by Nigel Ong
French presses are a popular way to brew coffee, and many coffee equipment makers have also created their own version of it. IKEA is not an exception to this and offers several French press models.
The IKEA Upphetta is the most affordable and possibly the best-selling of these French presses. However, how good is the IKEA Upphetta? Can it stand up against more premium makers such as Bodum?
In this post, I will review the IKEA Upphetta and share my experience using it regularly for the past two years. I also talk about what I like and don’t like about the French press. Finally, I try to determine who should get the IKEA Upphetta.
About The IKEA Upphetta
The Upphetta is the entry-level French press that IKEA offers. Aside from the Upphetta, there are also other French press models from IKEA, such as Egentlig or 365+ series.
The Upphetta is also part of the coffee gadgets that IKEA makes. I have extensively reviewed many of them, such as the Overst pour-over filter, Riklig pot, and Produkt milk frother.
The Upphetta comes in two sizes. The small size holds up to 400ml (about 13 fl oz), while the large size holds up to 1 liter (about 34 fl oz.) I have both with me, although I will be using the large Upphetta for the review:
When you break the French press down, you can break it down into four major parts. There are the glass jar, handle, plunger mechanism, and plastic feet.
Glass Jar
The glass jar is made from heat-resistant glass, as shown on IKEA’s website. IKEA does not claim that the glass is Borosilicate, unlike Bodum.
This means the glass may be heat resistant, but it may not perform the task as well as the glass jar from Bodum’s French Press. IKEA also does not claim that the glass jar is shatter resistant.Â
The glass jar has a flat bottom and is shaped like a beaker. The spout is small and does not protrude from the jar too much. This keeps the French press compact.
Handle
With the IKEA Upphetta, the handle mechanism is separate from the feet, unlike in Bodum Caffettiera. The handle is secured to the glass jar using a thin band of sheet metal. The sheet metal wraps around the glass jar with holes at both ends.
You then line up the holes on the end of the metal band with a plastic stopper, place the plastic handle on the top, and secure everything with a Phillips screwdriver.
This style may allow IKEA to save on materials and make the French press look cleaner. However, it can bite back in some other ways as well. More on this later.
Plunger Mechanism
The plunger mechanism consists of several major parts. You then connect them together to form a functioning plunger.
Lid: The lid sits in between the plunger knob and the rest of the plunging mechanism. Its main job is to close off the French press, allowing coffee to only leave the French press from the glass jar spout.
Plunger Knob: You use your fingers to hold onto the plunger knob to push the plunging mechanism down. In IKEA Upphetta, the plunger knob is flat and round.
Plunging Stick: The plunging stick connects the plunger knob and the rest of the plunging mechanism; it is a long, thin metal rod.
Bottom Plate: The bottom place allows the wire mesh and spring plate to stay together and apply even pressure as you press down. It is at the bottom of the plunging mechanism.
Wire Mesh: The wire mesh helps separate the coffee ground from the water and allows any liquid to pass through it. It sits between the bottom and the spring plate.
Spring Plate: The spring plate applies outward pressure on the wire mesh to ensure no coffee grounds can leak through the sidewalls of the glass jar. It consists of a plate with springs wound up around it.
Feet
The feet for IKEA Upphetta are made of polypropylene plastic, similar to the handle, lid, and plunger knob. The top part protrudes slightly, with flexible edges. You slide your glass jar into the edges to secure it to the feet.
At the bottom, you have a rounded, flat surface that extends out from the feet. This gives the Upphetta a stable base.
What Are The Pros Of IKEA Upphetta?
After using the IKEA Upphetta to brew coffee for over two years, there are some things I really enjoy about this French press.
Affordable
This is an affordable French press. It is cheaper by around 20-30% compared to the Bodum Caffettiera, a premium French press. This makes the Upphetta an excellent everyday French press.
I find myself treating it like a banger French press. I use it every day and am generally not too careful with it. I wasn’t too worried about it accidentally banging into something or picking up a scratch or two.
I think that since it’s cheap, if it breaks, I can always get a replacement without spending too much. This saves you the effort of caring for the French press every time you make coffee.
Stable, Wide Feet
Some French presses can be very well designed. They may look intricate and beautiful, but they may not be as stable. This may be more obvious if you are brewing a larger volume of coffee.
Not with the IKEA Upphetta. The plastic feet are wide and flat, ensuring the glass jar remains stable, even if I am brewing up to 1 liter of coffee. The feet are also detachable, in case I need to, usually during cleaning.
Good Spout Design
The Upphetta also has a simple, small, but good spout. Some spouts may look great, but they do not perform well when you pour, especially when the drink first comes out or when you tilt the French press back to stop the coffee flow.
Not with the IKEA Upphetta. Whether you are pouring or stopping, the spout works confidently. I have never had spills when I pour coffee using the French press.
What Are The Cons Of IKEA Upphetta?
The IKEA Upphetta is not perfect. There are still issues that I am not satisfied with. However, I have learned to live with the issues, especially since they are not major. However, check these issues out, and see if these are deal breakers for you.
Little Protection
Many French presses have protection bars or panels that extend from the feet and cover parts of the glass jar. This protects the glass jar in case you accidentally drop it.
With the IKEA Upphetta, however, there is none. If you accidentally knock on the glass jar with a strong force, you may end up with a broken French press.
If that happens, your only consolation is to tell yourself that it is cheap and you can always get a replacement.
Harder To Clean
My biggest issue with the IKEA Upphetta is the clearing process, especially the handle side. This is because you need to use a screwdriver to remove the handle from the glass jar, which makes clearing a bit of a hassle.
You also may not want to just clean the jar with the handle on it, as over time, the inner surface of the sheet metal band may become rusty.
Compared to the Bodum Caffettiera French press, the IKEA Upphetta is more of a hassle to clean.
Lack Of Volume Markers
Like the Bodum Caffettiera, the IKEA Upphetta’s glass jar does not contain a volume market. This makes ensuring you are brewing your coffee with the right amount of water difficult.
You may be able to navigate around this issue by using spoons to measure coffee grinds and a regular cup that you already know the volume roughly beforehand. If you are really geeky about this, you can always use a scale and measure everything.
Less Convincing Plunger Knob
The plunger holder for the IKEA Upphetta may be well designed, but it’s a bit of discomfort to me.
This is because although the plunger knob has a large, rounded vertical surface, it has very little horizontal surface. This makes it hard to get a good grip on the knob with my fingers.
This means I need to put in more effort when plunging my IKEA Upphetta, compared to, say, on the Bodum Caffettiera. I think a rounded knob would serve the IKEA Upphetta much better.
General Deterioration Of Plunging Mechanism
One of the issues I notice about the IKEA Upphetta is the general deterioration of the plunging mechanism after some time. I refer especially to the spring plate and the wire mesh.
In the beginning, the press worked well and seemed to give me the confidence that it would prevent coffee grounds from leaking into the coffee drink.
However, over some time, I do start to notice more coffee grounds being trapped at the far edges of the wire mesh, which indicates deterioration of the plunging mechanism.
Perhaps the springs around the spring plate no longer provide the effect it used to. But then, it is not a major issue, just that I now have less confidence in the French Press.
Tips When Using IKEA Upphetta
After using the IKEA Upphetta for over two years, here are some tips I think may be useful for you, especially if you are going to pick up one for yourself:
Stick To a 12:1 Water To Coffee Ratio
I have found using a 12 to 1 water-to-coffee ratio works very well with French presses. For every gram of coffee ground, use 12 ml of water.
You may need to use a measurement tool to get this right but trust me, the coffee will come out tasting amazing with a French press.
Plunge Slowly
Unlike the Bodum Caffettiera, the IKEA Upphetta’s lid does not exactly protect against spills. It is an open gap.
If you plunge too quickly, you may build up a lot of pressure inside the French press and cause hot coffee to shoot out from the spout. The plunger knob is also not too comfortable to use, which makes plunging hard dangerous, too; your fingers may slip.
These can cause accidents, such as spills. If you are unlucky, you may even scald and burn yourself. Plunge slower to prevent these accidents.
Clean Glass Jar More Frequently
I notice that the IKEA Upphetta’s glass jar is becoming yellower over time. I suspect the yellowing may be from the coffee oil building up on the finer surfaces of the glass over time.
I used baking soda and a soft brush to scrub the inner surface of the glass jar before rinsing everything away. The glass jar should go back to looking brand new.
Have A Screwdriver And Toothbrush In Your Kitchen Drawer
Cleaning the glass jar of the IKEA Upphetta can be a bit of an issue, as the handle is secured to the glass jar using a sheet metal band.
To properly clean the glass jar, you must remove this metal band. This requires you to use a screwdriver with a Phillips head. Keeping one in your drawer will be handy so you can easily reach out to one when cleaning your IKEA Upphetta.
Who Is IKEA Upphetta French Press For?
I consider the IKEA Upphetta a good option for someone wanting to try French press coffee. The IKEA Upphetta is affordable yet of decent quality.
There are cheaper French presses, but these may be generic Chinese-made ones that don’t inspire much confidence. Get one, try out the French press coffee, and see how your drinking habit changes. Suppose you drink more French coffee, or you start complaining about the IKEA Upphetta. You can always upgrade to a better French press, such as the Bodum Caffettiera. If not, it is affordable enough. You can just keep it somewhere or give it to someone else.