Buyer's
Guide to French Presses
French
presses are the preferred method for brewing a cup of coffee
by many connoisseurs. They filter less of the fine, powdery
grounds resulting in a cloudy, yet full flavored brew.
If
you can get used to the cloudiness and sediment at the bottom
of your cup, you’re in for a full flavored coffee treat.
Another
reason why French presses are considered superior to drip
brewing is that the water comes in contact with all of the
beans an equal amount of time.
This
eliminates the chance of under or over extraction if the user
stops the brewing on time. It is also great when you only
want to make only 1 or 2 cups.
How
French Presses Work:
The
way they work is really simple. Just put the recommended amount
of ground coffee in the glass pot. This time though, use a
course to very course grind (similar to very coarse sand or
raw sugar).
Then
pour in water that is not quite boiling (about 200 degrees)
and place the lid with the push-down filter on top but do
not press down. This will hold in the heat.
Now
let the coffee steep for about 3 to 4 minutes. After the brewing
time is complete, slowly press down on the filter rod pushing
the grounds to the bottom of the pot. Using a coarse grind
makes this easier. Some presses also recommend stirring the
grounds before pressing to break up the cap that forms on
top.
Once
the coffee is pushed to the bottom, it is ready to be served.
What
to Consider:
When
deciding on which French press to buy, there are only a couple
of things to keep in mind.
The
most important thing is capacity. The swollen grounds take
up a lot of room in the glass and you must leave room at the
top for the filter to rest upon while brewing.
If
you plan on making coffee for yourself and guests, a larger
capacity press will be required than what you might think.
In
my opinion, it’s always better to be too large, just in case.
I can’t tell you how many times I had to make another pot
because mine was too small. This is also true if you like
to make large quantities if iced tea! A French press is perfect
for that.
Another
thing to consider is the quality of the glass container. When
pressing the coffee, there is considerable pressure being
applied to the glass. If it looks rather thin and cheap, I
would be skeptical. This should not take the place of using
caution while pressing though.
The
last thing to consider is insulation. French presses lose
heat rather quickly and since there is no burner, some people
prefer an insulated press. They cost a little more, but are
worth the convenience.
Check
out these french presses:
Can't
Find What You're Looking For?
If
you didn't see the french press you've been looking for, try
a search below on french press to see Amazon's full selection.
Most coffee presses on the market will perform acceptably
and safely. Choose a French press that looks great to you
and is larger than you think you’ll need and you will be pleased.
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