The Bottom Line
Built on Hydro Flask’s signature quality stainless steel base, the Insulated French Press keeps your beverage at drinking temperature for longer than a standard press. The pro-grade 18/8 body imparts zero metallic taste to the coffee. We tested it over the course of a few weeks at backcountry campsites and at home, and the quality of the brew was consistently excellent.
The lid is where we have the reservation. It doesn’t have a proper seal, which means that pressing too hard sends the hot coffee to the top. This happened to us twice. It’s manageable if you press lightly and deliberately, but it’s a design quirk you should be aware of going in.
The price is a little tricky. This is not a cheap French press, and the poor lid makes the price difficult to justify. If that sounds like a dealbreaker to you, there are plenty of cheaper options in our gear guide to the best camping coffee makers. But if your priorities are beer quality, insulation, and a camp-friendly layout, there’s a lot to like.
How We Tested
We made a lot of coffee with the Hydro Flask Insulated French Press for several months, using it at home, on a group trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park, and at a music festival in Colorado. We paid close attention to heat retention at different temperatures, compared the sediment in the cup to other French presses on our list, and looked closely at how the lid and plunger behaved with repeated brewing.
Quick Details
Hydro Flask Insulated French Press
Best for Keeping Coffee Hot
rating:
4.4/5.0
Amount:
$70
Fluid Power:
32 fl. oz.
Weight:
1 lb. 7.7 oz.
Size:
8.2 x 5.5 x 4 in.
Benefits
- Insulated
- Long lasting
- Ergonomic
- Dishwasher-safe
- Standard design
Evil
- Poorly designed lid
- Easy to leak
- Small drinking spout
Portability
At 1 pound, 8 ounces, the Hydro Flask Insulated French Press is heavier than the lighter pouring and pressing options on our list, which is to be expected from an insulated stainless steel vessel of this size. With backcountry camping and car camping, weight is not an issue. With a backpack, it’s more than most weight-conscious campers will want to carry.
The cylindrical shape packs well in a camp kitchen box or car gear bin, and the ergonomic handle makes it easy to carry and empty. It doesn’t pack as flat or as easy as a multi-pour, but for a French press that doubles as a serving carafe and keeps coffee warm for hours, the trade-off is perfect for the car camping audience it’s designed for.
Ease of use
The brewing process itself is normal and straightforward: Add grounds, pour hot water, rise for four minutes, strain, and pour. There is no assembly, no special process, and no parts to follow beyond the plunger. Anyone who has used a French press before will be up and running in no time.
The lid is easy to use and breaks a little. The plastic, pressure cap does not have a proper seal, which means that pressing the plunger requires a controlled speed. Press very hard, and the hot coffee and grounds come out through the gap in the lid. This happened to us twice during testing and is often noted in user reviews. The pouring spout is also on the narrow side, resulting in a slower flow than is ideal for that first cup of coffee in the morning.
Time to Drink
One of the things we love about the camp French press is how little attention it takes. Add your ingredients, pour hot water, set the timer for four minutes, and get on with your morning. By the time you put on your boots, wander around camp, or tackle breakfast, your coffee is ready. It’s a straightforward setup and press with no extra steps. On slow field mornings, the simplicity of the Hydro Flask is hard to beat.
Easy Cleaning
French presses are not the easiest coffee makers to clean at camp, and the Hydro Flask is no exception. The filter holds the grounds, the plunger has a few places where everything likes to hang, and it takes a decent wash to get everything clear. In our tests, cleaning usually takes somewhere between 30 to 45 seconds under running water, which is normal for this style of brew.
The good news is that the wide mouth design helps a lot. It’s easy to get a hand or sponge inside, making this less tedious to clean than some of the smaller options we tested. We also like that the seamless interior doesn’t seem to hold the smell or taste of stale coffee, so a strong wash is usually sufficient for everyday camp use. When it starts to get dark, the plunger comes apart for extra cleaning.
Strength and Quality of Coffee
This French Press makes a really strong cup of coffee. In our testing, it produced coffee that tasted like the best French presses on our list. On the upside, we thought it made for a noticeably richer, cleaner cup than other plastic-bodied items. Stainless steel manufacturers can sometimes bring a strange metallic edge to the flavor, but this one didn’t. The unblemished body remained neutral, and the coffee tasted full and clean.
Like any French press, you will still get a little sediment in the cup. We didn’t find it significantly better or worse than other printers we tested. Coarse grinding helps, but even if the grinder grinds, we still had a little residue. That felt normal, not a feature.
The good thing about this machine is that it’s easy to dial in the power you want. You can play around with grind size and steeping time just like you would with any French press, but the protected body gives you more flexibility as the coffee stays hot longer while it’s being brewed. If you like a strong cup, that’s a nice little bonus.
Should You Buy a Hydro Flask Insulated French Press?
If you’re a French press lover and like your coffee to stay hot while the campfires come alive, the Hydro Flask Insulated French Press is an attractive option. It makes a really nice cup of coffee, the body feels solid and well made, and the insulation solves a real problem with a traditional French press: Your coffee starts to cool as soon as you make it.
The grip is a tight lid. You can work around it once you know its quirks, but first thing in the morning, a slow press and careful pour isn’t the kind of energy most people bring to coffee camp. At this price, it seems fair to expect the design component to be better.
Lid quirks aside, the Insulated French Press isn’t for backpackers who count ounces, campers who want a completely foolproof pressing and pouring experience, or anyone who values ease of use over isolation.
What Other Camp Coffee Makers Should You Consider?
If an Insulated French Press isn’t what you’re looking for, check out our camping coffee maker gear guide for about a dozen alternatives. The three options below are Hydro Flask’s strongest competitors.
ESPRO P0 Ultralight Travel French Press Review: The ESPRO P0 is the closest single-serve option for French fans. It brews directly into a sealed travel bottle using a double filter basket that effectively settles the sediment, and the leak-proof lid means there’s no risk of spillage. Make one cup at a time, so it’s best for singles.
AeroPress Go Review: If you like strong coffee but want more flexibility in brew style and easy cleaning, the AeroPress Go is a versatile choice. It produces espresso style, American style, and cold brew coffee in a compact package and cleans in seconds.
GSI Outdoors JavaPress Review: JavaPress is another French press for groups that yield predictably and clean without drama. It’s not infused, so you’ll want to pour it immediately after pressing. But for campers looking for a hassle-free French press without the worry of a lid, the Hydro Flask is a reliable option at a much lower price point.
