How to Use French Press Pots: Seven Steps to Making Delectable Coffee

If you really want to make great coffee, you need to learn how to use French press pots or coffeemakers.  Why?... Once you use one of these press pots, you may never want to go back to your old coffeemaker! I warn you!

Being knowledgeable about how to use French press pots really helps you to use some fantastic types of coffee beans. It's flexible, easy to maintain, easy to use, and quite an attractive piece of kitchen equipment in its own right.

While there are many types, brands and models of French press available on the market, it's worth spending a little time and energy on selecting yours, as well as reading my tips on how to use a French press properly. Just make sure you have all your coffee supplies ready.

So let's get started on learning how to use French press pots. It's not particularly difficult but it requires some care.

Finding your first French press

There are many brands on the market right now, so it shouldn't be difficult to find a French press that is priced to your budget. Here are five tips on choosing a good model:

• Buy a French press that is well-made. I've broken quite a few, and found the cheaper presses (with thinner glass beakers) tend to break very easily, especially if they are knocked in the sink. Quite a frequent occurrence. Also, check for replacement beakers availability. Or buy a metal French press.
• Some French Presses claim to provide 8 cups (these cups are European sized demi-tasses) in some larger sizes. I rarely find this to be even close to what I consume. I usually pour a 10-12 fl.oz drink each morning, and that's most of a smaller 4 cup-press pot. Choose an appropriate size for your regular use.
• Does the glass beaker fit well the metal frame in which rests? When you pour, make sure it doesn't come loose and spill hot coffee everywhere!
• Also, when you open the jug, make sure it sits properly on the table. You don't want it cobbling over. Some users have noted that some jugs aren't well-balanced because the four feet are mis-aligned.
• Does the plunger actually plunge properly? You'll be using this when there's hot coffee in the jug, so you won't want to use too much force... or accidents might happen.

Choosing Your Beans

Ideally, you'll want to use fresh beans that have been roasted within the past ten days.  Coffee beans that have been roasted a while ago will fail to deliver a pleasing cup, so check the roasting date.

Never use beans for a French press that have been roasted less than three days ago; the carbon gasses released by the bean after roasting must have a chance to rest before you grind them for a press pot.

One of the real advantages with knowing how to use French press pots is that you can pretty much use any kind of coffee bean, with any kind of roast. It's a very flexible way to make coffee, so let's go on.

Grinding Away: Larger is Better

Use a good quality burr coffee grinder to get larger, uniform grounds (medium ground).  The larger the coffee grounds, the easier it is to press down the plunger. If you over grind the beans, you will find that the infusion suffers and you will see residue in your final cup.

Never use Boiling Water

Before you grind the beans, start heating your water.  When it just begins to boil, start your grinding.  This way the water will cool off to just the right temperature by the time the coffee beans are ground.  The water should be between 190-205 Fahrenheit.

Your goal is to infuse the coffee into the water, not to parboil the coffee grounds. If the water is boiling, it will simply cook the coffee and destroy the delicate flavors you are trying to capture. In fact, this tip really is quite useful for many forms of coffee, including instant coffee!

Warm the French Press

It is a good idea to take off the lid, plunger and filter from your French press while the water is heating.  Fill it with hot water from the tap to warm up the press and help keep your coffee hot.  Pour it out before you add your ground coffee.  

Learn How to Use French Press Pots for Great Coffee

Now spoon the coffee ground into the bottom of the press and slowly pour the hot water over them.  You can stir it once or twice to encourage the grounds to absorb the hot water and sink to the bottom instead of floating on top. 

Set the lid unit

Replace the filter, plunger and lid and let the coffee steep for about three minutes.  The plunger should be in the unused position, ie. it should be fully extended upwards. Do NOT be tempted at this stage to press the plunger because you must wait for a few minutes for the coffee to brew properly.

Wait, wait... wait.

I usually time it to between 3-5 minutes. The stronger you like your coffee, the longer it should steep. If you don't have a timer, perhaps it's the length of the morning weather report!

Press... CAREFULLY

I usually light stir the coffee at this point. Then hold the lid with one hand, slowly press down the plunger.  Be sure that you keep the rod straight and apply gentle but steady pressure. 

If you use too much force it's possible that you'll be burned by hot coffee shooting out of the press or you crack the class with the force, and coffee/glass spews everywhere.  Once the plunger is depressed all the way, let the coffee settle for a few seconds then pour into your waiting cup or mug.

Of course, there are some ways that you have to know how not how to use French press pots. For example, don't force the plunger all the way down, either. The bottom of the glass contains coffee grounds that will have swelled in size during the infusion. So you won't be able to get the plunger down more than 90% of the way. Don't even try.

That's it. It's really quite easy to find out how to use French press pots.

Serve ALL the coffee

You should probably dispense as much of the coffee as you can first time, because the glass doesn't really keep the coffee that warm, and the coffee may still continue to brew in the grounds in the bottom.

Use a thermal flask to keep the remaining coffee hot until needed. Never leave coffee sitting in the press or try to keep it warm; a French press is meant to brew coffee that is consumed immediately after brewing. 

How to use French press pots: Cleaning is VERY important

A French presses should be thoroughly cleaned after each use so that oils don't build up on the glass. You can clean a freshly used jug with cold running water and perhaps a wine glass sponge. Clean it gently. Dry it and put it away immediately to prevent mishaps.

Multi-purpose Jugs!

The French press is a multi-purpose device and can be used to make a variety of other drinks, too. So, think iced-tea in summer. Green tea infuses well, too. It's a generally good piece of equipment for modern kitchens.

While these days you can get French presses in all sorts of colors and types of materials, I quite like the traditional glass beaker with gold-plated metal frames. It really looks attractive on your counter top!

There are also other ways you can explore if you really love the simplicity of how to use French press pots. Try making iced coffee in it, try adjusting the amounts, add flavors, syrups, too, if you dare. It's a coffee making method that's extremely simple, flexible, and convenient!

The concept of the French press was around in the 19th century but no one had the means to make a mesh filter that fitted tightly enough to prevent leakage of the coffee grounds. 

In fact, it wasn't until the 1930's when a stainless steel filter and metal body press pot was introduced by Melior that French press pots really took off. So now that you know how to use French press pots, you can get one of your own French press pots and start enjoying the best way of brewing coffee! And why not tell your friends and family how to use French press pots to make great tasting coffee. Better still, let them find out by making them a cup!

And finally...

Wherever you are, remember "Only Coffee Beans Make Great Coffee"! And enjoy that cup of coffee!

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