Bought a cafetière and haven't got a clue what you're doing?
Good news. It's one of the simplest ways to make a decent cup of coffee.
You don't need an expensive machine, specialist equipment or the ability to identify seventeen different flavour notes.
Just coffee, hot water and a few minutes.
Here's how to do it.
What You'll Need
- A cafetière, also called a French press
- Coarsely ground coffee
- Hot water
- A spoon
- A timer
- Kitchen scales, ideally, although they're not essential
Step 1: Measure Your Coffee
A useful starting point is 15g of ground coffee for every 250ml of water.
For example:
| Water | Coffee |
|---|---|
| 250ml | 15g |
| 350ml | 21g |
| 500ml | 30g |
| 1 litre | 60g |
If you don't have scales, around two to three level tablespoons per 250ml can get you started, although tablespoons aren't particularly precise.
Step 2: Use the Right Grind
Cafetières generally work best with coarsely ground coffee.
If your coffee is too finely ground, you might get excessive sediment in your cup and a harsher taste.
If you're ordering pre-ground coffee, select the cafetière option.
Our coffee grind size guide explains why it matters.
Step 3: Add Your Coffee and Hot Water
Put the ground coffee into your cafetière.
Boil your kettle, then add the measured water.
Water just off the boil works well for many cafetière recipes, although you can experiment with slightly cooler water if you prefer.
Make sure all the coffee grounds are wet.
Give it a gentle stir if necessary.
Step 4: Let It Brew
Put the lid on, keeping the plunger raised.
Allow the coffee to brew for around four minutes as a starting point.
This gives the water time to extract flavour from the grounds.
Different recipes use different brewing times, so don't worry if you eventually find another method you prefer.
Step 5: Press the Plunger Gently
After brewing, slowly lower the plunger.
Don't force it.
If there's significant resistance, stop rather than pushing harder. Very fine grounds or an overloaded cafetière can make plunging difficult.
The metal filter separates most of the grounds from your coffee, although a little sediment is normal.
Step 6: Pour and Enjoy
Pour your coffee into a mug.
If you've made more than one cup, transfer the remaining coffee into another container rather than leaving it sitting with the grounds.
That helps prevent further extraction while it waits.
Add milk or sugar if that's how you like it.
Nobody's judging.
Why Does My Cafetière Coffee Taste Weak?
There are a few possible reasons.
You might not be using enough coffee, your grind could be too coarse, or your brewing time might be too short.
Start by checking your measurements.
Try changing one thing at a time rather than adjusting everything at once.
Why Is There Coffee Sediment at the Bottom?
Cafetières use a metal mesh filter rather than a paper filter.
That means some fine coffee particles can pass through.
A small amount of sediment is normal.
If you're getting excessive sludge, check that you're using a suitably coarse grind and that the filter is properly assembled and in good condition.
Can You Use Any Coffee in a Cafetière?
You can use a wide range of coffee beans and blends.
The important part is making sure they're ground appropriately.
Whether you prefer chocolatey, nutty or fruity flavours is entirely up to you.
If you're unsure what to buy, take a look at our beginner's guide to choosing coffee beans.
Making Good Cafetière Coffee Doesn't Need to Be Difficult
Start with a coarse grind, around 15g of coffee per 250ml of water and approximately four minutes of brewing time.
Then adjust to your taste.
That's really all there is to it.
Explore our freshly roasted coffees and choose a cafetière grind when ordering.
Because good coffee shouldn't require a training course.