The French press is one of the easiest ways to make rich, full-bodied coffee at home. There's no paper filter, so more of the coffee's oils and fine particles end up in the cup, giving it a heavier, rounder texture. Here's a dependable method, plus the small details that keep it from turning muddy or bitter.
What you'll need
- A French press (the method below uses a standard 34 fl oz / 1 liter press, but works for any size)
- Coarsely ground coffee
- Hot water and a kettle
- A kitchen scale (recommended), a timer and a spoon
The recipe
| Coffee | Water | Ratio | Grind | Water temperature | Steep time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 g (about 6 tbsp) | 450 g (about 15 fl oz) | 1:15 | Coarse, like sea salt | 195–205°F (90–96°C) | 4 minutes |
For a full 34 fl oz press, use about 65 g of coffee and 1,000 g of water. See our coffee-to-water ratio guide to scale any recipe.
Step by step
- Heat the water to a boil, then let it rest about 30 seconds.
- Preheat the press with a splash of hot water, swirl and discard.
- Add the coffee: 30 g of coarsely ground coffee.
- Pour and start the timer. Pour all 450 g of water, making sure every ground is wet.
- Stir at 1 minute. Gently break the crust of grounds on top and stir a few times.
- Place the lid with the plunger pulled all the way up, and wait.
- Press at 4 minutes. Push the plunger down slowly and steadily. It should take about 15–20 seconds with gentle pressure.
- Pour it all out right away. Coffee left in the press keeps extracting and turns bitter. Decant into cups or a carafe.
A cleaner-cup variation
If you'd like less sediment, try this: after 4 minutes, skim the foam and floating grounds from the surface with two spoons, then wait another 4–5 minutes before pressing gently, only to the top of the coffee. The fine particles settle to the bottom, and the cup tastes noticeably cleaner.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Muddy or gritty | Grind too fine, or uneven grinding | Grind coarser; use a burr grinder; leave the last sip in the cup |
| Bitter | Over-extraction | Grind coarser, shorten the steep or decant immediately |
| Weak or sour | Under-extraction or too little coffee | Steep a little longer, grind slightly finer or use a stronger ratio |
| Hard to press | Grind too fine | Grind coarser; press slowly |
More detail in our grind size guide.
Best coffees for French press
French press emphasizes body and richness, so it's a natural match for chocolatey, full-bodied and darker coffees. In the AUREO range, try Cascades (cocoa, toasted nut, full body), Flathead Valley (baker's chocolate, caramelized sugar, deep body) or Brazil SO (roasted peanut, honey, milk chocolate, heavy body). Lighter coffees work too; they'll simply taste rounder and less bright than as pour-over.
For more ideas, read chocolate and nutty coffee or how to choose coffee you'll actually like.
