It’s a well-established fact that coffee makes the world go round. Most people cannot seem to live without imbibing at least one cup, if not more, per day. To that end, most people also have a coffee pot that churns and bubbles away as it makes the brew. But if you’re looking to add a little something extra to your coffee, you might consider purchasing a French press. Options abound when it comes to French presses. So which should you choose? Metal or glass? Here we summarize the pros and cons of each in the hopes that it will help you make your decision a little easier.
Metal French presses usually come in stainless steel. By far and large their most compelling benefit is their durability. Glass presses tend to shatter and break, but metal French presses merely dent if they strike against something. Unfortunately, dents can be difficult (or impossible) to remove. That being said, coffee shops seem to prefer metal presses over glass ones for this very reason – can you imagine having to clean up glass shards in a high-energy, high-stress, high-traffic coffee shop?
One downside to a metal press is that you do not actually see your coffee brewing. Many people love the aesthetic appeal of their coffee being pressed. There’s certainly an Instagram-worthy aspect of it, isn’t there? But if you are not concerned about watching your coffee brew, then metal might be for you! Lastly, some people say that stainless steel is difficult to clean, and the metal impacts the taste of the brewed coffee.
Overall, a metal French press might be your best bet if you’re accident-prone or do not need to see your coffee being brewed.
Ah, glass presses. When you hear the term “French press,” you most likely think of the glass press. They are both pretty AND functional. Moreover, they insulate the coffee quite well so you do not need to worry about drinking cold coffee if you step away from the press for a bit. One of the selling points of the glass French press is that you can actually watch your coffee brew. There’s a certain appeal to this, and some say it enhances the coffee-making experience.
Perhaps their biggest weakness is that the glass carafe can easily break or shatter. Fortunately, they are relatively inexpensive to replace. So if you do not mind this and would like a classic feel to your French press, a glass one might be a good option for you.
Ultimately both metal and glass French presses operate the same. There are some visual and durability differences between them, but on the whole, you cannot go wrong with either one. It comes down to your personal preference in material and if you would like the visual experience of your coffee brewing.