Ok, be honest here. How many different coffee makers do you have? If you love your coffee, like me, you probably have three or four different coffee machines in your kitchen. And for good reason.<\/p>\n
Just the other day, I cracked the carafe on my trusty Bodum French Press. Serious bummer. The Bodem carafe was cracked from top to bottom. It was really annoying, because I was looking forward to my morning French press coffee ritual. That was the first thing I bought after I moved to France and I\u2019ve had that\u00a0<\/span>Bodum 4 cup coffee maker<\/a> <\/strong>for nearly 10 years!<\/p>\n But it got me thinking. Sure, I could have simply bought a\u00a0<\/span>replacement glass carafe<\/a><\/strong>, but considering the cost, I wanted something new. I got good use out of it, but are there newer, better, smaller French presses on the market, and one that\u2019s better at keeping the ground out of my cup? So started my research.<\/p>\n \u2013 This post contains affiliate links. If you click on something and make a purchase we may make a small commission. For more information, please see our\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Disclosure Statement<\/a> about all our affiliations.<\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n As a coffee addict, you have to have a back up plan, and I\u2019m no different. \u00a0I also have an ancient Bialetti 6 cup coffee maker<\/a><\/strong> that I only pull out when I have real Italians staying at my place, because they\u2019ll drink no other. But I also find espresso really gives me a kick in the pants \u2013 sometimes too much because I like to have a couple cups of coffee. Even if I water it down, the espresso still renders me nervous.\u00a0Did you know that the Original Bialetti Moka Expresso maker has been around for more than 80 years. I truly expect mine to last that long as well.<\/p>\n If I want to cheat, I\u2019ll pop in a pod into my Nespresso-style coffee machine. I pulled out the Bialetti and the morning was saved.\u00a0To be honest, I use the Nespresso coffee maker<\/a><\/strong> infrequently. It\u2019s great if I have guests stop by or I need a quick cup, but I don\u2019t like the waste the pods generate.<\/p>\n Any rate, I now have the conundrum of which coffee machine to buy. I definitely want a new French Press coffee maker, but I\u2019m not sure if I want to go back to the original large French press Bodem coffee maker or another top rated small<\/em> French Press coffee maker.<\/p>\n I work from home, which means I consume a lot of coffee. And I really want the best coffee maker for the money. \u00a0But I also don\u2019t want to make a ton of coffee that gets cold quickly. So I decided to put together the best small French Press coffee maker reviews. Hopefully this will help you decide what coffee machine to buy, especially if you are looking for the best small coffee maker.<\/p>\n The ceremony of making coffee, and enjoying it, should be appreciated. It shouldn\u2019t be where you make a huge pot and let it go cold, or worse, let it become bitter because the coffee grounds<\/a><\/strong> have been swimming in the pot for HOURS. It defeats the purpose and it\u2019s not great on the stomach. I remember the old days when my parents would make a pot in the old drip Mr. Coffee<\/a><\/strong> maker and then let it bake on that plate for hours. \u00a0Yuck!<\/p>\n I\u2019ve now come to the conclusion that the best coffee comes from\u00a0small French Coffee\u00a0Presses<\/a><\/strong>. The same concept as the large French press, but they brew enough coffee for 1-3 cups.<\/p>\n The small French Press coffee makers are a perfect start in the morning, and equally suited when I have friends pop by for a quick coffee break in the afternoon. With the small press, your coffee is hot, fresh, you use less grounds and the small French press makers take up less space.<\/p>\n Another thing is that I sit for long periods of time at my computer, which is a no-no. Since I love coffee, this forces me to get up and take a break for 15 minutes to prepare another small plunger pot of coffee.<\/p>\n Primarily there are three types of small French Press coffee machines:\u00a0glass,<\/strong>\u00a0stainless steel <\/strong>and stoneware<\/a> <\/strong>French press\u00a0coffee makers.<\/strong><\/p>\n The glass carafes are standard, but are more fragile to heat and to washing up. Make sure the glass is heat resistant and made of borosilicate glass. The carafes are usually encased in a metal or plastic frame, and\/or have bumpers on the bottom or a \u2018rest\u2019 you can place them on. You can also keep an eye on the coffee grounds as you are brewing.<\/p>\n Clearly this is much more durable, and the best small stainless steel coffee machine comes double-walled. This keeps the coffee warm for longer. But at the end of the day if you are using a small French press, you\u2019re only making enough for a couple of cups, which should be consumed rather quickly. I think a Stainless Steel coffee maker is best in larger French Press machines. Any rate, ensure the quality of the stainless steel is 18\/8 or 18\/10.<\/p>\n French stoneware or ceramic French presses offer a durable press. They are long lasting. This style of insulated French press coffee maker is one of the best coffee plungers, and they are a stylish countertop coffee machine.<\/p>\n Check the reviews of each small French\u00a0press\u00a0coffee maker below.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Bodum carafe is made of heat-resistant borosilicate glass and BPA-free interior plastic lid. It rests inside a sturdy metal frame and\u00a0has a 3-part stainless steel plunger with only 1 filter mesh. You may notice coffee grounds coming through the filter with age.<\/p>\n The handle is Polypropylene and is generally durable. You can put this in the dishwasher, but I suggest you hand wash these coffee presses. I\u2019ve seen a few comments about the handle coming loose, because it\u2019s not attached with screws. I wonder whether the heat of the dishwasher may weaken the plastic handle. Any rate, simply wash your French press by hand.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll get 2 decent cups with the 17 oz Bodum coffee maker. The size is probably the biggest gripe for people who don\u2019t understand sizes. They assume it is bigger and see the words \u20184 cup coffee maker\u2019 and think it will be 4 big cups.<\/p>\n They made some changes recently to the lid of another 17 oz Bodum Chambord coffee maker<\/a><\/strong> that isn\u2019t going down well. This Bodum coffee machine has a locking lid. The concept is good to prevent spilling and to keep the coffee warm, but it\u2019s a bit cumbersome when it comes time to clean. It sits quite tightly in the glass carafe and there is a tendency for the glass to break when you are pulling the lid off for cleaning.<\/p>\n Any rate, this is one of the best small coffee machines on the market, but I\u2019d suggest getting the traditional one and not the one with a locking lid. Bodum coffee plungers are a solid brand of coffee maker to buy.<\/p>\n Check the further reviews and buy this coffee maker here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This is brushed 18\/10 Stainless Steel, and super easy to clean. It has a\u00a02-stage filter system with a pre-filter and super-fine filter so you don\u2019t get mud in your cup. Nice!<\/span><\/p>\n The metal wire coil inside presses the plunger firmly against inside wall so fewer grounds get through.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s dishwasher safe and I see these often in hotels! It\u2019s tasteful, elegant and you can\u2019t go wrong\u2026. At least that\u2019s what they tell you..<\/p>\n The complaints I\u2019ve heard about this top-rated coffee press is that it doesn\u2019t keep the coffee hot for as long as it should \u2013 even with preheating. Also, you end up wasting space at the top because the spout is about an inch below the top rim of the coffee plunger. You have to be careful when pouring coffee as it has a tendency to drip all over, and you need to be careful not to plunge out boiling water when you position the lid. It appears there\u2019s a bit of a clumsy design here, but they have great PR to be such a highly rated stainless steel coffee maker.<\/p>\n Check prices and reviews on the Freiling Stainless Steel French press coffee maker here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This beautiful, mirrored stainless steel coffee press comes in different sizes, but the question is whether you have hard water? In France, we have hard water issues, and the exterior of this can accumulate lots of calcium spots. Best bet for cleaning hard water stains from your appliances is to use white vinegar. It\u2019s also good to clean your coffee maker with vinegar on occasion to completely rid it of odors and stains anyway.<\/p>\n This is 100% stainless steel inside and out. So if you don\u2019t want plastic-anything, the Frieling brand is a name to buy.<\/p>\n Like the other Frieling French Press above, this will have the same gripes regarding spills and usable space in the carafe. One other consideration when buying a French press is availability of spare parts. Many glass carafes can be replaced because they frequently get broken. It\u2019s more difficult to buy simple replacement parts for say a metal handle that has broken off. You\u2019ll end up buying a whole new French press coffee pot. Keep the price in mind as well. It\u2019s one thing to replace a $30 coffee maker than a $100 one.<\/p>\n Check the reviews and get this coffee maker here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n While the single-portion French press coffee makers are a great idea for the infrequent coffee consumer, the smaller the coffee press, the easier it may break. Everything has to be on a smaller scale and that includes the thickness of the glass carafe as well.<\/p>\n I\u2019d be more inclined to go with the 17oz above. And it appears the next size up for a Bodum Chambord is 34oz. But this is none-the-less a great option for a small coffee press and it is the original French press Bodum.<\/p>\n This Bodum coffee press does not have the locking lid either. It\u2019s the perfect small French Press coffee maker if you want a single portion.<\/p>\n You can find this coffee maker here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Le Creuset Bakeware started with cast iron and enameled pots back in 1925 in\u00a0Fresnoy le Grand, France. You might remember or even have a volcano orange Le Creuset ceramic French oven. They are like a Dutch oven and great for roasting in the oven. Those things are heavy, but the Le Creuset brand<\/a><\/strong> is well worth the investment. They last a long time.<\/p>\n This adorable small coffee maker is made with the same quality as the rest of Le Creuset, albeit they are not cast iron.<\/p>\n This Le Creuset coffee pot is made of thick, quality stoneware that doesn\u2019t crack or scratch easily. Any of the Le Creuset stoneware line maintains even heating and can be put in the oven, microwave and dishwasher.<\/p>\n You can put the Le Creuset carafe in the microwave, but not the coffee plunger because it has metal parts. And I\u2019ve read that the dishwasher isn\u2019t kind to these presses either. Just hand wash it.<\/p>\n They also make a Le Creuset French Press in 34oz<\/a><\/strong> which is great for 3 decent cups of coffee. And the best thing is that these enameled-gloss stoneware\u00a0French presses come in 11 different colors, but many say the white Le Creuset are the most elegant. You can match it to your kitchen. This is a brilliant press coffee maker.<\/p>\n Those who buy the Le Creuset cafetiere often buy a second one because they are so beautiful and make a mean cup of coffee. However there is a gripe about the lid. It appears that some lids don\u2019t fit properly on the ceramic carafe or it\u2019s too loose and feels as though you need to hold the lid on for fear of it falling off. Check to be sure the lid nob is screwed on tightly. There is also no secondary filter at the spout, so if grounds get through to the coffee, some may end up in your cup.<\/p>\n Check out Le Creuset French press options here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n There are two designs of the Bodum Travel Mug. One is a\u00a0Bodum stainless steel portable travel French press<\/a><\/strong>. You make your French press the same as the counter-top version, but you can drink directly out of the Bodum travel mug.<\/p>\n The stainless steel Bodum travel French press is vacuum sealed and will keep your beverages warm for hours.<\/p>\n And the other is a plastic Bodum travel French press<\/strong> coffee maker. It is made of BPA-free, double-walled plastic and holds 15oz. The stainless steel travel press actually gets better reviews than the plastic one for keeping your coffee warm. And, it appears over time the plastic travel French press lets liquid seep between the double walls. They both have spill-resistant lids, built in coffee plunger, silicone hand grips, are dishwasher safe and come in several colors.<\/p>\n However, these are two great travel French press travel mugs and very practical if you want a portable French press on the go.<\/p>\n Buy this best portable French Press here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Let\u2019s dig in with a bit of history\u2026 Ok. Arguments may ensue here, but the first French Press Coffee Maker was patented by the Italians and not<\/strong> the French\u2026 \u2018Oh, mon Dieu\u2019! <\/em>Don\u2019t shoot me. I\u2019m just the messenger.<\/p>\n Yep. The Italians love their espresso and have a long history with coffee. And it was<\/em> originally a Frenchman who used a fine screen on his coffee pot to filter out the grounds. But, it appears he didn\u2019t do anything with<\/em> that idea.<\/p>\n The first patent on this type of French Press coffee maker was registered in Milan in 1929 by Italian, Attilio Callimani. It was called, \u2018La Cafetiere<\/em>.\u2019<\/p>\n There are a number of reasons, but mainly because these press coffee makers allow you to control the type of coffee you brew. You pour in the\u00a0best coffee for your french press and add the right amount of water. Give it a stir, wait a few minutes, press down on the coffee plunger, and you have a perfect cup of coffee. It\u2019s quite like tea that steeps for a certain amount of time. Coffee is equally as delicate.<\/p>\n If you think of the standard American drip coffee maker<\/a><\/strong>, the grinds go in the filter and the water trickles down on top until it comes out the other end. Sounds kind of gross, actually. The heavy, strong flavored coffee drips first and then the weaker brew drips out later. You can\u2019t stir the coffee in the paper or metal filter, and the filters absorb a lot of the oils from the coffee beans, which gives it that robust flavor. Also, water temperature is more consistent in a French Press coffee plunger. The coffee steeps all together.<\/p>\n People can get down-right snooty when it comes to how to prepare a perfect cup of coffee in a French Press. Always use the best coffee for French press makers. I\u2019d start with this\u00a0Illy coffee beans<\/a>, which are recommended for French Press machines<\/strong>. I remember my dad\u2019s trick when he was making drip coffee. He\u2019d put in 2 Tbsp of coffee grounds<\/a><\/strong> for every cup, then add an extra Tablespoon on top, \u2018for the pot<\/em>.\u2019 But Illy Coffee<\/a><\/strong> is the brand to go for.<\/p>\n Generally speaking, here\u2019s how much coffee grounds to place in the bottom of your small French press. Also be sure you are using the best coffee for French Press makers. Don\u2019t go with an espresso grind or you\u2019ll be drinking mud. I\u2019ve done that! These sizes are more American measures who typically enjoy a bigger cup of coffee. :<\/p>\n Heat your water until just below<\/strong> the boiling point \u2013 around 200F or 94C, and pour the water over the grounds. Give the coffee mixture a good stir and place the lid on the French Press with the plunger up \u2013 but don\u2019t press it yet<\/strong>! Wait 4 minutes and then press down on the coffee plunger slowly until it\u2019s all the way down. Then your coffee is ready.<\/p>\n As always, the best coffee for French Press makers is coarse ground, and buy the best quality French press coffee<\/a><\/strong> you can find. If you love your coffee like me, you\u2019ll probably want to grind your coffee beans at home to the proper size, and buy a quality\u00a0coffee grinders<\/a><\/strong> as well.<\/p>\n Now\u2026 back to my coffee. Enjoy!<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Love me? Pin Me!<\/strong><\/p>\n Ok, be honest here. How many different coffee makers do you have? If you love your coffee, like me, you probably have three or four different coffee machines in your kitchen. And for good reason. Just the other day, I cracked the carafe on my trusty Bodum French Press. Serious bummer. The Bodem carafe was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":350695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12115,99132,172078,102349,97595],"tags":[5233,19469,5699,13433,906,13264,2806,19517,1549,6089,17588,709,9301,542],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-350694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-coffee","category-france","category-french-press-coffee-maker","category-products","category-reviews","tag-coffee","tag-cuisine","tag-destinations","tag-experiences","tag-french","tag-hotels","tag-maker","tag-mediterranean","tag-press","tag-products","tag-resorts","tag-small","tag-tourism","tag-travel"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Broker](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Broken-Bodum-Press-carafe.jpeg\")
Can you see the crack on my poor Bodum carafe? Top to bottom. Bummer!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhat to do when your French press breaks<\/h3>\n
![\"Moka](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Broken-Bodum-Press-and-Bialetti.jpg\")
Ta da\u2026. My Bialetti Coffee maker came to the rescue.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nResearching small French press coffee makers<\/h3>\n
![\"Carrie](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Carrie-Bradshaw-Coffee.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCoffee is a Ritual<\/h3>\n
![\"Tea](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Tea-and-french-press-coffee-maker.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhy Buy a Small French Press Coffee Machine?<\/h2>\n
![\"Illy](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Illy-Coffee-Instagram-1.png\")
Illy Coffee \u00a9Instagram \u2013 The\u00a0best coffee brand for french press in my opinion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe different types of French Press coffee makers?<\/h2>\n
Glass French Presses:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Stainless Steel French Presses:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ceramic French Press Coffee Maker:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Meringue](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Meringue-Le-Creuset-Instagram.png\")
Meringue Le Creuset \u00a9Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nComponents of the Small French Press Coffee Machine<\/h4>\n
\n
![\"French](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Coffee-plunger.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe Best Small French Press Coffee Makers to Buy:<\/h2>\n
![\"coffee](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/coffee-and-raisin-bread.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nFrench Press Pros and Cons when Buying a Coffee Machine<\/h2>\n
\n
![\"Illy](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Illy-Coffee-cup-Instagram.png\")
<\/figcaption><\/a> Illy Coffee Instagram \u2013 an excellent choice of coffee<\/figure>\nOther French Press Pros and Cons<\/h2>\n
\n
![\"Bodum](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Bodum-Instagram-1.png\")
Bodum Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSmall French Press Coffee Maker Reviews<\/h2>\n
Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker, 17 Oz<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=lifeonthemed-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B00012D0R2\")
Frieling Brushed Stainless Steel French Press<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B004XGBM3G&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=lifeonthemed-20&language=en_US\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=lifeonthemed-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B004XGBM3G\")
Freiling Polished Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00009ADDR&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=lifeonthemed-20&language=en_US\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=lifeonthemed-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B00009ADDR\")
Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker, 12 Oz<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=lifeonthemed-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B00005LM0R\")
Le Creuset Stoneware French Press Coffee maker \u2013 12 oz<\/a><\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B006Y40IEO&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=lifeonthemed-20&language=en_US\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=lifeonthemed-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B006Y40IEO\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=lifeonthemed-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B01AH21D06\")
Bodum Stainless Steel\u00a0<\/strong>Portable\u00a0<\/strong>Travel French Press<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B008TYX146&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=lifeonthemed-20&language=en_US\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=lifeonthemed-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B008TYX146\")
History of the French Press Coffee Maker<\/h2>\n
![\"typical](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/typical-Italian-Cafetiere.jpg\")
<\/figcaption><\/a> Typical Italian coffee maker<\/figure>\nWhy are people so enamored with French Press coffee makers?<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Coffee-1-1024x711.jpg\")
<\/a>
How to make French Press Coffee<\/h2>\n\n
![\"Coffee](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Behind_every_successful_woman_is_a_substantial_amount_of_coffee.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"Coffee](\"https:\/\/www.lifeonthemediterranean.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Coffee-plunger-pin.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=lifeonthemed-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B07HNFWBJD\")