Why is Stainless Steel Better than Glass?
If you’re looking for a new French press, you may be wondering if you should choose one made from stainless steel or glass. Both materials have their pros and cons, so it can be tough to decide which one is right for you. In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between Stainless Steel vs Glass French Presses, so that you can make an informed decision about which one is best for your needs.
The Cons of the Glass French Press
If you used a French press in the past you probably know all the flaws of a glass pot. Unhappy press pot customers complain about these:
- The glass breaks with sudden temperature changes
- The glass breaks if dropped, or just handled improperly, (it’s way too fragile)
- The worst thing is that coffee gets cold too fast. You have to make sure you pour and drink on the spot.
The Pros of the Glass French Press
Glass doesn’t react in contact with coffee, and there is not even the slightest off taste.
Glass French presses are lighter compared to stainless steel, and they are easy to handle.
Finally, there is something magic in watching your coffee steeping. I love watching the grounds the bubbling in the French press, and see how much they sink to the bottom. Visual effect aside, there might be times when visually inspecting your brew before pushing the plunger down, will give you an insight on what could be wrong.
The Pros of Stainless Steel French Press
The stainless steel French press coffee maker fixes the flaws of the regular press pot. Keeps coffee hot, prevents breaking the glass, allows long steeping.
Most of the stainless steel press pots are made of polished steel, are very sturdy and have a double wall for extra insulation. They just look gorgeous in any kitchen, and they are particularly hard to destroy. To break it, you’d have to make it a mission.
The double wall will insulate the brew and ensure coffee stays hot for longer. Typically an insulated metallic press pot maintains the temperature 4 times longer than the glass ones. I never timed it but it seems about right… Moreover, there is no need to preheat the pot before brewing. The glass beakers break with thermal shock when you pour the hot water too fast. With metallic pots, you can pour the water as fast as you want.
All parts of a stainless steel French press coffee maker are dishwasher safe, so you don’t have to worry about cleaning it manually.
The Cons of Stainless Steel French Press
Stainless steel French presses are heavier than glass ones, hence more difficult to work with. Stainless steel is also more expensive than glass, so expect a budget increase.
The stainless steel press pot can be difficult to clean manually, if you don’t want to wait until the next load.
This last objection against the metal French press is a bit subjective, but I have to include it because there are people who complained about it. The steel might change your coffee taste and make it taste metallic. The taste change is very subtle, and only people with sensitive taste buds can detect it.
Conclusion
Armed with the info above you can now take an informed decision. I know that this didn’t make it any easier for some of my readers. Sometimes it’s just hard to decide what’s more important for you.
If you are stuck, just choose the glass French press. It’s cheaper, and we used them well before the stainless steel ones. You can upgrade to a stainless steel when you are ready. On the other hand, if you know you want a stainless steel French press, I can shamelessly recommend my article where I compare Frieling vs Espro, these are probably the best ones on the market..
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