Why are French presses better than regular teapots? What is a French press, how to use it and brew tea and coffee What is the name of a teapot with a press?

Many people cannot imagine starting the day without a fragrant mug of strong tea or coffee. After all, a hot drink allows you to cheer up and set yourself up for a productive day. Not everyone agrees to drink instant coffee or tea bags. But brewing in a regular kettle is not always convenient. How to be? In such cases, it is worth using a teapot with a piston.

How did such a teapot come about?

A teapot with a piston is called a French press. Such a device was first created back in the 19th century. The French press was invented by a Frenchman for making coffee. Many argue that the first such teapots were made by Italians. However, serial production was carried out by the French company Melior.

If you use such a teapot with a piston to make coffee, the drink will be rich. However, the process itself takes a little time. In addition, when pouring coffee into a cup, the grounds remain at the bottom of the French press and do not get into the drink.

A glass teapot with a piston allows you to prepare aromatic tea or herbal infusion. The principle of preparing drinks is the same. Thanks to this, the popularity of the French press is growing every day.

French press structure

Delicious drinks in such a kettle are obtained thanks to its structure. The French press is a flask made of glass. The sizes of the kettle are completely different. Inside this design there is a piston in which the filter is located. As for glass, transparent and heat-resistant glass is used to make such teapots.

The piston, as a rule, can be made of plastic or stainless steel. The latter option is more preferable, since such material has a long service life, it is easy to clean and is not able to absorb odors.

The principle of preparing drinks

How to properly use a plunger teapot? The instructions are quite simple and clear. The whole process comes down to a few steps:

To begin, the flask must be thoroughly rinsed with boiling water.
Pour the tea leaves into the container, and then pour in water at the appropriate temperature.
The drink should steep for a few minutes. This is the only way it will acquire a rich and unique taste.
When the drink has brewed a little, you need to lower and raise the piston several times. This will make the taste richer.

The drink is ready. All that remains is to pour it into cups. It is recommended to drain the tea completely. Otherwise, it will infuse and acquire a bitter taste.

How to choose a device

Now you know how to assemble a teapot with a piston. All that remains is to make a choice. After all, the range of such products is quite large. When purchasing, you should carefully inspect the mounting of the flask. It should be strong enough. Otherwise, the flask will simply come off when boiling water is poured into it.

Another important indicator is the quality of the container itself. The length of its service life depends on this. There should be no small scratches, chips or bubbles on the flask. In other words, it must be intact and without any damage.

The most durable teapots are glass teapots with a piston, made of metal. They are impact-resistant, which affects their service life.

How to care

In order for such a teapot to last for more than one year, it is necessary to properly care for it. After brewing tea, herbs or coffee, the drink should be completely drained. After this, you need to remove the piston. The flask should be freed from grounds or tea leaves. The piston itself must be cleaned especially carefully. After all, there may be some tea leaves or coffee grounds left in it. This will worsen the taste of the drink, which will later be brewed in the flask.

The glass container should be washed under running water. To remove dirt from its surface, use a soft sponge. If used for a long enough time, a yellowish tinge may appear on the glass. It can eat into the material. In the future, it is very difficult to remove such plaque. Do not use harsh abrasive products to clean your French press. This will negatively affect the condition of the flask. With proper care, such a teapot can last for many years.

The French press, as you might guess from the name, is a device invented in France. Coffee makers of this type appeared in the mid-19th century, but went into mass production only in the 30s of the 20th century. At the moment, the French press, along with cezve, is the most versatile of all methods of preparing ground coffee, although the drink prepared in it is much different from what can be made using a Turk, coffee machine or drip coffee makers.

Sequence of brewing coffee in a French press

The technology for making coffee in a French press is quite simple. For the smallest French press (0.35 l), take 3 teaspoons of coffee and fill it with water at a temperature of 90°C. In this case, you need to note the time: the best-tasting coffee is brewed in 4 minutes. After this, you need to lower the plunger (press) down to stop brewing coffee, and you can pour the drink into cups. For the best taste, it is worth pouring boiling water over the surface of the flask before adding coffee.

Quality of components when brewing coffee in a French press

The water for making coffee in a French press must be clean and soft, preferably spring water. You can take coffee of any type and grind (this makes the French press much more convenient than other brewing methods), including coarse grinding with a home manual coffee grinder. Experienced baristas recommend using elite varieties of coffee to prepare drinks using this method - Blue Mountain, Kopi Luwak, different types of bourbon - since the French press is able to reveal the aroma of coffee beans without mixing in the sour or bitter tastes that arise when brewing in a cezve or coffee machine.

It is best to brew single-origin coffee this way, rather than blends, to fully reveal the flavors of different varieties. When brewing coffee this way, do not forget that, despite the mild taste, the drink will be quite loaded with caffeine (especially if you keep the press open for more than 5-6 minutes). It should be remembered that the design of this type of coffee maker is quite fragile and the glass flask, despite its heat resistance, can break under strong pressure or an awkward blow.

Alternative Ways to Use a French Press

In addition to brewing coffee, a French press can serve as an excellent teapot, especially for flower teas and tea drinks. Blooming rose buds and jasmine petals will look especially beautiful in a transparent flask. You can also brew winter teas with spices in a French press: anise, cardamom, cinnamon sticks and cloves. By varying the tea steeping time, you can experiment with the richness of the taste.

You need to have not only a good brew, but also a container in which this wonderful drink will be prepared. Many manufacturers offer their customers a new type of container - a glass teapot with a piston. As a rule, such a product is a cylinder made of heat-resistant glass with a chrome or plastic frame. A metal piston (or, in other words, a plunger) is inserted into the glass body, which lowers as the tea leaves become saturated with color and taste.

What is a French press

The one with the piston is also called a “French press”. The piston, which is located inside it, serves to squeeze out the tea leaves or coffee grounds, preventing caffeine and tea leaves from ending up in your cup.

As a rule, the volume of such a kettle is from 0.35 to 1 liter of liquid. But at the same time, its capacity changes only due to the height of the flask, and not due to its diameter - it is always the same for this type of vessel.

If you have to choose between a plastic or stainless steel French press base, the latter will be better. It is much more wear-resistant and reliable. The same can be said about the piston material. Stainless steel absorbs odors to a lesser extent than plastic, and will last much longer.

What is a French press used for?

In European countries, a teapot with a piston came into use back in the 19th century. Moreover, there it is used to a greater extent as a container for preparing coffee drinks. And here the French press has become famous and popular as a teapot.

Connoisseurs especially love to brew flower teas in it, because opening rose buds or jasmine petals look great in a transparent flask. This teapot also makes wonderful winter drinks, such as tea with cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves or anise.

What are the benefits of teapots with piston?

To understand how good a teapot with a piston is, we list its advantages:

modern design and low price;
This kettle is easy to clean and wash;
during use, no foreign tastes or odors appear in it;
the French press does not allow scale to form on the walls;
its convenient and stable metal stand allows you to protect any tabletop from the hot bottom of the kettle;
has great resistance to temperature changes,
Another advantage of a glass teapot with a piston is that it can be washed in the dishwasher (however, it should be removed immediately after washing to avoid stains from condensation on the glass and metal parts).

As you can see, by purchasing the described new product, you will receive a container with a lot of excellent qualities that will help you surprise your household and guests with a magical tonic drink.

Teapot with piston: instructions for use

Teapots - French press - are an excellent choice for a practical and modern person. They will fit into the interior of any, even the most fashionable, kitchen and are suitable for brewing tea with both medium and small leaf sizes or granulated drinks. These containers are also used for preparing coffee from coarsely ground beans.

In order for your daily tea to be especially tasty, we advise you to follow several rules for brewing it.

Before the process, be sure to rinse the flask with hot water so that it becomes evenly warm.
Pour tea leaves or coffee into it and fill it with water at the desired temperature.
By the way, leave the piston in a raised position. And later, after 3-5 minutes, when the drink becomes strong enough and the tea leaves rise to the top, it can be lowered.
Let the drink sit for a few minutes to get the fullest flavor.
Now make a few up and down movements with the piston - this will make the tea especially strong.
All! Your aromatic drink is ready to be poured into mugs.

Despite the fact that the body of the kettle is made of it is still a fragile material, therefore, in order to extend its service life, always wash it on time, dry it carefully and do not expose it to strong temperature changes. The French press is not intended to be used in the microwave.

Pay special attention to the main part of the kettle - the piston. You will not need detailed instructions on how to assemble a teapot with a piston and how to disassemble it, as this is easy to do. The mentioned element should be removed from the flask and rinsed thoroughly under running water. The main thing is that the tea leaves do not remain on it, especially at night - because of it, the named part can oxidize, and it will be difficult to wash it.

In order to remove the white coating that appears from the minerals present in the water, wipe the teapot with a sponge with lemon juice or vinegar solution. After which it is thoroughly rinsed and dried.

A French press for coffee is a useful device that helps you brew your favorite drink without any problems. It was invented by the Italians back in the 19th century, but the French began to produce it on a large scale. Therefore, it is often called a French coffee pot. The convenience of this device is that the drink is brewed in it in a matter of minutes, and when poured into cups, all the grounds remain at the bottom.

This type of teapot itself is a transparent flask made of heat-resistant glass with a special piston inside. It contains a fine mesh filter that prevents the thickening from getting into the cups.

A high-quality French press is the key to a delicious drink.

When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the following details:

The filter should fit tightly to the glass cylinder and rise and fall easily without any effort or jerking. There are models with silicone sealing rings along the edge of the mesh, but practice shows that they wear out quickly and give off a noticeable specific odor.
The fastening of the flask must be of high quality and strong to prevent the glass cylinder from coming off.
The piston is made of metal or food-grade plastic. It is better to give preference to stainless steel, as it is durable, resistant to mechanical damage, has a long service life, is easy to clean and does not absorb foreign odors.
The glass must be of high quality, without chips, cracks and other minor defects.

The design of the devices is very diverse, so choosing a French press will not be difficult. The volume of the flask can be any from 350 to 1000 ml. The higher the glass cylinder, the larger the volume of the product.

How to use a French press correctly

It is better to use the tea leaves until the remainder is left, without leaving it for later, otherwise it will not acquire the best taste.

The process of brewing a drink in the device looks like this:

Gently rinse the glass cylinder with hot water to prevent it from cracking from the boiling water.
Add coffee or tea and pour boiling water to the top.
Wait a few minutes until the drink infuses and acquires the desired taste and color.
Carefully release and lift the piston several times. This allows you to get a strong drink and lower the grounds to the bottom.
After this, the drink can be poured into cups.

There are practically no disadvantages to using a French press.

The advantages of using such a device are obvious:

low cost;
easy cleaning;
compactness;
ability to adjust the strength of the drink;
attractive look.

Coffee prepared in such a brewer is strong, thick and has a rich taste and smell, since all the essential oils are preserved in full.

Among the disadvantages, it should be mentioned that the glass cylinder is a fragile thing and can break if handled carelessly. Therefore, you should use the device carefully and carefully.

Caring for the device after use

After use, remove the piston and discard the remaining contents. When rinsing, it is advisable to ensure that there are no remaining coffee grounds left anywhere in the piston, otherwise they will adversely affect the taste of the coffee during subsequent brewing.

It is recommended to disassemble and clean the filter from time to time. The main thing is to remember the placement of the parts so that you can assemble them later.

The glass flask must not only be rinsed, but also washed well with a kitchen sponge. Long-term use leads to the accumulation of a brownish coating on its walls, which is then difficult to remove.

Which bean grinding is preferable for a French press?

Only coarsely ground beans are suitable for a French press.

For this device, coarse grinding is preferable - in the form of clearly visible pieces of ground grains. Powdered coffee will simply clog the filter. Therefore, coffee should resemble coarse sand more than the usual powder.

The correct way to brew coffee in a French press

Knowing how to brew coffee in a French press, you can often prepare such drinks.

Brewing coffee using a French press is easy.

The cooking sequence looks like this:

To boil water.
Grind the grains. Use only fresh raw materials, grinding them just before cooking. Then the coffee will have a tasty and lasting aroma.
Transfer the crushed mass into a flask at the rate of 1 tsp. per cup.
Pour boiling water over it.
Leave for 3-5 minutes. There is no need to insist longer, otherwise the drink will turn out too bitter.
Slowly lower the piston, being careful not to tilt the filter, otherwise the grounds will rise up. It is not recommended to move the piston sharply, as hot liquid may splash onto your hands and burn you.

The coffee is ready. All that remains is to pour it into cups. If desired, it can be supplemented with sugar, honey, cream, chocolate, caramel.

French press cappuccino

You can make cappuccino even without a coffee machine using a French press. You also need a coffee grinder and milk.

Cappuccino coffee has a pleasant and delicate taste.

Procedure:

Grind the coffee.
Rinse the flask with boiling water.
Add coffee at the rate of 7 g per 100 ml of water. Pour hot water, which has not yet boiled, in two additions.
Stir with a wooden spoon. Regular metal spoons can break fragile glass. Leave for 3-4 minutes.
Lower the plunger to strain the drink. Pour coffee into cups.
Heat the milk until hot. Pour into a cleaned French press and whisk the milk up and down with a quick up and down motion for 30 seconds. Leave for 30 seconds and stir with a wooden spoon to get rid of any bubbles.

Procedure:

Rinse the teapot with hot water.
Grind the required amount of grains and pour into a French press.
Slowly add boiling water. Stir and leave for 4 minutes.
Carefully lower the piston down. Pour into preheated cups.
Heat the milk and beat with a blender until foam forms.
Add foam to coffee cups.

You need to brew coffee at the same time as heating the milk so that the drink is not cold.

Knowing how to use a French press, you can prepare delicious and healthy invigorating drinks for yourself and your family every day.

Sometimes the simplest devices make our lives much more convenient. These include, in particular, a French press for tea. Appearing in France in the late 20s of the last century, it became an indispensable assistant for fans of the aromatic drink around the world.

It is especially needed by people who do not have the time or opportunity to prepare tea in a regular teapot. That's why many home kitchens and offices have portable presses these days.

The design of the French press is extremely simple. It consists of the following main parts:

housings;
flasks;
covers;
piston

Let's look at each of them in more detail.

The body and lid are essentially the outer shell of a modernized kettle. They can have different designs and are made of plastic or metal. It must be said that it is the presence of various body parts that significantly affects the price of the device. The brewing vessel is attached to the body, and the piston is attached to the lid.

The tea leaves are poured into the flask and boiling water is poured. The vessel of the device retains heat much better than a regular cup. Therefore, the tea in it has time to brew well and give off its full taste. The flask can be made of various materials, namely:

plastic;
glass;
metal

A plastic flask is installed in low-price models. It quickly breaks down and can give the tea a not very pleasant taste. The metal flask is the most durable, but it does not make it possible to see the metamorphoses that occur with the tea leaf during brewing.

Most people who like to prepare tea in a French press prefer a heat-resistant glass flask. It has a number of advantages:

does not affect the aroma and taste of the drink;
with careful handling it lasts for a long time;
allows you to see how beautifully the tea leaves unfurl and the drink gradually acquires a rich color.

All vessels have the same diameter, but differ significantly from each other in height. The volume of the kettle depends on this parameter. It ranges from 350 ml to 1 liter.

The piston, or plunger, has a dual purpose. Firstly, it squeezes out the tea leaves, resulting in a richer drink to taste. Secondly, it prevents tea leaves from floating to the surface.

The piston is made of plastic or stainless steel. The second option is, of course, more expensive, but it is preferable to use it for the following reasons:

it has a long service life;
does not absorb foreign odors;
easy to clean.

The piston has a built-in mesh filter, which does not allow tea leaves to float to the surface. Filters can be metal or synthetic. The material is only important for coffee. In the case of tea, the difference between the meshes is only in the service life.

How to choose a French press

To choose a quality tea brewer, you need to pay attention to several important points.

First you need to choose a kettle of the required volume. If you need to make 1-2 servings of tea at the same time, then a small French press with a volume of 350 ml will be enough. If you need much more drink, it is better to pay attention to liter devices. After all, the contents of the vessel fall into the cups immediately, without subsequent dilution with water.
Take a good look at the flask. There should be no scratches, cracks or glass defects in the form of bubbles.
Check whether the flask is firmly attached to the body. It is best if it is fixed with two holders. One of them should be located at the base of the kettle, and the other at the lid.
Take the press in your hands and try to lower the piston. It should move with force, and the strainer should fit snugly against the walls of the flask. However, you should not choose models with a silicone seal. It gives the drink an uncharacteristic smell and quickly becomes unusable.
It is important to pay attention to the material from which the product parts are made. The best choice is stainless steel.
You should not neglect such a thing as an additional flask. Unfortunately, it is this part of the structure that fails most quickly, especially if the device is used by different people.

How to use

Although the tea maker has a very simple design, there are simple but important rules to follow when using it.

Before adding the tea leaves, you need to pour hot water over the flask. In this case, you cannot use just boiled water, as the flask may crack. After the kettle boils, you should wait 10 seconds, and only then rinse the vessel.
The tea leaves are poured into the heated flask in accordance with its volume. For a 350 ml teapot, 3 teaspoons will be enough. For a liter vessel you will need at least 10.
You need to pour hot water into the flask so that its level is about 2 fingers below the rim. Only in this case will the drink fully reveal its taste.
It is best to stir the brew with a wooden or, in extreme cases, a plastic spoon, since a metal one can damage the flask.
The plunger should be installed in the filled flask so that its base touches the surface of the water. Then leave the drink to infuse. This will take from 3 to 5 minutes depending on the size of the device.
When the tea is brewed, you need to slowly lower the press to the very bottom of the flask. If the strainer is too tight, you need to remove the plunger from the vessel and try again.
The finished drink is immediately poured into cups. You cannot store tea in the device, as it will become bitter and ruin parts of the mechanism.

And finally, it should be said that after each tea party it is necessary to disassemble the press and wash its parts. Only in this case will it last for a long time.