How to make French press coffee: ratio, grind and time

The French press is the simplest way to make full-bodied coffee at home: coarse coffee, hot water, four minutes, press. There is no paper filter, so the oils and fine particles that a filter would hold back end up in your cup. That is why French press coffee tastes rich and round, and also why the details below matter: with no filter to hide mistakes, the grind, the amount of coffee and the time decide everything.

What you need

• A French press (also called a cafetière or press pot). You can compare models in our French press section.
• Whole beans and a grinder that can grind coarse. A burr grinder gives the most even result; see choosing a grinder.
• A kettle, a kitchen scale and a timer (your phone works).

How much coffee for a French press?

Start with a ratio of 1:15, one gram of coffee for every 15 grams of water. In practice that is about 60 to 65 grams of coffee per litre. If you do not have a scale, one level tablespoon holds roughly 6 to 7 grams of whole beans.

Press size	Water	Coffee (1:15)
3 cups (small)	350 ml	23 g
4 cups	500 ml	33 g
8 cups	1 litre	65 g

Prefer it stronger? Go to 1:13. Lighter? 1:17. Change the amount of coffee, not the brewing time, and change one thing at a time. Our guide to the coffee-to-water ratio explains the reasoning behind these numbers.

The right grind: coarse and even

French press coffee needs a coarse grind, similar to coarse sea salt. Too fine and the coffee turns bitter and muddy, and the plunger becomes hard to push. Too coarse and the cup tastes thin and sour. Pre-ground coffee is usually ground for filter machines, which is too fine for a press; if you buy ground coffee, ask for a coarse grind. The grind size chart shows where the press sits next to the other brew methods.

Step by step

1. Heat the water to 92 to 96 °C. Without a thermometer: let boiling water rest for about 30 seconds.
2. Warm the press with a little hot water and pour it away. A cold glass jug steals heat from the brew.
3. Grind the coffee coarse, right before brewing, and put it in the press.
4. Bloom: pour about twice as much water as coffee (for 33 g, about 70 g of water), so all the grounds are wet. Wait 30 seconds while fresh coffee releases carbon dioxide.
5. Pour the rest of the water, put the lid on with the plunger pulled up and start the timer.
6. Wait four minutes. At four minutes, stir the crust on top gently or break it with a spoon and skim off the foam and floating grounds. This step makes the cup noticeably cleaner.
7. Press slowly, in about 20 seconds. If it resists strongly, your grind is too fine.
8. Pour everything at once into cups or a carafe. Coffee left on the grounds keeps extracting and gets bitter.

Common mistakes

• Stale coffee. Beans taste best within a few weeks of the roast date. Look for the roast date on the bag, and store them airtight.
• Leaving the coffee in the press. Even with the plunger down, the grounds keep steeping. Decant it.
• Pressing too hard. Forcing the plunger pushes fine particles through the mesh and can splash hot coffee.
• Too much sediment. Let the cup rest for a minute and do not drink the last sip. A more even grind helps most.

Which coffee works best?

Because the press keeps the oils, it brings out body and sweetness. Medium roasts with notes of chocolate, nuts or caramel are a safe start; coffees from Brazil or Guatemala are classics. Light-roasted washed coffees from Ethiopia or Kenya also work well and taste fruitier, with more body than from a paper filter. Many roasters mark their coffees for the press: browse coffee for French press or all whole bean coffee, or start from an origin.

Cleaning

Empty the grounds into the bin or compost, not the sink. Take the plunger apart every few brews and rinse the mesh, where old oils collect and turn rancid. More tips in keeping your gear in shape.

Quick answers

How long should French press coffee steep?

Four minutes is the standard. Between three and five minutes is fine; adjust the grind before you change the time.

Can I make cold brew in a French press?

Yes. Use a very coarse grind, about 1:8 with cold water, and leave it in the fridge for 12 to 16 hours before pressing. Dilute to taste. More in our cold brew guide.

Is French press coffee stronger?

It tastes fuller because of the oils and fine particles, but strength depends on the ratio. At 1:15 it is about as strong as good filter coffee.