How To Use A French Press Coffee Maker

I’m a big fan of single cup coffee brewers for home, but what about when you want coffee in a place where you can’t plug anything in? French press coffee makers give you an affordable, easy way to make a few cups of coffee anywhere you can boil water.

They’re great for camping trips, travel and also for making coffee at a workplace that doesn’t provide it (or provides coffee you don’t like). And you might find you love the taste of how they brew coffee.

What’s a French Press Anyway?

Also known as a cafetiÃ¨re or press pot, this classic type of coffee maker consists of a glass or metal container, a plunger, and a filter. Unlike automatic coffee makers that rely on drip methods, the French press immerses coffee grounds in hot water, allowing for a full-bodied flavor that many coffee drinkers swear by.

The immersion keeps the oils from the beans in, whereas the drip method filters them out. That gives you a more robust and flavorful cup of coffee.

Plus, with a French press, you never need to buy paper filters again. And you can use them to brew tea and anything else you want.

Step-by-Step Guide to Brewing with a French Press

It looks like a lot of steps, but once you get the hang of it, it’s really simple.

Grind Your Beans: Start with fresh, whole coffee beans and grind them to a coarse consistency””think sea salt or coarse pepper. This gives you the best flavor.
Measure Your Coffee: A good rule of thumb is to use 2 tablespoons (about 10 grams) of ground coffee for every 6 ounces (180 ml) of water. Feel free to adjust this based on how strong you like your coffee.
Heat the Water: Bring fresh, cold water to a boil and then let it cool for 30 seconds. If you have a thermometer, aim for a temperature between 195 °F and 205 °F (91 °C and 96 °C).
Remove the Plunger: Take it completely out to make the next steps easier
Add the Coffee Grounds: Pour the ground coffee into the French press carafe. Give it a gentle shake to level the grounds for even brewing.
Pour in the Water: Slowly pour the hot water over the coffee grounds, ensuring all of them are wet. Leave about an inch of space at the top of the carafe.
Stir and Steep: Stir the grounds gently with a non-metal spoon so they’re all submerged (they’ll float at the top, but all the grounds should be wet). Metal spoons can damage the carafe, so use a wooden one. Then set a timer for 4 to 5 minutes.
Break the Crust: After about a minute, you’ll notice the grounds floating up to the top of the water to form a “crust.” Break it up gently with your wooden spoon.
Replace the Lid: Put the lid back on with the plunger apparatus in the “up” position, with the plunger pulled all the way up and the filter and everything else near the top. Put this on top of the carafe to seal in the brew. If you didn’t fill the carafe completely because you’re making fewer cups, gently depress the plunger until it’s just above the water line.
Plunge: Once your timer goes off, slowly press down on the plunger to separate the grounds from the brewed coffee. Take your time””steady pressure is key.
Pour: Holding the top on the carafe with one hand (just to be sure it doesn’t fall off), pour the coffee out of the spout.

And you have fresh, hot, delicious coffee to drink! Plus check out how to put those used coffee grounds to work in your garden or in your beauty routine!

Once you’ve brewed a carafe, you should pour all the coffee immediately rather than let it sit in contact with the grounds in the carafe. If you’re not drinking it all immediately, transfer it to a thermos or similar container to drink later.

Tips for Brewing the Perfect Cup

To consistently brew great coffee with your French press, keep these tips in mind:

Use Fresh Beans: Freshly roasted beans make all the difference.
Adjust Grind Size: Don’t be afraid to experiment with grind sizes. A coarser grind may yield a lighter flavor, while a finer grind can create a stronger brew. Just don’t make it fine enough to clog up your machine.
Watch Your Water Temperature: Too hot water can make your coffee bitter, while too cool can lead to weak flavors. Stick to that sweet spot between 195 °F and 205 °F for best results.
Preheat Your French Press: Rinse your French press with hot water before brewing. This helps keep your coffee hot during the steeping process.
Stir Gently: When adding water, stir gently so all grounds are submerged without over-agitating them.
Experiment with Steep Time: The recommended steep time is just a guideline. Feel free to adjust it based on your taste preferences””try shorter or longer steep times until you find what you love.
Keep It Clean: Clean your French press thoroughly after each use. This prevents any residual flavors from lingering and keeps every brew fresh.

French presses are dishwasher safe, and each should come with the best instructions for cleaning that particular model, so be sure to consult your specific manual. For cleaning on the go, without a dishwasher:

Put a tiny bit of dishwashing liquid in the carafe
Fill the carafe with water and swish the soapy water around
Put the plunger on top and slowly depress it and pull it up several times to get the dishwater all through the filter
Remove the filter, which will most likely still smell coffee-ish at this point, which means it’s not clean. Take a sponge or stiff brush, dip it in the soapy water, and gently clean the filter. It shouldn’t take much – once it smells like metal or nothing at all, you’re done.
Empty and rinse the carafe.
Gently dry (or allow to dry) everything so nothing can mildew when you put the plunger apparatus back on.
Put the plunger back on.

Some models have glass carafes and some have plastic (polycarbonate). The glass ones obviously can break, so if you want one you can toss in a suitcase or backpack, I would recommend the polycarbonate models. The permanent filter should be the only part you ever need to replace.