French press machines may look complicated compared to drip coffee brewers, but they’re actually a tool to simplify and cut waste from your morning coffee routine. This guide from Coffee Lover reveals how to perfect this unique brew.
Compared to traditional drip coffee machines, French presses can look a little intimidating. You put water in... and just let it... sit there? And what does that plunger thing do, anyway?
While French press machines might look exotic, they're actually a good way to simplify your mornings. What's more, they help cut back on waste - but only if you actually use them.
Learn how to make a rich, full-bodied morning brew from this guide from Coffee Lover!
To read the full guide, visit https://coffeelovr.com/how-to-make-coffee-in-a-french-press
Making coffee at home helps prevent waste from disposable cups, and the French press takes the process one step further with a reusable filter design. Environmentalists have long given the coffee industry a side eye for the waste it creates with water, grounds, plastics, and single-use cups.
In 2020, coffee pod maker Keurig started making its K-cups with recyclable materials after much criticism about their sustainability. Still, that’s a small dent in the 20 tons of waste created annually by grounds, filters, cups, and other by-products, according to the journalists at Coffee Intelligence: data shows the average drinker creates 23 pounds of waste per year by tossing just one cup per day.
Invented in the 1850s, the French press produces full-bodied coffee with a rich flavor and luxurious texture in the mouth. It’s a simple machine with a cylindrical carafe and a plunger with a built-in filter, which is used to extract the grounds, removing more sediment and extracting more oils than other methods to enhance flavor without accenting the bitterness, according to the guide.
Water temperature is the key to successful French press use, Coffee Lover reveals. Using moderately hot water allows for gentle oil and flavor extraction, with water in the 200-degree Fahrenheit range being the right temperature - just before the pot boils. Any hotter, and the brew will taste burnt. Any cooler, and its flavor will suffer. Some coffee connoisseurs even use a thermometer to pinpoint the ideal temperature.
To use, simply remove the lid and plunger of your French press to add the desired amount of grounds, then pour in the water, the guide advises. Replace the lid, allow the brew to steep for four minutes, then plunge the grounds. French press coffee is served immediately, which spares further heating and burning in an urn or on a hot plate.
The guide recommends several French press machines in different price ranges but states that the beans and grind quality are equally important. A French press requires more coarsely ground coffee beans since grounds are exposed to water for a longer period, meaning that finely ground beans will result in a bitter brew. A quality burr-style grinder can help control grind size.
To see Coffee Lover's French press machine recommendations, visit https://coffeelovr.com
