What’s in a name?

Coffee is truly an international treasure and one that defies national boundaries. This is great because coffee is so universal. But it can definitely be confusing when it comes to agreed-upon names! This is certainly no truer than with the coffee plunger. Or, as it is also known, the French Press, the cafetiere, cafetiere a piston, caffettiera a stantuffo, press pot, and even a coffee press. Now that is a lot of names!

The origins of this incredible device go back to the 1800s in France, where the first rudimentary coffee plunger was developed. It was mainly just a tube with a stick and a metal mesh or cheesecloth screen attached to one end to separate the coffee grounds from the hot water when brewed. This design went through a few different alterations over the years until the 1920’s when some Italian designers patented what we would come to know as the more modern coffee plunger design. 

Today, the coffee plunger is generally a glass, plastic, or stainless steel beaker with a separate steel rod with a series of stainless steel meshes and screens and a top cover. The whole item works essentially as a piston, where the grounds are pushed down and separated from the water. But let’s find out how to brew with one!

What you will need:

• A coffee plunger
• Your coffee beans of choice (like a superb decaf coffee bean)
• Filtered or purified water
• A kettle

Step 1

Measure out and grind your chosen coffee beans. Decaf coffee works great! But make sure your grounds are a bit coarser otherwise your brew may come out grainy and silty. Also keep in mind more grounds to water means a stronger brew as a final result. Add your grounds to your plunger’s beaker component.

Step 2

Boil your filtered or purified water. Don’t pour your water immediately, but instead wait 30 seconds to a minute for it to cool down a little bit. Stir your grounds and the water to make sure all the grounds are fully infused and immersed. Now, place the top plunger on but don’t press down just yet!

Step 3

Wait about 4 minutes for your grounds to fully brew, after which you can feel free to press the plunger down. Press slowly but firmly, this way you don’t make any messes!

Step 4

Enjoy one of the richest, silkiest, most vivid cups of coffee you have ever brewed!

Coffee of any other name would taste just as incredible!

Regardless of the name you choose to give this amazing brewing device, you will certainly find your new favorite way to make coffee. Get your favorite decaf coffee beans and make an absurdly good decaf coffee brew today! All it takes is some hot water and a little elbow grease to push that plunger down. But once you do, you will unlock a universe of coffee greatness!