The cafetière is one of the most forgiving brew methods in existence — but choosing the wrong coffee, or grinding it incorrectly, will produce a muddy, bitter, unpleasant result. This guide covers everything you need to know to get the best out of your French press, including which of our coffees we rate most highly for immersion brewing.
Quick Summary
- Use a coarse grind — the single biggest mistake cafetière drinkers make is grinding too fine
- Medium to dark roasts suit cafetière brewing best — they have the body to hold up under immersion
- Brew time: 4 minutes, no longer
- The golden ratio: 60g of coffee per litre of water (adjust to taste)
- Always use water just off the boil (93-96°C) — not a full rolling boil
- Pour slowly, plunge slowly, serve immediately
We have been roasting coffee for over 50 years, and in that time the cafetière has remained one of our most-recommended home brew methods. It is accessible, requires minimal equipment, and — with the right coffee and technique — produces a rich, full-bodied cup that showcases the character of a good bean beautifully.
This guide covers what to look for in a cafetière coffee, how grind size and roast level affect the final cup, our top picks from the We Are Coffee Co cafetière range, and a step-by-step brew guide that will immediately improve your results.
What Makes a Good Cafetière Coffee?
Body and Richness
Cafetière brewing is an immersion method — ground coffee steeps directly in hot water for 4 minutes before the plunger separates grounds from liquid. This full-immersion process extracts more oils and solids than filtered brewing methods, producing a heavier body and a richer mouthfeel. That texture is one of the cafetière's defining pleasures — a well-brewed French press has a silky, full quality that drip coffee simply cannot replicate.
Coffees with naturally higher body — Brazilian naturals, Indonesian wet-hulled lots, medium-dark roasts — suit cafetière brewing particularly well. The immersion process amplifies body and sweetness rather than brightness and acidity.
Roast Level
Light roasts, while exceptional in a pour-over, can struggle in a cafetière. Their delicate floral and citrus notes are sometimes muted by the extended immersion, and their naturally higher acidity can taste sharp without the clarifying effect of a paper filter.
Medium to medium-dark roasts are the sweet spot. They retain enough origin character to be interesting while developing the sweetness and roast body that immersion brewing rewards. Dark roasts can be excellent in a cafetière for drinkers who prefer a bold, low-acid cup — the style suits a milk-based cafetière drink particularly well.
Processing Method
Natural and honey-processed coffees (where the cherry fruit is left on or partially on during drying) carry more sweetness and body into the cup. In a cafetière, those qualities are amplified — the result is a sweeter, richer brew with more complexity. Washed coffees produce a cleaner, brighter result even in a cafetière — excellent if you prefer clarity over richness.
The Grind Guide — Why Coarse is Essential
The Most Important Variable
If there is one single thing to get right for a great cafetière brew, it is grind size. Too fine, and you will extract bitter compounds too quickly, and the fine particles will pass through the mesh plunger into your cup, producing a gritty, over-extracted, unpleasant result.
The correct cafetière grind is coarse — roughly the texture of sea salt or coarsely ground black pepper. Individual grounds should be clearly visible and distinct, not a powder.
Why Burr Grinders Matter
Blade grinders (the spinning blade type common in cheap domestic models) chop coffee unevenly, producing a mix of fine dust and larger chunks. In a cafetière, the fine particles over-extract during the 4-minute steep, producing bitterness, and they pass through the plunger into your cup. A burr grinder — even an inexpensive hand grinder — produces a uniform particle size that extracts evenly and keeps your cup clean. If you are serious about cafetière coffee, a burr grinder is the single most impactful equipment upgrade you can make.
Pre-Ground Coffee for Cafetière
If you buy pre-ground coffee, always specify "cafetière grind" or "French press grind" when ordering. At We Are Coffee Co, all our coffees can be ordered pre-ground to your chosen grind size. Whole bean remains the best option for freshness and flexibility, but a properly ground pre-ground coffee is far better than whole bean ground on the wrong setting.
Roast Level and Its Impact on Cafetière Coffee
Medium Roast in the Cafetière
Medium roasts are our most versatile recommendation for cafetière brewing. They retain the origin character of the bean — the natural sweetness, any fruit notes, the varietal aromatics — while developing the caramelised sugars and roast body that immersion brewing rewards. A medium-roast Colombian or Brazilian in a cafetière is a deeply satisfying, rounded, approachable cup. Explore our medium roast range for cafetière-friendly options.
Dark Roast in the Cafetière
Dark roasts suit the cafetière well for drinkers who prefer a bold, low-acid, roast-forward cup. The extended immersion brings out the roast character — chocolate, dark spice, deep bitterness that is different from the sharpness of over-extraction. If you typically drink cafetière coffee with milk, a medium-dark or dark roast handles the addition well. Browse our dark roast range.
Light Roast in the Cafetière
Light roasts can work in a cafetière, but they require attention. Use slightly cooler water (88-92°C), a slightly shorter brew time (3 to 3.5 minutes), and be prepared for a brighter, more acidic cup. If you are a light roast enthusiast, it is worth experimenting — but the pour-over is generally a better showcase for a light roast's qualities.
Our Top Picks for Cafetière
Mellow Morning — Smooth, Accessible, Everyday
The Mellow Morning is designed to be exactly what the name suggests: an easy-drinking, smooth, approachable coffee that makes the first cup of the day a pleasure rather than a challenge. Medium roasted for balance, with gentle sweetness and a mild body, it is our top recommendation for those who prefer a softer, less intense cafetière brew. A reliable everyday choice.
Indonesian Burni Telong — Bold, Full-Bodied, Distinctive
The Indonesian Burni Telong from North Aceh is one of our most characterful coffees and one of the best we have found for cafetière brewing. Wet-hulled processing (the unique Indonesian Giling Basah method) produces a low-acid, full-bodied cup with earthy, herbal depth and notes of dark spice and dried fruit. In a cafetière, the full-immersion extraction amplifies its richness. For those who want a genuinely bold, memorable morning coffee, this is exceptional. A favourite with our long-standing customers.
Ethiopian Basha Bekele — Fruity, Complex, Adventurous
While the Ethiopian Basha Bekele is most commonly recommended for filter brewing, natural-processed Ethiopian coffees can produce a stunning cafetière cup for adventurous drinkers. The fruit character — wild berries, jasmine, sweet finish — comes through clearly even under immersion, though the cup will be heavier and less delicate than a pour-over. Use a slightly shorter steep time (3.5 minutes) and cooler water for best results. Not the typical cafetière recommendation, but one of the most rewarding.
Brazilian Santa Hedwirges — Sweet, Nutty, Reliable
Brazil's natural-processed lots have a richness and sweetness that translate beautifully to cafetière brewing. The Brazilian Santa Hedwirges from Minas Gerais produces a full-bodied, chocolatey, hazelnut-sweet cup in a French press — one of the most crowd-pleasing cafetière coffees we stock. Low acidity, long sweetness, satisfying body. Works brilliantly with or without milk. A go-to recommendation for first-time speciality coffee buyers.
Colombian Inza Pedregal — Balanced, Versatile, Consistently Good
The Colombian Inza Pedregal is our most versatile single origin, and it performs reliably in a cafetière. Washed processing produces a cleaner, brighter cup than a natural-processed coffee of similar body — in the cafetière, this translates to a well-rounded, accessible brew with mild citrus sweetness and a medium body. If you want a cafetière coffee that works across the full household — satisfying everyone from the black coffee drinker to the milky-coffee lover — the Colombian is the answer.
Espresso Blend — Surprisingly Excellent in the Cafetière
Our Espresso Blend is designed for espresso extraction, but medium-dark blends like this often produce a rich, full, satisfying cafetière cup. The blend's body and sweetness — calibrated for espresso — translate well to immersion brewing. If you want a bold, full-bodied cafetière coffee with real depth, this is worth trying. Order whole bean and grind coarse.
Step-by-Step Cafetière Brew Guide
What You Need
- A cafetière (French press)
- Freshly roasted, coarsely ground coffee
- A kettle (ideally temperature-controlled, or allowed to cool 30 seconds after boiling)
- A timer
- A digital scale (optional but recommended)
Step 1 — Measure Your Coffee and Water
Use 60g of coffee per litre of water as your starting ratio (approximately 1 heaped tablespoon per 100ml if you do not have scales). For a standard 1-litre cafetière, that is 60g of coffee and 1,000ml of water.
Adjust to taste: more coffee produces a stronger, more concentrated cup; less produces a lighter, thinner result. The ratio is a starting point — your ideal extraction is yours to find.
Step 2 — Heat Your Water
Boiling water (100°C) will scorch the coffee and produce harsh, bitter compounds. The target temperature for cafetière brewing is 93-96°C — just off the boil. If you do not have a temperature-controlled kettle, boil your water and wait 30 to 45 seconds before pouring. This simple step eliminates a common source of bitterness.
Step 3 — Preheat the Cafetière
Pour a small amount of hot water into the cafetière, swirl, and discard. Preheating prevents temperature shock and keeps your brew temperature stable throughout extraction. This is a small detail that makes a measurable difference to cup quality.
Step 4 — Add Coffee and Pour
Add your ground coffee to the preheated cafetière. Pour hot water over the grounds slowly and evenly, ensuring all the coffee is saturated. Fill to your desired level. Give the grounds a gentle stir with a wooden or plastic spoon (never metal — it can damage the glass) to ensure even saturation.
Step 5 — Brew for 4 Minutes
Place the lid on the cafetière (plunger up, mesh out of the water) and start your timer. 4 minutes is the standard cafetière brew time for a medium roast. Light roasts: 3 to 3.5 minutes. Dark roasts: 4 to 4.5 minutes.
Resist the temptation to press early or let it run long. Under-extraction produces a thin, acidic cup; over-extraction produces a harsh, bitter one.
Step 6 — Plunge Slowly
Press the plunger down slowly and steadily. Do not force it — if there is significant resistance, your grind may be too fine. A 20-30 second plunge is ideal. Pressing too fast disturbs the grounds and pushes fine particles through the mesh into your cup.
Step 7 — Pour and Serve Immediately
Pour your coffee immediately after pressing. Leaving brewed coffee sitting on the grounds in the cafetière continues extraction, making the remaining coffee increasingly bitter. If you are not drinking immediately, pour the entire brew into a warmed jug or flask.
Common Cafetière Mistakes
Grinding Too Fine
The most common mistake. Fine grounds over-extract and pass through the mesh into your cup. If your cafetière coffee is consistently bitter and gritty, your grind is too fine. A burr grinder set to coarse solves this permanently.
Using Boiling Water
Water at 100°C burns coffee. Scorched coffee tastes harsh and bitter — a bitterness that is distinct from the pleasant roast bitterness of a well-extracted dark roast. Let your kettle cool for 30-45 seconds, or use a temperature-controlled kettle set to 93-96°C.
Brewing Too Long
Four minutes is the standard. At 6 or 7 minutes, the coffee will be over-extracted and harsh. Use a timer — the difference between 4 minutes and 6 minutes is significant enough to ruin an otherwise good cup.
Leaving Coffee in the Cafetière After Brewing
Grounds left in contact with brewed coffee continue extracting. If you leave a cafetière sitting after plunging, the last cup will be significantly more bitter than the first. Pour everything out immediately after plunging.
Using Stale Beans
Coffee more than 4 weeks from the roast date has lost most of its complexity. The cup will be flat and thin regardless of technique. Buy fresh, check the roast date, and use within a month of roasting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best grind size for a cafetière?
Coarse — roughly the texture of sea salt. Individual coffee grounds should be clearly visible and distinct. If your grind resembles fine sand or powder, it is too fine for a cafetière and will produce over-extracted, bitter, gritty coffee. If you are using a blade grinder, switching to a burr grinder set to coarse will make an immediate and significant improvement to your cafetière coffee.
How much coffee should I use in a cafetière?
The standard ratio is 60g of coffee per litre of water. For a 1-litre cafetière that is 60g of coffee; for a 500ml cafetière, 30g. If you do not have a scale, a rough guide is 1 heaped tablespoon per 100ml of water. Adjust to your taste — more coffee produces a stronger, bolder cup; less produces something lighter and less intense. We recommend starting at the standard ratio and adjusting from there.
Can I use espresso beans in a cafetière?
Yes — "espresso beans" is a marketing term, not a different type of coffee. Any coffee bean can be used in any brew method; what changes is the grind size and brewing parameters. Espresso blends and darker roasts tend to be designed with body and sweetness in mind, which translates well to cafetière brewing. Our Espresso Blend, for example, produces an excellent cafetière cup when ground coarse. The key is to match the grind size to the method, not the bean to the machine.
How long should I brew cafetière coffee?
4 minutes is the standard for medium roast coffee at 93-96°C. Light roasts benefit from a slightly shorter brew time of 3 to 3.5 minutes. Dark roasts can handle 4 to 4.5 minutes. Brewing beyond 5 minutes will almost always produce an over-extracted, bitter cup regardless of roast level. Use a timer and pour immediately after plunging — do not leave brewed coffee sitting on the grounds.
Why is my cafetière coffee bitter?
There are three common causes: grind too fine (the most common), water too hot (at 100°C rather than 93-96°C), or brew time too long (over 5 minutes). Start by checking your grind size — it should be coarse, like sea salt. If your grind is correct, try letting your water cool for 30-45 seconds after boiling. If bitterness persists, shorten your brew time by 30 seconds. Bitterness from stale beans is also possible — check your roast date, and if it is more than 4 weeks ago, the flatness and bitterness may simply be the age of the coffee.
Is a cafetière better than a coffee machine?
Better is subjective — different methods suit different preferences. A cafetière produces a full-bodied, rich, textured cup with more oils and solids than a drip filter machine. It gives you more control over ratio, temperature and brew time than most entry-level domestic coffee machines. It requires no electricity, no paper filters, and no proprietary pods. For drinkers who love a rich, full-flavoured black coffee or a bold base for a milky drink, a cafetière used well rivals much more expensive equipment.
Start Brewing Better Cafetière Coffee Today
Great cafetière coffee starts with great beans ground to the right size. Explore our full cafetière coffee range — all flame-roasted in small batches in Glasgow, SCA-scored, and dispatched within days of roasting.
Not sure which to try first? The Colombian Inza Pedregal is our most popular cafetière recommendation. The Indonesian Burni Telong is our boldest. The Mellow Morning is the most approachable. Free delivery on orders over £25.