How do I use a French Press to make coffee?

How do I use a French Press to make coffee? - Aromatic hot coffee being poured from French press into elegant glass with pile of coffee beans beside on black background

What are the steps to using a french press to making great tasting coffee? When I pour the hot water in, do I use the plunger immediately and then wait or do a I wait a few minutes first to brew and then use the plunger?



Best Answer

Buy whole bean coffee (preferably freshly roasted, maybe even from a local roaster).

Start with a rough grind. Use a burr grinder to achieve a more consistent grind. If the grinder has a french press or coarse setting use that, else experiment with it to find a consistency that produces coffee you like.

Take out your plunger and place 1 T of grounds per 4 oz (115 g) of coffee that you are making. Again you can experiment with the amount of coffee you put in to get something that suits you taste.

Use 4 oz of water per T of grounds that you put in the press. Fill your press with water no more than about 1" (25 mm) below the spout (if you have a smaller press you go a bit higher, but not too much or you'll spill). The water temp recommended is ~200°F (95°C) (just short of boiling. Stir gently, if you have a large pot use a chopstick. If you have a small pot a plastic spoon or coffee stirrer will work.

Put the plunger in the coffee and press down slightly so all of the grounds are below the water level, this will press out some of the air in the grounds and also ensure even wetting.

Wait ~4 minutes (again, experiment here to determine best flavour).

Press your pot slowly and gently. If you encounter too much resistance wait a moment (or even pull back on the press a bit) and then continue (too much resistance can indicate too fine a grind, try a larger grind next time).

When your plunger is all the way down wait a few moments and then pour. Waiting a bit allows some of the sediment to settle out of the coffee so you get less in your coffee cup. Some sediment is normal and provides body, but too much can be a turnoff. If you will not be drinking all of the coffee you made, decant it into a different pot so that it does not continue to steep in the grounds.

While there is some exact science here. A lot of what you do is informed by your own tastes and preferences. Experiment with it and see what you like. Spend some time deciding what kind of coffee, how long it steeps, how fine a grind you need and even how much sediment you like.




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How do I use a French Press to make coffee? - Coffee beans with glass and French press on black background
How do I use a French Press to make coffee? - Unrecognizable female cook pressing piece of dough on wooden board while cooking at table with whisk and rolling pin against blurred background
How do I use a French Press to make coffee? - Tattooed man preparing coffee with coffee machine



Quick Answer about "How do I use a French Press to make coffee?"

  • Add Coffee Grounds. Add the ground coffee to the French press and pour the hot water over the coffee. ...
  • Steep. Leave the coffee to brew for 4 minutes. ...
  • Strain. Carefully press the plunger down, pushing the coffee grounds to the bottom of the press.


  • How do you make a cup of coffee with a French Press?

    How to Use a French Press: Step-by-Step
  • Use water that is slightly cooler than boiling. ...
  • Grind your own coffee beans. ...
  • Use a coarse grind. ...
  • Use 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 1 cup of water. ...
  • Pour, stir, cover. ...
  • Steep for 4 minutes. ...
  • Press down on the plunger evenly and slowly. ...
  • Pour and enjoy!


  • How many scoops of coffee do you put in a French Press?

    You'll need one tablespoon of coffee for every 4 oz of water. If you have a 16 oz press pot, you'll want to use 4 tablespoons of coffee. Feel free to adjust this amount based on your own personal tastes. Make sure the pot is clean and dry.

    Do you put coffee or water first in French Press?

    Add Coffee Grounds and Hot WaterAdd the your coffee grounds to the preheated french press and then add the correct ratio of hot water afterward, all in one pour. Then you need to take your spoon and give your coffee a quick stir to ensure that all your coffee grounds are properly immersed in your water.

    Can you use regular ground coffee in a French Press?

    The humble French press has been a little overlooked. It's generally agreed that a French press is best used with coarsely ground coffee and water just under boiling temperature. Allow three to five minutes of immersion time, and you have a decent cup of coffee.



    How to make a French Press Coffee at Home




    Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Images: Georgi Petrov, Georgi Petrov, Katerina Holmes, Tim Douglas