Fench press: what is it and how to use it?

In the kitchen of any housewife, there are always many devices that can facilitate the work of preparing food and drinks, as well as become an interior decoration. The French press, which today is a popular kitchen appliance, can also be attributed to this type of product because it is compact and convenient, and most importantly - practically any member of the family will cope with it; no special skills are needed here.

The French press is designed for brewing hot drinks: tea or coffee. It should be noted right away that in our country this kitchen appliance for the most part acts as a tea kettle, while in the United States of America, as well as in Europe, a French press is preferred for making coffee. However, one cannot fail to say that coffee prepared in such an unusual way will differ from a strong drink that was brewed in a specially designed coffee machine or Turk.

Description of the preparation of a drink using a French press is quite simple. So, first you need to pour tea (you can use sheets, granules, etc.) or ground coffee into a glass flask of a teapot. After this, the dry substance must be poured with hot boiled water.

Immediately start consuming a drink is not worth it. First you need to wait 5 minutes until the drink is brewed and the water is filled with taste, and then with the help of a piston you need to squeeze out the unwanted precipitate. To do this, you need to press hard on the plunger - it will fall down, and the sediment (coffee granules or tea leaves) will be rammed at the bottom of the flask.

Generally speaking, a French press is a kind of kettle for brewing all kinds of drinks. Its design consists of several integral elements:

• glass flasks;
• a filter;
• plunger (a special piston, which is necessary for spinning, it is equipped with a small-sized handle, which facilitates the process of its operation).

If you study the device of this device in more detail, you can find that, regardless of the specific model of the device, the French press has some universal characteristics that remain unchanged. So, for example, a glass flask, which is the main capacity of a kitchen appliance, cannot change in diameter, but it can be different in volume. Thus, it can be noted that the higher the kettle, the more capacious it is (and vice versa).

The main glass container is usually placed in a special case. The case can be made of different materials (for example, metal or plastic). The kettle also has a lid, which provides the speediest brewing of tea or coffee. A plunger is attached to this cover, moving vertically and acting as a press for spinning.

At the bottom of this plunger (which is essentially an ordinary piston) there is a mesh that acts as a filter, a small-sized element made of steel, and also a spring that is bolted.

A French press is used to make drinks: first of all, tea and coffee. In order to make coffee in this machine, a certain sequence of actions should be followed:

• boil water;
• pour coffee into a French press flask;
• pour coffee with boiling water;
• wait a while;
• slowly lower the piston to the bottom;
• pour the drink into cups.

The mechanism for making tea with this unit is similar.

Despite the fact that the kitchen appliance is quite popular among a wide range of consumers, the French press is not considered an ideal device for making hot drinks. It has both positive and negative characteristics. Consider the pros and cons of the French press in more detail. To begin with, it should be noted that the number of advantages significantly exceeds the number of negative sides. Often, users highlight the following positive characteristics of this type of kitchen appliance:

• affordable price - representatives of the most diverse social groups with different income levels can buy a French press;
• ease of care and maintenance - This characteristic is especially important for housewives;
• no precipitate in the drink - this property of the French press is due to the presence of a metal filter that effectively copes with its task;
• compactness - the device will fit even in the smallest kitchen, will not occupy a large amount of space and clutter it;
• beverage variability - Not only can you make tea and coffee with the appliance, you can also adjust the strength level of the drink according to your desire.

However, despite the positive characteristics, this device also has negative features. These include:

• fragile material - glass is quite easy to break, scratch or damage, so the device requires a careful attitude;
• mechanical principle of operation: the process of preparing a drink occurs through human efforts, and not automatically;
• the French press does not have the function of heating water, therefore, to prepare the drink you will need additional household devices, and it will not be able to keep the prepared drink warm.

Depending on the material of manufacture of the case, there are several varieties of French presses:

• glass;
• metal;
• ceramic;
• plastic;
• from stainless steel.

However, differences can be not only in the material of manufacture, but also in the device. So, for example, some devices may have strong double walls.

Today on the market there is a huge variety of French presses. That is why it is quite difficult to navigate such a wide range of devices. Our rating will help you choose the most suitable model.

The Danish brand Bodum offers its customers a wide variety of devices of various colors and volumes. The devices are comfortable in operation and are durable.

French presses from Bialetti are of high quality and widely known among consumers. One of the main advantages of the device is the availability of durable and reliable handles.

This brand produces a wide range of varied dishes and kitchen utensils. He is also known for the production of high-quality French presses. Japanese tea and coffee making facilities are attractive and modern in design.

Despite the fact that this brand is Chinese, it has a fairly good reputation. French presses of this manufacturer are not only functional and practical, but also attractive from an aesthetic point of view.

The main advantage of this company is its affordable price.

This brand has earned love and recognition not only among coffee and tea lovers, but also among world-class chefs who use Röndell devices in their restaurants.

When preparing a drink in a device from Vitesse, you can truly discover the exquisite taste of strong coffee or the pleasant aroma of herbal tea.

Choosing a high-quality French press that will fully perform its functions, as well as serve you for quite some time, is quite difficult. That is why when buying a device you should pay special attention to some points.

• First of all, experts advise buying a French press only of those brands that have already managed to prove the quality of their products and have a good reputation. We talked about them above.
• It is important to pay attention to the reliability of fastening the flask inside the device. If it staggers or does not hold firmly enough, then you should refuse to buy such a device.
• Analyze the appearance of the flask. It should be made quite high quality. Assess the condition of the glass: it should not have scratches, chips or other damage.
• Check that the mesh that acts as a filter fits snugly against the bulb. It should move gently and smoothly, without any jerks.

In order to enjoy the delicious drink that you prepared yourself with the help of the French press, It is necessary to observe a number of simple rules during the operation of the device.

• For brewing coffee, use only coarse grains. The fact is that the French press filter will not be able to hold coffee that has been ground too finely. Thus, your drink will not be clean and uniform, but will have a precipitate.
• You should make as much coffee as you can drink at a time.If the drink will stand in the French press for a long time and brew for a long time, then it will become bitter and unpleasant in taste.
• Do not be too zealous with the use of a piston - do not squeeze out all the liquid to the last drop.
• In order to thoroughly wash the device, it must be disassembled, and after washing - properly assembled. The kettle can be washed both manually and in the dishwasher (however, this should be separately noted in the instructions for use and assembly).
• As mentioned above, a French press can be used both for making tea and making coffee. However, if you plan to prepare different drinks, then for this it is better to use different devices. Otherwise, an unpleasant aftertaste and smell from another drink may appear.

Thus, we have examined all the features, advantages and disadvantages of such a popular device designed for brewing hot drinks like a French press. Today, such a unit can be found in almost every kitchen. It is very popular among the younger as well as more mature generation. It allows you to quickly and easily prepare a delicious drink for yourself, households and guests.

See how to make coffee using a French press in the next video.