If you want to make better tasting coffee at home, but you're put off by expensive coffee machines and hard-to-use gadgets, then consider the cafetiere. Not only is it a modest investment, but it's also incredibly easy to use and delivers great coffee every time.

In this blog, we'll look at how to make cafetiere coffee and what type of coffee to use.  

What is a cafetiere and where did it come from?

You might know the cafetiere as a French press or a coffee press. The word cafetiere is French for coffee pot, but the origins of this utensil are a mix of French and Italian.

It's made up of a heatproof jug (usually glass) with a strainer attached to the lid that you can plunge to the bottom. This simple device is designed to separate the coffee grinds from the water so you end up with a perfectly brewed, "sludge-free" cup of coffee.  

How to use a cafetiere - a step-by-step guide

If you've never made fresh coffee using a cafetiere, you may be wondering where to start, so let's look at each step.

1. Boil your water – we recommend leaving the water to cool slightly first.
2. Add your coffee – weigh out your coffee and add to the base of your cafetiere. As a general rule of thumb, you should use 1 tbsp for every cup.  
3. Add hot water – pour in half the boiled water, stir the coffee so all of it's submerged then add the rest of your water (125ml for every tbsp of coffee).
4. Brew coffee – add the lid then leave to brew for at least four minutes.
5. Plunge (slowly!) – when you're ready, slowly and steadily plunge the strainer down to separate the water from the ground coffee at the base of the jug.
6. Pour and enjoy – and that's it, you're ready to enjoy your first cafetière coffee.  

TOP TIP: Don't plunge right down to the bottom of the jug because you'll risk stirring up the sediment – you don't want any ground coffee to escape the strainer.

You should also make sure that you clean your cafetiere every time you use it or you risk your coffee tasting old and muddy. Washing-up liquid is fine for day-to-day use but you may need to dismantle it for a deep clean with something stronger every so often.  

What type of coffee should you use?

When it comes to picking the right coffee, it's really down to your own taste – what's important when making cafetiere coffee is that you get the right grind size.

You're looking for something that is medium ground (you'll find this information on the packet). Anything larger than medium is too hard to plunge, and finely ground coffee can slip through the strainer.

To make it easy for our customers, Pumphrey's coffee is sold in four different grind sizes for different coffee makers:  

• Cafetiere
• Filter
• Espresso (great for espresso machines)
• Turkish

We also sell coffee beans for you to grind at home for a really fresh-tasting coffee. If you prefer to grind your own, we recommend you follow these tips:

• grind until you can't see any shiny outer pieces of the shell
• make sure all the pieces are the same size (consistency is key!)
• you should still be able to see individual pieces i.e. not fine dust

How much coffee should you be using?

For every method of making coffee, you'll find an expert out there who can tell you how much coffee and water you should be using. When it comes to making cafetiere coffee, most would agree using one tablespoon of coffee for every 125ml of water is the right amount, but if you prefer your coffee stronger (or weaker) then you can adjust this.

Our chrome-finish cafetiere comes in two sizes – 3 cup and 8 cup. We've put together this guide on how much coffee you should use if you're serving more than one person.  

Three-cup cafetiere

Three tablespoons of ground coffee (about 15 - 21 grams) + 375ml of hot water.

Eight-cup cafetiere

Eight tablespoons of ground coffee (about 40 - 56 grams) + 1 litre of water.

This is just a general guide, because when it comes down to it, only you can decide what tastes good. That's why we recommend you use digital scales, so if you make a great-tasting cup of coffee you know exactly how much you used and you can do it again. And in the same way, if it was awful, you know what NOT to do next time.

Making cafetiere coffee - enjoy!

The cafetiere is popular with coffee-lovers everywhere. Not only is it cheap to buy, but with the money you save you can afford to buy good quality,freshly ground coffee, and enjoy a great tasting cup of coffee everyday from the comfort of your own home.

If you're struggling to decide on a flavour of coffee, why not try a monthly coffee subscription – your favourite blend might still to be discovered.