Last Updated on January 27, 2023
Brewing coffee in the comfort of your own home can be an enjoyable ritual. One of the more popular ways to brew coffee is by using a French press, also called a “coffee press” or “cafetiere.” This process has been around since late 1800s and remains one of the most preferred methods for brewing delicious cups o’ joe.
There’s nothing complicated about this simple process: just add coarsely-ground beans with hot water from your kettle (or pot) into your French press, wait four minutes before pressing down on its plunger so that it compresses all those grounds against the filter – voila! You’re sipping some deliciously brewed java moments later.
Honestly, though, there are some little details that will help you brew the best cup of coffee with a press. And then you can proudly call yourself a coffee aficionado, coffee snob, or whatever title you choose to crown yourself with. Thus, these French press tips!
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- What Makes French Press Coffee Unique?
- How to Choose The French Press That Will Work Best For You
- 10 French Press Tips for Brewing Delicious Coffee
- Tip #1 Grind your beans just prior to brewing – coarse grind
- Tip #2 Pre-heat the French press
- Tip #3 Use filtered water & proper temperature
- Tip #4 Get the coffee to water ratio right
- Tip #5 Don't forget the bloom
- Tip #6 To stir or not to stir?
- Tip #7 Steep for 4 minutes, then plunge
- Tip #8 Put any leftover coffee in a carafe- don't leave it in the press
- Tip #9 Keep the French press clean
- Tip #10 Don't be afraid to experiment with ratios to find the perfect French press for you.
- Sum It Up
What Makes French Press Coffee Unique?
The French press utilizes a unique brewing process that keeps water and grounds in contact throughout the entire brewing time. Allowing for water and grounds to stay in contact for a longer period of time produces an intense brew that some coffee drinkers prefer.
The French press is a coffee brewing method for people who want rich tasting brew without the use of electricity or fancy equipment. It consists of 2 parts: The plunger/lid/filter, and the base with handle.
They look like this:
The Plunger with attached lid and filter, typically metal, is what gives French press coffee its rich, full flavor.
The filter allows coffee’s natural oils and tiny particles to pass through and into your cup. You’ll notice the oils floating on top, and the particles settle down into the bottom of your coffee cup. Most people discard this when they’re finished enjoying their java.
The plunger allows you to control when the grounds are separated from the brewed coffee, usually after 4 minutes of steep/immersion time.
The Base with a beaker-like shape includes a handle for ease of use, with the spout for drip-proof pouring.
As we’ll explain in a moment, this portion of the French press may be made from glass, plastic, metal, or even ceramic.
How to Choose The French Press That Will Work Best For You
Size
When purchasing a French press, first it is important to consider the size. The perfect size of the press depends on how many cups of coffee you want to brew at once.
Usually, a 4- to 8-cup standard press pot size will accommodate the average household’s morning coffee needs. Just be aware that a “cup” of coffee is much smaller than a standard mug. A traditional cup of French press coffee is generally between 4-5 oz., while a mug is anywhere from 12 to 20 oz. Or, you may prefer buying a large press that can produce 8 to 12 cups of coffee in a single batch.
If you only plan on brewing French press for yourself or with a friend, then a small press which is 3-4 cups in size, is the perfect option.
Materials
Once you have chosen the right size for your press, the next important to consider is the material as well as all of the pros and cons that come with each type.
Glass
Glass is aesthetically pleasing, feels good in your hand, and makes brewing coffee a visual experience. One major advantage to this type of coffee maker is the ability to maintain heat for long enough to brew a French press.
However, avoid a cheaply made glass French press coffee maker that is more likely to break. The best type to purchase is made with high-quality borosilicate and heatproof glass. This ensures that the carafe won’t easily shatter.
Stainless Steel
A stainless steel French press brewer will be a great choice because of its durability and heat retention. It does preserve temperature better than glass once it’s heated. An insulated or double-walled design stainless steel French press coffee maker will keep coffee warm longer than glass.
However, if you decide to use this type of press , you don’t get the visual experience of French press brewing, which to me is part of the enjoyment of the process. But it’s an individual decision. If you need the reliability of an unbreakable press to take on the road, or to the campsite, stainless steel makes perfect sense.
Ceramic
Cafetieres made of ceramic are an attractive and a logical alternative to stainless steel or glass. They offer both the warmth of stainless steel and the sturdiness of glass along with the advantages of their color options and styles. In addition, most ceramic presses are dishwasher, oven, microwave, and freezer safe so you can use it in a variety of ways.
The downside? You can’t watch your coffee brew out of a ceramic press pot. But if you opt for style and prettiness, it’s a great choice!
Plastic
A plastic French press can be used with any type of beverage and it is not as likely to break like a glass device. Although these are cheaper, they aren’t dishwasher safe. If you are concerned about drinking your coffee with plastic, choose a different material for your press.
But, if you plan to take your press to the campground, non breakable plastic make sense.
Now that you have chosen the perfect French press coffee maker that suits your needs, it is time to start brewing coffee with the help of the following French press tips!
10 French Press Tips for Brewing Delicious Coffee
Tip #1 Grind your beans just prior to brewing – coarse grind
Grinding coffee is best done right before brewing, which is another reason French press makes a great cup of coffee. Grinding should be coarse enough so the water can seep through it easily but not too fine that all the flavor is lost with extraction. So, it would be best to have a coarse grind, similar to sea salt.
If you’re grinding coffee, you want to grind it evenly for the most flavor extraction during brewing. So make sure to use a coffee grinder that can give you the right result. It’s best to only grind coffee in a coffee grinder. If you love to grind your own spices, etc, keep a separate grinder for that purpose.
With a burr grinder, you can precisely control the grind depending on how many settings are available and this leads to an even consistency with the size of the grind.
Tip #2 Pre-heat the French press
It is important to pre-heat your french press with hot water or pour some boiling water into the pot before adding coffee grounds. This ensures that you are getting an even temperature throughout and helps keep the brewing process quick due to less time needed for heating up.
Note: To get the best out of your press, preheat it and your coffee mug for about one minute before brewing. This will keep the coffee hotter longer and ensure that you’ll get a warmer cup.
Tip #3 Use filtered water & proper temperature
Since coffee is made up of 98% water, it is only natural that any impurities or unwanted flavors that are in your tap water will interfere with the final taste of your coffee.
In order to achieve the best-tasting coffee, you want to make sure your water is free from harsh chemicals and impurities. Filtered water will allow you to produce clear coffee that tastes better than if it came out of your tap.
Heat the water to between 195 and 206 degrees Fahrenheit for best results. If you have an electric kettle or gooseneck kettle that will heat to a specific temperature, that’s perfect.
Otherwise, heat your water in a pan on the stove until boiling, then remove from the heat and let it sit for 30 to 45 seconds. That will bring the water to the right temperature for the brew.
Tip #4 Get the coffee to water ratio right
There are a few ways to ensure that you have the right proportions of coffee and water. Use the rule of thumb: 2 tablespoons of coffee for every 6 ounces of water. If you want just a little bit more bold flavor, try adding an extra spoonful of ground coffee beans rather than reducing the amount of water used.
Tip #5 Don’t forget the bloom
One step you don’t want to skip when brewing coffee with a French press is called blooming.
When your heated water is ready to pour, add just enough water to cover the grounds in the press, then wait about 30 seconds to 45 seconds for the coffee to bloom. This process will release gases like carbon dioxide that are present in ground coffee beans which will produce a much better taste from the extraction when you add the rest of the hot water.
Trust me – those extra 45 seconds are well worth the result!
Tip #6 To stir or not to stir?
There is the debate of whether to stir or not, and it’s really up to you. What is the debate? Whether or not stirring the grounds actually improves the result and taste of the coffee. If you want to give the grounds a stir after adding the heated water, it will make sure that the grounds are distributed well.
The ‘magic’ actually happens with the chemical extraction, time, and temperature.
Note: If you prefer to stir, there are a couple of ways that work well. You can use a French press with an included stirring rod or use a wooden spoon.
Tip #7 Steep for 4 minutes, then plunge
The key to steeping a perfect French press coffee is the brew time. You should steep a French press coffee by allowing it to be fully immersed in the heated water for 4 minutes. This should be enough time to extract all of the flavor and oils out without leaving any bitterness.
It is important because it allows for the flavor to be soaked up and released through steeping. The cafetiere will also extract more of those tasty flavors from your grounds which can produce a richer tasting coffee than if you steeped for less time.
If you find that the taste of your brewed coffee is not to your liking, adjust accordingly. Most often, though, 4 minutes of steeping will work well, assuming that the water temperature is right and the coffee is ground coarse.
Tip #8 Put any leftover coffee in a carafe- don’t leave it in the press
Leaving residual coffee at the bottom of the press will make your next cup less flavourful. Plus, when using a coffee press, there are always some grounds left unextracted due to lack of pressure from the plunger. If they are left behind, they will eventually mix with your next pot of coffee.
If you want to keep it as clean or sanitary as possible and not leave any residual grounds in the French press, then transfer what’s left into a carafe immediately after brewing for serving when you’re ready.
Tip #9 Keep the French press clean
French presses are moderately easy to clean and should be cleaned shortly after use.
To fully clean the press pot of any coffee grounds, pour hot water over the top and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes before dumping out that water. You can then rinse with soap and hot water or use cleaning products like salt, baking soda, or vinegar to remove oils from coffee beans left behind in the pot.
If you want to get a coffee press that will last long without having to constantly worry about cleaning it, then one made of stainless steel is going to be your best choice. Cafetieres made from stainless steel are the best option because they won’t rust or leave behind any residual coffee grounds that will mix in with your next pot of french press coffee.
Tip #10 Don’t be afraid to experiment with ratios to find the perfect French press for you.
French press is a great tool to experiment with ratios of coffee grounds and water. Some people might not like the taste of their first French press brew because they don’t know what ratio works best for them, so it’s just trial and error until you find your perfect combo!
Sum It Up
So, now that you know a little more about how to choose the right French press for your needs and what makes a good cup of coffee, it’s time to get brewing. I hope these French Press tips have helped you decide on the perfect brew-making tool for your home. Now all you need is some delicious coffee beans!
Resources:
- https://www.wired.com/2009/09/st-coffee/
- https://coffee.stackexchange.com/questions/2730/how-long-should-i-stir-french-press-before-pressing
Candi Randolph is a coffee lover, blogger, and content creator who loves to share her knowledge with the coffee-drinking world. You’ll often find her tending to her coffee bar at home, deciding which method to use to brew her next cup of java. Life is full of important decisions. ☕
