What is a French Press?

A French press is a type of coffee pot designed by the French. It is now quite popular in other countries, particularly the US, where one can find them in coffee shops, department stores and household stores. The popularity is based on the strong coffee yielded by the French press process. It significantly differs from the traditional drip method used by most electric and manual coffee makers. As well, it differs from older, percolated methods for making coffee.

The French press comes in numerous sizes. Its shape is almost always cylindrical, and it is usually made of glass. A handle on the side of the French press makes it convenient for serving freshly made coffee. The cylinder is topped with a lid. Inside the French press, there is a plunger made of mesh. The top of the French press usually has a round ball, which enables one to work the plunger.

When one makes coffee with a French press, first ground coffee is added to the top of the plunger. The next step is to add boiling water to the press. The coffee is now in contact with the boiling water. After a few minutes, one slowly presses the plunger down, which pushes the grounds of coffee to the bottom of the cylinder.

The coffee is now ready, and the plunger usually works well enough to avoid getting coffee grounds in the rest of the coffee. The result is a very rich, frequently strong cup of coffee, or several cups depending upon the size. Since the French press is not on a burner like many coffee makers, it never has the burnt taste that coffee can get from being heated for too long. One can keep the coffee warmer for longer if it is poured into an airtight coffee carafe.

Most feel that the stronger cup of coffee is well worth the additional work of operating the French press. However, some are concerned that residual pesticides from coffee that is not grown organically may be more present when coffee is made with a French Press. As well, though coffee contains some anti-oxidants, it also contains some chemicals that in large amounts could be a health risk. There is no evidence at this time however, that making coffee in a French press poses any more risk than drip or percolated coffee. If one is concerned about pesticides, one can purchase a number of excellent organic coffees at both coffee houses and in most natural foods stores.