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 decorate the interior. This type of product includes a French press, which today is a popular kitchen appliance, due to the fact that it is compact and convenient, and most importantly - almost any family member can handle 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 on the territory of our country this kitchen appliance mostly acts as a teapot for tea, while in the United States of America, as well as in Europe, the French press is preferred to be used for making coffee. However, one cannot but say that coffee prepared in such an unusual way will differ from a strong drink that was brewed in a specially designed coffee maker or a Turk.

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

You should not start drinking the drink right away. To begin with, you need to wait 5 minutes until the drink is brewed and the water is filled with taste, and after that, with the help of a piston, you need to squeeze out the unwanted sediment. To do this, you need to forcefully press on the plunger - it will go down, and the sediment (coffee granules or tea leaves) will be compacted at the bottom of the flask.

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

• glass flasks;
• filter;
• plunger (a special piston, which is necessary for wringing out, 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 container 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 spacious it is (and vice versa).

The main glass container is usually housed in a special case. The housing can be made from different materials (for example, metal or plastic). Also, the kettle has a lid that ensures the fastest brewing of tea or coffee. A plunger is attached to this cover, moving vertically and acting as a press for wringing.

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, as well as a spring that is fastened with a bolt.

The French press is used for preparing drinks: first of all, tea and coffee. In order to prepare coffee in this unit, you must follow a certain sequence of actions:

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

The mechanism for making tea using this unit is the same.

Despite the fact that the kitchen appliance is quite popular with a wide range of consumers, the French press is not considered an ideal device for preparing hot drinks. It has both positive and negative characteristics. Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of the French press. To begin with, it should be noted that the number of advantages significantly exceeds the number of negative aspects. Often, users highlight the following positive characteristics of this type of kitchen appliance:

• affordable price - to buy the French press can be bought by representatives of various social strata with different income levels;
• ease of care and maintenance - this characteristic is especially important for housewives;
• the drink is completely free of sediment - 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 take up a large amount of space and clutter it;
• variability of the drink - not only can you brew both tea and coffee with the help of the device, you can also adjust the strength level of the drink according to your wishes.

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

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

There are several types of French presses depending on the material used for the case:

• glass;
• metal;
• ceramic;
• plastic;
• made of stainless steel.

However, differences may be not only in the material of manufacture, but also in the device. For example, some appliances may have sturdy double walls.

There is a huge variety of French presses on the market today. 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 sizes. The devices are comfortable to use and durable.

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

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

Despite the fact that this brand is Chinese, it has a fairly good reputation. French presses from 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 reveal the exquisite taste of strong coffee or the pleasant aroma of herbal tea.

It is rather difficult to choose a high-quality French press that will fully perform its functions and will also serve you for a long time. That is why when buying a device, you should pay special attention to some points.

• First of all, experts advise to buy French press only 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 the flask fastening inside the device. If it staggers or does not hold firmly enough, then the purchase of such a device should be discarded.
• Analyze the appearance of the flask. It must be made with a fairly high quality. Assess the condition of the glass: there should be no scratches, chips or other damage on it.
• Check that the mesh, which acts as a filter, is tight enough to the flask. It should move softly and smoothly, without any jerks.

To enjoy a delicious drink that you have prepared yourself with the help of the French press, it is necessary to follow a number of simple rules during the operation of the device.

• Only coarse grains should be used for brewing coffee. The fact is that the filter of the French press will not be able to hold coffee that is ground too finely. Thus, your drink will not be clean and smooth, but will have a sediment.
• You should brew as much coffee as you can drink at one time.If the drink is kept in a French press for a long time and brewed for a long time, it will become bitter and unpleasant in taste.
• Do not be too zealous with the piston - you should not squeeze out all the liquid to the last drop.
• In order to thoroughly wash the device, it must be disassembled, and after washing, it must be properly assembled. The kettle can be washed either by hand or in a dishwasher (however, there should be a separate note about this in the instructions for use and assembly).
• As mentioned above, a French press can be used for both tea and coffee making. However, if you plan to prepare different drinks, then it is better to use different devices for this. Otherwise, you may get an unpleasant taste and smell from another drink.

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

For information on how to make coffee using a French press, see the next video.