Want a travel mug that you can use to brew coffee? Picking the best French press travel mug can very well be the most convenient option. These mugs make it possible to brew coffee on the go and do it with style. Why bother with instant coffee when you can have good coffee available on demand?
8 Top French Press Travel Mugs For 2020
- KOHIPRESS Portable French Press Coffee Maker
- Bodum French Press Travel Mug
- Brutrek French Press Travel Mug
- MIRA 12 oz Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker
- ZYLISS Travel French Press
- OXO 11181100 BREW Venture Travel French Press
- GSI Outdoors Personal JavaPress
- Planetary Design Big Sky Bistro French Press
Editor’s Choice: Bodum French Press Travel Mug
There’s a good reason to like the Bodum French Press Travel Mug. Bodum already is well-known for its quality French press products. That expertise shows through in this travel mug as well. It is every bit a functional travel mug as it is a French press. Also helps that it is easy on the eyes!
Best French Press Travel Mugs Reviewed
1. KOHIPRESS Portable French Press Coffee Maker – Coolest Design
The sleek, modern design of the Kohipress wins some appreciation. The clean design is matched with cool features that make this a pretty impressive French press travel mug combo. Its double-wall design ensures that your coffee doesn’t get cold in a hurry. You get to enjoy your coffee hot for several hours.
Kohipress travel mug includes a leak-proof lid to allow easier movement and convenience. It uses a pressurized plunger that gets you a pretty impressive cup of coffee. The filter is a one micron stainless steel mesh that keeps coffee grounds from making their way into the brew. It uses a full-immersion steep to ensure excellent extraction from the coffee.
This double-walled travel mug can also be used to carry cold beverages along. The bottle will keep its cold contents very close to their original temperature for up to six hours. It loses some temperature after that, but you can pretty much count on it to last a day.
Highlights
- Made from stainless steel and BPA-free plastic
- One micron steel mesh for filter
- Excellent design
- Holds 12 oz
2. Bodum French Press Travel Mug – Best Overall
Bodum French Press Travel Mug is our top choice for this category. This travel mug makes the best use of Bodum’s experience with the French press. The vacuum-sealed double-walled construction of this travel mug ensures that the coffee will stay hot for several hours. If you’re inclined to carry a cold brew along, the travel mug will happily keep it at the right temperature.
It is available in two variants, plastic and steel. The plastic version, as you can guess, is pretty much all plastic except the bar on the plunger. The steel version is made out of quality steel, though the lid is made from plastic. For some weird reason, they decided to shove some plastic on the plunger as well.
As its name implies, the plastic version has a body made from, well, plastic. The plunger for both variants has the same design and looks. Bodum has used BPA-free plastic for construction. Exteriors of the mug get a silicone wraparound with branding to allow easier handling of the mug.
An extra lid is packed with the travel mug for times when you don’t intend to use its French press function. It’s spill-proof and pretty effective for when you decide to take the cold brew along!
Highlights
- Available in stainless steel or plastic body
- Several color options available
- Uses high-quality stainless steel and BPA-free plastic
- Excellent value for money
- Double-walled travel mug maintains temperature of your beverages for longer
- Holds 15oz
3. Brutrek French Press Travel Mug – Sturdy And Reliable Construction
At first glance, the Brutrek French Press Travel Mug looks like it’s built to be sturdy and powerful. It’s built like a tank, though there appears to be some fragility in the design. Oh, so it really is built like a tank!
The stainless steel cup takes functionality quite seriously. In many ways, I’d say it beats the other products on this list in usability. At the end of the plunger, you’ll find an extra-fine mesh screen that filters out coffee grounds pretty well. The cup is made from stainless steel and is vacuum insulated to keep your coffee warmer for longer.
The laser-welded aluminum handle fits pretty snug with the cup. An interesting feature here is the little coffee-storage area. If you’re going to carry some coffee to brew, it makes all the sense to have a part ready for storage! A secondary lid is included if you don’t intend to use the French press plunger.
Highlights
- Well-built stainless steel body
- Vacuum insulated
- Includes a small area for storage
- Brushed exteriors for easier handling
- Holds about 10oz
4. MIRA 12 oz Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker – Classic Looks
For all intents and purposes, MIRA 12 oz Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker is a miniature French press. It has the looks, design, and overall functions of a French press. The travel mug gig is a secondary choice here. It’s probably better seen as a tiny portable French press you can carry along.
There are a few travel mug qualities in here that don’t usually make the list of French press qualities. The most obvious one is the double-walled insulated design that helps keep your beverages at the right temperature. Its overall stainless steel construction, including the mesh filter, is a pretty good recommendation for this French press.
Highlights
- Stainless steel construction
- Double-walled insulated
- Multiple color choices
- Holds 12 oz
5. ZYLISS Travel French Press – Unassuming Mug With French Press Function
ZYLISS Travel French Press looks the part of an unassuming mug. It could very well be just another mug on someone’s desk. But what makes it worthy for your desk is the fact that it can work as a pretty good French press.
The double-walled mug offers some insulation to keep your beverage at the right temperature. It is made entirely out of BPA-free plastic, which includes the cup, the mesh, and the plunger. Plenty of products on this list use plastic. This one, however, is all plastic.
Its plastic construction is a source of consternation for me. However, it performs pretty well where it matters. It works pretty well as a French press and keeps the overall construction compact.
I like that the plunger is a filter with a clip that sits pretty comfortably on the mug. It’s not as easy as working a plunger. However, it is more compact and convenient to use as a mug.
Highlights
- All-plastic construction
- BPA-free and dishwasher safe
- Double-walled for insulation
- Holds 10oz
6. OXO 11181100 BREW Venture Travel French Press – Just A Regular French Press
OXO 11181100 BREW Venture Travel French Press is pretty much your regular French press. Except, well, this one is built to be travel-friendly and can faithfully accompany you on your trips and commutes.
The carafe is a shatterproof Tritan carafe. It is enclosed in a plastic body to provide some extra protection. There is, however, a clear area that allows you to see the coffee being brewed. This French press from OXO is fairly sturdy and is a good companion for outdoor or camping trips.
It brews eight cups of coffee. There is no insulation for this coffee maker, so be ready to drink as soon as you brew coffee.
Highlights
- Conventional French press design and construction
- Has a shatterproof, dishwasher-safe carafe
- Holds 32 oz
7. GSI Outdoors Personal JavaPress – Cool Looks And Design
If looking cool is all we wanted from our French press mugs, this one would be at the top. It is less diligent with its functions, but it still manages to brew a pretty good French press coffee. To be honest, it’s the packaging that makes this cup. The cozie-style nylon covering could claim to be the USP here.
Remove the cozie, and you’ll see a transparent plastic mug. It isn’t bad looking, but it totally ruins the impression that the bright nylon cozie set up. My advice? Protect that nylon wrap! The nylon is pretty good at providing some insulation and protecting the cup from daily wear and tear.
Its French press duties are handled by a silicone-ringed plastic plunger. The plastic mesh is sturdy and fine enough to brew a good cup of coffee.
Highlights
- Excellent value for money
- Plastic construction
- The nylon wrap provides insulation and looks for the mug
- Sturdy
- Holds about 10 oz
8. Planetary Design Big Sky Bistro French Press – Cool And Classic Design
What draws you to the Planetary Design Big Sky Bistro French Press are its classic exteriors. By classic, I mean those vibrant paintings that used to be common several years ago. It’s a departure from modern minimalist clean looks, but they look pretty good. And perhaps it is time we added some colors and liveliness back to the products we use.
This includes the features of other French Press travel mugs. The double-walled mug keeps your beverage at the ideal temperature for longer. Planetary Design’s mugs are made from BPA-free plastic and are designed to be durable.
Highlights
- Made from BPA-free plastic
- Colorful and cheery exteriors
- Double-walled for insulation
- Holds 16 oz
See other variants and purchase options
Quick Tips For Buying A French Press Travel Mug
A Regular Travel Mug Or French Press?
The answer lies in a simple introspection of your preferences. Would you prefer to brew your coffee conveniently when you’re away from home? If yes, then the self brewing coffee mug is the right pick. Freshly brewed coffee is always the smarter choice for a coffee lover.
Plus, most of these can work as a regular travel mug when needed, with the simple change of a lid. I enjoy taking these along to outdoor and camping trips. There are great ways to brew coffee without a coffee maker. However, sometimes it’s better to take a quick and familiar method.
Insulation For The Mug
Many of the French press travel mugs offer insulation. It is a desirable property to have in a travel mug. However, it does little for a French press. Unless you’re transferring the coffee to a new cup after you brew it, you run a risk of over-extraction. Bitter coffee is on no-one’s list of to-do things!
If you have an insulated mug, try to drink the coffee as soon as you can. The useful idea here is carrying hot water in the mug and adding coffee grounds when you’re ready for coffee. Most double-walled insulated mugs will keep the water at a fairly good temperature for 4-6 hours.
Besides, insulated mugs are also useful for handling conventional travel mug duties. They’re pretty great for cold brew coffee and other hot/cold beverages.
Considering The Environment And Cost
A reusable mug is always better than a disposable cup. If your ritual involves hitting a coffee shop before you reach work, consider switching to a travel mug. You could use it to carry along freshly brewed coffee from home. Or, just use it to carry water and brew a nice French press coffee right at your desk.
At the very least, you could ask the barista to pour the coffee into the travel mug. If frugality and cost-effectiveness motivate you, brewing your own coffee is always cheaper than buying from a coffee shop.
How To Brew Coffee In A Portable French Press Travel Mug
The travel mug basically functions as a smaller, portable French press. The process of brewing coffee is pretty much the same as usual, and it’s the same full-bodied French press coffee we love. Here’s a quick method to get delicious coffee.
- Add coffee grounds to the mug
- Add hot water
- Water temperature should be 195 F, don’t add boiling water to coffee
- Shake or stir the mix a bit so that coffee grounds are evenly distributed
- Add the lid, but don’t push down the plunger
- Let the French press mug sit for 3-5 minutes, depending on how strong you want the coffee
- Push down the plunger slowly, but firmly
- Enjoy your coffee
The Coolest Travel Mug Coffee Maker To Buy
Having fresh and delicious coffee on the go is a great choice to have. And with travel mugs being as widely used, using one to brew coffee makes great sense.
I’d say the best French press travel mug to buy is the Bodum French Press Travel Mug. Kohipress Portable French Press Coffee Maker is a close second with a great design. If you’re looking for something cheap and cool, take a look at the GSI Outdoors Personal JavaPress.