How Does a Cafetiere Work?

A Cafetiere is often referred to as a coffee plunger which gives you an idea of how they work.

Ground coffee is placed in the bottom of the chamber and then topped up with water, once the coffee has brewed for around three minutes the mesh filter is plunged, pressing all of the coffee down to the bottom. The brewed coffee is then poured into cups to drink.

How Many Scoops Of Coffee Goes In a Cafetiere?

It completely depends on how much brewed coffee you are looking to make. We like to use a ratio of 1:15 of coffee:water in our french press guide.

So for our large 1 litre cafetiere we usually use 50g of coffee and 750ml of water making 3 cups of coffee.  

A table spoon is around 5g of coffee so you would need 10 scoops for a large coffee plunger.

Where To Buy a Cafetiere?

You can buy cafetieres online or in many highstreet stores. You can still get good results with a tesco cafetiere however if you’re looking to up your coffee game then take a look into a bodum cafetiere or a le creuset cafetiere above.

What Coffee Is Best To Use In a Cafetiere?

You can use any type of coffee in your cafetiere as long as the brew method and ratio are correct.

We find that the best coffee for french press however is a more full bodied and rich flavoured coffee.

A roast profile on the darker side of a medium roast always works well in a coffee plunger as the mesh filter doesn’t remove any of the oils that paper filters do, resulting in a heavier more velvety mouthfeel.

Don’t have a coffee grinder? Find out where to buy the best ground coffee subscriptions in the UK.

What Is a Cafetiere Grind?

On the coffee grind scale a cafetiere grind size would be on the opposite end to the grind you would use for your espresso machine.

It is important when grinding coffee beans for a french press to set the grind size large if the coffee is too fine the brewed coffee will taste over-extracted and also the mesh filter may struggle to filter all the finer coffee grounds and you may end up with some in your cup.

Checkout our guides on the best manual coffee grinder for french press or the best electric coffee grinder for french press.

How To Choose What Size Cafetiere?

The largest one that we reviewed was the ceramic cafetiere by Denby which holds 1.5 litres.

While the smallest was the Hario French press that holds 400ml. 

They do however come in many sizes that are often described in how many cups they hold as well as the capacity in millilitres.

Be careful when buying a french press on the cup size as a 1 litre french press is normally marketed as a 9 cup which would yield around 100ml per cup.

Does The Quality Of The Cafetiere Matter?

While you can get good results from an Argos cafetiere you will see better results with a caftetiere listed above.

The French presses that we reviewed are all geared to make better coffee.

Why Is My Cafetiere Coffee Bitter?

Sometimes coffee that has been brewed in a coffee plunger will taste bitter.

This is normally down to a few reasons.

Bitterness in coffee is usually because the coffee is over-extracted or the coffee is roasted dark.

If you have dark roasted coffee then there is little you can do to remove the bitterness as the coffee beans have been burnt resulting in bitter tasting coffee.  

Over Extracted coffee is normally down to two factors; brew time and grind size.

If the coffee is brewing for too long then the water starts to extract the bitter plant-like centre of the grounds.

This is the same principle when the coffee is ground to fine.

Can a Cafetiere Go In The Dishwasher?

All cafetieres are made out of different materials however the majority are dishwasher friendly.

The range of Bodum cafetieres can go in the dishwasher as they are made out of materials Resistant to temperature changes.

Metal cafetieres are also dishwasher safe most of the time, however a ceramic coffee press may not be dishwasher safe so always read the care instructions. 

Can a Cafetiere be used for brewing tea?

You can make tea using a french press in exactly the same way you would make a coffee as long as the tea is either in a bag or whole loose leaf (finer teas that have been ground sometimes can pass through the filter).

We use our old Asda cafetiere to brew our loose leaf tea.

Learn how we make Cascara tea.

Is a Cafetière healthy?

There are debating arguments whether coffee is healthy in general. Research shows that a couple of coffees per day can have some health benefits, while too much coffee can cause some side effects.

Unless you suffer from issues surrounding acidic foods or drink. Check out our article on low acid coffee beans.

In terms of whether French press coffee is healthy compared to other types of coffee you would have to say that it is on the healthier end of the spectrum, especially when consumed without milk.

The coffee used in a cafetiere is ground coffee rather than instant which occasionally contains unhealthy ingredients.

Is Cafetière better than Filter coffee?

This depends on how you prefer to drink you coffee an the flavour profiles that you enjoy.

Typically a French Press will brew a more full bodied and rich coffee.

This complements darker flavour notes such as chocolate, nuts, roasty flavours and deeper sugary sweetness.

A drip coffee filters out many of the oils which produce the body of a French Press coffee, they typically are bright and clean brews that highlight flavours such as florals or fruits.

Can French Press make Cold Brew?

Yes, cold brew can be made using a French Press coffee maker.

Grind the coffee coarse and empty into the bottom of the carafe, pour over cold water and leave un-plunged for 12 hours.

Plunge the coffee and serve over ice. For a more detailed guide take a look at our article Homemade Cold Brew.

Can you reuse cafetière grounds?

When you brew coffee, the water extracts the soluble compounds from the coffee grounds. Once the coffee has been properly extracted, the used grounds should be discarded.

Brewing another cup with these used grounds will result in weak and over-extracted coffee.

Is it worth buying a French Press?

For many the answer is yes. 

Cafetieres can appeal to many coffee lovers.

If you are currently an instant or coffee pod drinker then a cafetiere is a great and simple method to start enjoying fresh coffee. 

If you are somewhat of a coffee snob and are looking for a bit more depth in your coffee then a cafetiere offers something different from the bright and acidic flavour profiles of pour over brew methods. 

What’s the best material for a cafetiere?

It ultimately comes down to personal preference. If you favou

r stylish products, a glass French press might be the best choice for you. However, if you want to keep your brew hot for a longer period, a stainless steel thermos French press could be more suitable.

When it comes to brewing, the material of the French press doesn’t make a significant difference; it often depends on the brand and quality.

How long do cafetieres last for?

If you handle your French press with care, it should last for many years.

As long as the carafe remains undamaged, the plunger and filter mechanism will be the first components to wear out.

Over time, both steel and silicone filters may begin to deteriorate.