How to Make French Press Coffee: A Complete Guide

Why French Press?

The French press is one of the oldest and most beloved brew methods in the world — and for good reason. It's simple, requires no paper filters, and produces a cup that's rich, full-bodied, and deeply satisfying in a way that drip coffee rarely achieves.

Unlike pour-over, which filters out oils and fine particles, French press is a full-immersion method with a metal mesh plunger. Those oils stay in the cup, giving it a heavier body and a more tactile, velvety texture. If you love bold, rich coffee, this is your method.

What You'll Need

• A French press (any size)
• A burr grinder
• A kitchen scale
• A kettle
• Fresh, quality coffee beans
• Filtered water
• A timer

The Ratio

French press is forgiving, but a good starting ratio is 1:15 — 1 gram of coffee per 15 grams of water. For common French press sizes:

• Small (350ml / 12oz): 23g coffee, 350g water
• Medium (600ml / 20oz): 40g coffee, 600g water
• Large (1L / 34oz): 65g coffee, 1000g water

Adjust to taste — more coffee for a stronger, bolder cup; less for something lighter.

Grind Size: Coarse Is Non-Negotiable

French press demands a coarse grind — chunky, like rough sea salt. This is the most important variable to get right.

The metal mesh filter in a French press can't trap fine particles the way paper filters can. Grind too fine and you'll end up with a muddy, over-extracted, bitter cup with a thick layer of sludge at the bottom. Coarse grounds extract more slowly, which is exactly what you want during a 4-minute steep.

For a full breakdown of grind sizes across all brew methods, see our coffee grind size guide.

Water Temperature

Aim for 195–205°F (90–96°C) — just off the boil. Bring water to a full boil, then let it rest for 30–45 seconds. That's all you need.

Step-by-Step: How to Brew French Press Coffee

Step 1: Preheat the Press

Pour a small amount of hot water into your empty French press, swirl it around, and discard. This preheats the glass and helps maintain brew temperature throughout the steep.

Step 2: Grind and Add Coffee

Grind your coffee coarse and add it to the preheated press. Place on your scale and tare to zero.

Step 3: Start the Clock and Add Water (0:00–0:30)

Start your timer and pour all of your hot water over the grounds in a slow, even pour. Make sure all the grounds are saturated. Give it a gentle stir with a wooden spoon or chopstick to ensure even saturation — avoid metal utensils, which can crack the glass.

Step 4: Place the Lid and Steep (0:30–4:00)

Place the lid on the press with the plunger pulled all the way up — don't press yet. Let the coffee steep undisturbed for 4 minutes total.

4 minutes is the sweet spot for most coarsely ground coffees. You can experiment with 3:30 for a slightly lighter cup or 4:30 for more body and intensity, but start at 4:00.

Step 5: Press Slowly (4:00)

When your timer hits 4 minutes, press the plunger down slowly and steadily — it should take about 20–30 seconds to reach the bottom. If it plunges too easily, your grind is too coarse. If it's very hard to press, your grind is too fine.

Stop pressing when you feel resistance — don't force it all the way to the bottom, which can agitate the grounds and add bitterness.

Step 6: Pour Immediately

This is critical: pour your coffee immediately after pressing. Don't let it sit in the press. The grounds are still in contact with the water, and every minute you wait, the coffee continues to extract and becomes increasingly bitter and harsh.

If you're not drinking it all at once, pour the remainder into a separate carafe or thermos.

What Coffee Works Best in a French Press?

French press rewards coffees with natural sweetness, body, and complexity — qualities that shine through the full-immersion process. Medium and medium-dark roasts tend to perform exceptionally well.

Our Resurrection is one of the best coffees you can put in a French press. It's a naturally processed Brazilian from Minas Gerais — grown by one of the most talented organic farmers in the country — with tasting notes of chocolate, cherry, and maple syrup. The full-immersion brew brings out its rich body and fruit-forward depth in a way that's deeply satisfying. Brew it at 4 minutes, coarse grind, and you'll understand why people fall in love with French press.

Our Glory also works beautifully — its Colombian sweetness and chocolate notes translate into a smooth, approachable French press cup that's hard to put down.

Troubleshooting Common French Press Problems

• Coffee tastes bitter: Grind coarser, shorten steep time, or lower water temperature slightly.
• Coffee tastes sour or weak: Grind finer, extend steep time, or use more coffee.
• Too much sediment in the cup: Grind coarser, press more slowly, or let the cup rest 30 seconds before drinking so grounds settle.
• Plunger is hard to press: Grind is too fine — adjust coarser next time.
• Coffee gets bitter as it sits: Pour it all out immediately after pressing. Never let it steep in the press.

French Press vs. Pour-Over: Which Is Right for You?

Both are excellent — they just produce different cups:

• French press: Full-bodied, rich, oily, bold. Great for medium and dark roasts. Forgiving and low-tech.
• Pour-over: Clean, bright, nuanced. Great for light and medium roasts. Rewards precision and technique.

If you want to explore both, check out our pour-over brewing guide. Many coffee lovers keep both methods in rotation depending on their mood.

The Bottom Line

French press is one of the most rewarding brew methods you can master — and it takes about a week of practice to get consistently great results. Coarse grind, 4-minute steep, press slowly, pour immediately. That's the whole recipe.

Start with Resurrection and let its natural sweetness and body show you what French press can do at its best.