Do You Need to Preheat Your French Press?

Everyone has their own favorite way of making coffee—at least if they’re coffee drinkers that is. For many, it’s a French press. This classic and simple brewing technique is a favorite thanks to its ability to make full-bodied and flavorful coffee, but are you skipping an important step?

If you’re not preheating your French press, you might just be missing out on an extra smooth cup of coffee.

Why preheat, though? Basically, it helps your coffee brew evenly and allows flavors to be extracted properly. When you preheat your French press, the temperature from start to finish of the brewing process will stay similar—hot from start to finish—and when that’s the case, you’ll get the maximum flavor. If your French press coffee has seemed lackluster compared to what you get in your favorite cafe, this might be why.

Plus, preheating is simple and will barely add time to your brewing routine. As usual, you’ll heat up your water, but you’ll do a bit extra. Pour the hot water into your press and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Once it has sat, toss the water and add in your coffee grounds, then get to brewing as normal. 

If you want a stronger, more flavorful cup of coffee, preheating your French press is the answer. But make sure you’re not forgetting another important step, too—stirring.