Which coffee machine makes the best quality coffee? That’s a tough question for anyone to answer in one sentence but let me try. It depends. The kind of coffee you like depends entirely on you. Let’s focus on two of the most common brewing techniques and figure out if a French press is better than drip machines.
It’s estimated that 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed daily worldwide. Is that hard to believe, I say no. I mean, everyone I know drinks coffee, and not just your regular or double-double anymore. Pro-baristas have perfected the art of coffee making drawing us in with rich flavors and colorful presentations.
It wasn’t long ago when only the professionals knew how to make a truly unique cup of coffee. Now with all the equipment being readily available, anyone can learn how to make a cup of joe fit for royalty.
Each machine can make a neat cup of java, but the real difference lies in what kind of coffee drink you are looking for. Let’s examine the similarities and differences between French press and drip coffee.
What is a French Press?
First patented in Italy around the late 1920s, the French press is a simple, easy to use, coffeemaker. A big reason for its success was the fact that it doesn’t require electricity. It consists of a glass or stainless-steel container with a handle, a mesh stainless steel cylindrical piece near the top, and a steel cover with a simple movable plunger.
A French press is used by placing the grinds at the bottom of the container, steeping them with hot water, and then pressing down on the plunger slowly. The plunger catches the grinds of coffee so that they do not end up in the final cup.
Coffee enthusiasts argue that the French press makes the best tasting coffee. Even the CEO of Starbucks chimed in on the debate, saying “the best cup of coffee can be made at home with a French press”.
It takes roughly four to five minutes to make a cup of coffee with a French press.
What Is Drip Coffee?
Drip coffee makers usually have one button “Brew”. When you press the button, water starts to heat up and travel from the water tank into the coffee filter. Gravity pulls the water through the coffee grounds into the carafe. Hence the term “drip”.
My drip coffee maker takes about 5 minutes to make a whole pot of coffee. Although the average time for a drip machine to brew a can range from 3 to 10 minutes.
Why Get a French Press?
Mainly because a French press lets you make coffee however strong you want it to be. It consists of a manual process allowing the user to choose the amount of time the coffee grinds are steeped, the temperature of the water, and other variables.
To get the most out of a French press make sure you buy whole coffee beans instead of the pre-ground stuff. Grinding the beans yourself before each use makes all the difference.
Another advantage of a French press is the fine taste the machine produces. The process of brewing the coffee retains more of the natural oils from the beans because the French press doesn’t use a filter.
Considering it doesn’t need electricity you can enjoy a fresh cup of coffee anywhere you can boil water over a fire. Oh, the simplicity of the old world, warms my heart. I put together a whole article with step-by-step instructions on how to brew the perfect French press coffee every time.
Why Get a Drip Coffee Maker?
The main advantage of an automatic drip coffee maker is the convenience. Fresh coffee at the press of a button without the hustle and bustle of the manual French press, sign me up! Right? But what we make up in time, we lose in quality.
Some people will prefer the taste of drip coffee machines because they’ve grown used to filtered coffee. They argue French press coffee is too oily, that’s really a personal preference.
French Press v Drip: Verdict
No one can decide which coffee machine makes better coffee for you. Although, the coffee community stands behind the quality of the French press. What you need to do is try both types of coffee and see which suits you better.
If you need a coffee in the morning but don’t have time to brew it yourself the automatic drip coffee maker is your best bet. On the other hand, if you don’t mind taking a little extra time to get the most out of your beans then a French press will suit you better.
Why choose? It’s completely normal to have both a French press and a drip coffee machine and alternate when you feel like it.
Related Questions
Is French Press Coffee Stronger than Drip Coffee?
No, a French press won’t necessarily make stronger coffee than a drip coffee machine. The type of beans used, and their roast level will have a larger effect on the strength of the coffee.
The flavor you get from French press coffee tends to be more intense because the brew sits directly in the coffee grinds. Drip coffee makers use filters that catch the oils from the coffee grounds making it taste smoother.
What Grind Size Should I Use for the French Press?
To get the most out of your French Press you want to use coffee ground coarsely. That’s because the flavor extraction process needs maximum water surface area to be fully effective. This also enables better carbon dioxide release from the coffee grounds during steeping, enhancing the flavor of the finished brew.
I’ve always seen coffee as a way of bringing people together. Everywhere I go people seem to enjoy a fresh cup of coffee and that’s what drives my passion. There’s always a new brew to master, and there’s always a new face to enjoy it with. Hitch a ride with me on a coffee-fueled adventure to find a perfect cup.
