Coffee Press Buying Guide

October 10, 2017

History of the Coffee Press

Pressed coffee is thought to have originated in France sometime in the late 1800s. The earliest devices used a finely woven cheesecloth to press the liquid from boiled coffee grounds. In 1929, Italian designer Attilio Calimani patented the first complete French press pot, which included a carafe, lid and plunger, filter, and a disk used for pressing the coffee. Faliero Bondanini made several simple changes to the pot and patented his own design in 1958. Since then, the design of the coffee press has remained much the same as those original patents, with each company adding their own personal touches for style and branding purposes.

The Purpose of the Coffee Press

When making a decision about which coffee press to buy, it is important to understand why and how a coffee press is used. A coffee press, when used properly, will produce a full-flavored, robust cup of coffee that is relatively low in acid. It can also be used to brew loose-leaf teas and to infuse herbs, spices, and flavors into the coffee or tea.

How to Use a Coffee Press

To make pressed coffee, place the desired amount of coarsely ground coffee in the bottom of the carafe. Fill the carafe with hot, but not boiling, water. Leave the coffee grounds alone to steep in the water for four to five minutes. At the end of the steeping time, place the lid with the plunger on the top of the carafe and press downward very slowly. Make sure that the structure disk and plunger are perpendicular to the bottom of the carafe and use smooth, even pressure to ensure that most of the grounds get filtered out.

Why Use a Coffee Press?

As the coffee steeps in the hot water, the coarse grounds absorb much of the water and infuse it with flavor. The pressing motion of the plunger squeezes the liquid out of the coffee. At the same time, the screen and the filter serve to separate the grounds from the liquid, resulting in a smooth cup of coffee.

Parts of the Coffee Press

Though the coffee press is simple in design, it has several separate parts that are all essential for the pot to function: the carafe, plunger and lid, filter, and structure disk. The function of the parts will remain the same, but the results of the finished coffee can differ quite a bit depending on the materials and components used.