French Press vs. Drip Coffee: Which One Is Better? Experts Weigh In

Coffee lovers can be very particular about their java and the equipment used to brew their daily doses. Two of the most straightforward choices (in our estimation) are French press and drip coffee. A French press pot is easy to master and to stow away; drip coffee requires an automatic drip machine, preferably a quality coffee maker. We asked coffee experts whether one type is superior to the other and learned that the answer may depend on what you value the most.

French Press vs. Drip Coffee

If you like to ease into your day, French press coffee may be optimal. Need your caffeine pronto? Drip coffee readily complies. "Ultimately, in my experience, both preparations make excellent coffee," says Heidi Rasmussen, senior manager of education and quality assurance for illycaffè North America and accredited illycaffe Università del Caffè professor. "It boils down to personal preference."

French Press Explained

Executing a pot of French press coffee is a conscious effort. The process of boiling the water, pouring it over the grounds, waiting for it to steep, then pressing down the plunger to separate the grounds from the liquid requires you to be more involved for a chunk of time. That may be a dealbreaker for some coffee drinkers—but definitely not all. "In our high-paced world, many people see this as a strength," says Matt Falber, founder of City Boy Coffee, a Long Island City, NY-based roaster offering ethically sourced specialty coffees. "You get to slow down for fifteen minutes and do something for yourself. Particularly if you pick a delicious coffee and grind it fresh, which makes it taste a million times better, it becomes a ritual."

Intense Flavor

For those who love the process and the memorable outcome, every second is worth it. The reward is potent, with more body and mouthfeel. 

Metal filter: That more pronounced taste and texture is linked to the pot itself. "French press tends to have a fuller flavor than drip coffee because of the metal mesh filter that allows more fines in the coffee, providing a fuller body and robust flavor," Rasmussen points out.

Full extraction:  French press has more coffee oil and sediment, plus all of the coffee comes in contact with the water, so the grounds are equally extracted, Falber adds. "You also get the fullest picture of what the coffee tastes like as nothing is being filtered out," he explains.

Sediment

As you sip your way to the bottom of the cup, you'll find a soupçon of sediment. Some shrug it off as a small sacrifice for such a flavorful brew, while others prefer their coffee, well, sludge-free. "Some French presses use cloth filters to try to remove the sediment, but if removing sediment is your end game, you might be more suited for drip," Falber says.

French Press Drawbacks

As you're getting the hang of this preparation, the results may be inconsistent. "Drawbacks of the French press are steeping too long, causing overextraction and increasing bitterness," Rasmussen says. And, as mentioned, the me-time commitment might not match your schedule.

Clean-Up

Emptying the grounds from the metal filter can also be a pain point. "Clean-up is more involved and can be messy, and some people do not like the sediment in their coffee," Rasmussen says.

Falber has a few tips to lighten the load:

• "Pick up some BioCaf, it's particularly formulated to break down coffee oils, and it works brilliantly," he says, noting that this biodegradable powder is great for cleaning coffee makers too. 
• Purchase a mesh drain cover that allows you to dump the grounds into the sink, remove the strainer, and toss the grounds in the compost bin.

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Drip Coffee Explained

Drip coffee is a cleaner cup, brewed with an auto-drip machine, which allows you to press a button (or schedule the brewing time) and enjoy the results moments later—milk frothers and other barista-style accoutrements aside. "Drip coffee offers convenience—that's its super power," Falber says. Drip machines generally cost more than French press makers, so the start-up cost is greater for this method. And you need to buy paper filters regularly.

Flavor Comparison

Flavor-wise, Falber says French press is richer because all the grounds are extracted. "For drip coffee to be truly tasty, all of the water has to pass through the bed of coffee grounds evenly; otherwise, the flavor compounds extract unevenly. This can happen really easily," he says.

Consistency Matters

Flavor is one consideration; effortlessness is another. "Using an auto-drip maker for drip really takes most of the guesswork out of brewing, and is very consistent," Rasmussen says. However, consistency is not always a given. The key is using the same coffee-to-water ratio, grind, and temperature. Those factors also affect the brew's strength. 

The coffee maker can also undermine consistency, with different machines heating the water to varying temperatures and pouring it onto the grounds unevenly. "Things get inconsistent pretty fast," Falber says. Choosing the right machine can make a huge difference. "The Specialty Coffee Association certifies brewers that are capable of extracting consistently delicious coffee, and there are now dozens of options," he says.

Paper Filters

As with the French press, the filter that holds the grounds affects taste. Drip coffee has fewer fines in the cup, with no sediment impediment left behind. "The paper filter traps some of the oils, making the profile a bit lighter," Rasmussen says.

Health Considerations

Filters can also be beneficial healthwise. “The paper filter will filter out diterpenes (oily compounds) that may increase LDL cholesterol; doctors may recommend patients with high cholesterol consume coffee prepared with a paper filter," Rasmussen says.

Falber suggests discussing diterpenes with a qualified medical professional. "It's worth mentioning that they aren't unhealthy, but they can raise LDL for some people," he says. But of course, it depends on the individual.