Cafetière Coffee

A cafetiere, also called a French press, is a simple coffee brewing device with a glass or metal container and a plunger with a metal mesh filter. You add coarse coffee grounds and hot water, let it steep, then push the plunger down to separate the grounds from your drink. It’s one of the easiest ways to make great coffee at home and brings out rich flavours and natural oils that paper filters often trap.

Coarse ground coffee works best for a French press. Think sea salt texture – this prevents the grounds from slipping through the mesh filter and keeps your coffee from becoming bitter. If you’re buying whole beans from our coffee beans range, just tell us you’re using a cafetiere, and we’ll grind them perfectly for you.

The ideal steeping time is 4 minutes. This gives enough time for the water to extract the flavours from the coffee without making it bitter. If you like stronger coffee, you can steep for up to 5 minutes, but don’t go longer than that. Set a timer to get consistent results every time.

For a standard strength brew, use 60g of coffee per litre of water (or about 15g per 250ml cup). If you like stronger coffee, you can increase this to 70g per litre. Using too little coffee will give you a weak, watery drink, while too much can make it overly strong and bitter.

Bitter coffee usually means either your water is too hot, you’ve steeped for too long, or your grind is too fine. Use water just off the boil (about 95°C), stick to 4 minutes steeping time, and make sure you’re using coarse ground coffee. Also, clean your cafetiere regularly to prevent old coffee oils from affecting the taste.

After each use, unscrew the filter assembly and wash all parts with warm soapy water. Don’t put it in the dishwasher as this can damage the mesh filter. Once a week, deep clean by soaking all parts in a mixture of water and baking soda. This removes coffee oils that can make your brew taste bitter.

Yes! Add your coarse ground coffee and cold water, then leave it in the fridge for 12-24 hours. Press down the plunger and enjoy. Cold brew is less acidic than hot coffee and perfect for summer days. Try our cold brew coffee blends for the best results.

Finding grounds in your cup usually means either your grind is too fine, you’re pressing the plunger too quickly, or your filter mesh is damaged. Press the plunger down slowly and steadily, and check your filter regularly for holes or damage. Also, let your coffee settle for a minute before pouring.

Medium to dark roasts work particularly well in a cafetiere as they produce a rich, full-bodied cup. Light roasts can taste weak because the brewing method doesn’t extract as much as other methods. Look for coffees described as ‘full-bodied’ or ‘rich’ for the best results.

Pre-heat your cafetiere by filling it with hot water for a minute before brewing. Once your coffee is ready, transfer it to a thermal carafe instead of leaving it in the cafetiere. Leaving coffee on the grounds will make it bitter, and the glass won’t keep it hot for long.