French press
A coffee brewing device using a plunger and mesh filter.
The French press, also known as a cafetière, coffee press, or coffee plunger, is a coffee brewing device that can also be used for other tasks. Its design has evolved through several modifications since the 19th century, with early patents and innovations in France and Italy leading to the modern version.
- invented
- 1812 (Benjamin Thompson's drip-press); 1852 (Delforge and Mayer patent)
- field
- Coffee brewing device
- known_for
- Brewing coffee by steeping grounds in hot water and pressing a plunger with a mesh filter
- alternative_names
- Cafetière, press pot, coffee plunger, caffettiera a stantuffo
Lore & Background
The first coffee press may have been made in France, consisting of a metal or cheesecloth screen on a rod pressed into hot water and grounds. In 1852, Frenchmen Jacques-Victor Delforge and Henri-Otto Mayer patented a forerunner that did not create a seal around the filter. A patent was filed by Marcel-Pierre Paquet dit Jolbert, published on 5 August 1924. In 1928, Milanese designers Giulio Moneta and Attilio Calimani created a press with a spring to seal the filter, patented in the United States in 1929. Faliero Bondanini patented his own version in 1958, manufactured in a French clarinet factory under the brand Melior; its popularity may have been aided by its use in the 1965 film The Ipcress File. The device was litigated and popularized by Melior-Martin (France), Household Articles Ltd. (UK), and Bodum (Denmark).
Reader's Guide
The French press is significant for its simple, portable design that allows direct control over brewing. It consists of a narrow cylindrical beaker (glass or clear plastic) with a lid and plunger fitted with a fine stainless steel or nylon mesh filter. Coarsely ground coffee is steeped in hot water (93–96 °C) for about four minutes, then the plunger is depressed to separate grounds from the liquid. Finer grounds can cause bitterness and require excessive force. The device is also used for brewing loose tea, straining broth, and making cold brew coffee. Variations include travel mugs, insulated stainless steel presses, and the 'reverse French press' with a pull-design basket. Its legacy lies in its enduring popularity across many cultures, known by different names worldwide, and its role in the development of manual coffee brewing methods.
Did You Know?
- The French press is known in North America as a French press or coffee press, in Britain and Ireland as a cafetière, and in New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa as a coffee plunger.
- In 1928, Milanese designers Giulio Moneta and Attilio Calimani created a press with a spring to seal the filter, patented in the United States in 1929.
- The device may have been popularized in 1965 by its use in the Michael Caine film The Ipcress File.
- A French press can be used to brew loose tea or strain broth from shellfish, but should not be used for both tea and coffee unless thoroughly cleaned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is French press?
The French press is a manual coffee brewing apparatus made up of a cylindrical glass or metal chamber, a plunger, and a fine mesh filter. It is also widely known as a cafetière, press pot, or coffee plunger, and remains one of the most recognizable tools in home coffee preparation.
What are French press's powers/role?
Its core function is to steep coarsely ground coffee in hot water, then separate the spent grounds by driving a plunger with a mesh screen to the bottom of the carafe. This full-immersion method lets natural oils and tiny particles stay in the cup, yielding a heavier, more robust brew than typical drip filters produce.
How does French press's story end?
The brewing cycle wraps up the moment the user pushes the plunger down, trapping the wet grounds beneath the mesh while clear coffee sits above. The finished cup is poured straight from the vessel, leaving no paper waste behind.
Why is French press important?
Tracing its roots to Benjamin Thompson's 1812 drip-press concept and the 1852 Delforge and Mayer patent, the French press represents one of the earliest and most enduring approaches to home coffee extraction. Its mechanical simplicity and ability to deliver a rich, unfiltered cup have kept it a kitchen staple for well over two centuries.
What are French press's alternative names?
Depending on the language and region, you may see it called a cafetière, press pot, coffee plunger, or caffettiera a stantuffo. All of these labels point to the same plunger-and-mesh device whose design has been refined through several iterations since its 19th-century origins in France and Italy.
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