January 19th, 2021Today in this article, Sourcing Nova will introduce to you to French press coffee makers in China’s manufacturing industry. Our plans are to introduce the main production areas of French press coffee makers in China, and how the products of different manufacturers will affect you, the buyer. Other manufacturers and distributors will not take the initiative to tell you these secrets. Most people will only tell you some good things and hide some not good things. If you are looking for a Chinese manufacturer of French press coffee makers – the good and the bad – certainly keep reading. We want you to be a well informed buyer of quality products.
Origin
In China, the manufacturers of stainless steel French press coffee makers are mainly concentrated in Zhongshan, Jieyang and Jiangmen in Guangdong Province and in Yongkang, Zhejiang Province. These two provinces are the the main production areas for stainless steel kitchenware and common kitchen utensils in China.
Intellectual property
Most of the French press coffee makers available on the Internet are modeled after the designs of major brands. If you want to sell on Amazon, we suggest you make some minor changes to avoid complaints and copyright violations. In theory, any style of French press can be manufactured in China with high quality standards and good prices. As long as you provide samples or even pictures, Chinese manufacturers can produce almost any product to those specifications. Drawings, if you have them, are always preferred and better for the manufacturers.
There are some French press coffee makers with very obvious brand logos. If you want one or two for personal use or a gift, it is not likely there will be any issues. It is when you buy in bulk for resale you are more likely to encounter legal trouble because of copyright violations.
Metal makeup and composition
Although many cheap stainless steel French presses are also made of stainless steel, many manufacturers will not tell you whether the steel is food grade 304 stainless steel. This is a common tactic within the industry – omitting or minimizing valuable information for the customer as a money saving act.
A good stainless steel French press uses SUS 304, which is the Japanese food grade standard. In the U.S., this is 18/8 grade stainless steel – the most frequently used in kitchenware and food grade equipment. The 18 and 8 represent the amounts of chromium (18) and nickel (8) in the iron – giving the steel both shine and corrosion resistance.
Best Cheap French Press
Accessory materials
Most French press coffee makers containing plastic are made of food-grade PP and food-grade silica gel. Sourcing Nova stands behind recommendations of glass and stainless steel – these materials are safer and are guaranteed BPA-free.
Certification
Very few manufacturers of most products in China provide certification. Some provide 3C certification, but complete certifications include ISO 9001, BSCI, FDA, LFGB in Germany, 3C quality certification in China and appearance patent certification.
Sourcing Nova insists on taking goods from factories with FDA and LFGB certification. We believe protecting the safety of customers is our bottom line.
Enterprise size
Most of the companies that provide French press coffee makers for retail and wholesale are made from small and medium-sized enterprises, and some are even workshop-style. Small and medium-sized factories have relatively simple production equipment and are willing to provide small batch production. Most of their production environments are like this:
Finding manufacturers in China that produce French presses with OEM is a rare find unless you are a large importer or huge corporation like Walmart. If you need to obtain top quality and create your own brand, then we suggest that you look into contacting these larger production manufacturers for your needs.
Material diversity
Most of the French presses with relatively stable quality are made of metal or glass. In our industry, we call these basic or classic. Due to the large volume of production, the factories are experienced and skilled and all links in the supply chain are well-established. This means there is little chance of problems. Some of the more complex French presses involve many links in the supply chain. If the manufacturer has insufficient experience with these makes and models, you can reasonably expect some uncontrollable quality stability. We do not recommend that you source or sell such products.
Here is an example of what we mean: This is a French press with a wooden lid. The wooden lid is painted in order to prevent mold, which brings potential food contact safety risks. Few suppliers ensure FDA or LFGB certification for this small accessory. Besides, this particular unit is not dishwasher safe – something many who are looking for a French press want.
Glass
Inexpensive glass French presses use ordinary glass. This glass will break when dropped on the ground and will crack when exposed to thermal shock – a sudden and intensive change in temperatures. Some glass even contains lead, an element proven to be dangerous to people and banned in many countries. A quality French press uses high strength borosilicate glass, which is food-grade safety glass, lead-free, non-toxic and odor-free. This glass is specifically designed not to burst in the case of large temperature differences and changes from -4 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to 120 degrees Celsius).
Filter components
Inexpensive French presses will not tell you the specific makeup of the metal filter. It may or may not be food grade; these filters are simple and often allow coffee particles to pass through the screen, resulting in poor tasting coffee.
A good French press uses SUS304 stainless steel as the filter, spring and plunger. These presses easily pass the testing and certification standards of various countries, and you can sell these models with confidence. Better models use ring of stainless steel wire loop on the filter screen, which can hold down the filter screen when making coffee, effectively isolating coffee grounds. Some French presses will go through up to 200 filter pressure tests, while ensuring the extraction of the flavonoids and oils from the ground beans. These extra steps bring the French press user a better experience and you a more satisfied customer.
Some French presses use a filter and a sealing ring. Although these can filter coffee grounds better, they are designed separately from the remainder of the press. This means these are not compatible with other French press models.
Handle
Some cheap French presses have very slender handles and feel uncomfortable to hold in your hands. These handles transfer heat efficiently, and they are poorly built. It is common for these handles to fall off and break after using them for a while.
A good French press has an ergonomic handle, durable material and prevents accidental scalding.
Insulation performance
Most stainless steel pressure pots are double-layered, so these hold the coffee’s temperature at a high level longer. Cheap glass presses are single-layered, and these lose heat much more rapidly than a stainless steel model.
There are also some double-layer glass French press pots on the market. These simply two carafes put together, with an inner and outer portion of the carafe. In addition, these French presses are the equivalent of two separate units, which means extra cleaning.
If you plan to enjoy French press coffee beyond one or two cups, Sourcing Nova suggests a double stainless steel insulated model for daily needs and resale. If you prefer the appearance of glass, then we suggest single-layer glass.
Convenience of cleaning
Some French presses are difficult clean because of their complicated design, multiple parts and small crevices. We recommend that you do not buy a model like the photo below. The carafe has a metal shell with intricated design patterns. Although this model can be put in the dishwasher, it is still difficult to clean because of the design on the carafe.
Why French press coffee is not the best for everyone
The aroma, the method of brewing and the taste are all reasons so many love to use a French press to make coffee, but sadly, there are some drawbacks to French coffee that make it undrinkable for some people. There are two culprits at work to blame.
Cafestol and kahweol
These are two different compounds that are found naturally in the coffee bean along with thousands of compounds. It is these compounds that give each coffee its unique flavor and aroma.
The two different chemicals are diterpenes and have been shown to increase the bad cholesterol in the body. Paper filters take out much of these two chemicals, but the metal filter of the French press does not.
Final Thoughts
We have shared some with you, and now it is your turn to share with us. Do you have any secrets that we did not touch on about a French press?
Let us know in a comment below.
