Using a French press is an easy way to make great tasting coffee.
Don’t be intimidated by things like grounds to water ratio, or determining the correct brew time and temperature.
Just follow this guide, and you’ll know everything you need to know about how to use a French Press, so you can start enjoying the best coffee you’ve ever tasted.
If you haven’t purchased a french press yet, I know there are a ton of options. I created a list of my top 5 favorite french presses. Check it out here: My Favorite French Press Coffee Makers.
What is a French Press?
If you’ve never used a French Press before, you might be staring at it, wondering where to plug it in, and how it can brew coffee with no power.
Magic – That’s how. Well, it’s not exactly magic, but all you need are coffee grounds and hot water. One of the coolest things about the French Press is it’s so simple and easy to use.
There’s no need to overcomplicate it. The French Press is a coffee pot with a plunger and a couple of filters attached.
Parts of the French Press and Assembly
The Frame
The frame is the metal structure that surrounds your beaker. It includes the handle, which is plastic. The frame makes it easy to pick up and pour your coffee. Although it doesn’t look like it, it is also removable. You can separate the frame from the beaker for cleaning purposes. More about that later.
The Beaker
This is where you combine your grounds and water to make that potion that will, with a little bit of luck, get you through another day.
The Lid and Plunger
The plunger is connected to the lid and is able to slide up and down to “press” the coffee.
Don’t worry. This part comes assembled for you. The remaining pieces will get attached to the bottom of the plunger and hold the grounds in place while you pour your coffee.
The plunger assembly consists of a threaded rod that eventually attaches directly to the cross plate.
The Cross Plate
The cross plate goes at the bottom of the plunger assembly. It provides support for the mesh filters and will be the first part to come in contact with your coffee grounds.
Before you attach the cross plate to the rod, you’ll place your mesh filters on top.
The Mesh Filters
The French Press I have uses two mesh filters. These filters will keep the grounds out of your coffee cup.
The filters are replaceable, but they seem to last quite awhile. I have been using the filters that came with my set for a few months now, and have not had a problem.
You know that is time to replace the filters when you start getting grounds in your cup.
Once you have the filters in place on top of the cross plate, the spreader goes on top. The mesh filters are essentially sandwiched between the cross plate and the spreader.
The Spreader
The spreader serves to keep the pressure on the mesh filters and hold them tight against the sides of your beaker using a spring mechanism.
Once you have these parts in place you are ready to screw the cross plate on to the plunger. You screw it on by twisting the plunger clockwise.
There you have it for the french press plunger assembly. Now, let’s make some coffee.
Brewing Coffee with a French Press
Preparing to Brew
Now it’s time to start brewing. To get started, you will need some basics. You’ll need your coffee grounds, a timer, a pot or kettle to boil some water, a silicone spatula, a thermos or carafe, your favorite mug, a mesh strainer, and of course your French Press.
I let the faucet run till the water gets hot, and then fill up my beaker to the top of the metal frame.
That’s 32oz on my french press, the perfect amount to get me through the morning. Then, simply dump the water in the pot to boil.
Filling the beaker with the hot water first will preheat the glass to make sure we get a nice hot pot of coffee.
While I’m waiting for the water to boil, I add my grounds. Scoop them right into the bottom of the beaker.
Grounds to Water Ratio
As far as the grounds to water ratio, I just follow the recommendation on the package of the coffee I’m using.
How many tablespoons of coffee for a 32oz French Press?
If the package says, 1 tablespoon per six ounces of water, I just round up and use 6 tablespoons for my 32 oz French Press.
No pulling out the scale or anything like that. You can do it that way if you want, but, for me, most mornings I don’t have time.
It’s just easier to use a tablespoon to scoop out my grounds and adjust more or less based on preference.
Proper Brewing Temperature
How Hot Should Water be for French Press?
The water should be about 200 degrees Fahrenheit when you add it to the beaker.
Once my water comes to a boil, I shut it off and wait about 30 seconds. Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
Waiting 30 seconds allows the water to cool down enough to add to your beaker and steep your grounds. No thermometer needed.
The Brew Time
Once I add the water, I set my timer for 4 minutes. I just use the timer on my oven.
After the timer is set, I give the water and grounds mixture a quick stir and place the lid on top with the plunger up.
I found that stirring the grounds after adding the water made it easier to press for some reason.
While I’m waiting for the coffee to finish steeping, I use the time to prep my thermos and mug by running some hot water in them.
You wouldn’t want to chill your coffee by adding to a cold thermos or mug.
Press and Pour
Now for the fun part, once the timer goes off you just press the plunger down, and it’s ready to enjoy.
First I fill up my mug. Then I pour the remainder in my thermos for later.
Don’t put too much pressure on the plunger. If it seems difficult, remove the lid and give it another quick stir. You don’t want to risk breaking your Press or splattering hot coffee everywhere.
Clean Up Time
I actually think the French Press is easier to clean than pour over machines. There are no hidden tubes or parts. All the parts are easy to get to and can be thoroughly cleaned. You won’t have to worry about any germs or scum lurking in some internal mechanism.
You might be wondering, “What do I do with all those coffee grounds? I can’t just dump them down the drain.” You can’t. Believe me, I know this from experience.
Here is a french press cleaning hack that will save you some frustration. This is where the mesh strainer comes in handy. I just set the strainer above my drain while I’m cleaning up. It will save you from a trip to Home Depot to replace your pipes.
Rinse All Parts of Your French Press
I start by taking apart the plunger and I rinse it off with hot water. Keep everything above the strainer while you are rinsing to collect the grinds. Then wash all your parts with soap, water, and allow to dry. Repeat the process with the cross plate, spreader and the filters.
To clean the beaker, I add some water, swish it around, and dump it into the strainer. I repeat this a few times until most of the grounds are gone.
Then, you can take the strainer, and simply dump the grounds in the trash can, or put them in a container to repurpose later.
The glass beaker can be removed from the frame by pressing up on the bottom of the glass. You can then clean them both separately with soap and water.
Now you know how to use a french press to brew your coffee. Once you do it a few times it will become second nature, and can easily become a part of your morning routine.
If you like french press coffee, you might be interested in the Clever Dripper. It’s also an immersion brewing method but uses a paper filter, so there is no sediment left in your cup. Check out my Clever Dripper guide here.
Thanks for reading!
