Individual taste is a huge factor in choosing the right coffee, but there are particular types of beans, grinds and roasts that are well suited for a French Press. Each of these beans is assessed on how its roast level and grind tolerance suit the coarser grind and longer steep of a French press — if you also want to try making espresso in a French press, that’s worth a read too.
Individual taste aside, for the sweetest richest coffee, I recommend a Coarse Grind and a medium to Dark Roast as the best type of Coffee for the French Press. You should always freshly grind your coffee if possible. My top 5 picks are:
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Quick Comparison
| Product | Best For | Price | Rating | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay French Roast (2 lb) | Best Value Whole Bean | $30.99 | 4.6★ (6,481) | Check Price |
| Stumptown French Roast Organic (12 oz) | Best Craft Roaster | $18.98 | 4.2★ (840) | Check Price |
| Stone Street Cold Brew Coarse Ground (1 lb) | Best Pre-Ground Coarse | $22.49 | 4.6★ (6,586) | Check Price |
| Koffee Kult Road Dog (32 oz) | Smoothest Dark Roast | $51.99 | 4.6★ (574) | Check Price |
| Death Wish Dark Roast (16 oz) | Strongest Brew | $18.13 | 4.6★ (19,077) | Check Price |
1. San Francisco Bay Coffee French Roast
2. Stumptown Coffee Roasters French Roast Whole Bean Organic Coffee
3. Stone Street Coffee Cold Brew Coarsely Ground Coffee
4. Koffee Kult Whole Colombian Coffee Beans – Road Dog Blend
5. Death Wish Coffee Whole Bean Dark Roast
Below you will find my recommendations of the 5 Best Coffee Brands for a French Press in 2025 and detailed reviews.
1. San Francisco Bay Coffee French Roast
These French Roast beans are 100% Arabica sourced from Central and South America and roasted dark, which is exactly what the French press wants: the long immersion time pulls plenty out of a dark roast without tipping it into bitterness. Amazon’s listing names French press as one of the three brew methods it is built for.
Tasting notes from the roaster: a bold, full-bodied cup with a smoky finish.
At $30.99 for a 2 lb bag it works out at about $0.97 an ounce, the lowest per-ounce cost in this guide, and the 4.6-star average across 6,481 ratings is the largest review base here. If you grind coarse and drink dark, this is the default choice.
2. Stumptown Coffee Roasters French Roast Whole Bean Organic Coffee
Another French Roast, 100% Arabica bean. You may be starting to see a pattern here. This sumptuous and sustainable coffee delivers a full bodied experience with dark flavors like Clove and bittersweet dark chocolate
This is a really dark coffee and the beans have been specially selected to withstand a darker roast that really brings out the flavor and sweetness.
The authenticity and quality of the coffee beans are unquestionable here. If you’re in the market for a whole bean, organic, French roast, you cannot go wrong at this price point.
3. Stone Street Coffee Cold Brew Coarsely Ground Coffee
Yes, I know I said you need to freshly grind your own beans for the best flavor, but not everyone is going to have a grinder and sometimes it’s just easier to buy ground coffee. So if you are buying Ground Coffee, this is the best one for a French Press because of the coarse grind and strong flavor.
Even though it includes instructions for cold brewing, you can also use it for French press brewing. They use Dark-roasted Colombian Supremo beans give it a nutty, chocolatey taste.
For a smooth and balanced coffee experience, this coffee has sweet notes and a low acidity level. It also has a one-way valve ensuring freshness while degassing. The Coffee is packaged in a resealable doypack which is great. Although, the coarse grinds may differ in size from fine to medium in some cases.
4. Koffee Kult Whole Bean Colombian Coffee – Road Dog Blend
I’re going artisan and staying dark as usual for this magnificent blend from the family owned Koffee Kult Coffee Roasters.
They specialize in a dark roast which delivers oil free beans with a smooth flavor and balanced acidity.
This is a highly aromatic blend that features a full body and is complemented by spicy, earthy notes and just a hint of nutmeg.
Because of the strong flavors this is an excellent coffee for a French Press. The packaging isn’t great at keeping the coffee fresh after opening, unlike some of its rivals.
5. Death Wish Coffee Whole Bean Dark Roast
Now I’re talking! According to the manufacturer this is the “Worlds Strongest Coffee”. Now I can’t confirm or deny that claim, but if you’re looking for something to kick you into gear in the morning and still tastes great, this is the coffee for you.
The strength is due to the small batch, slow roasting process, which effectively doubles the amount of caffeine compared to other brands. No additional caffeine or other additives are added during the process.
To taste, this is a smooth, subtle and bold flavor with notes of Cherry and Chocolate, without bitterness. In addition, they offer a no questions asked refund policy. So why not give it a try.
Buying guide for the best coffee for French Presses
How big should the Coffee Grind be?
I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record now, but my advice if you want the best tasting coffee is to grind the beans yourself. This way you can experiment until you find a grind that suits your personal taste. If you do not own a dedicated grinder, you can actually grind coffee beans in a Nutribullet in a pinch, or check out my article on the ultimate kitchen essentials for dedicated grinder recommendations.
As mentioned previously, I recommend a coarse grind. If you grind coarsely, the hot water will have more surface area to penetrate. During steeping, carbon dioxide gasses slowly accumulate in the water, making the brew tastier. This may take a bit trial and error, but one handy is that if the grounds are too fine it will be difficult to press the plunger and if they’re too coarse there will be very little resistance. Try to find the balance. If you want to get really detailed on this, I found this great coffee grind chart from homegrounds.
Smaller grounds soak in less water, acids and oils directly from the bean and are extracted in a shorter period of time. In contrast, more extensive grounds require more time for extraction. For optimal flavor extraction, soak the grounds for approximately four minutes. Do not leave the coffee longer than this, as it will continue to brew and become too strong and essentially undrinkable. Just make enough for you and your guests or poor any extra into a flask for later.
When adding your water the simplest way to calculate how much coffee to use is the 1-10 ratio. Again this is completely down to personal preference as you may like your coffee stronger or weaker, but it is a good starting point. A handy way to quickly calculate this is to use your coffee grinder. If your grinder holds 50 grams, you should add 500 grams of water to the French Press.
Here’s a really good video I found to get the best from your French Press.
Is there a specific type of roast to use for French press coffee?
Personal preference is obviously the major factor here, but I highly recommend a dark or at least medium to dark roast if you’re using a French Press. There is a perception that darker roasts can be bitter, but that’s really not the case if you use a plunge pot and especially if you choose a great coffee bean from the list above.
Generally speaking, French press brewing is best performed with medium-dark and dark roasts due to their higher oil content. The different roast temperatures and roast times of coffee beans are listed below.
Light:
Beans that have been light roasted have a brown color and produce coffee that tastes distinctly acidic with a grainy, soft body. No oil is present on the beans’ surface; they are dry.
Medium:
Medium-roasted beans are also dry and oil-free, like light-roasted beans. Nonetheless, it compares to a smoother, more balanced coffee that lacks a grainy taste. Besides having a medium brown color, the beans are also acidic.
Medium-dark:
In addition to being darker than previous roasts, these beans will have noticeably more oil on the outside. The coffee is smooth and balanced in medium-dark roasts with a less acidic taste and has a mild spice flavor.
Dark:
Dark-colored beans almost look black when roasted in this way. Oil, and low acidity levels, contribute to the beans’ shiny surface. Dark-roasted coffee will have a strong, robust flavor, with Smokey, bitter, or burnt notes.
What’s The Best Packaging For Coffee?
What kind of packaging you use will affect how long your coffee stays fresh. By nature, coffee beans are highly perishable and should be stored in airtight containers. Paper bags without a seal are not the best way to store coffee.
Light, heat, excess moisture, and external odors can weaken the flavor of your carefully selected coffee, not to mention that the Beans also absorb these odors. If you want to preserve your Beans’ taste and shelf life, consider some of these packaging options.
Doypack:
An oval bottom and flat top characterize this type of packaging. It is designed to stand upright and to be small so that it can be stored easily. In addition, mesh bags often have a zipper near the top, making resealing the pack easier.
Quad seal bag:
These bags are sealed on all sides, hence their name. Because of their robust design, these bags can carry heavier weights of coffee. I like the fact that the bag keeps its shape and stands by itself. You might also find a resealable zipper built into the bag.
Flat-bottom bag:
In some ways, this bag is similar to a quad seal bag, but the flat bottom, as its name suggests, and fold-over top make it different. Several bags may have integrated zippers, while others may be designed to stand upright without assistance due to their modular shape.
Canister:
The opaque, airtight canisters, made from steel or plastic, ensure that the Beans remain shielded from light, oxygen, and moisture. However, there is one disadvantage of vacuum-sealing: the beans must be degassed before vacuum sealing to prevent them from expanding or exploding. As a result, the beans are initially losing flavor before they are packaged in tins.
A more traditional packaging option is a side-fold bag, which does not include a zipper. Rolling or folding the tops and securing the top with a sticker or tin tie is usually an effective way to close them securely.
If you want to purchase coffee in this bag, I recommend purchasing smaller quantities because this type of seal is not airtight. The front of most degassing pouches now comes with a one-way valve. A valve like this allows carbon dioxide gases to be released while preventing oxygen and other contaminants from entering, causing the packaging to remain fresh and flavored.
Bottom Line:
I really hoped you enjoyed this article. French Press coffee is my absolute favorite when I’m at home and it’s so simple to use, to get a great tasting coffee. Everyones taste differs and there are a huge amount of options available, but hopefully this will help guide you towards getting the best tasting coffee for your French Press. Please leave a comment if you have any questions.
Read also: Best Espresso Machine Under $500
How These Picks Were Chosen
Plainly: this is a research-based guide, not a hands-on test. I have not run these side by side, and nothing here should be read as a report from my own kitchen.
What the picks rest on: roast level and grind suitability for a four-minute immersion brew, bean origin and processing where the roaster states it, roast date policy, and bag size against how quickly you will use it; plus the pattern across verified-purchase reviews, which for coffee concentrates on freshness at delivery more than on the beans themselves.
What I could not establish: how any of these taste to you. Coffee preference is not a specification, and a page that ranks beans as though it were is overreaching. What can be said is which roasts suit the coarse grind and long steep a French press requires.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best coffee for a French press overall?
Death Wish Dark Roast is the safest pick — 19,077 ratings at 4.6 stars, organic and fair trade, and its bold profile holds up to the French press’s full-immersion brewing. If you prefer something less intense, the San Francisco Bay French Roast is the gentler dark roast, and its 2 lb bag brings the per-ounce cost down.
Should I buy whole bean or pre-ground coffee for French press?
Whole bean, if you have a grinder — French press needs a coarse, even grind, and grinding just before brewing preserves the aromatics. If you don’t have a burr grinder, the Stone Street pick is coarse-ground specifically for immersion brewing, which beats grinding fine-pre-ground coffee in either case.
Why does French press coffee need a coarse grind?
Two reasons: fine grounds slip through the metal mesh filter into your cup, and the 4-minute immersion time over-extracts fine particles into bitterness. Coarse grounds filter cleanly and extract at the right rate for the longer steep.
Is dark roast better than light roast for French press?
Dark and medium-dark roasts are the classic choice because immersion brewing amplifies body and mutes delicate acidity — a dark roast’s chocolate and caramel notes survive the process better than a light roast’s floral notes. Light roasts work, but most people find them thin and sour from a press.
How much coffee should I use per cup in a French press?
A 1:15 ratio by weight is the standard starting point — roughly 2 tablespoons (10-11 g) of coarse grounds per 160 ml cup. For a stronger cup, shorten to 1:12 rather than steeping longer, which adds bitterness instead of strength.
How should I store coffee beans for freshness?
In an airtight, opaque container at room temperature, away from light and moisture — not the fridge, where humidity and odors degrade the beans. Buy bag sizes you will finish within 2-4 weeks of opening; whole beans hold flavor far longer than ground.
