This popular immersion brewer was actually invented by an Italian, Attilo Calimani, in the 1930s. After World War II, they became popular in France and the rest is history. We recommend the classic Bodum Chambord French Press. The company has made this press their hallmark and for good reason. They’re built well and will last you forever if cared for properly.
To brew the very best coffee with a French Press you’ll want to purchase a scale. We sell them but if you’d like something else. we recommend either a Hario or an OXO. Still, a French Press will make better coffee than most coffee makers even using less-reliable volumetric measurements (which we will provide further down the page) as long as your water is hot enough.
Brewing Instructions
(makes 500ml or about 2 servings)
- Place your French Press on your scale.
- Bring a kettle of water to boil.
- Add 34 grams of medium ground coffee into the bottom of your French Press. It’s always best if you can grind these yourself — we recommend the Baratza Encore or Bodum Bistro. Many people recommend course ground coffee. We feel this advice needs to be updated. and recommend medium for optimal extraction.
- Pour 500ml of water slowly. Make sure you wet the grinds evenly as you pour.
- Wait for 4 minutes.
- Stir slowly for 15 seconds. If you want to be very picky, don’t move the coffee in a circle. Just move the stirrer left and right in the brewer.
- Press. Carefully press the plunger and take care not to disturb the grounds in the bottom of the vessel.
- Wait for 1 minute. Allow the coffee to settle. This will keep the small grinds out of your coffee.
- Pour and enjoy. Do not let the coffee sit in the vessel too long as it will continue to extract and can become bitter or silty. You can decant it into another container if you plan to let the coffee sit.
Variations
By weight
You can use similar directions to these with the following proportions:
- 17 grams — 250ml = 1 cup
- 50 grams — 750ml = 3 cups
- 65 grams — 1000ml = 4 cups
By volume
The problem with volume is that it’s not very predictable. Even if you carefully fill a tablespoon exactly the same way every day, it might be more packed with coffee depending on the size of the grind that you put in your scoop. That’s why brewing by weight can consistently make you a better cup of coffee. But, if you’re not looking to complicate things, try one rounded tablespoon of coarsely ground coffee for every 4 oz (148ml) of water that you brew.