Yeti French Press Evaluate

Whereas touring by Japan, my husband and I ended at a specialty espresso store in Osaka. After sampling its espresso (one cup made in a French press and one other with a pour-over) we purchased a number of the store’s beans. The barista was happy that we favored the espresso sufficient to buy it and requested what kind of espresso makers we had at house. My husband and I checked out one another and laughed as a result of our kitchen is overrun with brewers. We began itemizing our units, and the barista nodded alongside wide-eyed.

At house, if considered one of us is making a single cup of espresso, we do a pour-over. Nevertheless, if we’re each having espresso, entertaining pals, or simply desire a richer, full-bodied cup, we attain for a French press.

Although we have already got seven French presses on our shelf (and some extra in storage), I used to be excited to check out the newer one from Yeti. After testing it, I’m pleased to say it’s earned a everlasting spot on our espresso shelf, subsequent to the Fellow Clara and ESPRO P7. 

The Checks

• Warmth Retention Check: I preheated the French press with boiling water and brewed a batch of espresso utilizing 60 grams of medium-coarse grounds and 930 grams of water, a 1:15.5 ratio (the producer’s advice). Utilizing an instant-read thermometer, I famous the espresso’s temperature instantly after brewing, and after 5 and 20 minutes. Following every temperature examine, I additionally poured and drank the espresso to guage its high quality. I then timed how lengthy it took for the espresso to drop right down to 130°F, tasting it as soon as once more.
• Style Check 1: I brewed one batch of 1:16 ratio espresso (42.5 grams of espresso and 680 grams of water) utilizing medium-coarse grounds. I stirred as soon as on the one-minute mark and plunged after 4 minutes. 
• Style Check 2: I brewed one batch of 1:16 ratio espresso (42.5 grams of espresso to 680 grams of grams water), utilizing very coarse espresso grounds, per Nick Cho’s recipe. I stirred as soon as at 45 seconds and plunged after eight minutes.
• Usability and Cleansing Check: Whereas making and sampling every batch of espresso, I took word of how snug the Yeti’s deal with was, how balanced the pot was, and if the lid dribbled. After ending the espresso, I took aside the French press, cleaned it totally, and reassembled it.

What I Discovered

The Further Silicone Filter Cowl Was Glorious

What makes the Yeti totally different from different French presses? The addition of a strong silicone flap that matches over the filter, which Yeti calls the “GroundsControl Filter.” It suits snuggly over the steel mesh and makes pushing the filter down barely tougher. Nevertheless, the additional effort is price it, as this flap serves two functions. First, it prevents silt and sediment from winding up within the espresso. Second, this flap stops water from seeping again into the grounds, which may result in over-extraction. 

Within the ultimate step of this French press recipe, Nick Cho suggests pouring the espresso right into a separate vessel after plunging to forestall over-extraction. Nevertheless, this technique dirties two vessels, is overly fussy, and does away with any of the French press’s insulation that may preserve espresso sizzling. The Yeti’s silicone flap does the job way more merely. After an hour, espresso from it was nonetheless sizzling with none indicators of astringency, bitterness, or different proof of over-extraction.

The Ceramic Inside Was Nice for Cleanup

Just like the Fellow Clara (considered one of Critical Eats’ favourite French presses), the Yeti’s inside has a ceramic lining. That is sturdy and stain-resistant, and the corporate has added it to some of its different merchandise, together with its stackable espresso cups and mugs. 

I haven’t had the Yeti French press lengthy sufficient to correctly check the stain-resistant half, however the ceramic lining completely made cleanup simpler. Espresso grounds slid proper out and hand-washing the sleek inside went quick, without having to wash off any espresso oil stains.

It Was Nicely Designed However Heavy 

Yeti states that this French press is “over-engineered,” that includes 18/8 kitchen-grade stainless-steel, a double-walled vacuum physique, and a padded, non-slip backside. All of those are nice qualities, however they do add as much as a heavy French press. The 34-ounce press weighs two kilos, 12 ounces, whereas the 64-ounce model is a pound heavier. Compared, the Fellow Clara weighs simply over two kilos. 

Its Plastic Lid Was Its Weakest Characteristic

The Yeti French press has a lid created from thick, sturdy plastic and twists to lock on. The lid has a gap on prime, which is the place the espresso is poured from. (It’s not dissimilar to the consuming piece on a journey mug.) This opening is about an inch from the sting.

This distance and the placement of the opening means the espresso tends to dribble down the facet of the French press after it’s poured. This side of the design baffled me, as Yeti thought by a lot of the different ache factors of French presses like sediment and cleanup however didn’t take pouring espresso into consideration as a lot.

The Verdict

The sturdy Yeti French Press has a couple of flaws however makes nice espresso. It’s excellent for folk who love the total physique of French press however hate the sediment within the final cup. It’s straightforward to scrub, well-designed, and backed by a five-year guarantee, although the plastic lid does dribble a bit when pouring espresso.

The Execs

This French press makes an incredible cup of espresso with minimal silt. It’s straightforward to scrub attributable to its ceramic lining and can also be dishwasher secure. The vacuum-sealed physique retains espresso sizzling for at the least three hours—loads of time to complete the pot. The French press itself is tremendous sturdy and durable, with a non-slip base.

The Cons

The Yeti is heavier than different French presses, so people with wrist or mobility points might need some difficulties utilizing it. The lid’s opening dribbles, so concentrate on that when pouring. Lastly, the 34-ounce Yeti prices $110. That is $11 greater than the Fellow Clara French press and $70 costlier than the ESPRO P3, each of which have comparable capacities and are Critical Eats winners.

Key Specs

• Capability: 34 or 64 ounces
• Dimensions: 8.25 x 6.125 x 4.25 inches (34-ounce); 10.25 x 7 x 5 inches (64-ounce)
• Supplies: 18/8 stainless-steel with ceramic lining, silicone components, and plastic lid
• Insulation: Sure, double-walled
• Filter kind: Single display screen with silicone “GroundsControl” filter over it
• Dishwasher-safe: Sure

FAQs

How do you employ the Yeti French press? 

The Yeti is much like most French press espresso makers. Assemble the French press by attaching the strong silicone filter to the mesh filter and screwing it to the steel rod. Boil water and let it stand for 30 seconds to chill barely. Then add medium-coarse grounds to the pot and the suitable ratio of water. 

Typical ratios are 1:14 to 1:16, that means one half espresso grounds to 14 to 16 components water. For 2 to 3 servings of espresso, this would possibly imply 42.5 grams of espresso to 680 grams of water for a 1:16 ratio. As soon as the water is added, let it sit for one minute, stir a couple of instances, after which let steep for a further three minutes. Press the plunger down slowly and steadily, then pour.

How lengthy does the Yeti French press preserve espresso sizzling for?

Throughout testing, I discovered espresso solely dropped to 130°F after three hours. (That’s nonetheless sizzling!) Espresso at this level confirmed no indicators of over-extraction.

Why We’re the Consultants

• Irvin Lin is a former barista and coffee-obsessed drinker who owns over 25 brewers.
• He wrote the cookbook Marbled, Swirled, and Layered, which was picked by the New York Instances as probably the greatest baking cookbooks of 2016.
• He runs a weblog referred to as Eat the Love, the place he’s developed, photographed, and written recipes since 2010. Eat the Love was nominated twice for finest meals weblog by the Worldwide Affiliation of Culinary Professionals (IACP) in 2016 and 2022.
• He’s examined and reviewed a whole bunch of kitchen objects, together with stand mixers and saucepans.