8 Best Antique French Presses: For Vintage Souls

Are you in a need of a coffee brewer that stands out with its vintage design, ensures amazing brewing results, and provides you with an authentic brewing experience? Then an antique French press is just what you need.

Although these brewers are fairly simple and easy to use, there are some things you need to be aware of including their design and how it affects their performance and safety, the filtration system and how it affects the brewing consistency, etc. We have got you covered!

The Rundown

Is There A Difference Between Antique And Vintage?

In fact, there is. According to the “rules”, antique pieces must be at least 100 years old to fit the criteria whereas vintage is everything below the 100-year line. However, in this case, we are referring to the antique/vintage design of French presses you can currently find for sale.

What Determines The Vintage Look?

Although your mind probably immediately goes to the color, vintage models are also recognized by different shapes and embossed patterns:

You can notice straight away that even though it is a stainless steel model, the left one, has a wide footprint with a narrowing at the top, a shaped handle, and a pyramid-like cap. The right one, on the other hand, is of regular French press form but it comes with copper-color carved housing that gives it the old-fashioned feel.

Different Colors You Can Find

Then again, you can find them in versatile colors too:

As shown in the picture, they come in a variety of bright colors that make a bold statement in any environment. These include bright red, orange, yellow, etc.

Who Are These Models Made For?

Anybody and everybody that loves the old-fashioned vintage feel. These brewers are fully functional appliances so the choice you need to make is whether the design fits your liking.

Can They Fit In Any Environment?

The stainless steel and copper ones can fit in basically every environment whether you have a modernly designed home or one filled with vintage appliances. If you opt for one in color make sure that it fits your home decor. What we mean is you don’t want to choose an orange model if you have a blue or green kitchen. Make sure that the colors fit together.

Are They Available In Different Sizes?

Yes, vintage models are available in different sizes. However, the most common ones are:

• 3 cup – 12 oz or 350 ml models
• 5 cup – 20 oz 591 ml models
• 8 cup – 34 oz or 1000 ml models

Is Their Price Any Higher Because Of The Vintage Feel?

No, it is not. Generally, vintage presses range from 20 to 90 dollars depending on their size, design, quality, and finally the brand. Keep in mind that this is a normal price range for French presses so if you want a vintage one you won’t have to invest more money than you would for any other model.

Benefits And Downsides Of Owning One

There are many benefits to having a vintage press at home:

• you get a unique piece that, if cared for properly, will last you a long time
• its functionality aside, you can use the press as a centerpiece in any room
• you get to enjoy the authentic experience of brewing coffee

The only downside is the maintenance. While most models are dishwasher-safe, the high temperature and forceful water jets might cause the color to chip and fall over time. You can avoid this by cleaning the press manually under tap water.

Before You Buy A Vintage Frech Press…

Once you start looking for a French press, you will notice that there are a lot of different models that offer vintage vibes. Here we covered the basic functions and features you should consider to ensure that you can find and buy the best one:

Size, Weight, And Portability

Depending on their brewing capacity, these models are generally less than 10 inches long, wide, and high, meaning, no matter which one you opt for it still takes up little space. When it comes to their weight, all models are lighter than 3 pounds. This means that you can easily carry them around and use them on the go.

Beaker Design

The beaker or the “carafe” of the press is usually made out of borosilicate glass. This is because it can withstand both high and low temperatures. Its only downside is that it can be rather fragile and for this reason is often enclosed in some type of housing.

Durable Housing

When it comes to vintage models, the housing is usually made out of stainless steel material. With that in mind, it often comes in copper, rose gold, and other colors. While this does provide the press with additional durability, its high-temperature brew can often heat the housing so you might accidentally burn your hands.

Efficient Insulation

If having a press with an efficient insulation system is important to you, you want one that has a double layer (triple even better) construction. That way your brew will remain at its optimal temperature level for a much longer time.

Plunger Quality

A plunger is a very important part of the press as it is what you use to separate the grounds from the brewed coffee. Since it is in constant contact with the brew it must be made out of food-safe materials. That is why manufacturers most commonly use stainless steel. It won’t rust and is completely safe to use.

Filtration System

A filtration system might be even more important as it ensures that even the tiniest coffee grinds don’t pass through into your brew. Most models come with a fine mesh filter with holes that are small enough not to let the grounds through and yet big enough to let the brewed coffee through.

Versatile Use

As is the case with any French press, vintage models included, you can use them not only for coffee but also for tea, and different water infusions. Also, you can use them to make both cold and hot brews so your options are limitless.

Maintenance Level

The great thing about these brewers is that they are very easy to clean. You can easily disassemble all parts and clean them under the tap. While some models are safe to clean inside a dishwasher, you should avoid this as the dishwasher can damage the press’s color over time.

8 Best Antique French Presses

While the first model is entirely made out of stainless steel material, the second one features a borosilicate glass design with pink and gold accents. Read on to learn more about their differences.

Francois et Mimi French Press

This press is entirely made out of stainless steel material. This includes the beaker, plunger, and filters. You never have to worry that it might get damaged by rust, corrosion, or other exterior damages. It is safe to clean inside a dishwasher but hand washing is recommended.

Due to its size, it can easily brew up to 34 oz of coffee at once. This means that you can get about 4 large coffee cups or 8 small ones with every single batch you make. It is great for home use as well as offices.

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Pinky Up French Press

This press comes in a beautiful pink and gold color combination. It is mostly made out of durable borosilicate glass material that provides exceptional shock resistance and can easily withstand the shift between low and high temperatures. As a result, you can use it both for hot and cold brews.

Apart from coffee, you can use it to make tea, fruit and vegetable water infusions, etc. The plunger has an efficient mesh filter that removes everything from the brew whether it is small coffee grounds or loose tea leaves.

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Le Creuset Stoneware French Press

As opposed to the previously reviewed models, this press is made out of stoneware with beautiful, glossy, enamel glazing. Its enamel finish provides it with high resistance to odors, chipping, staining, and even cracking.

The plunger inside it, as well as its mesh filter, are both made out of durable stainless steel material. Since it is a completely food-safe material, you never have to worry that something might affect, or better say damage, the quality of your brew.

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Bayka French Press

Due to its borosilicate glass design, this press can easily withstand temperatures from -58°C to 302°C. Its sturdy handle is specially designed to remain cool to touch to ensure that you can handle the press safely without burning your hands.

The included filter features more than 8000 ultra-fine meshes thanks to which you can be sure that even the tiniest grounds won’t get into your brew. Due to its 21 oz size, this press is a great choice for couples that enjoy coffee together.

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Chantal Stoneware French Press

This is another model that features a colorful ceramic design. It provides you with a 28 oz brewing capacity thanks to which you can make multiple servings at once. Due to its ceramic design, it can easily preserve the temperature of your brew for a much longer time.

Its thumb handle is uniquely designed to ensure that you can safely and without too much effort handle the press. It also ensures that you can easily pour the brewed coffee into a cup. Its spout ensures that you can pour yourself a cup of coffee without creating too much mess on your countertops.

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Veken French Press

This press allows you to enjoy a delicious coffee brew in only about 4 minutes. Although it is a manual model, meaning it does require some manual effort to brew coffee, you will have your morning brew ready to serve and consume in no time.

Another thing worth knowing is that this press is entirely BPA-free. This means that it contains no harmful chemicals that are often found in plastic. It is constructed out of borosilicate glass and stainless steel that provide it with the needed durability.

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OlarHike French Press

This press consists of a stainless steel housing, a thick glass carafe, 4 level filtration system, a plunger, and a top lid. It also has a durable handle for a safe grip and a stable base thanks to which you can safely place it atop any countertop surface.

Just like all the listed models, it is very easy to use too. Everything you need to do is add coffee grounds and water, insert the plunger, and press it down once the coffee has steeped long enough. It is simple as that.

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Berrwes Copper French Press

Due to its size and lightweight design, this press is a great choice for use at home, but also in offices, dorm rooms, and on campsites, hiking trips, etc. Since it allows you to make both hot and cold brews, you can use it even in remote locations.

Included with this press you will also get 4 stainless steel filters, a replacement screen, and a measuring spoon. This means that you won’t have any trouble adding the perfect amount of grounds to the carafe. Also, if your filters accidentally get damaged you can easily replace them and continue using the press.

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How To Use A Vintage French Press?

In this case, the emphasis is on appearance. This means that all models work the same as any other French press. If you want to brew coffee, simply:

1. Heat the water to a boiling point using an electric kettle or a stovetop pot.
2. Add some water into the press, swirl it around, and dispose of it. This will help heat up the press and ensure that your brew stays hot for a bit longer time.
3. Now, add your favorite coffee grounds into the press, pour the hot water over them, and stir the grounds using a wooden utensil.
4. Place the press’s lid in its place and let the coffee steep for about 4 minutes. If you wait too long, you will end up with a bitter brew. On the other hand, if you don’t wait long enough, your brew will have a watery taste.
5. Once the 4 minutes run out, press the plunger down. Use steady pressure to ensure that the grounds completely filter out from the brew.

That is it. If you want to make a cold brew just add cold water to the press. For tea or water infusions replace the coffee grounds with dry tea leaves or fruit and vegetable slices.

Fun Facts

Now that we covered all the important things about the antique models, here are some facts you might find interesting:

How Old Is The French Press Coffee Maker?

The first design ever was made in 1852 by Frenchmen Mayer and Delforge. However, it did not have a proper seal inside so it was quite different from the one we use today. The French press as we know it now was first patented in 1929 by the Italians Giulio Moneta and Attilio Calimani. Finally, the most popular design was made by a Swiss man Faliero Bondanini in 1958. Its popularity in France gave it its French identity.

Is There Another Name For It?

French press is used all around the world. It is also known as a coffee plunger, a coffee press, or la (a) cafetière.

What Is So Unique About It?

First of all, its simplicity and the design. Additionally, a vintage press allows you to completely personalize each cup of coffee you make to your liking.