French Press Sizes: How to Choose

When it comes to choosing the perfect french press size, there are a variety of factors to consider before purchasing this coffee gear.

The most important thing to think about is how much coffee you plan on brewing. This will help determine the size of your French Press.

If you’re just looking for a small french press to make a cup or two, then there are plenty of options available.

french press sizes

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However, if you need a larger press for making more coffee, there is a larger size french press available for coffee lovers who need a little more joe to kick start their morning. 

You’ll also want to take into account the amount of space you have available and your own personal preferences before you buy one.

Whether you’re looking for a small or large french press, there’s sure to be one that’s perfect for you (trust us!).

French Press Coffee Maker

pouring french press coffee into mug

A morning cup of coffee serves as the catalyst for millions of individuals, giving them the energy they need to confront whatever challenges the day may bring.

You have the ability to select from many different coffee varieties to satisfy your individual tastes. Additionally, there are a lot of different ways to make coffee. You have two options for coffee: either go to your neighborhood coffee shop or prepare some at home.

The majority of people just use a regular electronic coffee maker to prepare their coffee.

There are, nonetheless, cheaper solutions to create a quality cup of coffee without spending a lot of money on a fancy espresso maker or another similarly pricey item that is challenging to use and maintain.

Every few years, you may feel the need to buy a new one of these pricey gadgets since they can become outdated.

However, over a century has passed since the creation of the French press. Although it has seen some improvements over time, it is still mostly the same today.

Using a french press coffee maker is among the best ways to make coffee. A French press coffee maker does just what its name suggests.

The way it works in its simplest form is as follows: Pour boiling water into the pot after adding the coffee grinds.

pouring hot water into french press

Then you’re ready to start pressing down on the coffee with the plunging-type tool, removing the grounds with the screen on the tool, and brewing up a delicious cup of fantastic coffee.

Really, it’s that simple. Now you may be wondering what some of the benefits of a french press maker are.

In comparison to your standard electric coffee maker, French press coffee machines provide a stronger cup of coffee.

This is fantastic for those who prefer their coffee to have a strong, robust flavor. However, to have the optimum results, it is advised that you consume your cup of coffee as soon as possible while it is still piping hot.

Most people consider drinking coffee a routine, much like brushing their teeth in the morning.

However, you can save a lot of time by utilizing a French press coffee maker because it doesn’t need to prepare a new pot of coffee for as long as an electric coffee maker does.

pushing down a french press coffee maker

You can take it with you wherever you go and make a fresh cup of coffee because it doesn’t need electricity. Even while tent camping in the wilderness, you can have a freshly pressed cup of coffee that is robust and delicious.

Consider a French press coffee maker if you are a coffee enthusiast and enjoy a full-flavored variety of coffee.

You’ll be able to taste the difference and will most likely convert to the French press once you give it a try.

Different Sizes of French Presses

The most common french press sizes include:

  • 3 cups (0.35 liters or 11.8 ounces)
  • 4 cups (0.5 liters or 17 ounces)
  • 8 cups (1 liter or 33.8 ounces)
  • 12 cups (1.5 liters or 50.7 ounces)

The Difference Between a Coffee Cup and a French Press Cup

While a cup is a unit of measurement equal to 8 ounces, a french press does not use that kind of cup. A cup is typically regarded as only 4 ounces by many coffee businesses.

Because of this, a 3-cup French press can only hold 11.8 ounces. Unfortunately, this means there is no guarantee that a three-cup French press will produce three full cups of coffee, keep this in mind before buying your french press. 

How to Choose The Right Size French Press for Your Needs

Choosing the right french press coffee will just depend on your needs. How much coffee do you want to brew? Do you have the space for a large french press coffee maker?

Review these factors when choosing the right size for you.

  • 3 cups (0.35 liters or 11.8 ounces) – This size is perfect for one or two people. If you’re looking for a small french press, this is a great option, especially when traveling.
  • 4 cups (0.5 liters or 17 ounces) – This size is perfect for two to four people. It’s a great middle-of-the-road option if you’re not sure how big of a french press you need.
  • 8 cups (1 liter or 33.8 ounces) – This size is perfect for serving a large group of people. If you’re looking for a large french press, this is the option for you.
  • 12 cups (1.5 liters or 50.7 ounces) – This size is perfect for a very large group of people. It’s the biggest option available and will be sure to please a crowd.

Best French Press Coffee Makers

The following is a list of some of the best french press coffee makers on the market:

The Simplicity Of The French Press 

Even though there are numerous ways to make a nice cup of coffee, from instant coffee to intricate espresso machines and cold brew coffee, most people prefer the ease of brewing coffee with an electric coffee maker.

However, there are also available techniques that can help you produce a fantastic cup of coffee, such as French press coffee. If you haven’t seen one in action, you’re losing out on one of the quickest and easiest ways of brewing a cup of rich coffee.

The Pot

french press pot and coffee

The french press pot, which is typically made from glass or plastic, is the main piece of equipment required for French press coffee. That, plus the plunging mechanism essentially all you need.

Some people enjoy the glass french press because it is aesthetically pleasing, but if you’re on the go looking to take your french press camping or in an RV, plastic is the best. 

To filter out the coffee grounds, these plungers have mesh filters on it. French press coffee is made by immediately adding water to the grounds in your plunger pot and letting it steep for a little while.

Then you push down the plunger to filter the liquid out of the grounds. Nothing more complicated than that is required to make French press coffee; anyone can do it!

The Coffee

For French press coffee, you should aim for a coarse grind because larger bits will be better filtered out by the mesh of the plunger.

If you prefer a coffee with a lot of flavor, French press coffee will yield a stronger brew than you’ll receive from a typical coffee maker.

Remember that using this method will result in some little particles in the coffee after it has been poured. This is typical and doesn’t indicate that you’re doing it wrong.

Knowing that the water and grounds are still in contact while using a French press means it should be served immediately. The mixture will turn unpleasantly acidic if you wait too long.

Therefore, don’t make French press coffee and hope it will still be tasty in an hour. The majority of plunger pots are small because of this.

Convenience

French press coffee may be made without electricity, making it low-tech and surprisingly simple to create. This makes it a perfect camping accessory because the plunger pot is portable and fits conveniently in a backpack.

Similarly, a French press coffee pot may simply fit in your travel bag and ensures you can have a cup wherever you are if you are traveling without needing assurance that a coffee machine will be available at your location.

Here are some of our favorite coffee thermoses when you’re on the go or traveling.

French press coffee preparation is guaranteed to be a favorite with you and your family thanks to its ease of use, simplicity, and flavor.

How to Grind Coffee Beans

scoop of ground coffee

When brewing french press coffee, having fresh ground coffee beans is definitely a must! The size of the grind is important, too — you’ll want to make sure it’s coarse so that it doesn’t end up in your cup.

You can go about grinding your coffee beans in a few different ways. First, you can use a traditional coffee grinder, food processor, or blender if you don’t have one.

If you’re using a coffee grinder, start by adding your beans to the hopper and selecting a coarse grind setting. It’s always best to err on the side of caution and go for a slightly coarser grind than you think you need.

Once your beans are ground, simply add them to your french press pot and continue with the brewing process!

If you don’t have a coffee grinder at home, you can also use a blender or food processor to grind your beans, or you can check out this post that shows a variety of tools to use if you don’t have a grinder handy.

Just add the beans to the device and pulse until they’re coarsely ground.

Keep in mind that it’s easy to overdo it when using either of these methods, so be careful not to pulse for too long. You don’t want your beans to turn into powder!

Once they’re ground, simply add them to your french press pot and continue with the brewing process. If you are unable to grind your own coffee beans at home, you can also purchase pre-ground coffee.

Just be sure to check the grind size to make sure it’s coarse enough for french press coffee. You may need to adjust the amount of grounds you use if the grind is too fine or too coarse.

The Brewing Process

Now that you have your french press pot and freshly ground coffee beans, it’s time to brew!

Start by heating up some water—you’ll want it to be hot but not boiling. Boiling water will make your coffee taste bitter.

Once your water is heated, add the appropriate measurements of grounds to your french press pot. A good rule of thumb in terms of ratio is to use about two tablespoons (10 grams) of grounds per 8 ounces (236 milliliters) of water.

Then, slowly pour the hot water over the grounds, being careful not to overfill the pot. Once the water is added, give the mixture a stir and place the lid on top of the pot.

Let the coffee steep for about 4 minutes before pressing down on the plunger to filter out the grounds.

Pour your delicious french press coffee into a mug and enjoy! Be sure to savor every last sip—after all, you’ve earned it!

How to Wash Your French Press

Cleaning your french press coffee pot is easy—just follow these simple steps, and you’ll have it looking like new in no time.

Start by taking the plunger out of the pot and disassembling it. The plunger consists of a metal filter screen that is attached to a rod. The screen will need to be removed so that it can be cleaned separately.

Once the screen is removed, simply rinse all of the parts with hot water. Be sure to pay special attention to the filter screen, as this is where most of the coffee grounds will accumulate.

If any stubborn coffee grounds are stuck on the screen, you can use a soft brush to remove them. Once everything is rinsed clean, simply reassemble your french press pot, and it will be ready to use again!

Summary

French presses are a simple yet convenient way to make a great cup of coffee. The pot is easy to use and doesn’t require any electricity, making it perfect for camping trips or traveling.

In addition, you’ll love the flavor that this type of coffee provides, making it the perfect coffee base to use for some great tasting coffee recipes!

Looking for more coffee fun? Head over to one of these posts!

About bit of cream

Rishi and Jen are the creators behind Bit of Cream. They start each morning with a cup of coffee and are on the hunt to make that simple cup of caffeine better and brighter. Feel free to send them a message or follow along on Instagram!

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