French Pressed Coffee

In an effort to cut down on paper waste and save a little cash (while still being productive in the mornings), I’ve recently acquired a french press coffee pot. They’re incredibly easy to use and I feel like they provide a much cleaner and stronger brew than a traditional coffee pot. It’s also an economical choice, because I live alone in an apartment; with this system I can easily brew one or two cups in less than ten minutes without wasting water, coffee, or energy.

A French press consists of a tall jug (usually made of glass or plastic) with a lid and a plunger which fits tightly in the cylinder and acts as a filter for the coffee grinds. Coffee is brewed by placing the coffee grinds and boiling water in the pot, leaving to brew for a few minutes, then pressing the plunger down to trap and filter the grinds.

The result is a fresh and strong brew, with incredible flavor – something that is usually left behind in a traditional coffee maker’s paper filter. I recommend using filtered water and grinding your beans right before you brew, in order to maintain the  best flavor possible.

Coffee Geek has a very detailed article about the details and quirks of owning a press pot. To illustrate how easy it is to use, here’s my super simple slideshow of the 11 steps to french-pressed coffee bliss:

Image courtesy of amazon.com

Amazon.com has a great selection of pots which range from as low as $13 right on up to $80.

My personal favorite is the ultra hip three-cup press from Bodum, made with heat-resistant glass and curved black accents. It is dishwasher safe and has a stainless steel press and filter. This stylish press sells at Target stores and online, and retails for about $15.