Which is better way to have coffee - espresso from a small stovetop espresso pot or using a coffee press (aka French press)? I like the taste of the coffee from either, but there are pluses and minuses in each method. The espresso pot gives a strong flavorful cup of coffee with plenty of punch and a lot of fine grit (I like fine grit in my coffee). The downside is that you need to watch the pot as it heats on the stove, it probably uses more coffee than any other preparation method, and clean up is pretty messy (trying to knock those grounds out of the basket is hit-or-miss). There is also the steam pressure/safety valve factor -- how long can you use the pot before the valve pops or worse, doesn't pop when it should.

The french press is an easier method -- just add hot water and push the plunger a few minutes later. The flavor is also quite good, but you need a lot of coffee to reach the same punch as the espresso pot. You also have the ability to make less coffee (but why would you want to make less?) and it is somewhat easier to clean the pot. You are still dumping grounds somewhere, but they can be removed with a swish of water. If you grind your coffee too fine, the plunger can be hard to press and there is always the danger of breaking the glass carafe.

We also occasionally use a drip coffee maker for larger amounts. The coffee maker has a thermal carafe, which keeps the coffee hot without "cooking" it on an element. The problem with the drip is that flavor is off -- I don't know if it is the plastic parts used in the reservoir and heating element or the non-glass carafe, but the taste isn't quite to spec.

I know that there is trend to use smaller coffee makers with disposable "pods", but I consider these to be way too wasteful and gimmicky.

We will probably continue to use the press and occasionally make a pot of espresso.