How Do You Make Coffee in a Cafetière (French Press)?
Cafetière coffee is a classic for good reason. It’s one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to brew at home. Using a cafetière (or French press) lets the coffee steep gently, giving you a full-bodied cup that highlights every note of the beans.
All you need is coarsely ground coffee, hot water just off the boil, and a few minutes of patience.
At EDGE Tea & Coffee, we love the ritual of a proper cafetière brew. It’s unhurried, hands-on, and reveals the natural sweetness and texture that make freshly roasted coffee beans shine.
Our Head of Coffee Stevie will show you how to make coffee in a cafetière perfectly, from the right coffee-to-water ratio to how long to leave it before you press, so you can enjoy café-quality flavour at home, every time.
The EDGE Guide to Making Perfect Cafetière Coffee
Once you understand the basics, it’s time to brew. Follow this step-by-step method to make perfect cafetière coffee at home. Each step is simple, but together they create a clean, flavourful cup that brings out the best in your beans.
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Preheat your cafetière. Pour a little hot water into the glass and swirl it around. This warms the pot and helps keep your brew temperature stable from the start.
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Add your coffee and hot water at around 93 °C. Use freshly ground, coarse coffee, about 7 g per 125 ml of water. Pour in the water slowly and evenly so all the grounds are saturated. The temperature is hot enough to extract flavour but not so high that it scorches the coffee.
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Stir to saturate the grounds. Give the brew a gentle stir with a spoon or wooden stick. This ensures every particle is fully immersed, allowing even extraction and balanced flavour.
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Place the plunger on top (but don’t press yet). Let it rest on the surface to trap heat and keep the aroma inside. Maintaining temperature during this phase gives you consistent extraction.
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Steep for 4 minutes. Set a timer and let the coffee rest. This window allows the natural oils, sweetness, and depth to develop without bitterness.
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Press slowly and evenly. Push the plunger down with steady pressure. A slow plunge separates the liquid from the grounds cleanly and prevents sediment from escaping into the cup.
- Serve immediately or decant into another vessel. Leaving the coffee sitting with the grounds causes over-extraction, which makes it taste harsh. Pour straight away for a smooth, well-balanced brew.
How much coffee should you use in a cafetière?
Getting the ratio right is the key to smooth, flavourful cafetière coffee. Too little coffee and your brew tastes thin; too much and it becomes heavy or bitter. The sweet spot? Around 1 g of coffee for every 15 ml of water, that’s roughly 60–65 g per litre.
| Cafetière Size | Water Volume | Coffee Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Small (350 ml) | 350 ml | 20–23 g |
| Medium (500 ml) | 500 ml | 30–33 g |
| Large (1 L) | 1000 ml | 60–65 g |
This balance gives the coffee enough strength to develop body and sweetness without over-extracting the bitter compounds. The result is a clean, rounded cup with a satisfying depth, one that shows off the natural flavour of top-tier coffee beans.
EDGE Tip: Taste is personal. Try adjusting your ratio by 5 g up or down to fine-tune the strength to your liking. Using digital scales makes it easier to stay consistent brew after brew.
What’s the best coffee grind size for a French press?
Grind size makes or breaks your cafetière coffee. For the best results, aim for a texture that looks like breadcrumbs or coarse sand. Large enough for water to flow easily around the grounds, but consistent enough to extract evenly.
A coarse grind allows the coffee to steep slowly, drawing out sweetness and body without bitterness. If the grind is too fine, the particles over-extract and release harsh flavours. You’ll also notice more sediment slipping through the metal mesh, leaving the last sip cloudy or gritty.
Using a burr grinder gives the most even results. Set it to the coarser end of the scale, then tweak slightly depending on your roast or preference. The goal is a cup that feels smooth and balanced, not silty or sharp.
How do I long-brew coffee in a cafetière?
Timing is everything when brewing cafetière coffee. The ideal steeping time is 4 minutes - long enough for the coffee to release its aromatics and sweetness before the bitter compounds start to take over. This balance gives you a clean, rounded cup with a smooth finish.
Here’s how the extraction unfolds:
- 0–1 minute: Fragrant oils bloom and the aroma lifts.
- 1–3 minutes: Natural sugars dissolve, bringing out balanced sweetness.
- 3–4 minutes: Strength builds and the flavour rounds out, the perfect time to plunge.
- Beyond 4 minutes: Bitterness and astringency begin to dominate as over-extraction sets in.
If your water is a little cooler than 92 °C, extend the brew to around 5 minutes to reach the same level of extraction. Conversely, hotter water or a finer grind may need slightly less time.
Why is water temperature important?
Water temperature is one of the most overlooked parts of making cafetière coffee, yet it has one of the biggest effects on flavour. The sweet spot sits between 92–94 °C, which is hot enough to extract depth and sweetness, but not so hot that it burns the coffee oils.
Boiling water (100 °C) scalds the grounds and pulls out bitter compounds, dulling the nuance of the beans. In simple terms, it ruins the flavour of the coffee!
Cooler water, on the other hand, won’t extract enough, leaving the brew weak and sour.
Finding that middle range ensures every cup tastes rich, round, and balanced.
EDGE Tip: After your kettle boils, wait about 30 seconds before pouring. This simple pause brings the water to roughly 93 °C, the perfect point for brewing.
| Water Temperature | Flavour Profile |
|---|---|
| 88–90 °C | Light, underdeveloped, slightly sour |
| 92–94 °C (Optimal) | Balanced, sweet, aromatic |
| 96–100 °C | Bitter, harsh, over-extracted |
Precision matters, but perfection is simple. A few seconds’ patience and attention to detail will make your French press coffee taste noticeably better.
How does a cafetière work?
A cafetière or French press works through a method called immersion brewing. Instead of forcing water through the coffee grounds, it lets them steep gently together, allowing time, temperature, and texture to do the work.
Here’s what happens inside the glass:
- The grounds are fully immersed in water, soaking evenly so every particle releases flavour at the same pace.
- A fine metal mesh filter then separates the grounds from the liquid as you press down the plunger, keeping the natural oils that paper filters remove.
- The result is a balanced extraction, richer than filter coffee, cleaner than espresso, and a truer reflection of the beans themselves.
What are the benefits of immersion brewing in a cafetière?
When coffee brews slowly and evenly, the flavours have time to open up. With no pressure or paper filter muting the nuances, a cafetière gives you the most honest version of the roast. Aromatic and full of natural sweetness. It’s one of the simplest ways to taste what makes coffee special.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when using a French press?
Even a simple cafetière brew can go wrong if a few small details are missed. Here are the most common mistakes and how to fix them the EDGE way.
1. Grinding too fine → muddy texture
Fine grounds over-extract quickly and slip through the metal filter, leaving a cloudy cup.
EDGE fix: Use a coarse grind that feels like breadcrumbs or coarse sand. This keeps the brew clear and balanced while preserving natural sweetness.
2. Using old beans → flat flavour
Stale coffee loses its oils and aromatics, so even the perfect technique can’t save the taste.
EDGE fix: Always start with freshly roasted beans and grind just before brewing. Store coffee in an airtight container away from light and heat. If you need to have your beans pre-ground, you can store your coffee in a container in your freezer.
3. Leaving grounds in the pot → bitterness
Once brewed, the coffee keeps steeping if you leave it sitting on the grounds, making it harsh and astringent.
EDGE fix: Decant immediately after plunging into a carafe or mug. This stops extraction and locks in the right balance of flavour.
4. Over-stirring or agitating the plunger → sediment
Too much movement disturbs the grounds and forces fine particles through the mesh.
EDGE fix: Stir gently once before brewing, then plunge slowly and evenly. A calm hand gives you a clean, silky cup.
What’s the best way to clean and maintain my cafetière?
Looking after your cafetière keeps every cup tasting as good as the first. Coffee oils and fine particles can build up over time, dulling flavour and adding unwanted bitterness, so regular cleaning is essential for a bright, clean brew.
After every use:
Rinse the cafetière straight away with warm water to remove leftover grounds and oils. Empty it fully before washing. Never let coffee sit, as residue quickly hardens and affects taste.
Once a month:
Give your cafetière a deeper clean using a small amount of baking soda or a coffee-safe cleaning solution. Fill it with warm water, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse thoroughly. This dissolves any oily film that clings to the glass or mesh.
Filter care:
Inspect your metal filter regularly. If it starts to warp, fray, or leave a metallic taste, it’s time to replace it. A fresh mesh filter ensures smooth plunging and a cleaner cup.
Taking a few minutes to maintain your cafetière extends its life and guarantees that every brew tastes fresh, vibrant, and true to the beans.
Cafetière FAQs
What type of water should I use in a cafetière?
Filtered water works best. It removes excess minerals and chlorine that can mask delicate flavours. Soft or filtered water helps coffee taste cleaner and more aromatic.
Can you make cold brew coffee in a cafetière?
You can. Add coarse grounds and cold water, stir, cover, and let it steep in the fridge for 8–12 hours. Press the plunger slowly, then pour over ice for a smooth, refreshing cold brew.
What’s the difference between a cafetière and a French press?
They’re the same brewing device. “Cafetière” is the common British term, while “French press” is used internationally. Both describe the same immersion brewing method.
How many cups can you get from a standard cafetière?
A one-litre cafetière brews roughly three large mugs or four smaller cups. Always measure both water and coffee to match the number of servings you need.
Can I reuse coffee grounds in a cafetière?
No. Once brewed, the grounds are spent. Reusing them makes the coffee weak and flat because most of the flavour compounds have already been extracted.
