How to Use a French Press: Best Way to Brew Coffee

People looking for the best way to brew coffee should look no further than these French press coffee instructions. Using a coffee press to make yourself a fresh brewed cup at home is extremely easy to do, and it produces the best possible results. There are no distortions or imperfections, just great, fresh coffee taste. Use this guide to learn how to make French press coffee at home in no time at all.

French Press Coffee Instructions

Step 1 - Use Coarse Grounds: To effectively make French press coffee, you need to use very coarse grounds. This is because your French press typically works on a mesh filter system. Grounds that are too fine can clog your filter and plunger, and in some cases can even squeeze through, ruining the whole purpose of the coffee press. The best way to brew coffee always involves freshly ground beans, so I highly recommend purchasing your own coffee grinder and grinding your beans each time you want to make coffee. Otherwise, buy coarse grounds from your local super market or coffee store.

Step 2 - Measure your coffee - The recommended amount of coarse coffee grounds to use is one large tablespoon per 4 ounces of coffee. So, in this case when I made an 8 ounce mug, I used two large tablespoons.

Step 3 - Pour in the grounds - Take the filter and plunger system out and pour the coffee grounds directly into the bottom of the French press.

Step 4 - Heat and pour in the water - Heat up however much water you need and pour it into the coffee press, directly over your grounds. Once you have the system down, you'll generally begin heating up your water before proceeding with the rest of the coffee press instructions to save more time. You want the water to be extremely hot but not quite at boiling level.

Step 5 - Stir - Stir around the coffee grounds and the hot water in the coffee press for a quick moment. What you have there isn't quite coffee yet, it needs to brew first! With this glass Bodum coffee press, they recommend only using a plastic spoon to mix.

Step 6 - Put the filter and plunger back on - Place the top of the coffee press including the filter and the plunger back atop of the French press, but don't press down. One of the most important things to remember when learning how to use a French press coffee maker is that you have to wait before you press down.

Step 7 - Wait! - You want your mixture to sit with the top on for about four minutes. I simply use the kitchen timer on my oven to easily keep track of this. You generally wouldn't want any less than four minutes, but if you left it for a bit longer you'd get stronger coffee so you can experiment with your own tastes and preferences.

Step 8 - Plunge! - Here's the fun part of the best way to brew coffee. Slowly and gently push down on the plunger. If your coffee press is glass or see through, you'll be able to see the coffee rising above the filter as you keep all of the coffee grounds below. With this Bodum, you also have to ensure that the pouring slits in the top of the unit are turned away from the spout. This is to ensure that if you push down too quickly nothing shoots out the top.

Step 9 - Pour and Enjoy! - Pour the coffee into your cup and enjoy! As mentioned, with this Bodum you first have to just give the top a quick twist so the pouring slits are aligned with the spout.

Learning how to use a French press coffee maker really isn't that difficult. You can make a great, fresh cup of coffee with no hassle in well under ten minutes. It's a tried and true way to get distortion free, great tasting coffee from the convenience of your home. Many people, including myself, call this the best way to brew coffee!

The model shown in this demonstration of how to use a French press coffee maker is the Bodum New Kenya 17 ounce. It costs just about $15 and as you can see is extremely easy to use. All of the other Bodum French press models come highly recommended, and they make their French press in many different sizes and designs. Another brand that gets favorable reviews is Planetary Design. Whichever model you choose, you can find a bargain here to learn for yourself how to use a French press coffee maker!

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