How to make French press coffee

The French press (also called a cafetiere, press pot, or coffee plunger) was patented in 1929. It's an immersion brewer: the coffee grounds sit in the water for the entire brew, fully steeping like tea. A metal mesh filter is then pressed down to separate the grounds.

Done right, the result is a full-bodied, richly flavored cup heavier than pour over coffee. Done wrong, it's muddy and bitter with grit at the bottom of your mug. The difference comes down to four small things.

What you need

• French press (any size; 32oz / 1L is standard for 2 to 4 cups)
• 30g of coffee per 500g of water, coarsely ground
• Water at 95°C
• Timer
• Scale (tablespoon measurements are imprecise)

The recipe

• Coffee: 30g
• Grind: coarse
• Water: 500g at 95°C
• Steep time: 4:00
• Ratio: 1:16

The four things that fix bad French press

1. Grind coarse, not fine

This is the single biggest mistake. French press wants a grind like rough breadcrumbs or coarse sea salt, much coarser than drip coffee, much coarser than what a supermarket grinder typically produces. Fine grounds escape through the mesh filter and become sludge in your cup.

2. Use a real ratio

1:16. That's 1 gram of coffee per 16 grams of water. For a 2-cup French press: 30g coffee, 500g water. Most people use far less coffee, producing a weak, sour cup.

3. Time it

Four minutes. Not five. Not three. Four. Steeping longer makes the coffee bitter. Steeping shorter leaves it underdeveloped.

4. Don't push the plunger all the way down

After the 4-minute steep, gently press the plunger to just below the surface, enough to push grounds to the bottom but not crushing them. Then pour. Pressing fully agitates the grounds and pushes more silt through the filter.

Step by step

1. Boil water. Let it sit 30 seconds.
2. Weigh 30g coffee into the French press. Tare scale.
3. Pour 500g of water onto the coffee. Watch the bloom for about 30 seconds.
4. At 0:30, stir the crust gently with a spoon to break it up and ensure even saturation.
5. Place the lid on with the plunger pulled up. Wait until 4:00.
6. Press the plunger gently to just below the surface.
7. Pour immediately into your mug. Don't let it sit in the press; it'll keep extracting and get bitter.

What French press is great at

Body and richness. Because there's no paper filter, oils and microfines stay in the cup, producing a thicker, more textured drink. It's a good method for medium-to-dark roasts: chocolatey Brazilians, nutty Costa Ricans, full-bodied Sumatrans.

It's also a generous method. Even mediocre beans taste decent in a French press. This is also why specialty roasters generally don't recommend it for light roasts: the body overwhelms the delicate notes.

The one upgrade worth considering

If you love French press but want less silt, look at the Espro Press. It uses a double micro-filter that's nearly as fine as paper. Costs $80 to $100. Not necessary if you follow the coarse grind rule; many people prefer the unfiltered texture regardless.

What to do with the grounds

Compost them. Coffee grounds are nitrogen-rich and good for garden compost. If you don't compost, they're a serviceable garbage disposal cleaner.