French Press Coffee

French press coffee was invented way back in the 1850’s but worked a little crudely and didn’t quite filter out all the coffee grounds. Over the years the materials used have been refined and result in the French press coffee maker of today.

Just how does a French press coffee maker work? It’s a very simple device, really. You put your freshly ground coffee in the bottom of the French press coffee pot and pour boiling (or just under boiling) water over them. Let this steep for a few minutes. Then you take the plunger which is equipped with a filter to press the grounds to the bottom. The coffee water floats above it and tastes just divine!

In order to brew coffee in a French press maker, you might have to experiment a bit. Like any fine art, you won’t be an expert right away. Don’t give up, though, soon you will be brewing the most tasty coffee you’ve ever had.

One tip to using the French press method is to make sure you don’t grind the beans to finely – a little course is recommended. Some recommend that you warm the French press coffee pot beforehand – you can experiment with this and see if it makes a difference. When you pour the water over the grounds, make sure it has stopped boiling first – don’t use water that is till bubbling. Once the water is in with the grounds, cover the pot and let it steep –stir it after a bit and let it steep some more. After 3 or 4 minutes, push the plunger down slowly and lightly – don’t ram it down or grounds will sneak up around the sides. Slow and steady wins the race with a French press maker. Once the plunger is down, pour the coffee out and drink up!

You can buy French press coffee makers pretty much anywhere. Bodum makes a full line of these with 8 models that range from about $20.00 to about $45.00. Anything from glass to insulated stainless steel. This simple method of brewing coffee has long been considered one of the best by coffee connoisseurs everywhere. French press pots are inexpensive to buy and easy to use!