Life

These Travel French Presses Are The Best For Taking Your Morning Coffee On The Go

by Lisa Fogarty
Amazon

In an age of fast coffee-making gadgets with plenty of high-tech specs, taking a few minutes to wait before plunging a French press coffee maker seems quaint and borderline inconvenient when you're on the go. But the best travel French presses are a must for anyone hooked on the delicious, rich taste of French press coffee. They combine genius, compact designs with the features you've come to expect from your preferred method of brewing coffee.

The great thing about making French press coffee is that it's pretty easy to do — as long as you've got the correct coarse-yet-even grind on your beans, access to hot water, and enough patience to let it steep for at least three minutes before plunging it. (Cough, cough. The best coffee grinders under $100.) So, as you search, keep your eye out for a design that will work for you. Consider how much coffee you like to drink in one sitting. If you know you'll be traveling by car with it, you might be better off with a model sans handle, so it'll fit in your cupholder better. Regardless of which style you choose, the perfect cup of coffee is just a few minutes away.

Whether you're a newbie or a pro looking to take your love of coffee on the road, you'll find a list of the best travel French presses, below.

1

For The Best Deal

At just $15, this BPA-free French Press maker and mug most closely resembles a mug you’d use at home thanks to its comfy handle. It comes with a fine French filter that you use to plunge coffee grinds and hot water in the cup itself. Once the lid's on, you can enjoy your beverage without having to remove coffee grinds. Even better, the dishwasher-safe cup features double-wall insulation to keep up to 12 ounces of coffee super hot. One thing to consider if you drive: Because of this one's shape, it might not fit in your car's cupholder.

What fans say: "Amazing travel french press. The neat thing about this press is the small mess of the plunder. This keeps the grinds from back washing the coffee and making the brew bitter. So the last swallow is not full of the grinds. The water in the cup stays hot long enough to brew the coffee and allow a 10 minute aroma of anticipation. Great product!"

2

For The Most Coffee

This 20-ounce French press coffee maker and travel cup is the largest single-person travel cup on this list. It's reinforced handle makes it secure enough to hold no matter where your travels take you, and it even has a "Brü-stop" screen that automatically stops the brewing process as soon as you finish pushing down on the plunger. Think of this as added protection against your coffee getting too bitter or over-extracted.

This double-wall insulated, stainless steel cup also comes with two spill-proof lids: one for the plunging process and another to convert it into a traditional travel cup. Two things to note: As is true with the other handle cup on this list, it might be a bit more difficult to fit in your car's cupholder. And, you'll have to hand wash it to ensure it retains its quality. But if you're a coffee lover who needs more than one cup to get you going, this French press travel cup is well worth those compromises.

What fans say: "This coffee travel mug is just perfect. It brews coffee for me in the morning and is ready to drink when I get into the car. The mug keeps it hot for hours - I usually add ice to prevent myself from getting burned. Not only is the coffee hot and delicious, it is also a significant cost savings and space savings."

3

For The Most Portability

This French press maker and cup is the only cup on this list that has three-wall insulation (most have two) to keep coffee hot for hours. Brewing coffee with this mug takes just three steps and three minutes: Add coffee and hot water, wait three minutes, and insert the tumbler, which doubles as a plunger.

This cup makes 13 ounces of coffee, is crafted from food-grade stainless steel, and comes in 11 colors and designs including cute seasonal options. It's also dishwasher safe — which is especially handy when you return home from your trip and just want to lay down.

What fans say: "Originally I bought this for camping/offroading adventures but as it is now I'm using it around the house rather then my pod brewer. It works wonderfully and leaves only a slight amount of coffee powder behind when straining. The construction of the cup keeps boiled water hot for a insane amount of time. It works so well that If I don't add a bit of cold water, I would have to wait a pretty long time just to have a drink. This also means that once its at a good temp that it will pretty much stay there till its gone. I've mainly used it for coffee so far but it also works perfectly with loose leaf tea."

4

For The Strongest Coffee

If you like a strong cup of coffee, you're going to love this French press cup. The stainless steel cup was designed with a patented self-lock mechanism that separates your brewed coffee from coffee grinds. This nifty little feature keeps pesky grinds from sneaking into your coffee, but it's magic for another reason, as well: It stops the steeping process so that your coffee is never bitter. It has a leak-proof lid capable of sealing up to 12 ounces of coffee and, similar to its counterparts, it has a double-walled vacuum thermal insulation to keep coffee hot for up to 24 hours. It's also dishwasher safe — but make sure you place it on the top rack only.

What fans say: "I bought it to throw in to my suitcase to travel with and now I can always have a strong cup of coffee, just to my liking, wherever I am. My Hint: after you put your coffee and water into the thermos, use the provided spoon to stir the heck out of it, a couple of times. I also give it 8 minutes before pressing. I can highly recommend the Kohipress!!"

5

For Large Groups On The Go

Going somewhere with friends? Consider Coffee Gator's large and durable coffee maker. Though it doesn't come with its own cup, this French press is made from military-grade stainless steel that won’t break while you’re traveling. It holds 34 fluid ounces of coffee at a time and, according to the brand, keeps coffee hot for 60 minutes longer than glass alternatives. Even better, it has a cool touch handle that ensures your hands won't feel the heat. Designed with two layers of vacuum-sealed insulation and a double filtration system that prevents grinds from escaping, it boasts more than 1,900 near-perfect Amazon reviews. Best yet, it comes in a bunch of great colors, like pink, green, and orange, if the stainless-steel finish isn't for you.

What fans say: "This is a very nice and stylish press. I have accidentally broken 2 glass presses and decided to go with metal this time. It is a good size and is perfect making coffee for 2-4 people. Very happy!"

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