You’ve got a French press for yourself and you’re ready to take on the world… but you can’t decide on the best coffee to use?
This article will give you a list of the best possible coffees for the French press. As well as, how to go about choosing the perfect coffee.
Keep on reading!
What is a French Press?
It’s a fair assumption that if you’re looking for the best coffee to use in a French press, you know what a French press is.
On the off chance that you don’t or maybe you just need a refresher, here’s what it is.
A French press works by immersing coffee grounds in water, either hot or cold, depending on the sort of drink you’re making. Then, you plunge it which filters the coffee and all that’s left to do is pour yourself a cup.
It is a great machine, especially for beginners as it takes up little space and is reasonably priced.
It will give you a full-bodied, quick cup of coffee.
The Best Coffees for French Press
Now, onto the main point – which coffee would be the best to use in a French press?
Here are some options for you:
Best Coffee Beans
Undoubtedly, the best coffee is the one that you buy as beans and grind yourself. More on that later in the article.
But these are the best coffee beans for French press.
LifeBoost Coffee
LifeBoost Coffee is a whole-bean, medium-roast, low-acidic delight.
It is ethically sourced and an Amazon choice.
For those of you who feel that your stomach doesn’t agree with coffee, this would be a great option as the acidity is lower.
And the best part is that you get a money-back guarantee for 30 days.
Koffee Kult
If you are a fan of dark-roast then Koffee Kult’s gourmet beans are just for you.
Dark-roast can taste bitter at times especially when you’re using a French press. But this coffee has a bold, strong flavor minus the bitterness.
This has flavor notes of cinnamon and cocoa.
Stone Street
A great middle-ground Arabica is Stone Street’s whole beans. They describe the roast as a medium to dark so, for those of you who don’t want the full intensity, but still like their coffee to be strong, this would be the best pick.
You also get the added benefit of storing it as is since their packaging is resealable.
Volcanica
Volcanica’s Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is a wonderful coffee with fruity notes of lemon, blueberry, and blackberry.
As the name suggests, it’s a coffee from Ethiopia which is one of the best regions for coffee cultivation.
Their coffee is light to medium roast while still carrying rich flavors and has a slightly acidic touch to it.
BulletProof
BulletProof The Original is another excellent medium-roast option.
It is also a sustainable brand and has been certified.
The Original has notes of cinnamon, orange, and even chocolate. They also have a decaf option.
Best Ground Coffee
Even though it is always recommended to use whole beans, I understand if some of you are unable to do so.
So, for those of you who don’t want to invest in a grinder just yet, there are some pre-ground options.
Although the companies that make whole beans usually also offer ground options, here are a few other ones:
Peet’s
Peet’s Major Dickason’s Blend is a flavorful dark roast ground coffee.
Their specialty is that they roast their coffee by hands, not machines.
It is also available as a whole-bean option.
Primos
Primos lists this medium-roast coffee as a “French Press Speciality” so it’s a coarse grind.
This has a subtle flavor to it despite being a medium roast and is low in acidity.
People have remarked that it works wonders with Cold Brew as well.
How to Choose Your Coffee
In case you want to do your own research to pick out the best coffee specific to you, there are a few ways to do that.
It may take some trial and error, but you’ll get there eventually.
Beans vs Ground
First things first, should you choose whole beans or pre-ground coffee?
As I’ve established above, it is always a wise choice to go with coffee beans and grind them yourself.
The best way to ensure fresh coffee is to get beans. Pre-ground coffee loses most of its flavor as soon as you open the packaging. With beans, you can control when to grind them so that they don’t go stale.
You also get a better flavor when you grind them at home. Just grind them right before making your coffee and you will get a fresh, hot cup.
It can also be an enjoyable morning ritual that brings routine into your life.
Lastly, you get to control the grind setting. Maybe you don’t always drink coffee from a French press. So, you get the option to change up the ground coffee depending on which machine you are using.
Grind
Since we are on the topic, it’s essential to get the perfect ground coffee for a French press.
You need to get the right grind size for any particular machine you are using so that you extract all the flavor from your coffee.
For French press, in particular, you need a coarse grind. Since it uses an immersion method, a coarser grind ensures that the coffee isn’t over-extracted.
You can read our article to know more about the best grinders.
Roast
Lastly, to pick out a coffee suited to your taste and that works well with a French press, you need to select your roast.
Roasting is a game of preference. If you usually like a dark-roasted coffee, then don’t defer it in a French press.
You may need to adjust the water to coffee ratio for different roasts but all work well in a French press.
The Verdict
If you are looking for the editor’s pick then as a fan of dark-roasts I would have to go with Koffee Kult.
Full disclosure, I haven’t tried it but based on my research and preferences, this is the one I would go for.
Anyway, I hope you picked one out from this list. If not, then you now know how to choose one for yourself.
Relish your new favorites!