YETI are renowned for their robust, high-quality outdoor products that impress with both their design and functionality. Whether it’s durable coolers, insulated drinkware, or waterproof backpacks, YETI products are usually trendy, practical, and often useful for more than just their intended purpose. For instance, we often use YETI coolers as seats, and the thermal mugs not only keep our coffee warm but also our beers cold. Whether repurposed or used as intended, the range offers useful products, now expanded with a caffeine booster: the YETI French Press, the RAMBLER Press Pot, designed to impress with its stylish design and double wall vacuum insulation. We already have a few questions: Why does an insulated French press have a hole in the lid? And why can’t it be closed? But more on that later.
This article is part of our Coffee Special, full of product tests, exciting insights and some valuable new perspectives on coffee. Curious? Then click here!
What can the YETI French Press do?
French presses have been around for a long time. Whether at home or on camping trips, glass presses are a kitchen staple. So, does the YETI offer anything special that a normal press doesn’t? The first thing that stands out is the € 125 price tag – about three times more than other vacuum-insulated presses. According to YETI, it’s the durability, heat retention, and the GroundsControl filter that make the difference. And the size: there are 2 versions: 34 oz (1 litre) and 64 oz (1.9 litres). With a capacity of 1 litre, our YETI RAMBLER Press Pot 34 oz produces enough coffee for four coffee drinkers to get their morning fix. If you need to brew coffee for an entire football team, you can opt for the 64 oz version, available for € 150. For those who choose their French press with the same care as their car, YETI offer five colour options. So, the YETI French Press is a real eye-catcher – and thanks to its price tag, a subtle status symbol that raises high expectations. Whether these are met remains to be seen.
No time to waste: grind fresh coffee, boil the kettle, and get started! The brewing process is as simple as with any other French press. While the plunger is a bit stiff to push down on the first use, it soon settles in and requires less effort to press. A great feature is the GroundsControl filter in the plunger. Above the mesh filter that pushes the coffee down is a full-coverage rubber seal, which effectively stops the brewing process once the plunger is pressed, down by largely separating the coffee grounds from the water. This should prevent the coffee from becoming bitter if you don’t drink it straight away. Very cool!
The high-quality filter of the YETI French Press is thoroughly impressive. It doesn’t let a single coffee ground through, ensuring a pure coffee experience without any chewy surprises – brilliant! With many other French presses, the filter often isn’t very effective, leaving you with coffee grounds between your teeth. The downside, however, is that the filter is a single piece and cannot be disassembled, making cleaning a bit more cumbersome.
Here’s the catch: The robust plastic lid of the press pot has a pouring spout – in addition to a tiny hole for pressure equalisation – that cannot be closed. This, of course, affects the insulation capabilities and portability of the French press. Although the coffee was still at 80 degrees Celsius after an hour, if you’re out for longer and want to enjoy hot coffee upon your return, you’ll be disappointed. We brewed coffee before our bike ride in the morning and poured out the rest when we wanted to drink it after lunch. Cold coffee? Not for us – we’re all about the hot stuff!
Whether you’re in a dry desert or on a bivouac tour in the Alps, if you’re on an adventure and want to toss the YETI French Press in your backpack without cleaning it first, you’ll need to be careful. As we discovered, the lid doesn’t close completely. Guess whose clothes got speckled with coffee stains? YETI has some room for improvement here.
YETI does offer an additional lid for € 12 that transforms your French Press into a fully insulated jug, but at this price point, we’d expect that to be included. A transformable or fully sealable press lid would be much better here – this is something that other insulated French presses manage to offer.
Another point of criticism: The plastic lid of the YETI French Press doesn’t click securely into place when you set it on the pot, leaving a somewhat unsatisfactory tactile feel. A reassuring “click” would be helpful to tell you the lid is firmly in place.
Do you need the YETI French Press?
No. While YETI has proven itself capable of creating some practical solutions and impressive product designs, unfortunately, the YETI French Press isn’t quite as thoroughly thought out. There are several points of criticism regarding its functionality and suitability for adventures. An insulated pot with an open lid – huh? This not only reduces heat retention, but also limits transportation options, whether it’s filled with coffee or just empty and unwashed. The additional YETI MagSlider lid could be a workaround, but who wants to carry around two lids? If you need a well-insulated French Press, you can already buy one that can be completely sealed – and for a fraction of the YETI’s price. However, if you want a robust and eye-catching French Press for home use and don’t need to keep coffee hot for several hours, the YETI French Press could be for you.
Would we buy the YETI Press Pot?
No. Even though we’re genuine YETI fans, and the design is certainly appealing, there are simply better insulated French presses available for a fraction of the price. Since the filter of this press is excellent, it would be great if YETI offered the plunger separately to convert other Rambler mugs into French presses – for example, turning the YETI RAMBLER 18 OZ bottle into a press pot in a flash!
Tops
- The filter prevents coffee grounds from getting into the coffee, and stops the brewing process
- Robust design
- Two size options
Flops
- Not well thought-out
- The lid cannot be sealed tightly, compromising heat retention and risking spillage
- The lid doesn’t click securely into place – inconsistent tactile feedback
- The filter cannot be disassembled
- High price
For more information, visit YETI.com
Words & Photos: Robin Schmitt, Robin Ulbrich
