What’s the Difference Between Drip Coffee and French Press? (Solved!)

Drip coffee and French Press are two of the most common techniques for making coffee, particularly at home, and they are mainly differentiated by their brewing methods. Drip coffee involves hot water being poured over coffee grounds and then dripping through a filter, whereas French Press coffee is steeped in a receptacle before a plunger separates the grounds.

Both of these brewing methods are very popular and can be carried out in a number of ways, using a wide variety of devices. Not only are the brewing and delivery methods different, but the flavour, aroma, and concentration of the final cup are different as well so many people have a strong preference for one or the other.

This article will go into detail about the differences between the drip coffee and French Press methods for brewing coffee, how the devices that utilise them work, and what else you want to know if you are trying to decide which one is right for you.

How Does Drip Coffee Work?

Drip coffee, otherwise known as “pour over” is a method for brewing coffee that uses gravity to draw hot water over coffee grounds. The grounds themselves are situated inside a paper filter, within a funnel of some kind, and hot water is poured over the top so that it steeps and is filtered as it is drawn through.

How Does French Press Coffee Work?

French Press coffee, otherwise known as a “cafetiere”, uses a jug-like vessel to steep coffee grounds and hot water, similar to the way that tea is made. Once the coffee has been extracted into the water, a metal filter is pushed down through the mixture, separating the grounds from the liquid which can then be poured out.

How Do You Make a Good Drip Coffee?

If you’re not using an automatic machine, place a paper filter into the funnel, then add 1.5 tablespoons of a medium grind coffee inside. Take freshly boiled water and pour a small amount onto the coffee to let it bloom (around 30 seconds), then fill the funnel to the top, let it pass through and fill it up again.

How Do You Make Good French Press Coffee?

For French Press coffee, you put a heaped tablespoon of medium-coarse grounds (for every 200ml of water) into the pot. After you have added the hot water, give the mixture a quick stir, rest the plunger on top and then wait for 3-4 minutes before you gently push the plunger all the way down to the bottom.

Where Does the French Press Come From?

Despite its name, the French Press device was originally designed by an Italian named Attilo Calimani in Milan in 1929 based on older, rudimentary coffee pressing methods. Over the years it has grown in popularity, particularly for its ease of use and simplicity, and can now be found in hotels, cafés, and home kitchens all over the world.

Where Does Drip Coffee Come From?

The drip method for preparing coffee, where heated water percolates through grounds, is believed to have originated in France in the 19th century. In 1908, the first coffee filter was invented by a German woman named Amalie Bentz in order to remove the sediment and muddiness from the brew, resulting in a clearer and brighter cup of coffee.

How is the Taste of Drip Coffee and French Press Different?

Drip coffee uses a paper filter, which removes a lot of the oils in the process, and doesn’t extract as much soluble coffee, meaning it tastes lighter and cleaner. French Press coffee is usually much more full-bodied and rich, although it is also more likely to contain some sediment left over from the brewing process.

Is French Press Coffee Stronger than Drip Coffee?

Ultimately, the strength of your coffee depends on the quantity of the grounds that you use and the amount of extraction that occurs. French Press usually produces a stronger coffee because you can place more grounds into it and have them extract fully through the steeping process – and the fuller flavour also makes it seem stronger.

How Many Coffees can a Drip Coffee Maker and a French Press Produce?

Drip Coffee machines make an average of 12 cups in one cycle and can be scheduled ahead of time, although manual pour over devices like the Hario V60 or the Kalita Wave are only designed for 1 or 2 cups at a time. The average French Press will make 2-4 cups of coffee, but there are bigger versions available.

What Kind of Grind Size do Drip Coffee and French Press Need?

A significant difference between the two coffee makers is the size of the grinds that you need due to their different methods of filtration. Because they use paper filters, a medium/medium-fine grind allows for consistent extraction with drip coffee, but the French Press needs coarser grounds, so they don’t pass through the holes in the metal filter.

Is French Press or Drip Coffee Easier?

Both methods are pretty simple but there are more steps in the drip coffee process so French Press is probably the easiest of the two. Using a drip coffee machine is definitely easier than the more manual devices, but it is still not quite as straightforward as putting coffee and water in a French Press and waiting.

What’s a More Reliable Method of Brewing, French Press or Drip Coffee?

With a French Press you have complete control over the different variables involved so you can expect the same brew every time. Drip coffee has a little more nuance to it, which makes the process more versatile but less consistent in what you can expect from the end result.

Which Method Takes Longer to Brew?

Although it depends on the device you use, drip coffee generally takes longer to brew than French Press. There is more setup required and you have to wait for the water to pour through a couple of times, so it takes 5-10 minutes for drip coffee to be made whereas French Press will be done in around 4-8 minutes.