A cafetière, also known as a French press, is one of the easiest ways to make several cups at once. Its metal mesh filter allows oils and tiny particles into the drink, giving it a rounder texture than paper-filtered coffee. Careful grinding, patient brewing and prompt decanting keep that texture pleasant rather than muddy.
- Coffee
- 15g
- Water
- 250g
- Temperature
- 92–96°C
- Grind
- Medium-coarse
- Steep
- 4 minutes
What you need
- A clean cafetière with a mesh filter that fits well
- 15g freshly ground coffee for every 250g water
- Hot water at 92–96°C
- A timer and, ideally, a scale
- A separate jug or cups ready for decanting
A better cafetière recipe
- Warm the cafetière. Rinse it with hot water, then empty it. This reduces heat loss during brewing.
- Add medium-coarse coffee. Use 15g for one 250g cup, or keep the same 60g per litre ratio when making more.
- Pour all the water. Start the timer and saturate every ground. Give the coffee one gentle stir, then rest the lid on top without plunging.
- Wait four minutes. At four minutes, gently break the crust on the surface. Scoop away any floating foam and grounds if you want a cleaner cup.
- Let it settle. For less grit, wait another three to five minutes. Patience allows more particles to fall to the bottom.
- Plunge slowly and decant. Lower the mesh gently without forcing it, then pour all the coffee into cups or a separate jug. Do not leave it sitting on the grounds.
How to fix your cafetière coffee
| If it tastes... | Try this next |
|---|---|
| Weak or watery | Use more coffee, grind a little finer or steep slightly longer. |
| Bitter or drying | Grind coarser and decant promptly rather than leaving coffee in the brewer. |
| Sour | Use hotter water or a slightly finer grind. |
| Gritty or muddy | Use a more even, coarser grind, allow extra settling time and pour gently. |
| Hard to plunge | Stop forcing it. Lift the plunger slightly, then press gently. Grind coarser next time. |
Frequently asked questions
How much coffee should I use?
Start with 60g coffee per litre of water. That is 15g for 250g water, 30g for 500g or 60g for a litre.
Should cafetière coffee be ground very coarse?
Medium-coarse is a better starting point than extremely coarse chunks. The grind should be even enough to extract sweetness while the mesh still separates most particles.
Why should I decant it?
The coffee continues contacting the grounds below the plunger. Pouring it all out stops that process and helps prevent the last cup tasting harsher than the first.