This Is the Last French Press You’ll Ever Buy

Graduating from drip coffee means you get to experiment and play with loads of different brewing choices. One of the friendliest next steps is using a French press. Whether you’re well-versed in the French press world or you’re looking to take the next step in brewing coffee at home, you can start — and stop — at the Clara French press.

Clara French Press

$84.96 from Fellow Visit Amazon

The Unboxing

I received my Clara French press as a sample for this review. It arrived tightly packed in a box with a wooden agitation stick. The press was slightly scuffed upon opening but wiped off easily when I cleaned it before use.

The Setup

For my first use, I set up the Clara with the suggested ratio from Fellow: 1:14. I ground up 60 grams of locally roasted coffee beans and mixed them with 840 grams of water. I used the included agitation stick for the recommended 30 seconds and let it sit for four minutes.

The Experience

Finding my perfect French press taste comes from trial and error. My first cup based on the Fellow recommendations wasn’t very good. It tasted watery and bitter. But I made adjustments almost every day after to find which ratios and blooming times tasted right to me. With my current beans, I’m at a 1:13 ratio and a 3-minute steep. But I’d recommend doing your own tests so your brew is best for your tastebuds.

With almost every other French press I’ve had, I’ve tasted grounds, even after getting a Burr grinder and using a very coarse grinding setting. It doesn’t make for a tasty coffee experience, which means I put French press use much lower in my coffee rotation. With the Clara, there was very little sediment left in my coffee cup when I finished. I adjusted my grind after the first go-round and had almost none during the rest of my testing.

Heat retention

One of the best features of the Clara French press is how hot the coffee stays for hours after brewing. I am a multi-cup coffee drinker and I’ve had a few French presses over many years. With each press, I’ve always had to warm up my coffee when I go back for a second or third cup. That never happened using the Clara French press. It stayed hot for more than two hours after brewing. Around the 3- to 3.5-hour mark, it was lukewarm.

Design

The Clara ditches most conventional French press designs you see in other models and variations. It’s not glass, so you can’t see what goes on inside. But I really don’t need to. The double-insulated walls that keep my coffee hot are much more important to me than being able to see inside.

I appreciate the lines for water and coffee maximums, although it’s extremely difficult to see the coffee line, as it’s so low to the bottom. While the 24-ounce limit is less than some other French presses — even those similar to the Clara — this wasn’t a deal-breaker for me.

While most French press options have left me fumbling with different filter parts, I didn’t have that same experience with the Clara. There’s one mesh filter and it presses down smoothly. I had originally thought the lack of filter pieces would mean it would have more sediment — but it was quite the opposite. It was the least amount of grounds I’ve ever had in a French press.

The Maintenance

The filter parts are dishwasher safe, but I prefer to hand-wash all parts of my French press. The grounds easily came out thanks to the nonstick coating. The top and body were quick to clean. After air-drying, it sits among the rest of my coffee tools. It’s easy to clean and doesn’t take up too much space.

In my research, I found a few customers mentioned chipped paint and broken handles within a couple of months after buying. Some were disappointed that Fellow’s customer service didn’t provide replacement models or parts. After regular use, I haven’t had that experience, but it’s something to note.

The limited warranty covers returns or exchanges within 30 days of the original purchase date and must be returned in their original condition.

The Takeaway

There’s no question that the Clara French press is far and away the best French press I’ve ever had. After having gone through a number of variations in the last decade, using the Clara showed me that I won’t need another one after this.

The price is hefty — $85 for the matte black option and $110 for the Walnut and matte black finish. This could be a turnoff for many coffee drinkers who are looking to elevate their at-home coffee experience. I’ve noticed the prices drop a few times a year, specifically around Prime shopping sales. If you can hold off until a sale, it’s worth the splurge — especially because you won’t have to worry about buying a French press ever again.

Clara French Press

$84.96 from Fellow Visit Amazon