The possibilities for geeking out over coffee are endless. But what we really want is a hot, tasty cup of coffee to help us get through the morning. A basic happiness.

When it comes to brewing the ideal cup of coffee, you want to be sure that you are following all of the necessary steps correctly. However, you need also make sure that you are getting the best deal possible while you are going through the procedure. You may find that using a coffee press or French press is an excellent method to do both of those tasks at the same time.

Using a coffee maker that is more of a gadget than a traditional kitchen appliance is one simple method to prepare coffee without having to rely on a large equipment to do the job for you. Among these devices is a coffee press, sometimes known as a French press.

What is a Coffee Press?

A coffee press consists of a glass (or plastic) beaker/carafe, a plunger, and a metal mesh filter. It is also known as a French press or cafetière. Coffee presses are inexpensive and an easy method to manually prepare great coffee. It is one of the few ways of brewing that preserves all of the natural oils and proteins that are found in the grinds in the finished cup of coffee. Because it does not include the use of a paper filter, the press is considered by many consumers to be an especially pure way of brewing coffee because it does not change the flavor of the final product. Additionally, once you get the hang of it, using a coffee press to make coffee is a breeze.

Here are the main parts of the French Coffee Press:

Carafe

Most French presses come with glass carafes, but you can also get them in plastic and metal. There are carafes that can carry just enough liquid for one cup, and there are others that can store enough for four. Some of the carafes are designed like tea kettles, while others are cylindrical. A convenient handle and spout make it easy to pour and serve the beverage.

Plunger and Lid

With the plunger, you can remove the coffee or tea leaves from the brewed drink. The plunger rod sticks out of the lid and has a handle at the top. The filter assembly is at the end of the plunger rod. To filter the coffee before serving, move the plunger up and down without taking off the lid.

Filter Screen

Before serving, most of the grounds are strained through a fine-mesh metal screen. The screen needs to be cleaned after every use, or else the grounds will get stuck in the mesh and make it hard to strain. Some French presses are equipped with two screens of differing mesh sizes to facilitate the removal of as much coffee grounds as possible. The only component of the press that may need regular repair is the screen.

Structure Disc

The filter screen is held in place by the structure disc, which is attached to the bottom of the plunger. It has a coil of wire around its edge that holds the screen in place and keeps grounds from pushing through the sides when the plunger is pushed down. The structure disk can be taken off completely, making it easy to clean the filter screen.

How Does One Make Coffee with A Coffee Press?

A French coffee press consists of only two basic parts—the beaker and the plunger—so using it is much simpler than it seems.

Typically constructed of glass, the beaker’s function is to hold the coffee as it steeps. The metal filter mesh of the plunger is used to push down on the coffee grounds. Its function is to remove the particulates from the liquid, eliminating the need for paper filters.

Here are the steps for making morning coffee using a French coffee press:

1. Get everything you need

First, you need to get all of your ingredients together.

What you’ll need: 

• French coffee press
• Coffee beans
• Hot water
• Spoon
• Weighing Scale
• Kettle
• Burr Grinder
• Timer
• Thermometer

2. Begin by weighing your whole coffee beans according to your preference

When using a French press, the coffee-to-water ratio will vary depending on how strong you want your coffee. You may need to play around with proportions to discover the ratio that works best for you. There is a magic ratio that coffee experts swear by: 17 grams of water to 1 gram of coffee. However, a lower ratio is preferable for immersion brewing, such as using a French press, in which the water stays with the ground coffee rather than flowing through it. While professionals advise using a gram scale to measure your water and coffee, we’ve included cup and tablespoon quantities to help you get the best results when brewing at home. For a regular cup of brewed coffee, use a ratio of 1:15, or 3 tablespoons of coffee to 1 cup (8 ounces) of water. For a stronger cup of coffee, use a ratio of 4:12, or four tablespoons of coffee to one cup (8 ounces) of water.

3. Bringing water to a boil

Start with boiling the water since it will need the most time. Since water makes up between 98-99 percent of coffee, using filtered water with a low mineral concentration is ideal.

The ideal water temperature for brewing coffee is between 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit, but if you don’t have a thermometer, you can just bring the water to a full boil.

Before brewing, the French coffee press may be warmed up and cleaned with the boiling water.

4. Grind your beans until they are medium coarse

While the water is boiling, use a scale to measure out the right amount of coffee beans for your French press or the amount you want.

When you’ve determined how much coffee beans you need, you can ground them using a burr grinder. A grind that is coarse to medium-coarse should be your goal.

4. Preheat your press

Once the water has boiled, heat up your press by filling it a quarter of the way with hot water and pressing down on the plunger. Give the hot water 5–10 seconds to move around inside, then pour it out.

5. Add the coffee

Pour the coffee grounds into the coffee press and shake it to get a flat, level bed of coffee.

6. Add water

Pour water in a circular motion over the coffee grounds until the pot is halfway filled. Then, let the coffee 30 seconds to bloom.

Blooming causes the ground to degas (emit carbon dioxide), which drives away the water. We bloom coffee to eliminate its sour flavor and to enable the water to more effectively absorb its flavors.

7. Stir

After the thirty second mark on your timer has passed, use a spoon to stir the crust that has formed at the top of the coffee to assist the coffee in sinking to the bottom.

8. Put in some more water

Pour water till it reaches the top of the press, taking care not to overfill it. Place the cover on your press and gently lower the plunger until it rests on the surface of the liquid. Allow 4 minutes for the coffee to steep.

9.  Plunge

When the time is up, press the plunger all the way to the bottom in a gentle but firm way. Be cautious not to apply too much pressure, since doing so may result in the hot coffee spraying out and hitting you.

10. Pour

Pour yourself a cup and quickly decant the remaining coffee to prevent over-extraction.

Why You Should Use a Coffee Press?

1. The flavor of coffee is enhanced when prepared in a coffee press.

When you use a French press to make your own coffee, tiny bits of coffee are ground into the coffee, giving it a unique flavor.

Moreover, more taste may be absorbed due of the steeping process. You can’t get the same rich taste with a regular coffee maker.

2. The aroma of coffee brewed using a coffee press is superior.

When brewing coffee in a press, the resulting scent will be superior than that of a standard coffee maker, in which water just flows over the grounds. Naturally, the aroma enhances the already exquisite taste of the coffee.

4. A coffee press keeps you stay in style.

As more and more people learn about them, coffee presses are becoming more and more popular. If you want to stay in style and on top of the latest trends, you need a coffee press in your kitchen. There are a lot of different styles and looks to choose from, so you can find one that fits you.

5. A coffee press helps set up a routine for the morning.

Doing something as simple as brewing coffee at home using a coffee press may be quite relaxing. It’s a terrific way to start your day.

You get to drink up a great cup of coffee. What a wonderful way to begin the day!

Wrapping Up: 

There are a lot of good reasons to use a coffee press, also called a French press, instead of a regular coffee pot. Some of these reasons are practical, like making it easier to pour into a cup, while others are more useful, like making better coffee.

The basic line is that using a coffee press will result in better-tasting, better-smelling, and more interestingly brewed coffee. You can always count on the same quality and fuller flavor from a coffee press once you learn how to use it. It also improves the pleasure of drinking coffee first thing in the morning.