How to Use a French Press Pot

Learning how to use a French press takes only a few minutes, and the equipment list is short: the press, ground coffee, a spoon, a timer or clock, and hot water. Because the press works without electricity or paper filters, it packs easily for trips. Compared with drip coffee, the brew comes out with more depth and body.

Four things decide how the cup tastes. Freshness: coffee loses flavor the longer it is exposed to air, moisture, light and heat, so start with fresh coffee. Grind: the longer the coffee and water stay in contact, the coarser the grind should be. Espresso brews in about 18-22 seconds and needs a fine grind; a French press steeps for about 4 minutes and needs a coarse one, ideally ground just before brewing in a grinder that gives consistent results.

Water: brewed coffee is about 98% water, so use clean, filtered water, heated to just short of boiling, about 195 to 205°F. Proportion: aim for about 1 part coffee to 15 parts water by weight. Without a scale, that is 1 1/2 tablespoons of coarsely ground coffee per 4 ounces of water, so a 4-cup press filled with 2 cups (16 ounces) of water takes 6 tablespoons, about 32 grams.

French Press Coffee

Coarsely ground coffee steeped for 4 minutes in water just off the boil, at about 1 part coffee to 15 parts water by weight, then pressed slowly and poured right away.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Steeping time 4 minutes mins

Total Time 14 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings (about 7 ounces each)

Course: Beverage

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 6 tablespoons (about 32 grams) coarsely ground coffee
• 2 cups (16 ounces) filtered water, for a 4-cup (17-ounce) French press

Method

 

1. Heat the water in a kettle until it boils. Take it off the heat and let it stand for about 30 seconds, until it is just under boiling, 195 to 205°F.
2. Meanwhile, choose a level, dry surface where the press will not slip and stand the pot on it. Lift out the plunger and check that it is drawn fully up.
3. Measure the ground coffee into the empty pot.
4. Pour the hot water over the grounds with care, then stir with a chopstick or a wooden spoon until all of the grounds are wet.
5. Set the lid and plunger on top of the pot without pushing the plunger down. Time a 4-minute steep.
6. Steady the pot by its handle, take the plunger knob in the other hand, and push down slowly at a steady, even rate.
7. Pour all of the coffee right away in a slow, steady stream, holding the lid knob in place. Coffee left on the grounds keeps extracting and turns bitter, so move any that will not be drunk at once to a carafe or insulated jug.

Notes

Other press sizes: allow 1 1/2 tablespoons (about 8 grams) of coarsely ground coffee per 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of water, or with a scale, 1 gram of coffee for every 15 grams of water. Leave at least 1 inch of space below the rim.

For stronger or milder coffee, change the amount of coffee rather than the steeping time; steeping much longer than 4 minutes draws out bitterness.

Equipment: a French press pot, a kettle, a wooden spoon or chopstick, and a clock or timer.

Avoid metal utensils for stirring: a glass beaker can be scratched, chipped or broken by them.

Grinding whole beans fresh for each batch gives the best results. The grounds should look like coarse breadcrumbs; a fine grind slips through the mesh and makes muddy, bitter coffee.

Serve black, lightened with steamed milk or a splash of half-and-half, or sweetened with some flavored syrup.