French Press vs. Drip Coffee Makers: Pros and Cons for Choosing Best Cup of Joe

Texans love their coffee, but everyone likes their morning cup differently. When it comes to brewing at home, some like to use drip coffee makers while others turn to the French press. Between the two, which method makes the best morning cup of Joe? Let’s find out.

French Press

A simple machine with a glass container and a removable plunger top, the French press steeps coffee grounds in a container before the plunger slowly presses the brew for a bolder and full-bodied cup of coffee.

Advantages

• Ultimate customizability—By varying the type and size of coffee grounds, water temperature, etc., you can brew a cup of coffee that suits your taste.
• More natural oils—Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz once said that his French press created “the best cup of coffee known to mankind” because it brings out the “oils, flavor and essence of blends.”
• Portability—It requires little kitchen space, and can be stored in a cupboard and carried in your bag when you go out hiking, backpacking or camping.

Disadvantages

• More time and effort—The French press is a manual operation requiring attention to detail and precise brewing control. You have to monitor the entire brewing process.
• Taste varies—A little variation in the ground, water temperature, time or coffee-to-water brewing ratio could result in a different taste than you’d prefer.
• Messy clean up—Clean up is tricky and can be messy. You could have sediment or sludge accumulating at the bottom of your cup. Some coffee grounds might be left in the filter or other part of the machine and can’t just be rinsed down the sink drain.

Drip Coffee Maker

Drip coffee makers are common in many households. It’s a very convenient way of brewing coffee—just set it and forget it. However, the taste depends on the ground quality, and you have less control over your brew. 

Advantages

• Easy to use and quick brew time—Just pour in the grounds, press a button and wait a short time while it prepares your coffee.
• Make more coffee—With 12-cup options, you can prepare coffee for many people. 
• Simple clean up—Just get rid of the filter, refill the water tank and it’s ready to make another batch of coffee. 

Disadvantages

• Less control over quality and taste—Drip coffee maker creates an acceptable cup and keeps it hot, but there’s no way you can control the taste or experiment with the flavor. While it’s a good option to make a quick cup of Joe, it’s not the best option to make the perfect brew.
• Most heating rods are aluminum—Aluminum rods fail to reach the right temperature that activates the coffee’s oils and therefore bring out the beans’ taste. Meanwhile, drip coffee makers with copper rods, which heat the water more quickly and reliably, are expensive.
• Molds—You have to clean it after every use because molds will appear when coffee grounds stay too long in the filter.

French Press vs. Drip Coffee Maker: The Final Verdict

French press offers a richer taste but requires more time, while the drip coffee maker provides a quick caffeine fix. Which method is best depends on your taste, preferences and even life values. Do you need convenience or do you aspire for quality? You might even find that you need or like them both—that’s cool too.