French press from Villeroy & Boch

A French press, also known as a press pot, coffee press or coffee plunger, is a coffee pot in which coffee is brewed. The coffee grounds it creates are pushed down by the plunger with sieve that is attached in the French press lid. Unlike when preparing with a filter, this type of preparation preserves essential oils in the coffee, which makes the flavor more varied and intense than with traditional filter coffee. This is an immersion process and not a pour over.

In the following, you will learn how a French press is built and what the differences and similarities are between the different models. You can choose between classic models made of (safety) glass, metal or other materials, but they all share the general principle of a French press.

The method of preparation not only affects the taste of the finished coffee - which is much fuller from the French press thanks to the higher proportion of aromatic oils and - when brewed longer - tastes increasingly stronger to bitter. This is also why you should adhere to our step-by-step instructions as closely as possible, which we present to you in this article.

Then we will answer some frequently asked questions about the French press, present to you the advantages and disadvantages of these coffee makers in a clear form and finally will give you a little insight into the history of the French press.

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Where was the French press invented?

In fact it is not specifically known who invented the French press. The only thing that has been handed down and can be reliably assumed is that it was a Frenchman. In the early to mid 19th century, this person allegedly forgot to bring the coffee to a boil with the water, which was common practice at the time. The legend goes that he was too lazy to bring the water to a boil again and simply poured it over the ground coffee and then filtered the finished coffee with a sieve.

What is certain however is that the Italian designer Attilio Calimani was the first person to register a patent for the French press - before that he had technically continuously improved the principle.

How is a French press built?

Even though there are differences in the design and volume, a French press always consists of the same elements:

A coffee pot that usually consists of glass, whereby there are also models available that are made of stainless steel or other materials. Glass pots usually have a plastic or stainless steel handle, which makes it possible to safely grab the pot.

The lid, which is connected to a round plunger.

There is a coarse metal sieve on the plunger, which can be pressed down manually. This separates the coffee grounds from the finished coffee and it slows down the brewing process, even if it does not completely stop it.

Where was the French press invented?

How is a French press built?

Even though there are differences in the design and volume, a French press always consists of the same elements:

The lid, which is connected to a round plunger.

Different models

Even if the general structure of the coffee pots is similar, there is a large selection of different models and designs on the market. The traditional version made of glass and a plastic or stainless steel holder is aesthetically appealing, functional and well-suited for frequent and occasional drinkers as well as for guests. They are available in different sizes, for single households as well as for large families.

A coffee pot made of earthenware or ceramic is ideal for serving, but you can only see the coffee from above here. That is why you need to adhere to the brewing times exactly and transfer the finished coffee afterwards into a serving pot if necessary.

If you like to drink coffee, and a lot of coffee, a double-walled French press is a good alternative, since this keeps the prepared coffee hot longer. However, you should take into consideration here that the longer contact of ground coffee with the water will make the coffee stronger and more intense over time.

Different models

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Frequently asked questions about preparation

How long does the coffee need to brew in the French press?

The ideal brewing time is 4 minutes. You should interrupt the brewing process no later than at 4 minutes and transfer the finished coffee into a cup or, if it is a larger volume, into a coffee pot.

How much coffee do I need to put in the French press?

You should put 60 g to 65 g of medium-coarse ground coffee in the pot for one liter of coffee.

Where are the coffee grounds disposed of?

Coffee grounds are organic waste, so you can dispose of them on the compost pile or in organic waste. Large potted plants will also enjoy it if you enhance their soil with (cooled down) coffee grounds.

How many grams of coffee so I need for one cup?

How much ground coffee you need for one cup of finished coffee depends on the size of the cup. It is best to use 60 g to 65 g of coffee per liter of water as orientation. Then you can simply calculate the exact amount of ground coffee for your favorite cup.

Advantages and disadvantages of a French press

The French press is a modern, quick and reliable method for preparing flavorful coffee. That is also why more and more people are getting excited about preparing coffee in a coffee press.

If you are not sure whether a French press suits you, we have compiled the advantages and disadvantages of this coffee maker in clearly arranged key points:

Advantages:

• Easy to use - just add the ground coffee,
pour on water and wait briefly.
• Only requires hot water and works on its own without
electricity.
• No consumables such as coffee filters,
coffee capsules or similar, which reduces the operating
costs and protects the environment.
• Easy to clean - no cleaning agent or
aggressive descaler needed - warm
clean water is sufficient.

Disadvantages:

• The metal filter sieve is coarser than, for example,
a coffee filter. This means that residual ground coffee
may make its way into the finished coffee.
• Ground coffee and water can also also continue to brew
in the French press even after pressing the plunger down if you do not
interrupt the brewing process by
transferring the coffee to another container.
• French presses made of glass are - like all
glass products - susceptible to impact.

Frequently asked questions about preparation

How long does the coffee need to brew in the French press?

The ideal brewing time is 4 minutes. You should interrupt the brewing process no later than at 4 minutes and transfer the finished coffee into a cup or, if it is a larger volume, into a coffee pot.

How much coffee do I need to put in the French press?

You should put 60 g to 65 g of medium-coarse ground coffee in the pot for one liter of coffee.

Where are the coffee grounds disposed of?

How many grams of coffee so I need for one cup?

Advantages and disadvantages of a French press

The French press is a modern, quick and reliable method for preparing flavorful coffee. That is also why more and more people are getting excited about preparing coffee in a coffee press.

If you are not sure whether a French press suits you, we have compiled the advantages and disadvantages of this coffee maker in clearly arranged key points:

Advantages:

• Easy to use - just add the ground coffee, pour on water
and wait briefly.
• Only requires hot water and works on its own without electricity.
• No consumables such as coffee filters, coffee capsules or similar
which reduces the operating costs and protects the environment.
• Easy to clean - no cleaning agent or aggressive
descaler is needed - warm clean water is sufficient.

Disadvantages:

• The metal filter sieve is coarser than, for example, a coffee filter.
This means that residual ground coffee may make its way
into the finished coffee.
• Ground coffee and water can also also continue to brew
in the French press even after pressing the plunger down if you do not
interrupt the brewing process by transferring the coffee to another container.
• French presses made of glass are - like all glass products -
susceptible to impact.

Instruction

Preparation with a French press

It’s a breeze to prepare coffee with a French press:

1. You should grind your coffee just before brewing to achieve an optimal result, and this is best done in an electric coffee grinder with a high-quality cone or disc grinder. Set the grinder to a medium grinding degree. The result should be slightly coarser than for filter coffee.

2. You should use about 60 grams to 65 grams of coffee powder (also called ground coffee) per liter of water, which you fill directly into the empty French press.

3. Bring the water to a boil and wait another 30 seconds before pouring it into the French press. This way the water can reach a temperature of 96°C, which is ideal for preserving the flavors. Then quickly pour the nearly boiling water into the press.

4. Immediately after pouring, forcefully stir with a long-handled spoon so that the ground coffee is completely distributed in the water. Then place the cover on the French press and press the plunger down slightly so that all of the ground coffee is floating freely in the water.

5. Keep an eye on the timer, because after 3.5 minutes you should stir again and skim off the foam. Then press the plunger all the way down slowly and evenly.

6. Your perfect French press coffee is done and should be enjoyed immediately. That is why it is best to pour the coffee into a pre-warmed coffee or thermos flask to preserve its flavor and prevent the coffee in the French press from brewing further and becoming bitter.

Instruction

Preparation with a French press

It’s a breeze to prepare coffee with a French press:

1. You should grind your coffee just before brewing to achieve an optimal result, and this is best done in an electric coffee grinder
with a high-quality cone or disc grinder. Set the grinder to a medium grinding degree. The result should be
slightly coarser than for filter coffee.

2. You should use about 60 grams to 65 grams of coffee powder (also called ground coffee) per liter of water, which you fill directly into the empty
French press.

3. Bring the water to a boil and wait another 30 seconds before pouring it into the French press. This way the water
Can reach a temperature of 96°C, which is ideal for preserving the flavors. Then quickly pour the nearly boiling water into the
press.

4. Immediately after pouring, forcefully stir with a long-handled spoon so that the ground coffee is completely distributed in the water.
Then place the cover on the French press and press the plunger down slightly so that all of the ground coffee is floating freely in
the water.

5. Keep an eye on the timer, because after 3.5 minutes you should stir again and skim off the foam. Then press
the plunger all the way down slowly and evenly.

6. Your perfect French press coffee is done and should be enjoyed immediately. That is why it is best to pour the coffee into a pre-warmed
coffee or thermos flask to preserve its flavor and prevent the coffee in the French press from brewing further and becoming bitter.

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