French Press vs. Drip Coffee Maker

Figuring out which brewer will make your coffee experience the best is key to having that perfect cup of coffee.

For many people having a perfect cup of coffee can be the start of a great day. That perfect cup isnt just about what that coffee tastes like, but the whole experience.

But if the entire process of making your coffee, the clean-up, and the maintenance cause you a headache, you will be less likely to enjoy your morning.

Will a manual brewer or an automatic brewer work better for you?

To help you decide between and automatic drip brewer and the French Press, we will cover six categories; the lifetime cost, the ease of use, the cleanup and maintenance, brewing speed, serving size, and durability.

LIFETIME COST

Winner: French Press

Before you can enjoy your home-brewed coffee, you need to find a brewer that fits your budget.

A quality drip brewer will set you back around $160, plus you will need to continually purchase filters unless you opt to buy a reusable gold filter (Price. French Presses range in price between $15 and $50.

It's low initial cost, and lack of filter makes the French Press the clear winner.

Check our web store for our favorite French Press and Drip Brewers.

EASE OF USE

Winner: Drip

There are days when you will need to squeeze every minute out of your day.

The French Press is one of the simplest manual brewers to operate. But as easy as the French Press is, it still requires you to heat up water and plunge the coffee at the four-minute mark.

With a quality Drip machine, you get to forget about your coffee while it's brewing.

Make sure to check out our detailed French Press brewing guide for a look at what it's like to use a French Press.

CLEANUP / MAINTENANCE

Winner: Drip

Cleaning up and maintaining your coffee brewer can sometimes be a huge hassle. If you are using a French Press, plan on flinging, dumping, and scraping out the carafe to get the last of the grinds out.

With an automatic brewer, there are no dirtying extra dishes. Simply grab the filter full of spent coffee grounds and dump it right into your compost bin.

All automatic brewers require occasional cleaning with a product that targets mineral buildup.

BREWING SPEED

Winner: Tie

Knowing how long it will be to get your cup of coffee is important, especially on those mornings you're running late.

Because Drip brewers and the French Press use time to extract the essence and flavor from the coffee beans both brewers will take around four minutes to brew the coffee.

SERVING SIZE

Winner: Tie

It is always good to have options on how much coffee you can brew.

Some days you will only make one cup of coffee, and others you will want to brew up an entire pot. You want a brewer that can adjust with you and your ever-changing needs and whims.

With both a Drip and the French Press you can make a single cup, or several cups in the same brewer.

DURABILITY

Winner: Drip

Choose a brewer that can withstand your most awkward moments, not your most perfect.

If you are one of the many people that tend to be a little bit clumsy before you have had your cup of coffee, you will want a brewer that can take a bump or two.

If you choose a Drip brewer that doesn't have a glass carafe, it can handle a few bumps and bruises.

OVERALL CONCLUSION

The process of making your coffee is as important as drinking it.

If prepared correctly, you will end up with an exceptional cup of coffee from either one of these machines.

Only you can decide if the cost and convenience of a quality drip brewer is worth losing the complete control the French Press gives you over your cup of coffee.

Let us know which brewer you would pick by leaving a comment below, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.