You’ve mastered your French press and got your pour-over game down. Now yo...
French press pots(or cafetiere) are among the most popular type of coffee makers in the world. They’re one of the first ‘gourmet’ type pots that most people find. You’ll find them for sale at Starbucks and many specialty coffee shops, as well as online and in department stores. A French press is a simple enough device. It consists of a narrow glass carafe with a metal plunger. Making coffee in a French press is simply a matter of pouring nearly boiling water into the carafe along with ground coffee. After it has brewed in the pot for three minutes to extract the flavor of the beans, you push the plunger down to the bottom of the pot, and pour off the brew. The coffee made with a French press is rich and flavorful, many experts say, because none of the essential oils are trapped in the filter.
As simple as the process sounds, there are a few tricks and a few caveats to keep in mind when making coffee in a French press. Like any other method, there are ways to mess up and make horribly undrinkable coffee. Once you get the hang of this little ritual, though, you’ll be drinking the kind of coffee that has made the French press the choice of coffee lovers all over the world.
1. Start with a clean press.
Seriously. The oils that make coffee so wonderfully tasteful also cling to everything that it touches. Just rinsing your French press out with water after you use it isn’t enough. You really do have to wash it with soap and water to get make sure that today’s coffee remnants won’t spoil tomorrow’s coffee.
2. Put water in the pot to boil.
Just as the bubbles start coming to the top, turn off the heat beneath it. If you’re really finicky or just want to learn to get the timing right, you can use a candy thermometer to find when the water is at just about 195 degrees. That’s the optimal temperature for extracting the most flavor from your coffee beans, no matter what method of coffee brewing you use. You’re going to let it come down from the boil for just about 1 minute. Which is just long enough to…
3. Grind your coffee and dump it in the bottom of the French press.
Use a burr grinder and set it to deliver a coarse grind. The coffee should actually be a little more coarse than you’d use for a drip coffee pot. Anything finer than that will poke through your filter and end up in your coffee. Use enough coffee!! To get the best flavor, you should start with a full, rounded tablespoon of ground coffee for each 4 ounces of water. Adjust up or down for stronger or weaker coffee.
4. Pour the water into the French press and put the cover on.
Don’t press the plunger yet. Let the coffee steep in the hot water for one minute.
5. Remove the lid
Using a NON-METAL spoon, stir the water and coffee grounds slowly to get the coffee swirling through the water.
6. Replace the lid on the French press and wait for two more minutes.
7. Take a deep breath and get ready to press the plunger.
You really do need to take the deep breath. It will remind you to take your time with this part of the process. It’s tempting to force the plunger down, but that way lies lousy coffee. Instead, press the plunger down slo-o-o-wly, with even, steady pressure until you’ve pushed all the grounds to the bottom of the pot.
8. Pour the coffee immediately.
Do not let the coffee sit in the French press for a second cup. Do not wait a few minutes before pouring your coffee. As long as the beans and water are in contact, the coffee will keep brewing and you’ll end up with bitter coffee. If you’re not going to drink all the coffee at once, pour the remainder into a vacuum pot to stay hot till you’re ready for it.
Some posts on our site may contain amazon affiliate links. We may earn affiliate commission from amazon when you purchase through those links.
Mike Smith says
Very useful.
Lin burchett says
I make French press coffee all the time and I don’t use coarsely ground coffee I use find green because I grind the beans myself and it is delicious
Carla says
You can also use your french press to make a Toddy (low acid, high caffeine, cold brewed coffee).
First, pour in cold, filtered water to press.
Add ground beans. (I use 1/2 cup of ground beans for 4 cups of water)
Tap the coffee down a little to wet it, but don’t stir it in.
Cover with press lid, but don’t push it down.
Wait 12 to 24 hours, then push down to separate grinds.
Try 1 part cold coffee concentrate to 2 parts water or milk to start, and adjust from there. Very smooth! Warning: because the beans are soaking in the water for so long, there is a LOT of caffeine!
Carl May says
There are some fundamental errors on this advice on making French Press coffee.
1) The press itself should be pre-heated: filled with the hottest water and emptied just after grinding your whole beans, then the grounds are poured into the press, followed as soon as possible with water from the kettle.
2) Water from the kettle should be monitored with a probe thermometer (much easier to use than a candy type), and the temperature should be at about 206-8 degrees then pour into the press. The air hitting the water will cool the temp. to about 204-205 degrees F. Make sure there are no gorunds ABOVE the plunger or you will get grounds in your brew…a common error.
3) You want the ENTIRE brew cycle to remain at between 195-205 degrees F because at that heat only then will all the flavors release from the gounds and into the hot water (this is per the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s well-tested advice..see the website).
4) The advice here is a 3 minute steep, but the standard is four minute steep before pouring, and some experts recommend waiting 1.5 minutes before stirring instead of one minute, others recommend stirring as soon as you pour, so experiment with steep-time and stir-time to find the best taste for YOU.
4) Press SLOWLY to avoid agitating the grounds and encouraging the inevitable “fines” to intermix with the brew (“fines” are tiny coffee particles that exist regardless of the quality of your burr grinder).
Nick says
The BIGGEST mistake so many newbies make is that they buy their french press then just go to the supermarket and buy a can or bag of ground coffee. It doesn’t work. That coffee is ground too fine. This is why you HAVE to grind the coffee yourself using a burr grinder. The burr grinder grinds the coffee COARSE for use in the french press.
I’m a barista at a coffee bar and I see this happen all the time. People will come in and say “how come it’s so hard for me to press the plunger down? It won’t move”
Megs says
2 cups of water (hot) to 3 level’ish’ tablespoons makes a wicked cup of french press coffee that most tastes approve. If I want a stronger cup I’ll add 4 T or let it brew a good 5 minutes. I use an imported Italian roast, add a dash of salt to course ground beans (because my Gramma says so) and if I want to get crazy… I dash some nutmeg and cinnamon… try it : )
Charles says
I have never tasted such smooth taste in a cup of coffee such as brewed in a french press.
Della says
Thanks, fellow coffee drinkers for tips and pointers.I’ve drank press coffee before but have never made my own. Just used my table-top stainless steel French press for the first time. Pretty good tasting coffee. Used Kona coffee beans,wonderful, full-bodied taste. But next time will heat the water more. I like HOT coffee!
Austin Miller says
Fanny, on first glance, it sounds like your grind may be too fine which precludes the liquid from passing easily through the grounds. If this doesn’t work, perhaps your screen is plugged. The screen (and pot) should be completely cleaned each and every time to mitigate bitterness.
fanny says
fellow french press addict here and I need some assistance. occasionally my plunger will simply not want to move. can’t seem to get to the common denominator. any help appreciated. thanks.
Cay Jazz says
A French press is a great way to make loose-leaf tea as well. Use the press instead of a teapot. Caution: best to use a separate press for tea as some flavored coffees can contaminate the plunger and your tea will wind up tasting like coffee. One thing that no one addresses is how much water the coffee grounds absorb. I haven’t figured it out or measured but if you put in 16oz of water, you will not have 16oz of coffee. Also, instructions say that when making iced tea, make a strong cup of tea and pour over ice. Usually they suggest putting the amount of tea you’d use for 2 cups in one cup of water and pouring over ice. French press coffee is so robust, you can just make it the way you normally would and pour over ice and it tastes great! On occasion, I’ve been sweetening my coffee with maple sugar and it is yummy! Have you noticed that the Caffeine buzz is way extreme! Love it!
I use a stainless steel press, I got sic of the glass ones breaking and clean-up is a snap. I have read not to wash the pot or plunger with soap and water, but just to rinse them with plain hot water. I did this and what an oily nasty mess! I find that washing the pot and plunger with soap and water and rinsing thoroughly is the way to go; there’s no soapy taste. Good to be able to talk about coffee.
Debi says
Greetings, coffee lovers! Thanks for the instructions. I had to look it up for a review since I have been doing the brew thing for years now for convenience and time limits. This is the best way to brew (French press) that is. Oh, Jason I do enjoy talking about coffee also. I’ve tried several brands and blends, and I always come back to “COLUMBIAN”. I get the beans and grind fresh. I have found that Eight O’Clock gas the absolute best flavor and aroma. A little sugar or stevia and half and half and mua! “Se Magnifique!”
Jason says
Hi all. It’s nice to find a place to talk about coffee. When I talk about it in my circles they give me a funny look. I get the old coffee is coffee. That’s what I deal with. Any way I am a Starbucks guy, but I’m looking for others for my press can you recommend your favorite brand.
Michael says
Hey Brenda, the water/bean ratio for a press isn’t the same as for a perc.
For a press: 1 rounded tablespoon per 4oz.
Electric Perc: 1 tbsp per 8oz.
You can adjust more or less for taste. I personally don’t round the scoops, I level them because I enjoy slightly weaker coffee. I just drink for the taste.
Brenda says
I am confused too. I do not want to sound like an idiot so…
The general rule is one tablespoon for 4 ounces of water but I measured and I would have to put like 6 tablespoons for the equivalent of 4 cups (in a regular coffee maker) and when I make coffee in a coffee maker for myself I use just one tablespoon for 4 cups of water… If I follow the correct instructions in my french press I would have to use a lot of coffee and my question is: would that taste right? Will it be too strong?
I do not know anymore… that’s why I stopped using my press cause I just couldn’t figure the coffee water ratio.
Okay, this morning I prepared my coffee in the press and used what I normally use for my coffee maker and the coffee was weak hahahaha. So I guess the process is not the same that is why you have to use that much coffee…
Mallee says
I’ve never really been a huge fan of coffee if it wasn’t from Starbucks or a coffee shop. After using a French Press, I’ll never go back to anything different! It’s so smooth and mmm, amazing!
Liam says
mm good coffee… if its too fine, nothing wrong with a little bean in your brew either, drink more, its good.
Rick says
Yes, but what is the ratio of coffee to water? How much coffee for 6 oz of water?
Liam says
Susan, I’ve also taken a liking to Kicking Horse Coffee. I’m on my third can of the ‘Three Sisters’ blend, thinking about branching out to another blend. Which one(s) would you recommend?
Susan says
MMMMMmmmm French press coffee really is lovely. I recommend you try (if you want some really nice roasts) Kicking Horse Coffee (roasted in Golden BC) – and OsoNegro (Black Bear) (roasted in Nelson BC) . . . I was in Nelson visiting my son a week ago and you could not find a bad cup of coffee anywhere! I’m sure you can find either on-line and I have seen Kicking Horse Coffee in Health Food Stores and some supermarkets. It’s pricey – but YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. If you try it – let me know how you like it.
Carolyn says
From what I’ve read on several sites, you don’t have a need to “press” down on the coffee grounds once they are in the bottom – you’re not trying to squish anything out of the. The press simply filters the grounds out of the coffee by “pressing” them to the bottom.
James says
Today is the first time that I have used a French Press and I am a little confused. I made a pot with approx 20 oz of water, however the plunger does not completely reach the bottom of my pot to put any pressure on the grinds– which is the whole idea behind a French Press. Can someone please tell me where I’m going wrong? If the plunger can’t reach the bottom, what is the point? I’d rather use a percolator. Am I missing something? If anyone has some advice please let me know.
Elizabeth says
Kevin, you’re probably just using too fine a ground. Fine grounds will just push their way through the metal mesh of the filter when you plunge it down. Also happens if you plunge too quickly.
Kevin says
I am definately a coffee geek. It’s been said that a press will produce the best tasting cup possible. So I bought one. Before using it I read the ‘How tos’ on a couple of different sights,and followed each step precisely. The final product tastes very good, but it has a foggy look to it, not clear which is what I identify with a good brew. Is that foggy look normal, or am i doing something wrong?
mother of 7 says
I told my grown children that extensive traveling would provide beneficial mental stimulus to my 62-year-old brain, and it has. This morning was my first encounter with a coffeemaker the likes of which I have never seen. After examining it, I decided to google “how to make coffee in…” and came across the words “French press”. AHA, my old brain thought. That must be it! So then I found “How to make Wonderful Coffee in a French Press”. WOW! I have to get one of these when we return home…it is the smoothest, most delicious coffee I have EVER had…in 40 years of coffee drinking. Thank You!!
roger trazoc says
I have tried to like coffee for years but could not. I bought a bodum French Press last week and I cant believe how wonderful the coffee is. I use Eight o Clock decaff and it tastes like coffee smells and very very smooth. No one who has tried it knew it was decaf.
Abel says
I wish I had been drinking press coffee earlier. This is far smoother than drip coffee. My wife got me a small bodum for the office, now I want a large one for home!
Bellus says
I’ve been using a press for several years and recently my son bought me a bodum “travel mug” press to use at work. I can now have great coffee at work!
Arnt says
I have just recently started using a french press for my coffee, and I got blown away. I am now addicted to my press and coffee that tastes good.
Penny says
Coffee has a smoother taste in a press.
vishnu says
so many types to make a coffee but one of the best press means french press.
Alison says
Is it the same process and coffee-to-water ratio for espresso in a french press?
VITO says
I dismantled electric coffee maker and the tubes that push water into the coffee pot had tons of bugs in it. I had to find a coffee maker that made me aware of what was in the coffee.
iago says
it’s like the warning on the plastic lids of to-go coffee cups– designed to help people that are probably too stupid to read it in the first place.
they don’t want you shattering your press, the glass can get fragile when heated. just be careful. speaking of heating the press, your coffee will be greatly improved if you preheat your press with a small amount of near-boiling water previous to adding the grind.
Kelvin says
I just got my first press. I thought it was the best coffee I have had. I do have a question though. I followed the method stated but used a metal spoon before I noticed it said not to. My question is why does it matter if you use a metal spoon when you put a metal plunger into the coffee anyway?