Guide · Cafetières
Best cafetière: glass, stainless and double-walled cafetières compared
Glass, stainless steel and double-walled cafetières sold in the UK, compared on size, materials and heat retention, with prices checked 3 Oct 2026.
A cafetière is the simplest way to make good coffee at home: coarse grounds, hot water, a few minutes and a press. The best cafetière for you comes down to three choices: glass or steel, single or double wall, and how many mugs you need. We’ve compared five cafetières sold in the UK, from classic glass Bodums to an insulated steel pot. 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 UK: the short answer
Buy the Bodum Chambord if you want the classic glass cafetière. The 1-litre version with a mirror lid is £44.99 at Barista Shop, checked 3 Oct 2026. The listing describes a borosilicate glass jug, a chrome-plated steel frame and a stainless steel filter.
Who it isn’t for: anyone with a busy kitchen or children. Glass can break, and the coffee cools faster than in a double-walled pot.
Get the Bodum Colombia Double Wall if you want the coffee to stay hot for a second cup. It’s £69.99 at Barista Shop, checked 3 Oct 2026, with a 1-litre, double-walled stainless body.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who likes to watch the brew. You can’t see through steel.
Choose the Barista Shop Stainless Steel Cafetière for a tough, budget steel pot. The brushed 1,050ml version is £28.50 at Barista Shop, checked 3 Oct 2026, and it’s also sold in 400ml and 700ml sizes.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants heat retention. It’s listed as stainless steel, but not as double-walled.
Skip the big pot if you’re brewing for one. Our best cafetière for one guide covers small 3-cup models.
Who it isn’t for: households of three or more, who’ll want 1 litre or bigger.
Glass, stainless or double-walled?
Glass is the classic look and lets you see the coffee steep. Bodum’s Chambord and Brazil both use borosilicate glass, which copes well with hot water, but it’s still glass. A knock on the sink can crack it, so check whether a replacement beaker is sold for your exact model and size before you buy.
Single-wall stainless steel won’t shatter and is easy to throw in a bag for a holiday cottage. It holds heat about as well as glass, which is to say not for long.
Double-walled stainless steel, like the Bodum Colombia, has an air gap between two layers of steel, which is designed to keep the coffee hotter for longer. Barista Shop’s listing describes its heat retention as excellent. It’s the pick if you pour one mug now and another twenty minutes later. For a cheaper insulated pot you can still see through, the Lakeland Double Wall Cafetière 1 Litre is £19.99 at Lakeland, checked 3 Oct 2026, made from double-wall borosilicate glass.
Who it isn’t for: if you drink your whole pot straight away, you don’t need to pay for double walls.
Sizes: what “cups” really means
Cafetière sizes are confusing because “cup” varies by brand. In these listings, the Bodum Brazil 12oz is said to brew up to three cups, which works out at about 4oz (roughly 120ml) per “cup”. Barista Shop calls its own 400ml pot a 2-cup and its 1,050ml pot a 6-cup. A typical UK mug holds far more than a Bodum “cup”, so:
- One or two mugs: look at 350ml to 500ml.
- Two to four mugs: look at 1 litre (often called 8-cup).
- Larger groups: a 1.5-litre pot, such as the Bodum Chambord 1.5L (£52.99 at Barista Shop, checked 3 Oct 2026).
Who it isn’t for: if you only want one mug, a big pot leaves coffee sitting on the grounds and turning bitter.
Filter quality and grounds in your cup
Every cafetière lets a little sediment through, because the mesh is coarser than a paper filter. All five picks list a stainless mesh filter or plunger. To keep the cup cleaner, use a coarse grind, let the pot settle before you plunge, and press slowly. A burr grinder makes a big difference here, because blade grinders leave fine dust that passes through any mesh. See our best burr grinders under £100.
Who it isn’t for: if you can’t stand any sediment, a paper-filter brewer or filter coffee machine will suit you better.
Brewing basics
Barista Shop’s Colombia listing gives a simple method: add coarsely ground coffee, add hot water, put the lid on, wait four minutes, then press and serve. Start with the dose in your cafetière’s instructions and adjust to taste. Don’t leave the coffee sitting on the grounds after pressing; pour it all out or into a flask.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants espresso-style coffee. A cafetière makes a fuller filter-style cup, not espresso.
Heat retention, dishwasher safety and spare parts
- Heat: double-walled steel holds heat best; glass and single-wall steel cool fastest.
- Dishwasher: check each maker’s care guidance. Barista Shop’s listings for these models don’t all state it, so we haven’t assumed.
- Spares: plungers, filters and glass beakers wear out. Barista Shop sells a replacement plunger and rod set for its own stainless pots.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants a pot that never needs a new part. Mesh filters do wear over time.
Downsides
- Sediment. Some fine grounds always reach the cup.
- Glass breaks. Glass models need care.
- Stock varies. Some colours and sizes were out of stock at Barista Shop on 3 Oct 2026, including the Chambord cork-lid versions.
Where to go next
FAQ
What is the best cafetière to buy in the UK? For most people, a 1-litre Bodum Chambord (£44.99 at Barista Shop, checked 3 Oct 2026) for the classic glass style, or the Bodum Colombia (£69.99 at Barista Shop, checked 3 Oct 2026) if you want it to stay hot.
Is a stainless steel cafetière better than glass? It’s tougher. Double-walled steel also keeps coffee hotter. Glass lets you see the brew and is often cheaper.
What size cafetière do you need? For one or two mugs, 350ml to 500ml. For a family, 1 litre or more.
How long should a cafetière brew? Barista Shop’s Colombia listing suggests four minutes before pressing.
Where can you buy these? Bodum Chambord at Barista Shop, Bodum Colombia Double Wall at Barista Shop, Bodum Brazil at Barista Shop and Barista Shop Stainless Steel Cafetière, plus the Lakeland Double Wall Cafetière 1 Litre at Lakeland.