Parts of a French Press – Beaker, Plunger, Mesh Filter

All 9 parts on the diagram

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The whole press 5

Beaker A narrow glass or clear plastic cylinder. Some makers call it the carafe.
Handle Hold it firmly while pressing the knob down.
Lid The rod slides through it. On some presses it turns to open or close the spout.
Knob Pressing it lowers the plunger.
Spout Turn it away from you before pressing down.

The plunger 4

Plunger Knob, rod and filter together. Pushed down, it holds the grounds at the bottom.
Rod It joins the knob to the filter and slides through the lid.
Spring It seals the edge of the filter against the glass.
Mesh filter Lets the coffee through and keeps the grounds back. A fine steel or nylon mesh.

How this list was compiled: Every name checked on 2026-09-30, a name kept only where two independent sources use it: Wikipedia, text only, French press, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_press (beaker, lid, plunger, mesh filter, the rod the screen is fitted to, the spring that seals the filter); a press maker's instructions for use, full text at https://archive.org/details/manualsbase-id-65599 (plunger unit, knob, lid, pour spout, glass beaker, handle, filter); and a second maker's manual, https://archive.org/details/agaro-french-press-cofee-maker (plunger, knob, lid, spout, handle, glass carafe, rod, spring filter, screen filters). Hints and detail lines are in our own words. Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site on 2026-09-30 from plain geometry; no maker's press, nothing traced. Licence: own work

How it works

A French press is a glass beaker with a plunger that slides down inside it. The first drawing names the outside; the second pulls the plunger apart.

Read the full guide

Putting the plunger back together

The knob sits on top of the rod, and the rod slides through the lid. At the bottom of the rod go the spring, then the mesh filter under it. The spring's coiled edge presses against the glass, so grounds cannot slip past the side of the filter. The whole unit, knob to filter, is the plunger.

Plunger is the name for the whole moving unit, so its ring sits on the bracket beside it.

Questions and answers

What are the parts of a French press called?

The glass beaker, the lid, and the plunger, which is a knob, a rod and a mesh filter with a spring round its edge. Outside there is a handle and a pour spout.

What is the glass part of a French press called?

The beaker: a narrow cylinder, usually of glass or clear plastic. Some makers call it the carafe.

What does the spring on a French press filter do?

It seals the edge of the filter. Its coil presses against the inside of the beaker, so the grounds stay under the filter when the plunger goes down.

How does a French press work?

Coarse ground coffee steeps in hot water in the beaker. Pressing the knob lowers the plunger, and the mesh filter holds the grounds at the bottom while the coffee is poured.