Guarantee – great for peace of mind. This cafetière, which has a 900ml capacity, seems like the kind of model you could rely on for years to come. It’s also got a straight handle, which makes it that little bit more interesting.
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ProCook satin stainless steel double-walled cafetière
Available from ProCook (£24)
Best one-cup cafetière
Pros:
- Good insulator
- Compact size makes it easy to store
Cons:
- Can’t provide a big cup of coffee
Are you the only person in your household that drinks coffee? If so, this mini ProCook model – our favourite of the three-cup cafetières tested – could be perfect. Similar in style to the Stellar cafetière mentioned above, with a modern T-bar handle, its double wall keeps coffee warm for at least half an hour.
We loved the brushed satin stainless steel look and found it to be a sturdy piece of kit. It’s also dishwasher-friendly and has a heat-resistant handle. But be warned – it’s so petite that it makes one cup of coffee at best (it won’t fill a regular coffee mug to the top) and you have to tip it 90 degrees in order to get a good pour.
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Le Creuset stoneware cafetière
Available from Amazon (from £51), Le Creuset (£69)
Best-looking cafetière
Pros:
- Will never go out of fashion
- Available in 15 colours
Cons:
- Doesn’t retain heat as well as metal models
Generously sized at 1 litre, a Le Creuset cafetière is ideal if you’re making coffee for lots of people. Especially if you want to impress them with a classy piece of kitchen kit (Le Creuset has been crafting cookware since 1925), made from brightly coloured enamel and a splash of stainless steel. It’s scratch resistant, too, so no need to be overly cautious with it.
Le Creuset cafetières come with a 10-year warranty (most manufacturers aren’t that generous) and when we tested it, the resulting coffee was piping-hot and smooth-textured. There wasn’t as much ‘coffee bloom’ as other models though, and stoneware doesn’t match up to metal in terms of heat retention. Don’t come back to it in half an hour, expecting more hot coffee.
With 15 different colours to choose from, including classic ‘volcanic orange’, it’s great fun choosing a Le Creuset cafetière to compliment your kitchen.
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Other cafetières tried and tested
- Judge 8-cup coffee glass cafetière, £22.50
- VonShef 8-cup copper French press, £12.99
- Alessi Bark stainless steel coffee maker, £107.14
Cafetières vs coffee machines
Cafetières out-score some coffee machines if you’re making coffee for more than one person, because you don’t have to make everyone a cup individually.
A cafetière also puts you in control, allowing you to make your coffee as strong or weak as you like. You don’t need to buy filter paper, as you do for some filter coffee machines, and your drink will usually work out cheaper per cup than a coffee machine. You can also infuse herbal or other teas in them if you want to.
Unlike filter coffee or other pour-over methods like V60, cafetière coffee tends to have a bit more oomph – it’s generally heavier and denser, whereas pour-over/drip coffee has a cleaner, lighter mouthfeel.
The coffee grounds you use will ultimately be the deciding factor in how good your coffee tastes, but a cafetière that looks stylish and is easy to use and clean is an important factor in creating a great cup of Joe.
Bear in mind that that the cup size specified on some cafetières refers to small coffee cups – for example, an eight-cup cafetière works out at about three mugs.
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