How do i use a french press?

Question

I tried to use it and the coffee tasted terrible!! I think i did it wrong because i hear that there is some sort of specific process or something....

Answer 1

I found these round filters with a little hole in the middle. I use them with my French press when I want a 'cleaner' tasting cup of coffee.

They also keep the screen from getting too grimy (which I think is why the coffee starts to taste a bit off in an old press)

Answer 2

Use 2 tbs corsley ground coffee per cup of water.... put it in the bottom of your french press... pour hot (not boiling....195 is perfect) water and stir to make sure the grounds are all saturated.... brew for 4 mins and then press the grounds to the bottom.

Coffee from a french press tastes a bit stronger because the natural oils flavor the coffee more so than with brewed from a pot!

Answer 3

I am an Assistant Manager for Starbucks.  French Press is the only way to drink coffee!  You get all the natural oils, all of the flavor!  2 tablespoons for every 6 oz of water.  Hot water (about 200 degrees, not boiling!) Let it sit for 4 minutes and then press the plunger down.  If the coffee you have is too strong, try a mild or medium roast coffee (at Starbucks I would start with breakfast blend and work your way around the Latin American coffees.  They are all mild or medium.  Asian and African are bold and extra bold for the most part.)  If you go into Starbucks you can get a pretty good education on coffees if you find the right barista.  

It is ground extra coarse, because of the time the water sits on the grinds it has time to fully extract the flavor.  (Look at an espresso machine.  It takes 17 second to brew a shot.  The grind it REALLY fine because it is brewed so quickly.)

Hope this helps.  Remember, use the right grind for the machine you use.

Answer 4

I heat my water, put the ground coffee in the french press, pour the water over it and press it down. I let it set for about eight minutes.

I love coffee, but french press coffee is very strong and bold, that might be one of the reasons  you don't enjoy it.

Answer 5

I used to sell coffeemakers....ALL coffeemakers.

In my opinion, french press coffee is the worst.

The filters are metal.  They don't remove any of the nasty oils, and you have to grind the coffee extra coarse, or the grounds will come through the filter.

Coarsely ground coffee doesn't allow for good contact with the water, so you get less flavor.  

Less flavor, more oil=bad coffee

Grind the coffee extra coarse.  Put hot water in the pitcher with the coffee grounds.  Wait a few minutes, then slowly slowly push down the plunger.  That's it.  

Get a $10 drip coffee maker with a coneshaped filter.  Use unbleached paper filters.  grind your coffee extra fine.  That's the best.

I sold top of the line stuff, and as long as you have a cone shaped filter, you'll make good coffee.