Guide · Cafetières
Best cafetière for one: small cafetières for a single mug
Small cafetières for one person, compared on real capacity in ml, materials and price, with UK prices checked 3 Oct 2026.
If you’re the only coffee drinker at home, a full-size cafetière is overkill. You end up making too much, or leaving half a pot stewing on the grounds. The best cafetière for one holds about one large mug, which usually means a “3-cup” model of around 350ml to 450ml. We’ve compared five small cafetières sold in the UK. We haven’t tested this in person. Our picks are based on published specs, the retailer’s listings and UK prices checked on 3 Oct 2026. Read how we compare.
Best cafetière for one: the short answer
Buy the Timemore French Press U for a single generous mug in a glass pot that’s easier to hold. It’s £23.99 at Barista Shop for the white version, checked 3 Oct 2026. The listing says the glass has a silicone coating so you won’t burn your fingers carrying it, and gives the capacity as 450ml.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants black. That colour was out of stock on 3 Oct 2026.
Get the La Cafetière Barcelona if you want a pot and mug in one neat set. It’s £21.99 at Barista Shop for the 420ml version, checked 3 Oct 2026. The pot sits on top of the included 250ml mug and the two nest together.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants everything in the dishwasher. Barista Shop says the mug is dishwasher and microwave safe, but the pot should be washed by hand.
Choose the Bodum Chambord 0.35 litre for the classic look in a small size. It’s £29.99 at Barista Shop with a copper or mirror lid, checked 3 Oct 2026.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants a big mug. At 350ml, it’s the smallest pick here once you allow for the grounds.
Skip glass with the Barista Shop Stainless Steel Cafetière 400ml. It’s £21.50 at Barista Shop, checked 3 Oct 2026, and won’t shatter if you knock it.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants to watch the brew. You can’t see through steel.
Sizing: what “3-cup” really means
Cafetière “cups” are small. Barista Shop’s listing for the Bodum Brazil 12oz says it brews up to three cups, which is roughly 4oz, or about 120ml, per “cup”. Timemore calls 450ml three cups. La Cafetière calls its 420ml Barcelona a 1-cup pot, which is closer to how most of us think of a mug.
So ignore the cup count and look at the ml:
- 350ml: one standard mug, with a little room for the grounds.
- 400ml to 450ml: one large mug, or two small cups.
- 600ml and up: you’re into two-person territory. See our best cafetière guide for bigger pots.
Who it isn’t for: if you sometimes make coffee for a guest, a 450ml pot gives you more flexibility than a 350ml one.
How much coffee to use
For a small pot, it’s easy to use too much or too little coffee. Start with the dose in your cafetière’s instructions, and if there aren’t any, weigh your coffee so you can repeat a cup you like. Small digital scales make this easy; see our guide to using coffee scales. Use a coarse grind, add hot water just off the boil, stir, put the lid on and wait about four minutes before pressing, which is the method Barista Shop gives for Bodum’s Colombia cafetière.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants an exact strength without weighing. Scoops vary, so results do too.
Insulated and travel options
If you sip slowly, heat matters more in a small pot because there’s less coffee to hold the warmth. None of the five picks above is listed as double-walled, but there are small insulated options. The Lakeland Double Wall Cafetière 350ml is £14.99 at Lakeland, checked 3 Oct 2026; Lakeland says its double-wall borosilicate glass helps keep coffee warmer and the outside cooler to hold. For a steel option that won’t crack, the La Cafetière Stainless Steel Double Walled Insulated 3 Cup is £38.99 at Lakeland, checked 3 Oct 2026. If keeping coffee hot is the priority, pour it into an insulated mug straight after pressing.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants a cafetière to drink from on the move. A press-style travel mug or an AeroPress Go is a better fit.
Cleaning a small cafetière
Small pots are quick to clean but fiddly. Tip the grounds into the food waste or compost rather than the sink, as grounds can build up in pipes. Rinse the mesh filter well, and unscrew the plunger now and then to clear trapped grounds. Barista Shop sells a replacement plunger and rod set for its own stainless pots if the mesh wears out.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants zero washing-up. Pods or instant are simpler.
Downsides
- Small pots cool quickly. Pour straight away.
- Glass can break. The Timemore, Bodum Chambord and Bodum Brazil are all glass.
- Stock and colours vary. Several colours were out of stock at Barista Shop on 3 Oct 2026.
Where to go next
FAQ
What size cafetière do you need for one person? Around 350ml to 450ml, often sold as a “3-cup” cafetière.
How many ml is a 3-cup cafetière? It varies. The Bodum Brazil 3-cup is 12oz (about 350ml), and Timemore calls 450ml three cups.
Is there a cafetière that comes with a mug? Yes. The La Cafetière Barcelona 420ml sits on its own 250ml mug, at £21.99 at Barista Shop, checked 3 Oct 2026.
Can you put a small cafetière in the dishwasher? Check the maker’s care guidance. For the Barcelona, Barista Shop says the mug is dishwasher safe but the pot should be hand washed.
Where can you buy these? Timemore French Press U at Barista Shop, La Cafetière Barcelona at Barista Shop, Bodum Chambord at Barista Shop, Bodum Brazil at Barista Shop and Barista Shop Stainless Steel Cafetière. For insulated small pots, see the Lakeland Double Wall Cafetière 350ml at Lakeland and the La Cafetière Double Walled Insulated 3 Cup at Lakeland.