How To Use a French Press

In the world of coffee brewing options, the french press has always seemed way too special and fancy for the likes of me. It seemed like a contraption that I couldn't seem to wrap my mind around, that is until I dug a little deeper and found out through some simple research that it is much easier than it looks! So here I am to share my new experience with all of you so that you can have the same love, joy, and happiness that I do- all within one little french press.

French Press History:

If you are looking for a richer and bolder coffee then the french press is your man- er, pot. You may be surprised to know that you can also get a fairly clean brew from it too if you learn how to use it well. The french press was actually around in the 1840s, but it didn't even become popular in stores until the early 1900s. After that, in the 1970s came fun colors in the plastic, metal, and glass varieties that led to some of the more classic looking french press pots that we know today.

So here we go!

  1. Start by heating your (high-quality, filtered) water to almost-boiling temperature for the amount of coffee you would like brewed.
  2. Grind your coffee. Ideally, you'll want coarse coffee grinds. And remember to use a quality grinder because that will directly affect the brew and the taste.
  3. Portion out your ground coffee to 1 - 2 rounded tablespoons per cup of water. Add the coffee as quickly as possible after grinding because the smell of aromas means that it's starting to go stale!
  4. Add your hot water steadily so that you can thoroughly saturate all the coffee grounds.
  5. Optional: you can stir the saturated grounds a few times if you want to aid in the brewing process.
  6. Put the lid with filter onto the pot and leave it there. Start your steep time - for a smaller pot steep 2-3 minutes, for a larger pot steep 4 minutes.
  7. After your steep time, begin plunging the filter (straight down so that no grounds can escape into the brew). Be sure not to plunge too fast, or else the hot coffee could spurt out.
  8. Voila! You did it! Now pour yourself your tasty java and remember to hold on to the lid as you pour so nothing slides around.
Final thoughts:

Make sure you wash your french press well at least once weekly so the grounds don't build up and affect your brew taste. And don't use too fine a grind, or you won't be able to plunge the filter without creating sediment. We here at The Coffee Bump recommend a medium grind that is best made in one of our fine coffee grinders that we carry. French press pots are for people who celebrate coffee, so pick the best coffee supplies to celebrate you... and your brew!

Please see our expert choices in Bodum French Presses for an amazing selection!