How to Make French Press Coffee: Ratio, Grind and Steep Time

November 06, 2026 6 min read

A French press makes a full-bodied, rich cup with very little gear. Here is a recipe with exact numbers, the ratio, grind, temperature and steep time behind it, and what to change when a cup tastes off.

What do you need to make French press coffee?

A French press, also called a cafetière or coffee plunger, steeps coffee in hot water, then a filter is pressed down through it. The National Coffee Association (NCA) lists this equipment: (NCA)

A French press and a kettle
A thermometer, unless your kettle has one built in
A kitchen scale
A grinder (optional but preferred). The NCA recommends a burr grinder because it gives a more consistent grind.

We do not sell a classic glass French press. Our immersion brewer is the ESPRO P0 Ultralight Coffee Press, a 16 oz travel press made for good coffee on the go. It works on the same steep-and-press idea, so the method below applies; just scale the dose to the press.

How to make French press coffee, step by step

These steps follow the NCA's method, with our numbers for one large mug. (NCA)

Weigh 20 g of coffee and grind it coarse, about the size of rock salt.
Boil the water and let it rest for about 30 seconds. You are aiming for around 93°C.
Add the coffee to the press, then pour in 300 g of water.
Wait about one minute until the grounds form a crust on top, then stir gently with a wooden spoon to break it up.
Put the lid on with the plunger pulled all the way up and steep for about three more minutes.
Push the plunger down gently and pour straight away.

French press recipe: dose, water, grind, temperature and time

Dose	20 g of coffee (one large mug)
Water	300 g, a ratio of 1:15
Grind	Coarse, like rock salt
Water temperature	About 93°C, roughly 30 seconds off the boil
Steep time	About 4 minutes, then press and pour

What is the best coffee to water ratio for a French press?

The NCA gives a range of 1 gram of coffee to 10 to 16 grams of water, written 1:10 to 1:16. (NCA) Our recipe sits at 1:15, a good place to start. For a bolder cup, move toward 1:12, which is 25 g of coffee to the same 300 g of water. As our brewing tips put it, the more coffee you use, the stronger the cup.

What grind size is best for French press coffee?

Coarse, like rock salt, in the NCA's description. The reason is the long steep: "the longer the coffee is in contact with water during the brewing process, the coarser the grind should be." (NCA) That is why a French press needs a much coarser grind than the medium-fine setting in our V60 pour-over guide.

Grind just before you brew for maximum freshness, and keep the rest of the bag at its best with our guide to storing coffee beans.

What water temperature is best for a French press?

The NCA puts the ideal at around 93°C, give or take 3 degrees. (NCA) No thermometer? Our brewing tips recommend 195 to 205°F and note that water about 30 to 60 seconds off the boil usually lands there.

How long should French press coffee steep?

About four minutes in total. Our brewing tips advise steeping no more than four minutes before you plunge, to keep bitter flavours out.

Pressing does not stop the brew in a standard press. The NCA is clear: "If left in a French press, coffee will continue to brew and turn bitter." (NCA) Pour it all into mugs or a carafe as soon as you have pressed.

Why does my French press coffee taste bitter, weak or muddy?

Bitter or sour: the coffee may be ground too fine and over-extracted, so try a coarser grind. (NCA)
Flat or watery: it may be ground too coarse and under-extracted, so go slightly finer. If the flavour is right but the cup is just light, add more coffee instead.
Sludge in the cup: a classic press strains through a mesh filter, so some fine particles get through. Grind coarse, press gently and leave the dregs in the press. For an immersion cup with no sediment, our AeroPress recipe uses a paper filter.

How do you clean a French press?

Clean it after every use, and take it apart so you can wash the filter. The NCA warns that grounds and coffee oil left on the press can make your next cup taste bitter. (NCA) On the ESPRO P0, the handle unlocks for easy cleaning.

Is French press coffee bad for your cholesterol?

In large amounts, it can raise it. French press coffee is not paper-filtered, so it keeps natural compounds called cafestol and kahweol. In a six-month randomised trial published in the BMJ, 46 healthy adults drank five to six strong cups (0.9 litres) a day of either cafetière or filtered coffee. The cafetière coffee raised LDL cholesterol by 9 to 14% and also raised a liver enzyme; all of the increases reversed once people stopped. (Urgert et al., 1996) A follow-up study by the same team found that cafestol does most of the cholesterol raising. (Urgert et al., 1997) If you are watching your cholesterol, ask your doctor whether paper-filtered coffee suits you better.

Which coffee is best for a French press?

The NCA says medium and dark roasts tend to work well, but it is worth experimenting. (NCA) Three of ours to start with:

Constellation Medium Roast: a "smooth and luxurious medium roast blend", from Brazil, Colombia and Ethiopia.
North Star Dark Roast: "Smooth and robust with a flavour that lasts". A natural fit for the bold, full body a French press is known for.
Aurora Light Roast: "mellow and bright, with a delicate sweetness", if you like a lighter cup.

Our guide to light vs dark roast coffee helps you pick, and our Sample Pack includes all 5 of our signature roasts in 120 g bags, whole bean or ground. At 20 g a mug, each bag makes six French press cups.

French press coffee FAQ

How much coffee do I need for a 1 litre French press?

The NCA's 1:10 to 1:16 range works out at 62.5 g to 100 g of coffee for 1,000 g of water. At our 1:15 ratio, use about 67 g.

Can I use pre-ground coffee in a French press?

Yes, and all of the coffees above come ground as well as whole bean. The NCA lists drip coffee as a medium grind and French press as coarse, so drip-ground coffee is finer than a press wants. If the cup tastes bitter, shorten the steep or grind whole beans coarse at home.