The term "French press" is the most widely used name in many languages (perhaps due to the romantic French connotation), but the device is known under different names across the world:
• In the USA, it's also called a coffee press
• In the UK and Ireland – a cafetière or simply coffee pot
• In New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa – plunger coffee
• In Italian – caffettiera a stantuffo (literally “piston coffee maker”)
• In German – Kaffeepresse or “press pot”
• In French and Dutch – also variants of “plunger” or “coffee maker”
Despite its French name, the legal patent for the French press was granted to Italians in the U.S. However, historically, it was indeed invented in France.
The Invention of the French Press
In 1852, two Frenchmen, Delforge and Mayer, received a patent for a coffee-brewing device. It wasn't exactly the modern French press — it was rather primitive. It consisted of a metal container with a central rod and a circular mesh filter covered in cloth, designed to separate coffee grounds from the brew. However, the seal was incomplete, and the cloth mesh quickly degraded, letting fine particles through.
The invention is officially attributed to Ugo Paolini, an Italian who designed a piston-style coffee maker in 1923 and patented it in the United States in 1929.
Why is he credited over the French inventors? Because the French patent remained undisclosed until 1924 — a year after Paolini's innovation became public. In legal terms, first disclosure wins, and that gave Italy the edge.
Another version of the device was patented in the U.S. in 1958, based on Paolini’s design. It featured modern improvements, such as a fine mesh metal filter instead of cloth, and became the basis for the French press as we know it today.
Modern filters may use metal, nylon, or multi-layer mesh for better filtration, preventing even fine coffee particles from ending up in your cup.
Besides coffee, French presses are also used to brew tea and to separate juice from pulp in fruits and vegetables on a small scale — in fact, one of the original ideas behind the invention was to separate tomato pulp from juice for Italian cuisine.
How to Brew Coffee in a French Press
The French press is built on simplicity. Ground coffee is placed in the carafe, then hot water is poured over it. After steeping for 4–6 minutes, the plunger is pressed down to filter out the grounds, and the coffee is ready to drink.
However, a French press isn’t a stand-alone coffee solution.
You still need:
• A kettle to boil water (ideal temperature: 97–100°C)
• A grinder to grind whole beans (or buy coarse-ground coffee)
So while the French press itself is simple, the brewing setup often requires 2–3 tools.
Some users prefer alternative methods like moka pots, drip brewers, or automatic coffee machines, which combine everything into one unit.
Modern French presses come with basic filters or fine-mesh multi-layer filters. The more advanced the filter, the better the clarity — but the harder it is to clean.
Why the French Press Still Matters
Despite its simplicity, the French press is considered one of the best brewing methods for specialty coffee, capable of revealing the full complexity of acidity and flavor in high-quality beans.
If you don’t have a French press at home or in your office — it’s time to get one.
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