How to Make French Press Coffee

A simple guide to grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, steeping, plunging, and getting a better cup

A French press is one of my favorite examples of how making good coffee at home doesn't necessarily require complicated equipment.

There's no programming a machine, no paper filter to replace, and no need to master an elaborate pouring technique. At its simplest, you're combining ground coffee with hot water, giving the two enough time together, and then using the press's mesh filter to separate the grounds from the coffee.

Simple, however, doesn't mean that the details don't matter.

If you've ever made French press coffee that tasted muddy, bitter, weak, or full of sediment, a few small adjustments can make a surprisingly big difference.

What Makes a French Press Different?

With many brewing methods, water passes through coffee grounds and a filter.

A French press works differently.

The grounds remain immersed in the water during the brewing process. After steeping, you slowly push down a plunger fitted with a mesh filter. The filter holds most of the grounds toward the bottom while the brewed coffee remains above it.

Because a French press generally uses a metal mesh rather than a paper filter, more of the coffee's natural oils and very fine particles can remain in the finished cup.

That's part of what gives French press coffee its characteristically rich body.

It also means that a little sediment at the bottom of your cup isn't necessarily a sign that you've done something wrong.

Start With a Coarse Grind

French press coffee is generally best suited to a coarse, relatively even grind.

Think more along the lines of coarse sea salt than fine table salt.

Because the coffee grounds remain submerged in water for several minutes, very finely ground coffee can extract too quickly. Fine particles are also more likely to slip through the mesh filter and create excessive sediment.

A burr grinder is helpful because it tends to produce a more consistent grind than a blade grinder, but don't let the absence of specialized equipment stop you from trying a French press.

If you're buying coffee already ground, choose a coarse grind intended for French press brewing when that option is available.

Choose a Starting Coffee-to-Water Ratio

If you've read our guide to coffee-to-water ratios, you already know that a ratio isn't a commandment. It's simply a repeatable starting point.

For French press coffee, around 1:15 to 1:16 is a useful place to begin.

At approximately 1:16, you could use:

• 15 grams of coffee with 240 grams of water • 20 grams of coffee with 320 grams of water • 30 grams of coffee with 480 grams of water

If you prefer a more concentrated cup, experiment with slightly more coffee. If you want something lighter, use a little less.

The important part is changing things intentionally rather than trying to recreate yesterday's coffee from memory.

Heat Your Water

Water temperature affects extraction, but you don't need to hover over your kettle worrying about a single perfect number.

A useful starting range for many coffees is approximately 195–205°F (90–96°C).

If you don't have a temperature-controlled kettle, bring your water to a boil and give it a short moment to settle before pouring.

The goal is very hot water without turning your morning coffee into a chemistry exam.

Different coffees and roast levels may taste better to you at slightly different temperatures, so consider the range a starting point rather than an absolute rule.

Step 1: Add the Coffee

Place your French press on a stable surface and add your coarsely ground coffee.

If you're using a scale, placing the empty French press on it and pressing the tare button makes measuring especially easy.

Now you know exactly how much coffee you're starting with.

Step 2: Add the Water

Pour the hot water evenly over the grounds.

Try to wet all of the coffee rather than pouring into one spot.

Some people like to add a small amount of water first, wait briefly, and then add the rest. Others simply pour in all of the water and gently stir.

Either approach can work.

The important thing is making sure there aren't large pockets of dry grounds floating untouched at the surface.

Step 3: Let It Steep

A good starting point is about four minutes.

Put the lid on the French press to help retain heat, but don't plunge yet.

Now leave it alone.

This is another reason I like French press brewing: once the coffee and water are together, there isn't much you need to do.

Four minutes isn't an unbreakable rule. Grind size, roast, coffee-to-water ratio, and personal preference can all change your ideal steeping time.

But if you've never used a French press before, four minutes gives you a sensible baseline.

Step 4: Press Slowly

Once your steep time is complete, begin lowering the plunger.

Press slowly and steadily.

You shouldn't have to wrestle with it.

If the plunger is extremely difficult to push, your grind may be too fine or the filter may be encountering too much resistance.

Don't force it aggressively. Hot coffee and sudden pressure are not a particularly good combination.

A controlled, gentle press should separate the brewed coffee from most of the grounds.

Step 5: Pour the Coffee

Once you've plunged, pour the coffee you intend to drink or transfer the remaining coffee into another container.

This step is easy to overlook.

The grounds are still sitting in the bottom of the French press. Leaving brewed coffee in contact with them for an extended period can continue changing the flavor.

If you're making enough for several cups, transferring the coffee into a thermal carafe can help keep it warm without leaving it sitting on the grounds.

What If My French Press Coffee Tastes Bitter?

Bitterness can come from several variables.

Before deciding that French press coffee simply isn't for you, try changing one thing at a time.

Your grind may be too fine.

Your steep time may be longer than you prefer.

Your water may be hotter than necessary for that particular coffee.

Or your coffee-to-water ratio may simply be producing a cup that's more intense than you enjoy.

Make one small adjustment and brew again.

That's much more useful than changing the grind, temperature, ratio, and steep time simultaneously and then having no idea which change actually helped.

What If It Tastes Weak or Sour?

A thin or unpleasantly sour cup can point in the opposite direction.

Your grind may be too coarse, your water may not be hot enough, your steeping time may be too short, or you may simply need a little more coffee for the amount of water you're using.

Again, don't change everything at once.

Start with the variable that seems most likely and adjust gradually.

What About Sediment?

French press coffee isn't usually crystal clear.

The metal mesh filter allows more very fine coffee particles through than a typical paper filter, so a small amount of sediment is normal.

If you're getting far more sediment than you enjoy, though, check your grind.

A consistent coarse grind generally produces a cleaner cup than coffee containing lots of fine particles.

You can also avoid pouring every last drop from the press if you notice that the final bit contains more sediment.

Cleaning a French Press Without Making a Mess

The brewing process is easy. Cleaning the grounds out afterward is the part that can make people question their life choices.

Don't pour a large amount of coffee grounds down your sink.

Instead, remove as much of the spent coffee as practical and put it into the trash or compost according to what's appropriate where you live.

Then rinse the French press.

Periodically disassemble the plunger and filter components according to the manufacturer's directions. Coffee oils and fine particles can collect between the pieces of the filter assembly, and a quick rinse doesn't always remove everything.

A clean French press makes better-tasting coffee than one carrying residue from the last several brews.

Your First French Press Recipe

If you want one simple recipe to begin experimenting with, try:

Coffee: Coarsely ground Ratio: Approximately 1:16 Water temperature: About 195–205°F Steep time: About 4 minutes Finish: Plunge slowly and pour promptly

Then taste it.

That's the important part.

Your next cup doesn't need to follow the recipe exactly. It should follow what you learned from the first one.

Making the Recipe Your Own

Once you've brewed a few cups, you may discover that you like your French press coffee at 1:15 instead of 1:16.

Maybe a particular darker roast tastes better to you with slightly cooler water.

Maybe four minutes and thirty seconds gives your favorite coffee exactly the body you're looking for.

Write those discoveries down.

That's how a generic brewing guide turns into your recipe.

Good home coffee isn't about following increasingly complicated rules. It's about understanding what each variable does well enough that when you taste something you love, you know how to make it again.

And the French press is a wonderfully simple place to learn.