The Art of Making Coffee |January 9, 2026

The Strange History Of The French Press

On the farm, we use the French Press daily. When someone wants to try one of the coffees not on sample that day, we can usually do a 4-minute French Press and let them “try before they buy.”
So in addition to giving you an amazing French Press Recipe below, let’s take a quick peek at how this popular coffee-making device came to be and what you can expect from the cup.

French Press Historical Overview

As with many things that we have grown to love, the French and Italians both claim it as theirs. Legend suggests that both a Frenchman and an Italian were present when the first contraption was used.
The story says that a Frenchman was boiling water in a pot when he realized he forgot to put in the coffee. When he dumped in the coffee, it all rose to the top. An Italian gentleman nearby offered a piece of metal screen (why he had a metal screen, we’re not sure) and they used it with a stick to push down the coffee. Upon first sip, it was the best coffee they had ever had. Now, this is most likely a complete fabrication, but let’s say that in a short time, the French and Italians both had versions of this device.

The earliest known device was patented in 1852 in France by Jacques-Victor Delforge and Henri-Otto Mayer. So, the French, who call the device a “cafetiere,” had it down on paper first.

In 1928, a modified design of the press was patented in Italy by Attilio Calimani and Giulio Moneta and whereas the original French design was more like a tall, metal teapot with an elongated spout, the Italian design, with its glass chamber, rounded handle, and curved top, is closer to what we know today as the French Press.

To confuse matters a bit more, the Italian design was produced and distributed by a French company and sold under the name “Chambord.” Many unique variations of the “press pot” now exist around the world.

French= Cafetiere
English= French Press (Press Pot)
German = Stampelkanne (I love German-Stamp Can! So practical!)
Italian = Caffettiera a stantuffo

What to Expect When You’re Expecting French Press Coffee

As French Presses do not use paper filters, the coffee is pushed down by a wire mesh. This will usually allow some amount of particulate and most of the oils to pass through to the liquid. The oils in coffee (if it is fresh) can be both flavorful and aromatic. They add to the body or mouthfeel of the coffee with a little more “weight.”

The fine particulate, also known as “suspended solids,” can also be viewed as adding to a richer cup. Although these coffees served black are full of flavor and nuance, those who add milk to their coffee claim the French Press is a great method for creating velvety and textured cups of coffee.

Compared to a paper-filtered pour-over, which may lean towards the brightly acidic, French Pressed coffee will bring out more of the caramel and chocolate notes, which we associate with pleasant bitterness.

Today, there are many versions of the French Press in glass, plastic, metal, and ceramic. They are big, small, single mug, and some with special chambers.

What’s the best way to make it, you ask?

A French Press Recipe for ALL

(1) 15:1 ratio (375 grams of water / 25 grams of coffee)

(2) Medium course grind (30 microns)

(3) 207 F First Pour

(4) Bloom

(5) Four Minute Extraction

For Two Small Cups

(1) Heat clean filtered water to 207F

(2)On a scale, Add 25 grams of Medium-Course Fresh Ground Coffee to the
Cylinder. (If your grinder has a micron scale, the setting is 30 Microns) Zero it out.

(3) Set a timer for 4 minutes, and as it begins, pour 60 grams of water slowly
on the coffee to wet it. (Bloom)

(4) After waiting 30 seconds, pour the remaining water from a high position in a
Corkscrew fashion until you get to 375 grams.

(5) Remove the press from the scale. Cap the press and push the plunger just far enough to submerge all of the grounds.

(5) Wait out the 4 minutes and press slowly.

(7) Pour into cups immediately.

You should have a beautiful “French Pressed” cup of coffee before you!

Bonus Uses of the French Press

(1) You can also use your French Press to make tea, cold brew, and in a pinch, froth warm milk.

(2) Spiced Chai lovers often use the press to capture large spice pieces. (Clove, cardamom)

(3) Many swear the French press is amazing for rinsing grains as well as re-hydrating dried mushrooms or veggies.

(4) Have you ever had a cocktail mixed in a French Press? Some people claim it surpasses all other methods.

(5) If you infuse scents into oil, many a YouTuber suggests the French Press as a way to keep the herbs or florals submerged. (Does it affect the coffee taste?)

Great ideas, but at my house, I only use my press for coffee. How about you?