Coffee lovers appreciate a great cup of Joe for its robust, coffee roast flavor and delicate aroma. Most coffee lovers will already know what their preferred types of coffee beans are, the style of coffee they enjoy most, and what the best brewing methods are to suit their personal tastes. But if you are still new to the coffee club, then this is a great time for you to experiment with different blends, and coffee brewing techniques to find the best coffee for you.
Now, doing this at home is a bit tough when you don’t already have all equipment, a coffee grinder, coffee roaster, and coffee maker to play with. So we recommend doing some research on the different types of coffee out there and ordering them from your local coffee house to find out what styles you prefer before investing in a coffee machine that can help you get creative at home.
To help you do your research, try checking out some of our other blogs:
This blog will explore the pros and cons of the French Press vs a coffee maker. These are both relatively inexpensive compared to some other coffee machines and accessories.
So let’s find out, which one, the coffee press or the coffee maker, makes the best coffee.
The French Press
A French press is a very simplistic coffee maker. It’s perfect for both beginners and pro coffee brewers who want to enjoy a specialist, smooth, black coffee. It’s almost as quick to use as instant coffee. You may have heard it referred to as a plunger, coffee press, or press pot. It is, essentially, a tall, glass, cylindrical coffee pot with a lid featuring a push plunger that acts somewhat like a coffee filter, pushing the coffee grounds to the bottom of the pot so they don’t end up in your coffee cup.
Despite being called a ‘French’ Press, the machine is actually of Italian origin, designed by Attilio Calimani in 1929. The coffee press has evolved over the years and grown in popularity throughout Europe.
The Benefits of Using a Coffee Press
Flexibility
The French Press can be used to brew coffee to any preferred taste. The size of the coffee grounds and the type of coffee bean brewed are at the discretion of the user. You can also regulate the brewing time to suit your own preference because it is a manual coffee maker.
The French press doesn’t take long to operate, around 5-8 minutes of coffee brewing time compared to a coffee maker, which can take 5-10 minutes.
Productivity
The French Press, unlike any other coffee maker, retains the natural oils from the coffee grounds. These essential coffee oils add to the flavor of your cup of joe. Unlike the coffee maker, the French Press does not use an actual coffee filter, which means the coffee flavor is arguably better preserved.
Portability
The French Press is a manual coffee maker and doesn’t require any electrical currents, plugs, or chargers to operate. The french press does not automatically heat the water, this must be done using a kettle or a coffee pot. So although the french press is easily portable, you will need to have access to an external heat source to boil the water. You can basically brew your coffee anywhere, anytime. A french press is a great addition to any kitchen or office so you can enjoy the best coffee with minimal experience in coffee brewing required.
The Coffee Maker
What is a coffee maker? A common coffee maker is the drip coffee maker. This is an automatic coffee machine, that once plugged in, basically does all the work for you. All you need to do is add coffee and water. For this reason, it is as simplistic as the french press, only one is manual and the other is automatic.
1. It is Automatic
If you aren’t a morning person, this may just be the best coffee maker for you. Shuffling through to the kitchen, eyes still adjusting to the morning light, this machine is super simple to operate, so you don’t need to be fully operational to use it. Just pour the coffee grounds into the machine, add water, press the button, and wait for your coffee to be ready. It will work its magic to produce up to 10 or 12 cups of coffee in 5 to 10 minutes so you can make a start on breakfast while it does the work for you.
2. It’s Easy to Use
Again, it couldn’t be easier to use. Compared with the French press, where there is a little more to think about, and a bit more effort on your part to produce. But, even so, when it comes down to which coffee maker is easier to use, they score pretty evenly.
3. High Capacity
On average the drip coffee maker can produce up to 12 cups of coffee in a single round whereas the french press only allows roughly 4 cups maximum. Although you might find a version of the french press that will make up to eight cups. If you live in a big household and you like to share your morning brews together then, perhaps the automatic, drip coffee maker is the best coffee maker for you. Otherwise, if looking for a coffee maker that’s just for you, capacity in this instance may not be much of a deciding factor.
What is the best coffee maker?
It all comes down to your coffee brewing preferences. Let’s explore some of the downsides of each of these coffee machines before you make up your mind.
The French Press Cons
- It does not use a filter. Some may see this as a pro, as it doesn’t filter out the natural coffee oils, but if you prefer less oily coffee, maybe this isn’t the coffee maker for you.
- It does not have a heat plate. This means your coffee may go cold if you don’t drink it all right away. To try and combat this, check out our blog, How to keep your coffee hot for longer.
- It produces fewer cups of coffee in one sitting compared to the drip coffee maker.
Coffee Maker Cons
- It is reliant on electricity to work and can be a letdown if the electronic or the heating components fail.
- Although it’s automatic, it doesn’t produce any specialist brews, like a coffee latte, cappuccino, or espresso. Milk heated or frothed externally using a coffee creamer and added to your coffee cup.
- It takes a little longer to brew.
If you want more control over your brew, you’d better get a French press. This allows you to control other variables like the type of coffee, the size of the coffee grounds, the coffee brewing time, and the strength of your brew. Check out, How to brew stronger coffee for more tips. They are also more of an old-school coffee maker, so if you are an old-school coffee lover, this could be a match made in coffee heaven.
However, if you are a coffee lover who can’t get enough caffeine, you might be better suited to the coffee maker, as its hot plate will keep your brew warmer for longer, so you don’t need to keep making more throughout the day.
Final Words
Do you think you know now which coffee maker is the best coffee maker for you? Perhaps you like the sound of both. We happen to have both in or Bushy Beard office. Let us know in the comments which one is best for you?
