Rethinking the whole French Press experience.

Allthingsgirly67 · ‎03-09-2010

I had posted previously that a woman I knew had made the most delicious cup of coffee using a French press. It was pests coffee. I had no idea how much coffee you have to use to make a cup. Is it more economical to buy the k-cups or use a percolator? Or am I just a newbie?

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

The coffee purists of the world will tell you a French press is the best. But they're often a little on the lunatic fringe side of things and want very freshly ground coffee, preheating the French press by running hot water, and not just any hot water, but water heated to a very precise temperature. Then using water at a very precise temperature for the French press to make the cup of coffee and leaving it for a very specific period of time before pressing and then pouring it into a prewarmed cup and drinking it within a certain window of time when it's at its absolute best. Some are even very picky about the water they use and want only distilled or reverse osmosis water to be used.

If you just want a cup of coffee and you're not on the lunatic fringe side of things, a K-cup works great. If you want a whole pot of coffee and you want it to be good but not too hot, then a drip coffeemaker is your best option. If you think coffee can't be too hot, then a percolator is for you. The "best" coffee comes from a French press with every step followed to the T, but do you always want the best coffee, or do you just want a cup/pot of coffee?

If you're a person who dilutes their coffee with lots of creamer and sugar, you probably don't want/need a French press. If you want to add creamer but still have very hot coffee, then a percolator may be your best option. They make the hottest coffee. An old-fashioned drip coffee maker also makes very nice coffee if you want a whole pot of coffee but don't need it extremely hot. You have lots of options out there. Just figure out your own wants/needs and go from there.

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PinkyPetunia · ‎03-09-2010

I have an unused French press sitting in my garage. I wish I could give it to you @Allthingsgirly67 it was too much work for me. The worst was where to dump all the hot wet grounds when done.

I am widowed now and don't drink lots of coffee. I use a 5 cup drip coffeemaker and it is perfect for me. My soution to getting hot coffee from the drip machines: microwave each cup after pouring (15 seconds).

My DIL has a Nespresso and it makes delicious coffee but I don't want to spend $200 for the machine and then commit to buying those odd pods.

wagirl · ‎03-09-2010

My DD found her teeny tiny french press awhile ago and has been making 1 cup of her fave coffee--it is a messy little thing----when I had a house with garden, I would toss the grounds in the dirt---can't drink coffee now but used a small auto coffee maker or a tiny latte maker---

JeanLouiseFinch · ‎10-03-2011

One of our kids was committed to using a French Press for years, but converted to a Ninja Dual Brew last year.

charsha · ‎03-28-2010

I never thought a french press gave me hot enough coffee. I use a cuisinart drip machine with a thermal carafe, and it is great.

Etoile308 · ‎01-04-2014

I like Peet's coffee, but keep in mind they have several different blends and flavor profiles. I like a dark roast and they have several. My favorite, and readily available is the Major Dickason's Blend.

Also with a French Press it's best to use a course ground coffee. That usually means buying whole beans and grinding it yourself either in store or at home. Most packaged ground coffee is a medium grind for drip coffeemakers.

SurferWife · ‎12-12-2010

Well, I guess I'm a lunatic fringe coffee drinker. I love my French Press coffee and in my lunatic fringe opinion, nothing else compares. Now, back to my coffee & banana bread with butter & honey.

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