To brew French press coffee, combine a measured dose of coarse grounds with hot water, steep for four minutes, then lower the plunger gently and pour. The published recipe below uses 15 g of coffee and 250 ml of water. Measure consistently, leave room inside the brewer, and never force a stuck plunger.
Check your French press before brewing
Important recall: On October 29, 2026, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall covering certain Bodum 8-cup and 12-cup presses with replaceable glass carafes: Bistro, Brazil, Caffettiera, Chambord, Crema, Java, Jesper and Kenya models. Damaged or cracked glass can break during use, causing serious burns; metal stirring utensils can damage the glass.
For affected presses, the stated remedy is to stop using metal stirring utensils immediately and contact Bodum for a plastic stirring spoon and warning label. Do not use cracked or damaged carafes. Check the official CPSC notice and remedy details to identify your model. This recall does not cover every brand or every French press.
For any brewer, follow its own instructions and capacity limit. Inspect the vessel, handle and filter before adding hot water. Keep the press on a stable surface away from the counter edge, children and pets. The photographs here show stainless steel presses, not the recalled glass models.
Measure coffee and water separately
A ratio tells you how much water goes with your coffee dose. It is more useful than saying “two scoops,” because scoops vary in size and a heaped spoon holds more than a level one. For a repeatable routine, use grams for coffee and the same measuring method for water each time.
For the recipe here, 250 divided by 15 is approximately 16.7. That means about 16.7 ml of water per gram of dry coffee. The water quantity is what goes into the brewer, not the finished drink volume: wet grounds retain some liquid. Choose your mug with that distinction in mind.
Zero the scale with the empty weighing cup in place, add your grounds, and let the reading settle. Keep your hands off the cup while taking the measurement. If you prefer weighing water directly into the press, make sure the scale can safely support the filled brewer and that its instructions permit that use.
Follow one four-minute recipe
This method follows REC COFFEE’s published French press recipe, rather than a claimed Wondelique taste test: 15 g coarse-ground coffee, 250 ml water at 100°C, and a four-minute steep. Use equipment rated for the method and follow your manufacturer’s safety instructions.
1. Prepare. Grind the measured coffee coarsely. Warm the brewer with hot water, then carefully discard that water before adding the grounds.
2. Pour and time. Start a timer as you add the 250 ml of hot water. Let the coffee steep for four minutes.
3. Press and serve. Gently lower the plunger after the steep, then pour into your cup. Do not use force if it resists.
At higher elevations, water boils below 100°C. Do not try to exceed your kettle’s capabilities to reach a recipe number. Record the water preparation you actually use so your next brew is comparable.
Choose grind size before chasing the timer
French press filtration differs from a paper-filter brewer. As Blue Bottle’s brewing guide explains, the metal mesh allows more oils and fine particles into the drink, producing a fuller texture. A little sediment is therefore different from an obvious filter problem.
Start with an even coarse grind. If your grounds contain both large fragments and substantial powder, changing the timer alone cannot make those particles behave identically. Our coffee grinder guide explains grind adjustment and cleaning. If buying pre-ground coffee, ask for French press grinding rather than espresso grinding.
Check the filter assembly against its instructions. A bent screen, missing part or incorrect assembly deserves attention before another brew. Stop using damaged components and obtain the correct replacement; do not improvise a repair that could fail around hot liquid.
Fix the next cup by changing one thing
Too intense: First distinguish strength from unpleasant flavor. Try a little hot water in the served coffee, added carefully. If you prefer that result, record the adjustment instead of changing your coffee dose, grind and steep time simultaneously.
Bitter or muddy: Blue Bottle recommends decanting after brewing and notes that overly fine grounds can cause bitterness and resistance. Pour the remaining brewed coffee into a suitable serving vessel rather than leaving your second cup in the press. For the next batch, compare a slightly coarser grind while keeping other measurements steady.
Too weak: Recheck the actual dose and water measurement before adding more coffee. Was the scale zeroed with the container on it? Did water added for warming remain inside? Small procedural differences can make a supposedly identical recipe different.
Keep a short record: bean, grind setting, dose, water quantity, steep time and one taste note. “Too strong, otherwise pleasant” gives you a more useful next step than “bad coffee.” Taste preferences vary, so a repeatable starting point matters more than declaring one setting universally best.
Frequently asked questions
Can I double the recipe? Doubling the quantities gives 30 g coffee and 500 ml water. Only do this if your brewer has enough working capacity for water, grounds and headspace. Its advertised cup count is not a promise that it holds that many of your mugs.
Should I squeeze the grounds hard? No. The plunger separates the grounds from the drink; it is not a tool for wringing them dry. Stop if it jams, keep your face away from the opening, and consult the brewer instructions rather than leaning on it.
Is this a cold brew recipe? No. This is hot-water immersion brewing. Cold brew uses a different process; pouring hot coffee over ice also changes dilution. For that separate goal, see how to make iced coffee without a watery finish.
What should I buy first? If your current brewer is sound, a scale can make measurements easier to repeat. Check capacity, readability and cleaning instructions. You can browse coffee scales on Amazon; this is a browse link, not a tested-product recommendation.
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