No. You can't make espresso in a French press. Not "sort of," not "close enough" — it isn't physically possible, and any guide telling you otherwise is either confused or hoping you won't notice.
We sell espresso machines, so you'd expect us to say that. But this is one of those cases where the honest answer is also the more useful one — because what a French press can make is genuinely good, and you'll make it much better once you stop trying to make it into something it isn't.
Here's what's actually going on, what to brew instead, and how to do it properly.
Why a French press can't make espresso
Espresso isn't a strength. It's a brewing method with a specific definition: hot water forced through finely-ground, compacted coffee at roughly nine bars of pressure — about nine times atmospheric pressure — in 25 to 30 seconds.
That pressure is the whole point. It's what emulsifies the coffee's oils into the liquid, what produces crema, and what creates the syrupy body that makes espresso espresso rather than just strong coffee.
A French press is an immersion brewer. Grounds sit in water at atmospheric pressure, and a mesh screen separates them at the end. The plunger isn't generating brewing pressure — it's a filter on a stick. There is no mechanism anywhere in the device that could produce nine bars, and if there were, the glass carafe would not survive it.
So: strong coffee, yes. Concentrated coffee, absolutely. Espresso, no.
The advice that will ruin your French press
You'll find guides — including, until today, an earlier version of this one — telling you to use a very fine grind to simulate espresso in a French press.
Don't. This is the single worst thing you can do with the device, for three reasons:
- It doesn't filter. A French press screen is built for coarse particles. Fine grounds go straight through it, and you end up drinking silt.
- It won't press. Fine grounds pack against the mesh and block it. The plunger stops moving.
- It's a burn risk. When the screen clogs and you keep pushing, pressure builds under the plunger with nowhere to go. That pressure releases suddenly — usually upward, through the lid, carrying near-boiling coffee with it. This is how people get hurt with a French press, and it's almost always a grind that was too fine.
Fine grind belongs in an espresso machine, where a metal basket and a locked portafilter are built to contain the pressure. It does not belong in a glass cylinder with a hand-operated plunger.
What to make instead: French press concentrate
Here's the drink that actually works. It won't have crema and it won't taste like espresso, but it's strong, rich, and holds up in milk — which is what most people asking this question actually want.
The trick is the ratio, not the grind. A normal French press runs about 1:16 — one gram of coffee to sixteen of water. Take it to 1:7 and you get something roughly three times as concentrated as regular coffee, made entirely within the device's safe operating range.
The recipe
| Coffee | 30g, medium grind (see below) |
| Water | 200g, at 96°C / 205°F |
| Steep | 6 minutes |
| Yields | ~150ml of concentrate |
| Grind | Medium — like coarse sand. Never fine. |
- Preheat the press. Fill it with hot water, let it stand a minute, pour it out. A cold glass carafe drops your brew temperature several degrees in the first thirty seconds, and this is the cheapest fix available.
- Grind 30g at a medium setting. Slightly finer than you'd use for regular French press, but nowhere near espresso fine. You should be able to feel individual particles between your fingers.
- Add about 60g of water and let it bloom for 30 seconds. The grounds will foam as trapped carbon dioxide escapes — that gas would otherwise get in the way of extraction.
- Add the remaining 140g and stir gently to break the crust and wet every ground.
- Put the lid on without pressing. The lid holds heat in; pressing now would end the brew early.
- Wait six minutes. Longer than standard French press, because the higher ratio needs more time to saturate the larger dose.
- Press down slowly — ten seconds or so, with steady pressure. If it resists, stop. Something's wrong, and forcing it is how the accident above happens.
- Decant immediately. Coffee left sitting on the grounds keeps extracting and turns bitter within minutes. Pour it all out, even what you're not drinking yet.
Use it as you'd use a double shot: straight in a small cup, or 60ml topped with steamed milk for something in the neighbourhood of a latte.
Why weigh it
Earlier versions of this guide used tablespoons. Don't — a tablespoon of coffee can vary by more than 40% in weight depending on the bean's density and how coarsely it's ground, which means "two tablespoons" isn't a measurement at all. A $30 scale removes every bit of that guesswork, and it's the highest-return purchase in coffee at any level.
The grinder matters more than the press
Every French press has the same failure mode, and it's the same one that plagues espresso: an inconsistent grind.
Immersion brewing is especially unforgiving here. Every particle sits in the same water for the same six minutes, so the fine ones over-extract into bitterness while the boulders barely extract at all — and you taste both at once. That "muddy, harsh, somehow weak" character people associate with French press is nearly always a grinder problem, not a method problem.
A blade grinder cannot produce an even grind at this size. A burr grinder can. If your French press coffee has never tasted as good as you hoped, that's where to look — we've written up the best grinders for French press specifically, and our under-$500 roundup covers the broader range.
Three worth knowing: the Turin SK40 at $199, the Turin DF54 at $225, and the Turin DF64 at $354 — all of which handle French press and espresso from the same machine.
If you actually want espresso without a machine
There are two devices that get genuinely closer than a French press, because both generate real pressure.
The Moka pot produces roughly 1–2 bars using steam pressure. Not nine, so still not espresso — but a thick, intense brew with real body that's much closer to the mark. It's the traditional Italian home answer and it costs very little. We compared the two directly in French press vs. Moka pot.
The AeroPress uses manual plunger pressure — also in the 1–2 bar range, and very dependent on how hard you push. It's versatile, forgiving and nearly indestructible, which makes it a favourite for travel.
Both are good. Neither makes espresso. The gap between 2 bars and 9 bars is not a small one, and it's exactly the gap where crema and true espresso body live.
What actually makes espresso
A pump. That's the dividing line, and it's why espresso machines cost what they do.
The entry point is lower than most people assume. The Breville Bambino Plus at $499.95 pulls real nine-bar shots and steams milk properly. Pair it with a $225 DF54 and you're making actual espresso for under $750 — which is less than many people spend on French presses, kettles, scales and grinders while trying to avoid buying a machine.
If you're weighing it up, our guide to the best espresso machines for beginners lays out the whole range, or the grinder matcher will pair a grinder to whatever you end up with.
None of which means you should stop using your French press. It makes excellent coffee. It just makes excellent French press coffee.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really make espresso in a French press?
No. Espresso requires water forced through compacted coffee at about nine bars of pressure, and a French press is an immersion brewer operating at atmospheric pressure — the plunger is a filter, not a pump. You can make a strong, concentrated coffee that works well in milk drinks, but it will have no crema and won't taste like espresso.
What grind size should I use?
Medium — roughly the texture of coarse sand, a little finer than standard French press but nowhere near espresso fine. Never use a fine grind in a French press: it passes through the mesh, clogs the screen, and can build pressure under the plunger that releases suddenly with hot coffee.
How much coffee should I use?
For a concentrate, use a 1:7 ratio by weight — around 30g of coffee to 200g of water. Weigh it rather than using tablespoons, which vary by more than 40% depending on bean density and grind size.
How long should I let it steep?
Six minutes for a concentrate, against about four for regular French press. The higher coffee-to-water ratio needs longer to saturate properly. Decant immediately afterwards — coffee left on the grounds keeps extracting and turns bitter.
What water temperature is best?
96°C / 205°F, just off the boil. Boiling water scorches the grounds and brings out harshness. If you don't have a thermometer, boil the kettle and wait about 30 seconds.
How do I press properly?
Slowly and steadily, over about ten seconds. If you meet real resistance, stop — your grind is too fine and continuing risks forcing hot coffee up past the lid. Back the grind off and try again.
Can I use pre-ground coffee?
You can, but pre-ground coffee is usually ground for drip and is too fine for safe French press use. It also goes stale within days of grinding. A burr grinder solves both problems and will improve your coffee more than any other single purchase.
Can I froth milk for lattes or cappuccinos?
Yes — and the French press itself does it. Pour warm milk in to about a third full, then pump the plunger rapidly for 30 to 60 seconds. You'll get a light, airy foam. It's not the dense microfoam a steam wand makes, so it won't hold latte art, but it works well on a cappuccino.
What's the difference in taste compared to espresso?
French press concentrate is heavier and muddier, with no crema and less sweetness. Espresso's pressure emulsifies the coffee's oils, producing a syrupy texture that immersion brewing cannot replicate. The concentrate is a good drink in its own right — it just isn't the same drink.
The short version
You can't make espresso in a French press, and the guides saying otherwise will have you grinding fine enough to clog the screen and scald yourself. What you can make is a 1:7 concentrate at a medium grind, and it's good.
If it's real espresso you're after, that starts at about $500 and a pump. Call us at 800-410-8867 and we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth it for what you drink.
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— Matthew D., Founder, Cliff & Pebble
