French Press vs Drip Coffee: Which Brewing Method is Perfect?

French Press vs Coffeemaker

There are several types of beverage lovers, one who loves to drink tea while others like coffee and the rest like cold drinks. If you want to start your day freshly in the morning, then coffee is the best choice for you. Also, for students and working people, coffee is the best support to start their day with an enthusiastic mind. As concerned with health, coffee is considered good for curing a number of diseases. However, the taste and quality depend on its brewing method. This is why it is important to know about different brewing methods and the differences among them.

There are several methods for brewing coffee, but the two widely used methods are French press and drip coffee. Choosing the best between these two is an open debate and needs to be explained clearly, so we have tried to do it perfectly here.

French Press

French Press

We have discussed above that the taste quality of coffee depends on its brewing method, so there are two main methods named French press and drip coffee. Let’s discuss the first method which is a French press, You might want to know that is French press coffee better? let’s sort out this confusion. The interesting thing about this method is that the name is French press but its the product of Italy. The designer named Attilio Calimani first derived this method in the Italian city “Milan” in 1929, and with the passage of time, it adopted perfection.

When it comes to design, the French press shows simplicity in this area. There is a cylindrical beaker where you can add coarse coffee grounds according to your preference and then there is a need for adding hot water. After this, stir the grounds strongly and then put a lid on and let the grounds precipitate. Moreover, after the indication of the desired brew, push the plunger-filter slowly and that’s it. All these features answer to this question, why the French press.

Advantages of French Press

We have compiled some benefits of the French press below.

  • Using this method you can brew coffee according to your taste.
  • It doesn’t filter natural oils from coffee grounds and so, provides a natural taste of coffee.
  • It’s portable, so there is no need for an electric connection. You can simply use it anywhere, anytime.

Disadvantages of French Press

Also, there are some drawbacks of the French press mentioned below.

  • The process here is time consuming.
  • You never know if over-extraction has taken place. In order to tackle this situation, everything depends on your experience.
  • The plunger comes with a mesh which is supposed to act like a filter. However, the results of it are not as good as other brewing methods.

Also read : Best Coffee Maker with Grinder

Drip Coffee Maker

Drip Coffee Maker

If you want to brew coffee without wasting time, the drip coffee maker is the best choice. What is drip coffee let’s answer this question, in most of the homes, offices, and restaurants drip coffee machine has taken over other brewing methods and equipment because it brews coffee quickly with perfection. What you have to do for brewing coffee is to place the filter in the machine and add coffee grounds, then pour the water in its reservoir. Moreover, there is an aluminum tube having a heating element in its interior, so the water flows through it. When you turn the power on the tube get heated by its heating element so the water gets boiled. After the boiling of water, small bubbles generate and are dispensed on the drip and grounds. In addition, the boiled water passes on the grounds, so the process of brewing gets finished and the coffee drips down in the carafe or pot placed below it.

Advantages of Drip Coffee Maker

  • It’s easy to use, the overall process is done by the coffee maker itself and there is no need of doing anything manually apart from adding water and coffee grounds.
  • The best part about drip coffee makers is that you get a number of customization features and it can be programmable as well, so all the processes can be managed easily.
  • It saves your time as it brews coffee quickly.

Disadvantages of Drip Coffee Maker

  • The cleaning process of a drip coffee maker is not so easy, you will need to clean the coffee maker regularly. And it also needs to be cleaned in detail every 2 -3 months using vinegar or lemons etc.
  • A drip coffee maker doesn’t provide you full control on all its functionalities, but if you want it to be customizable then you have to go for a best coffee maker which may cost you a good sum.

French Press Coffee vs Drip Coffee Maker

We have discussed two widely used brewing methods above, French press and drip coffee maker. However, these two brewing methodologies are different from each other. So we have explained their differences below.

Number of Cups

A French press is an old and best method for brewing tasty coffee. But with regards to the number of cups, an average French press can brew 2 to 4 cups and in some cases, it can go up to 8 cups as well. This is why if you have your friends over at your place, this method won’t prove good. Whereas the drip coffee makers have a better capacity, average drip coffee makers can brew up to 12 cups of coffee in just one cycle. Moreover, the drip coffee maker keeps your coffee hot for a while, whereas the French press lacks this feature.

Beans Selection & Grind

For brewing tasty coffee the selection of beans is very important. Grinding the beans yourself is better than buying pre-ground coffee. Moreover, through your own grind, you can get your desired texture. In addition, you have to choose beans texture for both the French press and coffee maker carefully. The French press requires a coarse grind, whereas a medium grind is needed for drip coffee makers. When the coffee grounds are too coarse or fine, it leads to bad brew experience.

Brewing Time

Besides all other aspects of brewing methods, brewing time is also important. If you want coffee in the morning without wasting any time then you need to opt for a quick brewing method. The time required for brewing coffee by the French press is almost 5 to 8 minutes. Whereas, the coffee maker needs approximately 5 to 10 minutes for the whole process. But a french press will give you a lower number of cups compared to a drip coffee maker.

Usage

Brewing the tasty coffee is an art, so you have to choose which brewing method best suits your art. When talking about drip coffee vs French press, the usage is totally different here. Brewing coffee with French press needs expertise, as there are many variables to deal with such as water temperature, brew time, etc. If you want perfection in French press brewing then you have to practice a lot. Whereas, the drip coffee machine doesn’t require to explore your inner barista. What you have to do is read the manufacturers instructions carefully, measure the right amount of coffee, put the coffee grounds in the machine, fill the reservoir with water and turn the switch ON. Even if you don’t follow the proper procedure, you will still get a cup of good coffee, not anything else.

Reliability

Between drip coffee vs French press, the winner is French press in case of reliability. There are no mechanical parts in the French press, only the worst condition you face is when the glass beaker breaks. However, you get a new French press at an affordable price, so it’s not a big issue in its replacement. Whereas, the drip coffee makers are also reliable but the failure of electric supply and heating element tends to be a big loss, because of their high repair prices.

You May like to Read: Best Single Serve Coffee Maker

Final Brew

If you are a coffee lover, so the taste of coffee matters a lot for you. If you are brewing coffee using the French press, you can control all variables and the brewed coffee will be according to your taste. Whereas in drip coffee makers, you can add your preferred coffee grounds but the natural oils are mostly removed by its filter so you can’t get strong coffee with original flavor.

Final Words

We have discussed good and bad sights of both French press and drip coffee maker above, now the choice is yours. If you want to hold on all variables for brewing coffee and time doesn’t matter for you but the taste does, so the French press will be the best choice for you. Whereas if you want a fast and easy brew, then you have to go for a drip coffee maker.

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