French Press VS Drip coffee, drip coffee vs french press

French Press vs Drip Coffee Maker: Which One’s Best For You?

French press VS drip coffee maker: which brews the best coffee?

There’s an ongoing debate among coffee lovers. While it’s all about preferences, we’ll take a very close look into both of these brewers.

Read on to find out the key differences, which has the most caffeine content (may not be what you think!), and which coffee maker is best for you!

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Contents

French Press Overview

French press is a classic coffee maker that’s been winning the hearts of true coffee lovers ever since it was first patented in 1929. Also known as a cafetiere, press pot, coffee press, coffee plunger, this coffee maker is a must if you’re serious about your coffee.

Press pot makes a full-bodied brew with intense flavor and rich-tasting coffee. The design is simple: a container to fill with water and a plunger (filter) to keep the grounds from your brew. Add ground coffee to the container, pour over hot water, and let it steep. When you’re ready to drink, slowly push the plunger down, catching the grounds in the filter.

The best grind for French press is a coarse grind.

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””] PROS

  • Complete control over the brewing process
  • Electricity-free
  • Easy to clean up
  • No mechanical parts
  • Travel-friendly
  • Easy to clean [/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””] CONS
  • Doesn’t keep coffee hot
  • Limited brewing capacity
  • [/su_column][/su_row]

Overall, the French press allows you to take more control over the brewing process. It enables more freedom when it comes to coffee type (to choose the best beans), brew strength, and much more.

Mastering French press requires a slight learning curve, but once you get it right, you’re in for a rewarding treat day after day.

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Our Top French Press Pick

Bodum Chambord 8 Cup French Press is designed with careful attention to detail. This press pot brews 8 cups of coffee; the frame and lid are made of stainless steel, while the pitcher is made of glass.

A locking top makes pouring the coffee easy and clean every time. The glass pitcher is easy to remove and suitable for the dishwasher. Overall, this cafetiere can produce 8 flavourful cups of coffee.

Bodum Chambord 8 Cup French Press is designed with careful attention to detail. This press pot brews 8 cups of coffee; the frame and lid are made of stainless steel, while the pitcher is made of glass.

A locking top makes pouring the coffee easy and clean every time. The glass pitcher is easy to remove and suitable for the dishwasher. Overall, this cafetiere can produce 8 flavourful cups of coffee.

Drip Coffee Overview

Drip coffee machines can be found pretty much everywhere. They’re extremely popular coffee makers for a couple of reasons; they make coffee brewing very easy, and they can keep coffee hot and available at all times.

Unlike the French press, drip coffee makers are fully automated. You place the coffee into the paper filter and press the button. The machine does all the work for you. What’s more, some of these coffee makers are programmable; once you set a timer, you can enjoy the luxury of waking up to the scent of freshly brewed coffee every morning.

Drip machines are the set-and-forget kind of coffee makers, bringing simplicity into your home say after day.

Drip coffee maker requires a medium grind coffee.

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””] PROS

  • Capacity up to 12 cups
  • Automatic timer to brew coffee in advance
  • Keeps the coffee hot
  • Practical when you’re short on time[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””] CONS
  • Electricity dependent
  • Weaker coffee with less flavor
  • Not travel-friendly [/su_column][/su_row]

While it takes about the same amount of time to brew filter coffee as with the French press, the drip is by far much more automatic. The machine does the brewing for you. All you have to do is top up the water in the reservoir and place your favorite coffee into the paper filter. There are no different techniques of brewing involved: fill up the machine and simply press the button!

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Our Top Drip Coffee Maker Pick

Breville Precision 12-Cup Coffee Maker is a stainless steel drip coffee machine with a thermal carafe and 6 unique brewing modes. This machine allows you to make perfectly balanced coffee every single time. It has precise temperature control (PID), which means ideal flavor extraction every single time.

Additionally, Breville allows you to control coffee bloom time, brew temperature, and flow rate to somewhat adjust the final brew to your taste. The water tank isn’t removable, but the brewer is easy to clean and it’ll easily fuel your coffee addiction for years to come.

Breville Precision 12-Cup Coffee Maker is a stainless steel drip coffee machine with a thermal carafe and 6 unique brewing modes. This machine allows you to make perfectly balanced coffee every single time. It has precise temperature control (PID), which means ideal flavor extraction every single time.

Additionally, Breville allows you to control coffee bloom time, brew temperature, and flow rate to somewhat adjust the final brew to your taste. The water tank isn’t removable, but the brewer is easy to clean and it’ll easily fuel your coffee addiction for years to come.

Drip Coffee vs French Press Overview

Let’s have a quick overview of the two brewing methods.

Skills Required: Ease Of Use

Drip machines are pretty straightforward to use and you can’t really go wrong with them. They don’t require any special brewing skills to make coffee. All you have to do is fill the basket with ground coffee, a reservoir with water, and press the button.

French press comes with a learning curve. That means that you get to become your own home barista. It allows you to adjust the brew to your liking: grind, strength, brew time, water temperature, and more. You’ll have to keep practicing, but nowadays there are plenty of online guides to help you get started.

Brew Capacity: How Many Cups?

Both of these brewers come in different sizes, so choose the one that suits your needs best.

French press pot begins at single-serve and can hold up to about 8-10 cups of coffee. Keep in mind that the press pot can’t keep your coffee hot. It doesn’t have a warming plate so it’s best to drink the coffee right away while it’s still fresh, or you may end up wasting good coffee.

On the other hand, drip coffee makers have a brewing capacity of a few cups up to 12-14 cups of coffee. Set up the machine in advance and feel free to let the coffee sit on a warming plate, while you’re waiting for more guests to entertain or family members to wake up.

Bean Selection and Grind

I’m sure you’ve heard it all before, but I’ll say it again: the quality of coffee beans plays a massively important role in the overall quality of the final brew.

Whether you’re getting your hands on whole bean or ground coffee, always make sure it’s high-quality. That way, it tastes significantly better, plus it’s healthier for you and better for the planet.

You can buy ground coffee for both of these coffee makers, but grinding your own is always the most effective way to get the most of your brew. I won’t judge you if you don’t though; there are reliable coffee brands that ship freshly roasted and ground coffee beans for French press, drip, and espresso coffee makers.

A French press requires a coarse grind and a drip machine needs a medium grind. Using beans that are ground too finely or too coarse will give disappointing results.

French Press vs Drip Coffee: Taste

The drip machine doesn’t give you any control over the brew, but you have the option of choosing high-quality coffee beans. Keep in mind though that the paper filter catches and removes some of the coffee oils along with the flavor. That makes the brew more mellow and too light for more demanding coffee lovers.

On the other hand, the French press gives you more control over your brew. It produces bolder and stronger flavor, full-bodied and rich-tasting coffee. In other words, if you’re looking for pure coffee flavor and you’re serious about coffee, a press pot is your best option.

French Press vs Drip: Caffeine

Per 8-ounce cup, the French press has about 80-135mg of caffeine.

Drip coffee, on the other hand, has about 165mg of caffeine per 8oz cup.

Brewing Time: From Bean To Brew

The brewing time for the press pot and drip machine is about the same.

An average time to brew coffee with a drip machine is about 5 to 10 minutes. You have to wait for it to warm up, brew the coffee, and let it drip into the pot. Some drip machines are automated enough to start brewing coffee before you get up. What’s more, some drip coffee makers also brew coffee quite quickly; this Bunn coffee maker brews it in three minutes (Keuring can do the same)!

French press takes from 5 to 8 minutes, including boiling the water and letting the brew steep for 3-4 minutes.

Clean-up time is more or less the same for both methods. A simple rinse and swish will do for French press coffee. The same does for drip machines, along with a quick paper filter change.

How To Keep Coffee Hot

Drip coffee machines usually come with a warming plate that can keep your coffee hot for longer. At the same time, many of these plates may be too strong, and they end up boiling coffee instead of simply keeping it warm.

French press won’t keep your coffee hot for long. If you plan on making more and sipping it as you go, decant it into a thermos. A quality thermos or a coffee travel mug can keep your coffee for a few hours.

Durability

A French press can easily last years with good care. Glass press pot may break, but invest in a stainless steel option if you worry about breaking it. Investing in a quality press pot will have you covered for years to come.

Unfortunately, I can’t say the same is true for a drip machine. Naturally, it depends on your budget, but a cheap drip machine will easily wear out in a year or two. If you’re looking for something permanent, consider getting one in a higher price range.

FAQ

Is French pres coffee stronger than drip coffee?

No, it’s not. Essentially, the brew strength depends on the kind of coffee and the amount of coffee you use. French press seems stronger because the overall flavor is more intense. Unlike drip coffee, it doesn’t use a paper filter that removes natural oils and fine particles.

Is French press coffee more acidic than drip coffee?

French press may not be the best option for people who’re struggling with acid reflux. According to my personal experience and reddit, here’s what you can do to avoid that issue altogether:

Can you use regular coffee in a French press?

Yes, you can use regular coffee in your French press pot, but make sure it’s ground to the right consistency. Anything finer or coarser than the recommended grind will result in over or under extraction. Plus, you’ll end up with grounds in your cup.

Is French press better than drip?

That is a personal preference and it’s difficult if not impossible to answer it objectively.

Drip coffee makers enable you to automatize coffee brewing; they’re perfect for all who love coffee that’s a bit milder (paper filter removes some of the oils), very easy to brew, and can feed a crowd.

French press is a true coffee lover’s dream. While it comes with a slight learning curve, it allows you to customize your brew, which is richer, more intense, and bolder in flavor than drip coffee. What’s more, the press pot is travel-friendly and can be used to make cold-brew coffee (which is perfect for all who want low-acid coffee).

French Press VS Drip: which one’s the winner?

There are many differences between these two brewers. But the final decision on which one’s better is up to you.

If you’re looking for a bold cup of coffee that allows you to control the brew, the French press is your thing. While it comes with a learning curve (but nothing too severe), the press pot produces a rich, bold, and fragrant cup of coffee. The press pot is easy to prepare and clean, and it can help you brew coffee in under 10 minutes.

Drip coffee machines are a perfect solution if you love your coffee but don’t want to think about brewing it every single time. These machines are easy to use and can keep your coffee hot for a while. The flavor is milder than that of the French press though.

However, if you’re a fan of pour-over, here’s a comparison I did between French press vs pour-over coffee (for Hario V60 and Chemex).

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