Should I Use A French Press?

Jul 20 2011 Published by under Articles

French Press being poured

If you are new to the idea of a French press, you might be wondering if you should make the switch from a normal coffee maker.  There are a few considerations that you have to make which include how much you drink coffee, the taste that you like and how much of an investment you would like to make.  Let’s take a closer look so you can answer the question, “Should I use a French Press?”

 

First, just a little bit of information about a French press.  The process involved in preparing coffee with one of these devices is different than preparing coffee with an automatic drip machine or one of those new ‘Flavor Pod’ coffee makers.  With a French press, you put coffee grounds and water together and then use a plunger to push all of the grounds to the bottom.  This process strains the water through the grounds and creates a rich bold tasting coffee that is unlike anything else.

How Much Coffee Do You Drink?

Some coffee drinkers will make a single pot of coffee and drink the whole thing within just a few hours.  Others will take an entire day to drink just a half of a pot.  A French press does not yield as much coffee as a drip machine — so the amount of coffee that you drink is an important consideration when you are trying to answer the question ‘should I use a French press?’.  Most presses will create about 3 to 4 cups of coffee per use.  An automatic drip machine might make as many as 10.

However, you should consider the fact that the coffee made in a press is much more concentrated than what is made by drip.  So it might make sense to assume that you would drink less coffee if you used a press.  If you’re the type of person that drinks tons of coffee every day, you have to realize that you would have to go back and forth to your press several times to make the amount that you want.

What Kind Of Taste Do You Like?

Should I Use A French PressThe most important thing to most coffee drinkers is the taste.  If you really enjoy the taste of that you get from an automatic drip machine, then the answer to ‘Should I use a French press?’ might be no.  However, if you find that you are creating something a bit more strong, then you may want to check out a French press.

Another thing that many coffee drinkers like about using a press is that there is no paper filter.  A lot of drinkers think that the coffee filter used in an automatic drip machine transfers flavor to the drink — which is a negative thing.  If you believe that a paper filter is changing the taste of your coffee, give a French press a tri because they do not use paper filters.  Most of the time, one of the most important qualities of a French press is whether or not it affects the taste of your coffee.  Most high quality presses will boast that they are tasteless, meaning that the manufacturer claims that your coffee taste will not be affected at all.

What Kind Of Investment Do You Want To Make?

Should I use a French PressWhether you use an automatic drip machine or a French press, there are models of a level at a range of prices.  Generally speaking, however, a French press will be just a bit more expensive then a drip machine.  However it is important to remember that a press will usually last for years and years while many drip machines will only last one or two.  So, over the long term, a French press might be a better investment.

Overall, if you’re asking ‘Should I use a French press?’ Then chances are good that you’re not satisfied with the taste that you’re getting from your current method of preparation.  If you want a more rich, bold and full taste, then I suggest that you at least try out a French press.

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5 Steps to the Perfect Cup of French Press Coffee
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Fancy Coffee Explained

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