A French press is a particular type of coffee pot that was designed by the French. Over the past decade this device has gained popularity around the world, but particularly in the United States. So, what exactly is French press? It's a method for brewing coffee that is very different from the traditional methods such as drip coffee makers and percolators.

While French press devices come in various shapes and sizes, the most typical would be a glass cylinder with a handle on the side and a lid on top. Inside the cylinder there is a plunger that is made of some type of mesh material. The lid of the press has a ball, which allows you to operate the plunger device. Sounds a little complicated when you think about it especially when you consider the fact that all this work is going into a cup of coffee?

Now for the coffee making process: first of all, French press coffee is more coarsely ground than an espresso or even coffee that one would use in a drip coffee maker. You use one and a half to two tablespoons of coffee grinds (depending on how strong you like your coffee) per cup of boiling water. Place the grounds inside the cylinder and add boiling water. Put the lid on and plunge the filter down into the cylinder (be careful not to crush the coffee grounds). You then let the drink seep according to your personal preferences and enjoy.

While it seems like a vastly complicated process, and really may be first thing in the morning it is not overly complicated when compared to operating a regular drip coffee maker. There is no messy filter to deal with the major drawback is that you can't set this up the night before and have coffee greeting you first thing in the morning. Of course, you could choose to enjoy the best of both worlds and have your eye-opening cup be from a drip maker and the cup you are alert enough to truly appreciate being made from your French press.

French press coffee makers can easily fit into almost any kitchen décor. They have many styles from the very simple and basic machine to those that look like a thermal carafe and even those that have a certain art deco look about them. Of course, these machines are about the flavor of the coffee rather than the style of the coffee maker, but having a coffee maker that compliments that style of your kitchen is almost always a plus for discerning consumers.

Drinking coffee that is made from a French press coffee maker is one of the most flavorful experiences that most coffee drinkers have the privilege of enjoying. If you love the flavor of coffee, for the sake of its flavor alone, then perhaps it's time you tried French press coffee. If you are among the truly brave, be sure to not only enjoy drinking French press coffee but to experiment with the water you use, the beans you use, the temperature of the water you use, and anything else you can think of to be creative with. This is after all part of the process of finding and making the perfect cup of coffee.