7 Genius Ways to Use an Inexpensive French Press

The French press is a piece of affordable, compact, fancy equipment and an excellent addition to any kitchen or office. Although it’s mainly preferred for making tea or coffee, there are plenty of other creative ways to put it to use, from making whipped cream to frothing milk. We researched other uses too — read on to learn more.

What a French press is

A French press, also known as a coffee press, press pot, or coffee plunger, is a piece of equipment used for coffee or tea brewing and many other tasks. It consists of a narrow cylindrical glass container (carafe), a beaker or jug, a rod with a lid that uses a plunger, and a built-in 3-part filter system. After brewing the coffee, you can pull out the plunger to compress hot water through your ground coffee.

After you pour your coffee into a cup to enjoy, the coffee pulp will stay in the carafe. After each use, remember to wash the pot with water and mild detergent and dry well.

1. Make tea.

You can make tasty leaf teas with your coffee plunger. Here’s how:

• Place your tea leaves in the French press. Then pour hot water over them. Let it brew and steep.
• Finally, press down the plunger to engage the mesh strainer.
• Pour, and enjoy your tea!

2. Froth your milk.

You don’t need to spend money on a steam wand or boil milk and whisk it until it becomes frothy— a French press will be a lifesaver for this purpose.

• Pour your choice of milk into the carafe (container).
• Pump it up and down until the froth is formed.

Note: You can use a microwave to warm your milk, ensuring it won’t boil. Assemble the lid and start pumping a few times until the milk gets frothier.

3. Make whipped cream.

If you’re seeking a tasty dessert topping, you can achieve rich, fluffy whipped cream using your French press. Here’s how to do it:

• Fill half of your French press container with heavy cream; you can add sugar or vanilla if you’d like.
• Then close the lid and start pumping the lever up and down for about 5 minutes or until you see peaks.

4. Rinse quinoa or other grains.

Sometimes, keeping some of your farro, quinoa, and rice grains from getting stuck in the holes of a strainer can get hard. However, a French press will be your best friend in this. All you need to do is the following:

• Put your grains into the container, pour in some water, and close the lid.
• Start pushing the plunger down.
• Finally, drain the water.

5. Drain defrosted spinach.

A French press can eliminate excess moisture (dehydrate) from frozen ingredients. To do so:

• Place them in the carafe, ensuring they’re small enough to fit.
• Press the plunger down to squeeze the excess moisture from the food.
• Finally, drain the water.

You can use it to rehydrate your dried food too.

• Put your food in the carafe, then pour hot water over it until it’s fully covered.
• Let it sit for about 3-5 minutes.
• Carefully push the plunger down and drain the water.

6. Infuse oils.

Prepare flavored oils with your French press. To do so:

• Place your favorite spices and herbs into the carafe, add oil, put on the lid, and let it sit.
• Carefully press the plunger down. This way, it’ll extract more flavor from the herbs and spices and infuse them into the oil.
• Once satisfied with the result, it wouldn’t hurt to push the plunger one last time. Finally, pour the oil into its container.

7. Make hot or cold brewed coffee.

Remember that the size of the coffee grounds is significant in producing good coffee. As such, very coarse grounds may clog the filter, while very fine grounds will pass through the filter, muddying the results.

☕For a hot brew, per 200 ml (6.7 oz) of water:

• Add a tablespoon of 7-8 grams of coarse coffee grounds to the pot.
• Pour over hot (not boiling) water, and stir gently afterward.
• Insert the lid assembly just above the coffee grounds. Let it brew for about 3-4 minutes.
• Finally, press the plunger down. You can adjust the brewing time according to your taste. For instance, while the average brewing time is 4 minutes, you can keep it at 3 minutes if you like it soft, or increase it up to 5 minutes for a stronger brew.

☕For a cold brew:

• Use cold water and stir a few times.
• Cover the pitcher with plastic wrap, a lid, or a folio.
• After refrigerating for 24 hours, press the plunger down and enjoy your coffee with or without milk or ice!

We love sharing food recipes. We’d like to hear from you too. Do you know any other uses for a French press? Please comment below.

If you want to read more food-related articles, check these out!

• For 20 Unusual Foods and Products That Surprised Us, click here.
• For 11 Fruits and Veggies You May Not Know Humans Changed, click here.
• For 14 Water-Rich Foods That Help You Stay Hydrated, click here.