How to Make Perfect French Press Coffee Every Time
From Purple Café: During my 6 years at Purple Café in Seattle, I brewed hundreds of French press pots for guests who wanted to experience single-origin coffees. The technique I'm sharing here is what I've refined over 24 years of daily use—first in the restaurant, then 18 more years at home. Master these fundamentals, and you'll brew better coffee than most cafes.
French press coffee isn't complicated, but most people get it wrong. They use water that's too hot, grind the beans too fine, or press too early. The result? Bitter, over-extracted coffee that tastes nothing like what you get at a quality cafe.
After 24 years of brewing French press daily—including 6 years in a professional restaurant setting—I can tell you the difference between mediocre and exceptional French press comes down to five critical factors: water temperature, grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, steep time, and pressing technique.
This guide covers everything I've learned about making consistently excellent French press coffee. I'll show you the exact process I use every morning, the common mistakes that ruin French press (and how to avoid them), and the troubleshooting techniques that solve the most frequent problems.
If you don't already own a French press, I strongly recommend the Bodum Chambord—it's the same one I've used for 24 years, and it's never failed me.
What You'll Need
- French Press: I use the Bodum Chambord 34-ounce (8-cup model)
- Coffee Grinder: Burr grinder strongly recommended (blade grinders produce inconsistent particle sizes)
- Scale: Digital kitchen scale accurate to 1 gram
- Kettle: Electric kettle with temperature control, or regular kettle with thermometer
- Timer: Phone timer works perfectly
- Fresh Coffee Beans: Whole beans roasted within the past 2-4 weeks
- Filtered Water: If your tap water tastes good, it'll make good coffee
The Perfect Coffee-to-Water Ratio
The standard ratio for French press is 1:15 to 1:17 (coffee to water). I prefer 1:16 for most coffees—it balances strength and clarity without being too intense or too weak.
Here's what that looks like for common French press sizes:
| French Press Size | Water | Coffee (1:16 ratio) | Servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-cup (12 oz / 350ml) | 350g | 22g | 1-2 cups |
| 8-cup (34 oz / 1L) | 960g | 60g | 3-4 cups |
| 12-cup (51 oz / 1.5L) | 1440g | 90g | 5-6 cups |
Pro Tip: I always weigh my water and coffee by mass (grams) rather than using volume measurements. It's more accurate and more consistent. Water is easy—1ml = 1g, so 500ml of water = 500g.
Step-by-Step: How to Brew Perfect French Press Coffee
Step 1: Heat Your Water to 200°F (93°C)
Bring water to a full boil, then let it sit for 30-45 seconds. You want 200°F (93°C)—hot enough to extract flavor, but not so hot that it extracts bitterness. If you're using an electric kettle with temperature control, set it to 200°F.
Why this matters: Water above 205°F over-extracts and creates bitter, astringent coffee. Water below 195°F under-extracts and tastes weak and sour.
Step 2: Weigh Your Coffee (60g for 8-Cup Press)
Place your empty French press on a digital scale and tare it to zero. Measure out your coffee beans—I use 60g for my 8-cup Bodum Chambord, which makes about 3-4 cups of finished coffee.
Why this matters: Consistent measurements produce consistent results. Eyeballing coffee leads to wildly different strengths from brew to brew.
Step 3: Grind Coarse—Like Raw Sugar or Sea Salt
Grind your beans on a coarse setting—slightly coarser than what you'd use for drip coffee. The grounds should resemble raw sugar or coarse sea salt. If you can still see the original bean shape on most particles, you're in the right range.
Why this matters: Grind too fine, and you'll get over-extracted, bitter coffee with sludge at the bottom. Grind too coarse, and your coffee will be weak and under-extracted.
Step 4: Add Coffee to Pre-Warmed French Press
Pour a small amount of hot water into the empty French press, swirl it around to warm the glass, then dump it out. Add your ground coffee to the warmed press.
Why this matters: Pre-warming the glass prevents temperature drop when you add the brewing water. Temperature stability during brewing is critical for even extraction.
Step 5: Pour Water Over Grounds (960g Total)
Pour your 200°F water over the grounds in a circular motion, making sure to saturate all the coffee evenly. Fill to 960g total weight (which includes the weight of the dry coffee—60g coffee + 900g water = 960g total).
Pro Tip: I pour in two stages. First, I add about 120g of water to "bloom" the coffee for 30 seconds (you'll see it bubble and expand). Then I add the remaining water. This improves extraction and flavor.
Step 6: Stir Gently, Then Place Lid On (Don't Press)
Use a spoon or chopstick to gently stir the coffee slurry—just 2-3 stirs to make sure all the grounds are saturated. Place the lid on with the plunger pulled all the way up. Don't press down yet.
Why this matters: Stirring ensures even extraction. Placing the lid on (but not pressing) retains heat without starting the filtering process too early.
Step 7: Steep for Exactly 4 Minutes
Set a timer for 4 minutes. This is the standard steep time for French press, and I've found it produces the best balance of flavor and body for most coffees.
Adjust if needed: If your coffee tastes weak or sour, try 4:30. If it tastes bitter or harsh, try 3:30. But start with 4:00 and adjust from there.
Step 8: Break the Crust and Skim the Foam (Optional but Recommended)
When the timer goes off, remove the lid and use a spoon to break through the layer of grounds floating on top (the "crust"). Then use the spoon to skim off the foam and floating grounds. This takes about 30 seconds.
Why this matters: The foam and floating grounds contain the most bitter compounds. Removing them makes your coffee noticeably cleaner and less harsh. This is a technique I learned from James Hoffmann, and it dramatically improves French press coffee.
Step 9: Press Slowly and Gently
Place the lid back on and slowly press the plunger down. Apply gentle, even pressure—it should take about 20-30 seconds to reach the bottom. If you meet significant resistance, your grind is too fine.
Why this matters: Pressing too fast agitates the grounds and pushes fine particles through the mesh, creating sludgy coffee. Slow, gentle pressure produces cleaner coffee with less sediment.
Step 10: Pour Immediately Into Cups or Carafe
As soon as you finish pressing, pour all the coffee into cups or a separate carafe. Don't let it sit in the French press—it will continue extracting and become bitter.
Pro Tip: When pouring the last cup, stop before you reach the very bottom of the press. The last ounce contains most of the sediment.
The French Press I've Used for 24 Years
I've been using the Bodum Chambord French Press since 2001—first at Purple Café in Seattle, then for 18 years at home. It's survived thousands of brewing cycles and still works perfectly. The borosilicate glass is heat-resistant and doesn't retain flavors, the stainless steel frame is nearly indestructible, and replacement parts are readily available if needed.
5 Common French Press Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
Mistake #1: Using Boiling Water
Most people pour boiling water (212°F) directly onto the grounds. This over-extracts bitter compounds and creates harsh, astringent coffee.
Solution: Let your water cool to 200°F after boiling. Wait 30-45 seconds, or use a thermometer or temperature-controlled kettle.
Mistake #2: Grinding Too Fine
Many people use a grind that's too fine—closer to espresso or drip coffee. This creates over-extracted, bitter coffee and leaves tons of sediment in your cup.
Solution: Use a coarse grind that looks like raw sugar or coarse sea salt. If you can still see the original shape of the bean on most particles, you're close to the right size.
Mistake #3: Leaving Coffee in the Press After Brewing
If you leave brewed coffee sitting in the French press, it continues extracting. By the time you pour your second cup, it's bitter and over-extracted.
Solution: Pour all the coffee into cups or a separate carafe immediately after pressing. Don't leave any coffee sitting in the press.
Mistake #4: Using Stale or Low-Quality Coffee
French press doesn't hide flaws—it amplifies them. If your beans are stale (roasted more than 4-6 weeks ago) or low quality, your coffee will taste flat and lifeless.
Solution: Buy whole beans from a local roaster or quality online source. Check the roast date—beans are best between 4 days and 4 weeks after roasting. Store them in an airtight container away from light and heat.
Mistake #5: Not Cleaning the Press Thoroughly
Coffee oils build up on the mesh filter and glass over time, creating rancid flavors that ruin your coffee. I see this constantly—people rinse their French press but never deep clean it.
Solution: Disassemble the plunger and wash all parts with hot, soapy water after every use. Once a week, soak the mesh screen in a solution of hot water and baking soda (or use a coffee-specific cleaner like Cafiza).
Troubleshooting Your French Press Coffee
If your French press coffee isn't tasting right, use this table to diagnose and fix the problem:
| Problem | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Bitter, harsh taste | Water too hot, grind too fine, or steep time too long | Use 200°F water, coarsen grind, reduce steep to 3:30 |
| Weak, watery taste | Not enough coffee, grind too coarse, or water not hot enough | Increase coffee dose, fine up grind slightly, use 200°F water |
| Sour, acidic taste | Under-extraction (water too cool, grind too coarse, or steep too short) | Use hotter water (202-205°F), fine up grind, extend steep to 4:30 |
| Lots of sediment/sludge | Grind too fine or pressing too aggressively | Use coarser grind, press more slowly and gently |
| Hard to press down | Grind too fine | Use coarser grind |
| Coffee tastes flat/stale | Old beans or poor quality coffee | Buy fresh beans (roasted within 2-4 weeks), store properly |
| Inconsistent results | Not measuring coffee or water accurately | Use a scale, measure by weight (grams), keep notes |
Pro Tips from 24 Years of Daily French Press
- Invest in a burr grinder. Blade grinders produce inconsistent particle sizes—some grounds are dust, others are chunks. This creates uneven extraction. A decent burr grinder (even a hand grinder) will transform your French press coffee.
- Use filtered water if your tap water tastes bad. Coffee is 98% water. If your water has chlorine, mineral, or metallic flavors, they'll show up in your coffee.
- Preheat everything. I rinse the French press with hot water before brewing, and I preheat my mug too. Temperature stability during brewing is critical for consistent extraction.
- Try the bloom. Add about 2x the weight of the coffee in water (120g water for 60g coffee), stir, wait 30 seconds, then add the rest of the water. This improves extraction and brings out more flavor.
- Stop pouring before you reach the bottom. The last ounce in the French press contains most of the sediment. Leave it behind.
- Clean your French press thoroughly. Disassemble the plunger weekly and wash all the parts. Coffee oils build up and turn rancid, creating off-flavors.
- Experiment with steep time. Start with 4 minutes, but don't be afraid to adjust. Some coffees taste better at 3:30, others at 4:30. Take notes and find what works for your beans.
- Use the right French press size. Don't brew a single cup in a 12-cup press—the coffee-to-water ratio gets thrown off. Use a 3-cup press for 1-2 cups, an 8-cup for 3-4 cups, and a 12-cup for 5-6 cups.
Final Thoughts
French press is one of the best brewing methods for highlighting the natural characteristics of coffee—its body, sweetness, and complexity. But it's also unforgiving. Small mistakes (water too hot, grind too fine, steep too long) produce noticeably worse coffee.
The technique I've outlined here is what I've refined over 24 years of daily use. It's simple, repeatable, and produces consistently excellent coffee. Start with these fundamentals—200°F water, coarse grind, 1:16 ratio, 4-minute steep—and adjust from there based on your preferences and your beans.
If you don't already own a French press, I strongly recommend the Bodum Chambord. I've used the same one for 24 years—6 years at Purple Café, 18 years at home—and it still works like new. It's the only French press I trust, and it's the one I recommend to everyone who asks.