How To Make Coffee In A French Press

There are countless methods of preparing coffee out there, but one that many coffee drinkers aren’t familiar with is the French press. Nonetheless, using a French press is quick and easy, and it produces a unique cup of coffee.

To make a cup of coffee in a French press: add medium-course grounds (slightly more course than used in a drip machine) to the press in a ratio of 1:15 coffee:water. For a 16oz mug of coffee, this is about 3 tablespoons of grounds. Use water that’s nearly boiling. Wait 2-3 minutes before pressing.

The French press brews the coffee by actually soaking the coffee grounds in the water, rather than just running the water through the grounds. This process gets more of the oils of the coffee grounds into the coffee, creating a fuller flavor. Let’s take a closer look at how this brewing method works so that you can give it a try yourself!

What Is a French Press and How Does It Work?

French Press Coffee

The French press (example on Amazon) is a device that can be used to make coffee through a process called immersion brewing.

This process actually immerses the coffee grounds into the water while the coffee is brewing, creating a fuller-bodied, more flavorful brew as opposed to the drip process, which simply runs the water through the coffee grounds.

A standard French press has two main components: the lid and the beaker. The lid includes a filter and a plunger that can be used to press the filter downwards, hence the name ‘French press.’

In order to make coffee in a French press, you simply add your desired amount of coffee grounds to the beaker, pour hot water on them, stir, and then put the lid on and wait. If the idea of solid coffee grounds in your coffee worries you, fear not.

After your coffee is done brewing, simply press the filter down with the plunger and the grounds will be trapped at the bottom of the beaker, separated from your delicious brew.

What Type of Coffee Is Best for a French Press?

As always, the type of coffee you use is up to personal preference, but generally it’s recommended that you use medium or dark roast coffee with a French press.

Darker roasts of coffee work well with the immersion brewing style of the french press since they have the stronger oils and flavor that you would want to get out of the process.

As for grind size, it’s recommended that you use a coarse grind. When brewing with a French press, finer grounds will lead to a stronger cup of coffee and heavily coarse grinds of coffee will lead to a weaker cup.

Finer grounds will also lead to overly-bitter cups as they will extract too much flavor into your brew. It’s important to find that nice middle ground between the two.

What Is the Coffee to Water Ratio for a French Press?

Once again, there’s no correct answer to how much water you should use since it will ultimately come down to personal preference. However, for beginners, it’s recommended that you start off with a 1:15 ratio of coffee to water.

This would be 15 grams of water for every 1 gram of coffee, or 1 cup of water for every 3 tablespoons of coffee.

As you use your French press, you should play around with this ratio a little bit based on what you desire from your coffee. If the 1:15 ratio coffee is too weak for you, then you should add more coffee. If it’s too strong, then you should add less coffee.

How Long Does French-Pressed Coffee Steep For?

Usually you want to leave your coffee to steep for about 3-4 minutes. This will give you a “standard” cup of coffee. If you want a weaker cup, you may want to press it a little earlier.

If you want a stronger, more bitter cup, you may want to leave it for a little longer. Ultimately, pretty much every aspect of making coffee in a French press depends on what you prefer.

How Many Cups of Coffee Can You Make in a French Press?

This question isn’t as straightforward as it may seem. French presses come in many different sizes, and for some reason the sizes don’t really align with your expectations. A normal coffee cup is going to be around 9 ounces, but many French press manufacturers consider 4 ounces to be a “cup.”

This means that you may find that your ‘3-cup French press’ only makes one cup of coffee and some change every time you use it. This may seem daunting, but don’t worry. We’ll handle the math for you.

Unless you’re trying to open up a French press cafe, you’ll likely only need a French press in one of these three sizes: 3 cups, 8 cups, and 12 cups.

A 3-cup French press is only going to make 1 full cup of coffee; an 8-cup french press is going to make 3 full cups, and a 12-cup French press is going to make 5 full cups.

What Are the Benefits of French-Pressed Coffee Over Other Methods?

French Press Coffee Pour on a Cold Winter Morning

If you’re new to the idea of the French press, you may not be familiar with how it compares to other popular coffee making methods. There are many things to consider when comparing methods, such as price, time required to brew, and, of course, flavor.

In this section, we’ll help you make an informed decision on whether or not the French press should be your coffee making method of choice.

French Press vs. Drip Coffee

The drip coffee maker is a staple in American culture and is perhaps the most common method of coffee brewing.

Drip coffee makers simply run the water through the coffee grounds, causing it to drip out into a pot below. If you’ve ever had coffee at a diner, chances are it was made in a drip coffee maker.

But how does this classic compare to a French press? Should you replace your drip coffee maker with a French press? Let’s consider several important factors to help with this decision.

Price

French presses and drip coffee makers are actually pretty similarly priced. You can get a decent French press for around $20.

With drip coffee makers, you’ll find some super deluxe models that are demanding around $200. However, you can also find cheap ones like this Mr. Coffee 5-cup mini brewer (on Amazon) for about $20.

Time Required

In this category, the drip coffee maker takes the prize. A standard cup of joe from a French press is going to need to steep for around 3-4 minutes. A drip coffee maker is going to take around 5 minutes.

However, in order to use a French press, you first have to boil water to pour over your coffee grounds. This is going to add a good few minutes to the process. A drip coffee maker boils the water for you. So, if your goal is the fastest cup of coffee, you’ll probably want to go for a drip maker over the French press.

Another big factor is that a drip coffee maker is going to keep your coffee hot for however long you leave it on. This can, however, lead to your coffee tasting burnt after a while.

Flavor

For many coffee lovers, this is the most important point of comparison, and the French press absolutely takes the cake in this category. A French press simply gives you more control over the brewing process with things like how long you choose to steep for. A drip maker is simply done brewing when it says it is.

Another important factor is that you’re going to get more of the beans’ oils into your coffee with a French press than you would with a drip maker.

This is due to the fact that the beans actually soak in the water. You really want these oils in your coffee, since they’re where your coffee’s flavor comes from.

The Verdict

When it comes to making coffee, a drip coffee maker is going to be a less time-consuming process with less personal input. You just turn on the machine, add water and coffee grounds, and then leave it alone until it’s done.

The fact that it also keeps your coffee hot may also sway some people. However, a French press is going to make a more flavorful cup of coffee.

There is no definitive answer on which one is better, but hopefully you’ve learned enough to make the decision for yourself.

French Press vs. Moka Pot

The moka pot is a coffee method popular with coffee enthusiasts. With the heat from your stove burners, it brews coffee using pressure to push the water up through the grinds to create a coffee that has an almost-creamy texture to it. Let’s see how it holds up to the French press.

Price

Once again, the average French press is going to go for around $20, and moka pots can be found for a similar price. For example, the Rainbean Moka Pot (on Amazon) is also around $20.

Time Required

In the great time debate between drip makers and the French press, the thing that put the drip maker on top was the fact that you didn’t have to boil your own water for the drip maker.

This time however, the moka pot also requires you to boil the water. This means that both methods will end up taking about the same amount of time.

Flavor

This is going to be the only real point of debate between the two methods. The moka pot is going to get you a coffee much more like an Italian espresso rather than the standard cup of coffee you’d get from a French press. This aspect will be more desirable to some and less desirable to others.

The Verdict

Price and time required are relatively the same between the moka pot and the French press, so the only deciding factor is the flavor difference between the two.

If you like creamier coffee, you should probably go with the moka pot. If you like standard coffee, go with the French press.

French Press vs. Pod Coffee Maker

The coffee pod has taken the world by storm over the past couple of years, and although this debate may seem obvious to some, it’s still worth exploring for those who may be out of the loop on the current coffee climate.

Price

This one is absolutely going to the French press. A cheap pod coffee maker is going to run you around $30 as opposed to the $20 you’d spend on a French press.

That isn’t even including the fact that you’re going to need to buy coffee pods for your pod coffee maker. The French press is cheaper in every aspect.

Time Required

This is where the pod coffee maker takes the cake. You simply pour water into the coffee maker, put in a coffee pod, hit start, and you’ll have a piping hot cup of joe in around a minute. It takes little to no effort.

Flavor

A French press is capable of delivering a more flavorful cup of coffee than a pod coffee maker. It all comes down to the amount of control you have over the brewing process using a French press.

With a pod coffee maker, you’re going to get the same cup of coffee twice if you use the same type of pod twice. However, with a French press, you can turn the same coffee beans into several different tasting cups of coffee.

The Verdict

Pod coffee makers are great for people that see the process of making coffee as a chore. If you don’t really mind spending extra to save time, then the pod coffee maker may be for you.

However, if you find joy in experimenting with your brewing skills, or just desire a richer flavor, the French press is the way to go.

What Are the Best French Presses on the Market?

If you’ve been sold on the idea of the French press, but don’t know which one to get, this section is for you. For a good standard French press at a reasonable price, check out the Coffee Gator French Press for $40 (on Amazon).

The Coffee Gator is made of stainless steel, so your coffee will stay warm for a pretty good amount of time. The stainless steel also makes sure that if you drop it, it won’t shatter immediately.

If you’re willing to shell out more cash, the Fellow Clara French Press for $99 (on Amazon) is another great option. This one is extremely easy to use, including fill lines for both your coffee and your water (though you can still put in as much as you want).

The Fellow Clara French Press also vacuum seals when you put on the lid, allowing for some impressive heat retention during the brewing process. If you have the money to spend, this press is definitely recommended.

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