How To Brew a Better Plunger (French Press) Coffee in 2025

Summary

1. A french press (or plunger) can brew excellent coffee
2. Start with fresh roasted, specialty coffee like our Street Fighter Blend if you add milk or one of our single origins for black.
3. Grind right before use, follow a recipe, and enjoy.

The humble plunger (aka French press, cafetière or coffee press) hides in cupboards and pantries in nearly every kitchen in the country. Coffee snobs often look down on it as a coffee maker, but when made well, french press coffee can be as good as any other method.

The French press is also a terrific method for bulk brewing, as it allows you to make big batches of brewed coffee that taste delicious black or with added milk. Some of the best coffee you can have is shared with friends and family and the plunger is the ultimate brewer for groups.

By taking the care and attention you would with say Aeropress or pour over, plunger coffee can be delicious, clean and sweet.

The trick, like any method, is to start with good, fresh coarsely ground coffee, have fresh hot water, use scales and a timer, and follow a recipe.

Both filter and espresso roasts can work well. If you like a brighter, fruitier brew and drink it black, try a filter roast. If you add milk or like a stronger brew, then an espresso roast will give a big, bold cup.

Use the golden ratio we follow for all brewing, 6g coffee per 100 ml of water. Grind the coffee to a coarse grind right beforehand. Use scales and a timer and you’ll have a delicious beverage.

Here is the method we like to use. Borrowed from James Hoffman and his excellent book The World Atlas of Coffee.

Ingredients/Gear

• Rumble Coffee

• French Press/Plunger

• Filtered Boiling Water

• Timer 

• Scales 

• Bowl and two spoons

Instructions:

• Setup: Lift the lid off your plunger and pre-heat with boiling water to bring to temperature. Discard the water.

• Put the plunger on the scales. 

• Grind: Grind your coffee medium/coarse and add to the plunger. Use 6g of coffee per 100ml of water. (15g per 250ml for 1 cup and 30g per 500ml for 2 cups)

• Brew: Add 95℃ water (a good way to do this is to let a freshly boiled kettle sit for 45 secs and then pour). Pour with vigour to make sure you get all the grounds wet. Place the lid of the plunger on top to keep the heat in, but DO NOT PUSH DOWN. Set your timer for 4 minutes.

• At 4 mins gently break the crust with your spoon and move the coffee around so it falls to the bottom. Then scoop the remaining foam off with two spoons. Place the plunger back on top to keep the heat in, but DO NOT PUSH DOWN. Set your timer for another 4 minutes.

• Pour: When the timer goes off, slowly PUSH THE PLUNGER DOWN. Pour and enjoy. 

If you plan on adding milk to the final brew, or just like a strong, bold cup of coffee, then try our Shadow Boxer blend. If you are drinking it black but your partner adds milk, Haymaker is a great option.

If you want to try something fruitier or different, look into our single-origin coffees. We like to use espresso roasts in the plunger as it enhances the body and strength of the coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use filter coffee?

You sure can. You can get delicious coffee with a lighter roast coffee but it just might not go as well with milk.

Can I use pre-ground coffee?

Yes, of course, but the result will never be as good as with freshly ground coffee. As soon as you grind coffee, it stales and loses its more delicate qualities. For a great cup of coffee and to get the best out of your coffee beans, you need a coffee grinder.

What grind size do you use for the coffee plunger?

Medium coarse but experiment and see what different effect size coffee grounds have on the flavour of your brew.

My plunger coffee tastes weak. How do I make it stronger?

Start by following our recipe and see if that helps. If you aren’t using scales and a timer, then you might have the wrong ratio of coffee to water. Plunger coffee brewing should cause a richer taste and stronger cup. The mesh filter at the bottom of the plunger allows more oils and tiny particles of coffee to pass through than the paper filter of an Aeropress or V60.

The next step is to up the dose. Try 7.5g of ground coffee per 100ml of water. This should give you the stronger brew you’re after.

But if that doesn’t work, then you might need to look at grind size. Experiment with the settings on your grinder to see which brings out more flavour.

Water temperature could be another factor. Use freshly boiled water and heat the coffee plunger up with some before you add the ground coffee. The hot water will pre-heat the cafetière and mean you don’t lose heat to a cold plunger.

Do I have to wait the extra four minutes?

This is the biggest complaint we hear about this method. If you need coffee fast, then skip this step of the brewing process.

But if want the best results, then allow the extra time for the coffee to settle, this eliminates the biggest complaint about the French press, the coffee ‘sludge’ that ends up in your cup. The metal filter still allows microparticles through and even some oils so you get a full-bodied cup.

What's the best plunger/french press to buy?

After many years and many broken glass plungers we went stainless steel and have never looked back. We sell and use the Modena Twin Wall Plunger from Avanti and love it.