Coffee Maker Vs French Press: A Complete Comparison

Coffee Maker Vs French Press: A Complete Comparison

Coffee can be an important part of our life. It wakes us up and gives us energy. Thus, it can taste and smell amazing if it is made properly.

We can always get good-quality coffee when we buy it in a coffee shop. Store-bought coffee always tastes and smells better than instant coffee or the coffee we make at home. However, buying your daily coffee can be expensive.

Luckily, we now have many convenient coffee-making machines that help elevate the quality of homemade coffee. If you are reading this, we believe you love coffee and want to find a coffee maker that gives you the best coffee at home.

In this article, you will find out everything you need to know about two of the most common coffee makers among home kitchens: Coffee maker vs French press. 

Coffee Maker

The traditional drip coffee machine is a popular coffee machine for the home kitchen. This coffee maker has been around for a long time and is great at making coffee. 

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With a modern drip coffee maker, the coffee-making process is rather simple. All you have to do is to put a filter in the chamber, fill the filter with coffee grounds, add some water into the tank, wait for the water to be heated up to around 200F, and let coffee brew for 4 minutes. The machine will heat the water, hot water will extract coffee from the coffee grounds and drip it to your coffee pot.

Pros

  • Convenience: This machine will do all the work for you. All you have to do is to get the preparing process done, monitor the temperature, and wait for your delicious homemade coffee.
  • Simplicity: This machine can make your coffee without any additional accessories.
  • Control over the timing and the boiling temperature: Since you boil the water and control the brewing time, you can have control over the taste of your coffee. 

Cons

  • Temperature and timing control: You have to control these two factors because they can affect the taste of your coffee. The temperature has to remain at around 200F at all times. Thus, the brewing time is also important because it decides the level of extraction water will do to your coffee. Over-extracted coffee can taste bitter while under-extracted coffee can taste stale or flavorless.
  • Filter: The filter can block coffee oils, which can reduce the flavor of your coffee.

French Press

A French coffee press is a narrow cylindrical carafe made from glass or stainless steel. This machine comes with a plunger attached to the handle on the top of the press lid that fits tightly within the carafe. The plunger is also attached to a circle of mesh that prevents the coffee grounds from invading your coffee.

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With a French press, the coffee brewing process is a little more complicating. You have to put coffee grounds and hot water (not quite boiling) into the pot, gently stir, insert the plunger into the pot and stop it just above the water, wait for 3 to 4 minutes for the water to extract coffee from the grounds, and press the plunger down slowly with steady pressure after the wait. Yet, by following these steps, you will have delicious French pressed coffee every time.

Here is a video on how to use your French press for your further information:

Pros

  • More control over your coffee: Since you have to be involved in all the coffee-making steps when it comes to a French press, you can have more control over the taste of your coffee. If you want a stronger taste, you can let the water extract coffee from the grounds for a longer time before pressing the grounds to the bottom of the pot. 
  • Simplicity: A French press does not come with any attachment other than its essential components. This means it does not take up much space in your kitchen, yet, it still serves delicious coffee.

Cons

  • Inconsistency: Since you have complete control over your coffee, each brew will taste different depending on the time you let the coffee grounds sit with the hot water or the pressing strength of your hand. This means that if you do not pay attention or have little experience with using the French press, your coffee will not come out as well as you expect.
  • Limited volume: You can only brew as much coffee as the volume of your French press allows. Although this can give you control over how much coffee you consume every day, this limitation means a French press is not ideal for making a lot of coffee.
  • Cleaning: Cleaning a French press may require more steps than cleaning a drip coffee maker. You have to dump the grinds after each use. Thus, the grinds can also be stuck in the filter, which makes cleaning much more difficult.
  • Additional accessories: You will need a kettle, a coffee grinder, and a thermometer to make the perfect coffee with a French press. Yet, every kitchen may have a kettle and a thermometer already. 

FAQs 

Which is better, a coffee maker vs french press?

It depends on your preference to decide which one is better. You might prefer the flavor of dripped coffee to pressed coffee, hence, choose a coffee maker over a French press. Yet, if you want more control over your coffee other than just the temperature and the time or you want to explore more with coffee-making, a 

Why does French-pressed coffee taste stronger?

French press fits coarser ground coffee. If the coffee is ground too finely, it will run through the mesh filter and end up in your coffee. Coarser ground coffee allows more flavor to be extracted from the brewing process. Hence, if you want stronger coffee, opt for a French press.

How long should I let my coffee steep in a French press?

It can be flexible and you can adjust the time based on the taste you like from your coffee. Yet, if you want a time to start your experiment, let your coffee sit with the water for 4 minutes before starting pressing.

How long should I let my coffee brew in the coffee machine?

Again, how long you let your coffee grounds stay in contact with water is entirely up to your preference. Yet, if you still want a recommended time, let the coffee brew in the machine for 3 to 4 minutes. You can adjust the taste of your later coffee based on this time.

Read More:

Cuisinart vs Kitchenaid Food Processor: A Detailed Comparison

Conclusion 

Now that you have everything you need to decide whether you should make your coffee with a coffee maker or french press. Get your preferred machine and enjoy your favorite coffee at home now.