French Press Coffee Pot
A French Press Coffee Pot, simply known as the French Press is a simple coffee making device. Invented in France in the late 19th century, it was patented in 1929 by Attilio Calimani who was an Italian designer. The French Press is known by several different names around the globe, such as coffee plunger in Australia, cafetire in the United Kingdom and Feurn de Leur in Italy etc.
The original design of the French Press coffee pot has undergone several changes since its invention. Improved designs over the years increased the popularity of the French Press. Todays French Press consists of a metallic or plastic plunger that is made to fit in to a narrow, cylindrical glass carafe with a lid. The beaker may also be made from clear plastic. The carafe also has a mesh filter usually made from nylon or fine wire.
The working of a French Press coffee pot is based on a very simple mechanism. Coffee is placed in it along with water, stirred, and left to brew for some time. The plunger is then pressed and the coffee grounds are trapped at the bottom of the beaker. It is important to make sure that the coffee is well ground before it is brewed. The grounds should be a little coarse and not too fine, as finely ground coffee might pass through the filter into the coffee drink. While nylon filters can manage relatively fine grounds, only coarse grounds should be used with metal wire filters.
The coffee brewed with the French Press can have more aroma and flavor than coffee made from a typical drip brew machine as the ground coffee remains in contact with the water. The strength of the coffee from a French Press coffee pot can be changed as desired by adjusting the amount of grounds used as required. It is important to note that brew from a French Press tends to become bitter if it is left to stand.
There are different versions of the French Press. These include portable travel mug versions, stainless steel thermos versions to keep the coffee hot, etc. Apart from brewing coffee, the French Press can also be used to make tea.
The French Press is one of the most simple and cheap coffee makers available in the market. Some of the popular French Press brands available in the market are Bodum Chambord, Bonjour, and Nissan etc. If you are looking for a coffee maker that is simple to use and provides great taste and aroma, the French Press coffee pot is the obvious choice.
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