12 best cafetieres to brew your morning cup the French way

Best: Overall

Rating: 10/10

This one ticked a lot of boxes for us. Firstly, it’s plastic free and sustainably made. Its copper design and attractive polka-dotted indents around the rim made it one of the best-looking cafetieres, particularly the glass ones which are so often laden with plastic. The knob on the lid was bigger than some of the others which meant pressing the coffee grains was easier and smoother, and the handle was the ideal size for pouring. The glass is dishwasher safe but the base, lid and filter will need handwashing. This is a great all-rounder for sustainability, aesthetics, pressing and cleaning, which makes it our best buy.

Best: For busy households

Rating: 7/10

This super stylish stainless steel cafetiere kept our coffee hot for a long time, yet its double-walled material means the outside, including the handle, stays cool to touch. We thought this was on the small side for a six-cup, but its pour and plunge were smooth and every component can go in the dishwasher.

We think this is a perfect option for someone who is busily working from home – your coffee will keep warm through the morning and it’s super quick to clean. It comes with a very handy measuring spoon which doubles up as a sealing clip to tightly fasten away your bags of coffee. The brand is currently offering a bundle promotion with Costa Coffee, where you can receive a discount on the ground coffee with every purchase too.

Best: For durability

Rating: 8/10

A tall and sleek cafetiere with stunning curvature around the lid, this one is made from a mirror finish stainless steel and the high quality shines through. Again, this has a double-walled insulated design so the coffee stays hotter for longer and we noticed it stayed warm for a good few hours. We loved the look of this one and while it was one of the heavier products, including both the plunger, lid and jug itself, it is definitely the most durable.

Best: For big groups

Rating: 9/10

The ultimate party pleaser. Bring the Stellar 12-cup cafetiere out to the table at the end of the night and your guests will be thrilled. This one has a unique, argon-welded spout made for dribble free pouring, which we were keen to try out. It really worked – there wasn’t a single splash. The press glided through the jug a lot better than the other two stainless steel options we tested and the filter worked well to eradicate any grains, even from the 12th and final cup. This one is dishwasher safe too, although you’ll need to make a fair bit of room for it.

Best: Luxurious design

Rating: 9/10

We loved the design of this French press – tall and sleek with a grey, dip-dye colouring and a cream lid with a stainless steel knob – it could even double up as a vase. The plunger was incredibly smooth and not too fiddly to dismantle for washing. It was a slightly thinner ceramic so didn’t keep warm for an elongated time, but its 1.5l size makes it a great option to serve straightaway to a group of friends gathered around the coffee table.

Best: Ceramic cafetiere

Rating: 9/10

It’s the kitchenwear we all desire – the Le Creuset range has been superior since its inception almost 100 years ago. We were lucky enough to try out the Le Creuset stoneware cafetiere. The gorgeous jug is available in a rainbow of different colours and the bright coloured enamel and the classic, three-ringed rimmed top and stainless steel knob make it instantly recognisable as the famous French brand. It kept our coffee warm for well over an hour and the pour was flawless. Although one of the heavier products, it is still fairly easy to handwash as it has just the two components. Plus, the stoneware is scratch-proof.

Best: Colour matching sets

Rating: 7/10

We loved the glossy coating on this one and its short and wide stature. It has a lovely, chunky handle and its pour is slightly different from the rest, making for precise pouring. As with the other ceramics, it’s quite heavy but a perfect centrepiece for the kitchen table. It is also part of the really attractive Barcelona collection, which means you can match your cafetiere with a set – teapot, mug, cups and saucers are all available.

Best: For small kitchens

Rating: 7/10

This teeny tiny, three-cup cafetiere from Dunelm is pretty stylish for its £14 price tag and it came equipped with a measuring spoon. It felt sturdy and poured nicely but might be pushing it for a three-cup. It’s not dishwasher safe, but it was really easy to handwash.

Best: Basic cafetiere

Rating: 8/10

John Lewis is known for its upmarket products, but some may not know about its fantastic Anyday range which has a catalogue of essentials at affordable prices. This is one of a number of products in the range and despite its inexpensive price, it seemed hardwearing as the glass and plastic appeared strong, and it poured and plunged well. For a basic cafetiere, this is perfect.

Best: For coffee and tea drinkers

Rating: 7/10

For something a bit different, this snazzy device acts as both a cafetiere and a tea infuser, so if you drink both throughout the day, this is for you. It’s compact so it’s a good one to take on the commute and into the office, and it was really easy to clean, despite any coffee grains or tea leaves lingering. It doesn’t keep the water warm for too long though, but it’s ideal for a one brew wonder.

Best: For smooth plunging

Rating: 8/10

This industrial-looking cafetiere comes in metallic colours, copper and silver, and had the smoothest plunging of all of the cafetieres we tried, and was more true to its eight-cup sizing. While the outer shield is metal, the handle stays completely cool and it has a non-dribble pour. The whole product is completely dishwasher safe too making it very easy to clean.

Best: Value

Rating: 8/10

Unlike a lot of the glass cafetieres, this doesn’t have the usual clunky plastic casing – instead it’s pure glass with a stainless steel lid and knob. It looks great and, even better, it’s double walled like its stainless steel counterparts, meaning our coffee stayed hot a lot longer than some of the other glass cafetieres we tried. And at just £19, it’s a real bargain.