Ikea French Press: Can A Furniture Brand Brew Great Coffee?

When you hear Ikea, you’re probably thinking more about getting lost in a maze of furniture and finally making it out the other side to a tasty plate of Swedish meatballs. But did you know that Ikea has branched out into the coffee niche? They offer an array of coffee gear, including the popular Upphetta French Press.

Does a furniture brand have the know-how to brew great coffee? We’ll find out in this Ikea French Press review.

Summary: The Ikea Upphetta French Press

• Budget-friendly glass French press coffee maker.
  
• Available in two sizes, 1 litre and 400 ml.
  
• Easy to clean with dishwasher-safe parts.

I love it! [The Ikea Upphetta French Press] works perfectly for my family and me, and the coffee comes out delicious. It is easy to clean too.

– Carmen, Ikea French Press Owner

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The Ikea Upphetta French Press Review

Ikea is known globally as the place to go for the most affordable everyday-use items. The Ikea brand aspires to improve all facets of daily life, from the ideal home office to the best bedroom aesthetic to streamlining the perfect kitchen experience – and that includes the coffee bar (1).

Ikea brings the heat with the Upphetta French Press. Indeed, Upphetta is the Swedish word for heat, and it’s an apt name for this simple but effective home brewer.

Ikea French Press

• Aesthetic Appeal
• Ease Of Use
• Custom Brewing Features
• Portability
• Value For Money

3.6

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The Ikea Upphetta French Press is a best seller. But is its popularity due to its affordable price tag, or does it really brew a superior cup of coffee? Let’s examine the features of the Ikea French Press in detail – from aesthetic appeal to brew quality – to see if it’s the best model for you.

Aesthetic Appeal – 4/5

The Ikea Upphetta French press is a cute and compact coffee maker with a modern Scandinavian look that feels appropriate to the Swedish brand. The body is made from heat-resistant glass with stainless steel accents, the mesh filter is stainless steel, and the base, lid, and handle are polypropylene plastic. Polypropylene plastic is BPA-free, one of the safest FDA-approved plastics used for food products (2).

And basic black is popular for a good reason; it won’t clash with anything in your home.

How Big Are Ikea French Presses?

Ikea French Presses come in two sizes. The larger of the two is 1 litre, which is the standard size designed to serve four. There is also a smaller size, a 400-ml model, that brews enough for one or two people.

Ease Of Use – 4/5

The Ikea Upphetta French Press coffee maker is very easy to use, like any top-rated French Press. This brewing method is well known for its forgiving nature. You don’t need to master any special technique, it’s suitable for all roast levels, and even if your grind isn’t quite right, you’ll still enjoy a delicious cup.

The Ikea French Press instructions are easy enough to follow that anyone can make a great cup of coffee. In short:

1. Remove the metal plunger, and rinse the coffee pot with hot water to warm it up.
2. Add medium-coarse ground coffee – or loose-leaf tea leaves to brew tea – to the pot.
3. Pour water just slightly below boiling temperature over the coffee grounds or tea leaves up to a point below the spout. A line under the lip of the French Press conveniently denotes this max fill point.
4. Add the lid, and let the grounds steep for 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Firmly grasp the handle, and push the plunger down slowly.
6. Enjoy your brew – amazing coffee with robust flavour and a full body!

Some Extra Suggestions for Proper Use

It is very important to try not to jam the plunger down. If you are struggling to press it down, take the plunger off, put it back on, and try it again more gently with a slower force. Pushing it too hard can break the glass or cause hot water to splash out. We also noticed that if the plunger isn’t pressed down slowly enough, you’ll end up with many coffee particles floating around in your final brew.

The instructions do not specify how much coffee an Ikea French Press uses or the precise amount of water to add. It’s up to you to experiment to find the sweet spot for your coffee-water ratio.

One thing to note: the coffee sold by Ikea that is recommended for use with their French Press coffee maker has a fairly fine grind, finer than is traditional with this style of brewer. We recommend grinding your own whole coffee beans using a quality burr coffee grinder. This ensures not only the correct grind size but also the best flavour.

How To Clean Ikea French Press

To clean the Upphetta French Press, you can disassemble it into its constituent parts: the filter assembly, the lid, the body, and the plastic base. The parts are all dishwasher safe, or you can hand wash using a soft rag and warm, soapy water.

Make sure to wash the Upphetta French Press and then dry it fully before using it for the very first time.

Custom Brewing Features – 3/5

French Presses aren’t known for fancy features, but they offer incredible versatility. They produce bolder, fuller-bodied coffee than drip coffee machines because the metal filter lets the rich coffee oils through to your cup.

For example, a finer grind produces a fuller-bodied brew but can increase bitterness and leave more sediment in the cup. Hotter water yields a more robust flavour and can be crucial when extracting lighter roasts. No matter what recipe you follow, listen to the experts and drink it immediately (3).

The Upphetta French Press makes a great budget alternative to an espresso machine if you want to enjoy cafe-style drinks at home. You can increase the coffee-to-water ratio to brew a strong coffee akin to espresso. Then use the French press as a manual milk frother to add that silky textured milk. If you want to get really creative, upgrade your brew repertoire to include matcha lattes by using matcha powder.

Is Ikea French Press Microwave Safe?

The Ikea Uphetta French Press does not explicitly specify whether it is microwave safe, but we’d advise against it. The stainless steel ring that holds the handle is a hazard in the microwave (4).

Portability – 3/5

The Upphetta French Press coffee maker is compact and lightweight enough for travel and would make a great addition to the office. But it is not designed for life on the road or in your suitcase.

The glass build of this French press coffee maker means it is more fragile and prone to shattering if dropped or squashed, things that are bound to happen in an active setting. Speaking as someone who has broken more than one glass French press on a camping trip, I can’t recommend the experience of hunting down glass shards in your tent.

Value For Money – 4/5

This coffee press is among the cheapest we’ve seen, even for the larger of the two models. Of course, a lower price doesn’t always mean better value. The glass and plastic build of this French press means it probably won’t last forever, especially if you’re the clumsy type.

The Upphetta French Press is a great budget-friendly pick if you want a simple home coffee maker to sit safely on your kitchen counter. It performs just as well as models two or three times its cost. But if you plan to travel or are prone to accidents, you may get better value by buying a more durable stainless steel model.

Do Not Buy the Ikea Upphetta French Press If…

• You want a portable coffee maker – If you plan to take your brewing on the road, choose a brewer made for the task. The Bodum French Press travel mug is compact, lightweight, and made from durable double-wall stainless steel. So it can take a beating. Once you’ve finished brewing, this clever 2-in-1 product doubles as an insulated travel mug.

• You prioritize durability – If you know yourself well enough to know a glass coffee maker is not safe with you, consider the Frieling stainless steel French press instead. This good-quality stainless steel model is virtually unbreakable, and its double-walled insulated design will keep your coffee hot for hours. If the Frieling doesn’t strike your fancy, the Sterling Pro French Press coffee maker is another excellent durable option.

• You prefer perfect pours – The Kona French Press coffee maker is designed with an ergonomic handle to ensure the smoothest pours. If you have sleepy or shaky hands, you won’t risk spilling a mess with this one.

The Verdict

I started this review by posing a question. Can a furniture brand brew great coffee? When the brewer is a French press, the answer is yes. This low-cost design is easy to use, easy to clean, and produces a delicious cup just to your taste. It can even be hacked to make a latte!

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If you want to enjoy an affordable cup of good coffee for a low price, you won’t be disappointed with the Upphetta. But if you want a stronger, portable, and more colourful French Press, skip Ikea’s coffee aisle and head to a coffee store.