French press replacement parts: beakers, filters, and what to order

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Almost every French press failure is one of four cheap parts: the glass beaker, the mesh filter screen, the cross plate or spring that holds the mesh flat, and the plunger rod knob. Bodum sells spare beakers and components directly through its spare parts shop, and for reference a whole new Chambord press with its three-piece metal filter and heat-resistant glass beaker runs $25.00 at Seattle Coffee Gear in 12, 34, and 51 ounce sizes. That $25 figure is the number to beat: if the parts you need cost more than a replacement press, buy the press.

What breaks, and what to order

Sizes are by volume, and the labels lie a little

French press sizes are quoted in cups by the maker and in ounces by everyone else, and a press cup is closer to 4 ounces than to 8, which is why the cup number on the box is always much larger than the number of mugs you get. Order beakers and filters by the ounce or litre figure printed on the base or the box, never by the cup number alone. If your press is an unlabelled supermarket model, measure the internal diameter of the beaker at the rim; filter screens are sold by diameter and a screen 2mm too small is the single most common cause of a gritty cup.

Our Bodum size chart has the cup to ounce conversions for the common models.

The mesh is a consumable, not a lifetime part

The fine mesh disc distorts. Every plunge presses it against the glass, and after a year or two of daily use the edge stops making full contact, which lets grounds slip past into the cup. People blame their grinder, coarsen the grind, and end up with weak, gritty coffee. Before you touch the grinder, unscrew the plunger assembly, lay the mesh on a flat surface, and look for a wavy edge or a dished centre.

Rebuild in the same order it came apart: rod, cross plate, mesh, spiral plate, nut, tightened firm but not gorilla tight. Ceramic or steel presses use the same stack. Full cleaning method is in how to clean a French press.

When to stop buying parts

Two rules. First, if the beaker and the filter assembly together cost more than a comparable new press, replace the press. Second, if the press is insulated stainless steel, parts are almost always worth it, because the shell is the expensive bit and the mesh is not. That is also the argument for double-filter designs such as the Espro, covered in the Espro review, where the filter cartridge is the wear item and the body outlives several of them.

Order the part, not a new press

Search by size and by press diameter. Bring the ounce figure from the base of your beaker with you.

Related reading

• Bodum French press sizes explained
• How to clean a French press
• The best French press picks
• Coffee gear guides hub

FAQ

Can you replace just the glass on a French press? Yes. Bodum sells spare beakers through its own spare parts shop, and generic beakers are sold by volume. Order by the ounce or litre figure on the base of the old beaker, not by the cup number.

Why is my French press suddenly gritty? Usually a distorted mesh screen that no longer touches the glass all the way round, not a grinder problem. Take the plunger apart and check the mesh for a wavy edge before you change your grind.

How often should the filter screen be replaced? There is no fixed interval. Replace it when the edge no longer sits flat against the beaker wall or when grit appears in the cup with a grind size that used to work.