The Best Coffees for French Press Brewing [2024 Guide]

With the best coffees for french press brewing, you can enjoy smooth tasting french press coffee at home every day.

The French Press, also known as a coffee plunger, cafetiere or coffee press pot has been around for over 100 years. It is a simple brewing method and one of the most popular ways to make great coffee at home.

But in order to achieve the best tasting brew, you need to know what coffee is best for french press coffee makers.

So if you are looking for the best coffee for french press, you have come to the right place. In addition to reviewing some of the best coffee beans for french press brewing, we explain what is the best roast for french press and the best coffee grind for french press too.

Whether you are looking for the best whole bean coffee for french press, the best ground coffee for french press or simply the best cheap coffee for french press, I am confident you will find some great french press coffee beans to try in this list.

Best Coffees For French Press 2024 Comparison

Below are the best french press coffee brands we review below, in an easy to read table.

Take a look and click on the product name to check the price, then read on for our reviews of the best coffee to use in a french press.

Image	Coffee	Roast	Beans	Options	Price
	Kicking Horse Cliff Hanger Coffee	Medium	100% Arabica blend	Whole Beans	CHECK
	Volcanica Coffee Ethiopian Yirgacheffe	Medium Light	100% Arabica single origin	Whole and ground coffee	CHECK
	Koffee Kult Coffee	Medium	100% Arabica blend	Whole and ground coffee	CHECK
	SF Bay Coffee Fog Chaser	Medium Dark	100% Arabica blend	Whole and ground coffee	CHECK
		Medium	100% Arabica single origin	Whole and ground coffee
	Caribou Coffee Caribou Blend Coffee Beans	Medium	100% Arabica blend	Ground and pod coffee	CHECK
	Lifeboost Coffee Beans	Medium	100% Arabica single origin	Whole, ground and pod coffee	CHECK
	Primos Coffee Co French Press Specialty Coffee	Medium	100% Arabica single origin	Ground coffee beans	CHECK
	Valhalla Java Coffee Beans	Dark	Arabica and Robusta blend	Whole and ground coffee	CHECK
	Peet’s Coffee Major Dickason’s Blend	Dark	100% Arabica blend	Whole and ground coffee beans	CHECK
	Real Good Coffee Co Breakfast Blend	Light	100% Arabica blend	Whole beans	CHECK

Our Top 3 Best Coffee Beans For French Press Brewing

If you don’t have time to read of our reviews, or you just want our top picks, below are three of the best french press coffee grounds to try.

Best Roast For French Press Coffee

So what type of coffee for french press is best? Each coffee brewing method benefits from a particular coffee roast and the French Press brewing method is no different.

Here is a brief run down on the types of roasts and which are considered the best coffee roast for French Press.

Or if you are ready to get straight to the french press coffee bean reviews, click here.

Light Roast

Light roast coffee beans tend to be light brown in colour with little bitterness or oil on the surface of the bean. 

They have a delicate flavor which doesn’t make them a great choice for brewing in the French Press.

But if you love light roast french press beans we suggest you skip the milk as it will overpower the subtle coffee flavor.

Medium Roast

Slightly darker in colour, medium roast coffee beans are dry with little oil on the surface. The longer roasting process brings out more flavor and aroma. 

Medium roast beans tend to be more balanced than light roasts and are one of the best roast for french press brewing.

And for something special, many kona coffee brands offer medium roast beans and are the perfect gift idea for the french press coffee lover in your life.

Medium Dark Roast

Medium dark coffee beans are slightly darker with more oil on the surface. Acidity levels are lower and the beans have more body and flavor. 

Tasting notes will typically include floral, chocolate and nutty flavors.

If you add milk to your coffee, medium dark roast are the best beans for french press as the flavor still carries through the milk.

Dark Roast

On dark roast coffee beans there will be noticeable oil on the surface, usually almost black in colour. These beans have a robust flavor with smoky, bitter notes that come from the longer roasting time. 

Dark roast beans are a traditional favorite for espresso but are not ideal for French Press brewing unless you love strong coffee and add milk, in which case the stronger flavor is muted a little by the milk. 

Also note there is a common coffee bean roast called a French Roast.

These are actually dark roasted coffee beans, not French Press coffee beans. French roast coffee beans are not recommended for the best tasting french press coffee.

Don’t confuse French Roast coffee beans with the best type of coffee beans for french press brewing.  

Best Coffee For French Press 2024 Reviews

Outlined below are some of the best french press coffee beans available right now.

Ranging from light to dark roast, they are some of the tastiest options for making coffee in a french press.

1. Kicking Horse Cliff Hanger Coffee Review

Our Top Pick For Best Coffee For French Press

The Kicking Horse Cliff Hanger medium roast organic beans are from a company with a strong following and one of the best coffee brands for French Press brewing.

The Cliff Hanger finish is silky smooth with a berry aroma and chocolatey finish. They are not only great for your french press, they are suitable other brewing methods including espresso too.

The Arabica beans are 100% Certified Organic, Fairtrade and Kosher. The Cliff Hanger comes as whole beans in a 2.2lb bag and is available in a 10 oz pack too.

We think it is not only the best Kicking Horse coffee for French Press, it is one of the very best medium roast coffee for French Press brewing on our list.

>> Click here to check the price for the Kicking Horse Cliff Hanger beans

2. Ethiopian Yirgacheffe French Press Coffee By Volcanica Review

Best Organic Coffee For French Press

Sourced predominately from wild coffee trees from a region renowned for fruity and floral toned coffee, this Volcanica Ethiopian Yirgacheffe french press coffee is a medium roast, with lavender and chocolate aromas and a sweet structure.

Ethiopian beans are renowned for producing flavorful coffee. If you are looking for single origin African coffee beans to try, this is a great example and one of the best coffee to use for french press brewing.

Volcanica Coffee are premium roasters and make some of the best french press beans plus a huge range of other great coffees.

If you are looking for premium coffee beans, the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe by Volcanica are simply one of the best coffee grounds for french press and a delightful choice for your daily french coffee brew.

>> Click here to check the price for the Volcanica Ethiopian Yirgacheffe

3. Koffee Kult Coffee Review

Koffee Kult is a very popular coffee brand for French Press beans. The Koffee Kult Medium Roast is a specialty grade, medium blend from Colombia and Brazil that is perfect for your brew.

The beans have a smooth well balanced flavor with a medium to full body and balanced acidity.

They come in 12, 32 or 80 oz bags as either whole beans or pre-ground coffee.

These gourmet beans are also fair trade and 100% Arabica.

Koffee Kult use small batch roasters and they roast right before packaging. The Medium Roast is a smooth blended premium coffee that people keep coming back to for their french press brewing.

>> Click here to check the price for the Koffee Kult beans

4. SF Bay Coffee Fog Chaser Coffee For French Press Review

Best Cheap Coffee For French Press

SF Bay Fog Chaser is a blend of Central and South American coffee beans made from 100% Arabica beans.

Unlike some other roasters on our list, SF Bay Coffee Roasters offer much of their range in whole beans, ground and single serve pods.

The Fog Chaser medium-dark roast is full bodied with notes of toffee, mandarin and milk chocolate and is a great choice for french press brewing.

This french press coffee comes in a 2lb pack and is great value for money compared to other premium brands on our list.

For this reason it is one of the best french press medium roast coffees on our list for everyday french press brewing. 

>> Click here to check the price for the SF Bay Fog Chaser

5. AmazonFresh Fair Trade Organic Coffee Review

Best Ground Coffee For French Press – Budget

These coffee beans from Amazon are an affordable every day single origin bean sourced from Peru.

With a sweet and nutty finish, these french press beans are 100% Arabica organic beans.

The Organic Peru Medium roast is available whole or ground coffee in 12 oz bags.

AmazonFresh is a great choice for lovers of black coffee as they are on the medium-light range and are one of the best coffee for a French Press coffee maker on our list.

>>

6. Caribou Coffee Caribou Blend Coffee Beans Review

Best Pre Ground Coffee For French Press

A popular Arabica blend medium roast from Caribou Coffee, the Caribou Blend is sweet with spicy notes and is a well balanced small batch roasted coffee for french press brewing.

Sweeter than most other types of coffee, this is a well balanced brew with a rich body and bright acidity. It has notes of bittersweet cocoa and a cedar woodsy finish.

The beans are Rainforest Alliance certified and responsibly sourced and are available as ground beans in 12 oz and 40 oz bags.

These beans are also on the cheaper side, which is great if you regularly drink French Press coffee.

>> Click here to check the price for the Caribou coffee

7. Lifeboost Medium Roast Coffee Review

Best Low Acid Coffee Beans For French Press

Sourced from GMO free organic farms in Central America, this medium roast by Lifeboost Coffee is a smooth, flavorful, low acid coffee.

Lifeboost Coffee comes in whole bean, ground coffee and pod options and discounts are available for subscriptions. All beans have been tested for toxins and are certified clean coffee thanks to their sustainable washing and drying techniques.

If you are looking for a clean, low acid coffee for your french press brewing, this is one of the best coffee bean for french press options.

>> Click here to check the price for Lifeboost Coffee

8. Primos Coffee Co French Press Coffee Beans Review

If you are looking for ground coffee, Primos Coffee Co is one of the most popular choices for pre-ground french press coffee beans.

Their medium roast coarsely ground coffee is made from premium Arabica coffee beans from Nicaragua.

Primos offer direct trade coffee, which means the beans come direct from the farm to you. The beans are shade grown, harvested by hand and well milled – and as a result they are naturally low in acidity.

The beans have a super smooth and subtle flavor with notes of citrus and they are perfect for your french press brews.

If you love mild coffee, the Primos french press specialty coffee is a great choice and is one of the best coarse ground coffee for french press on our list.

>> Click here to check the price for Primos Coffee

9. Valhalla Java By Death Wish Coffee Company Review

Best Dark Roast Coffee For French Press

Death Wish Coffee are renowned for producing some of the strongest coffee around and the Valhalla Java dark roast french press coffee is no different.

If you enjoy a strong cup of coffee with milk, then a dark roast works well for french press coffee makers. But be warned, this coffee is only for lovers of robust and very strong french press coffee!

It has a bold nutty flavor with a higher caffeine level than most others on our list. It is also surprisingly smooth for such a dark roast.

The beans are a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans sourced from different regions around the world.

The coffee is on the premium price end and is also Fair Trade and USDA Certified Organic. The company is confident you will love it and even offer a 100% refund guarantee.

>> Click here to check the price for the Valhalla Java Dark Roast

10. Major Dickason’s Blend By Peet’s Coffee Review

Best Peet’s Coffee For French Press

One of the most popular coffee bean brands on Amazon, Major Dickason's by Peet's french press dark roast blend is a full bodied, complex coffee with a loyal fan base.

Peet’s Coffee is also more affordable than most other options on our list, which makes them perfect for everyday drinking and one of the best pre ground coffee for french press on our list. 

The Major Dickason blend comes ground in 10, 18 and 20 oz bags.

>> Click here to check the price for Peet's Coffee

11. Real Good Coffee Co Breakfast Blend Light Roast Review

Best Light Roast Coffee Beans For French Press

If you are looking for a french press light roast these Real Good Coffee Co Breakfast blend beans are a great choice.

Premium quality arabica beans from Central and South America, they are roasted in Seattle and have a smooth flavor and notes of chocolate.

Best for black coffee drinkers, these beans have a light citrus taste and a clean finish and are one of the best light roast coffee for french press brewing options.

>> Click here to check the price for Real Good Coffee Co

Where To Buy Coffee For French Press Brewing

If you are wondering where to find french press coffee beans, we list the best options below.

Local Coffee Roaster

If you are lucky enough to live close by to a coffee roaster or cafe, they are great places to buy freshly roasted coffee beans. 

Online At Amazon

For maximum convenience you can also buy coffee beans online. 

Amazon has a huge range of fresh coffee beans to choose from and many are delivered direct through the coffee roaster. 

This is a better option than buying coffee beans at the supermarket, where you are unlikely to find the best french press coffees. Click here to start your search or see our recommendations above.

Use A Coffee Subscription Service

To achieve maximum freshness, another great option to buy the best whole bean coffee for french press is to sign up for a coffee subscription box. 

With a subscription, each month fresh coffee beans are delivered direct to your door!

Not only is this a great way to have a regular supply of fresh beans, you also get to experiment with a variety of bean styles to find your favorite.

Two subscription box options we recommend are:

Atlas Coffee Club

Atlas Coffee Club is a unique travel-themed coffee of the month club that explores the world’s best coffee.

With more than 50+ countries producing unique and exquisite coffee offerings, a subscription to Atlas Coffee Club delivers the ultimate journey in delicious flavor discovery and culture from far off countries.  

>> Click here to try the Club 

Trade Coffee

Complete the quick and fun online survey for a fully customized subscription box from Trade Coffee.

You can provide online feedback for each order and discover amazing new coffee brands every month! 

>> Click here to find your perfect match

How To Make Good French Press Coffee

Ultimately, while there are many quality coffee beans that will make great coffee in a French Press, the quality of the brew will vary depending on:

• The freshness of the coffee beans
• The roast of the bean
• The quality of the grind
• The coffee to water ratio

We go into depth on how to make french press coffee here or read on for a summary of the key points.

1. It’s All About Fresh Beans

Why are fresh beans important? Well there is a whole lot of flavor wrapped up in each of those little coffee beans!

Once it is roasted and ground, everything changes, quickly. The coffee grounds oxidise, their aroma changes and the oils that give the coffee much of its flavor dry out and disappear.

Don’t get me wrong – pre-ground beans are convenient and often a necessary purchase. But the reality is it is really hard to achieve a full bodied flavor, particularly in your French Press.

To achieve maximum freshness our top recommendations are to:

• Purchase freshly roasted whole bean coffee (ideally roasted within the last 30 days).
• Buy small quantities often to ensure the freshest beans.
• Grind only when needed to ensure maximum freshness.

If you need to buy pre-ground beans, our best tip is to buy coffee beans in small quantities.  Read more about coffee freshness here.

2. Which Coffee Is Best For French Press Brewing?

If you are wondering what kind of coffee is best for french press brewing, we suggest you start with medium and medium-dark roasts. 

They have more oil on the surface of the bean and a more robust flavor without being bitter. 

They are some of the best french press roast options and will taste great regardless of whether you enjoy black coffee or add milk to your brew.

Our best tip to discover good coffee for french press brewing is to experiment with different styles of coffee roast to make your perfect French Press brew. 

Try single origin coffee brands from different regions, experiment with different medium roasts, even try a dark roast to compare the taste. 

Also do taste comparisons between a number of different roasts at the same time to easily compare and find the best type of coffee for french press brewing. 

3. The Best Grind For French Press

French Press brewing requires a much coarser grind than most other coffee makers.

Coarse ground coffee is needed as the coffee grounds are steeped in water, so more surface area means more flavor extraction.

Ideally the grind size should be between .75mm to 1mm and it will feel like rough sand in your hands.

A good way to test whether you have ground the beans to the right coarseness is the pressure you feel when pushing down on the plunger.

Too fine and you will struggle to get the plunger down to the bottom. Too coarse and you will fly straight to the bottom with little resistance.

Read next: French press vs drip coffee brewing

4. The Ideal Coffee To Water Ratio

What is the ideal coffee water ratio for French Press? The “golden ratio” is 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6 oz of water.

For example, if your French Press is 34 oz, you would add 11 tablespoons of ground coffee to your pot (34/6 x 2).

It seems complicated but once you get the hang of it, it is much easier to make a consistently great brew. A coffee scale can also help achieve the right coffee to water ratio – see our coffee scale reviews here.

Best Coffee Grinder For French Press

If you decide to buy the best coffee beans for a french press we recommend you also buy a good coffee grinder. 

It is a well established fact one of the secrets to a good quality brew is freshly ground beans.

The way to achieve this when making coffee at home is by purchasing a good quality burr coffee grinder.

Not all coffee grinders are able to produce coarse coffee grounds.

See the top two grinders we recommend below or click here to read our detailed review of French Press Coffee Grinders.

They aren’t cheap, but they will produce high quality grounds for years. 

It is possible to achieve great coffee from any machine, including a cheap espresso machine, if you use freshly ground beans from a quality burr grinder.

How To Use A French Press Coffee Maker

Finally, there is always a learning curve to make French Press coffee the right way. 

But once you understand the best way to make French Press coffee, you can make it at home or even when camping.

Learn how to make french press coffee here, or watch the video below for a visual lesson.

If you are confused by any of the coffee jargon, head over to our Coffee Glossary.

In summary, here are a few tips for how to make the best coffee in a french press:

• Use freshly ground beans.
• Pre-warm the French Press to keep the water warm for longer.
• Don’t use just boiled water. Let the water rest for a few minutes before pouring into the French Press. 195-205F is the perfect temperature range.
• Get the coffee to water ratio right.
• Don’t steep the coffee for too long. Whilst there is much debate, it is generally agreed the optimum steeping time is 4-6 minutes. 
• Don’t leave any leftover coffee in your French Press. It will continue to brew and become bitter. Empty any remaining coffee into a cup for later. Iced coffee anyone?

Best Coffee For Coffee Press FAQs

Before You Go

We hope you have found some good coffee beans for french press brewing to try in our list.

Ready to master you french press brewing skills? We show you how to make french press coffee here. Or for something different, how about making cold brew in your french press?

And be sure to invest in some coffee scales for a more precise brew. We review the best coffee scales here.

Find out more about the best coffee brewing methods here or see all our coffee beans reviews here.

More French Press Coffee Guides

• French press vs drip coffee
• Best cold brew coffee beans
• Best low acid coffee beans
• Best African coffee beans
• Best coffee beans in the world

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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