Cafetiere Coffee
- Swiss Water Decaffeinated CoffeeDecaffeinated coffee is ideal for those who want to enjoy their favourite blends at any time of day, without the effects of caffeine, however the process of removing caffeine from a bean can also remove much of the bean's flavour. That's why the Swiss Water Process is a favourite method of decaffeinating coffee: it doesn't remove the flavour and strength of coffee beans in the act of removing the caffeine, and doesn't use any chemicals. In the method, coffee beans are first soaked in hot ...
From £19.99★★★★★531 Review(s) - Dark Colombian CoffeeOur Dark Colombian is a slightly stronger coffee than our Colombian Medium Roast, which makes it more versatile as it is suitable for cafetiere use, filter coffees and intense espressos. Again using Medellin Excelso, from Colombia's Cordillera Central in the Andes, this excellent coffee really does display some of the finer qualities of the renowned Colombian coffee bean: a rich aroma, luxurious depth and sweet flavours of fruit and chocolate. These Colombian beans benefit from being grown ...
From £14.99★★★★★189 Review(s) - Blue Sumatra CoffeeThis strong Indonesian coffee comes from Sumatra, the second largest of the Indonesian islands, and is considered among the finest examples from the region. Indonesia itself is the fourth largest coffee producer in the world, and the longitude and latitude of the country make for particularly well suited micro-climates in producing a diverse, flavoursome variety of beans. In fact, depending on the region, Indonesian coffees are known to be imbued with flavours of cocoa, smoke, cedar wood, ...
From £15.99★★★★★296 Review(s) - Guatemala Swiss Water Decaffeinated CoffeeGuatemala Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee offers the typical taste profile of a Guatemalan coffee, but without the caffeine, so it can be enjoyed at any time of the day or evening. It is produced using the ingenious Swiss Water Decaffeination Process, a method that removes caffeine from coffee without the use of chemicals, and without losing the wonderful flavours contained in quality Arabica beans. It is a medium bodied cup with good acidity, a rich aroma, and hints of citrus and caramel. ...
From £22.99★★★★★70 Review(s) - Dark Maragogype CoffeeThe coffee industry in Guatemala began to develop in the 1850s, with small plantations flourishing. Cultivation of coffee and the country's coffee industry was given a sizeable boost during the Liberal Revolution of 1871, when goals of modernisation and trade improvements caused the bean to become an especially important crop. To this day coffee remains one of Guatemala's main exports, along with sugar, textiles and bananas. The particular bean used in our medium and mellow Dark Maragogype ...
From £18.99★★★★★125 Review(s) - Papua New Guinea CoffeeCoffee in Papua New Guinea is mostly cultivated in the country's five highlands provinces; Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands, Simbu, Morobe and East Sepik. As a relatively small producer of coffee, Papua New Guinea generally sources its harvested beans from small land holdings, or 'coffee gardens', owned by farmers, which are located largely in isolated areas that do not require synthetic fertilisers or pesticides. Our Papua New Guinea coffee has a distinctive chocolate and nut flavour, ...
From £14.99★★★★★87 Review(s) - Peru CoffeeThis high grown coffee has a wonderful fruity and floral taste, with a sharp acidity and a subtle chocolate finish. Coffee is one of the largest agricultural exports of Peru, with approximately 200,000 small farms spanning the country from north to south, producing high quality arabica beans. Our Peru coffee goes wonderfully in your favourite filter coffees, and will also make a delightfully sharp espresso. Be sure to check out our wider range of South American coffee, including wonderful ...
From £14.99★★★★★63 Review(s) - Lazy Days CoffeeThis blend offers up all the delicious fruity notes of some of our stronger blends, but in a medium strength that will help you to blissfully unwind at the end of the day. The luxuriously smooth texture and rich flavours of our Lazy Days blend are ideal for cafetiere and filter coffees, and will turn your silky lattes, milky Americanos and creamy cappuccinos into delightfully comforting, mellow brews, perfect to enjoy as you put your feet up and indulge in some much-deserved relaxation.
From £14.99★★★★★34 Review(s) - Barahona Paraiso CoffeeThis medium strength coffee comes from Paraiso, a town located in the province of Barahona in the Southwest of the Dominican Republic. Barahona is surrounded by lush, green mountains and fresh rivers that run to the Caribbean Sea, and enjoys a tropical climate and average temperatures of 85 degrees F, making it ideal for growing quality coffee. Our Barahona Paraiso is smooth, incredibly aromatic and perfect for strong filter coffees and full bodied espressos. Want to learn more about ...
From £14.99★★★★★24 Review(s) - Vietnam Arabica CoffeeOur Vietnam Arabica is a smooth and mellow cup, that is slightly fruity with woody and caramel notes. This medium strength coffee has a low acidity and medium body. A dark roast, suitable for use in bean-to-cup, cafetiere, filter and espresso brewing methods. Coffee is thought to have been first introduced to Vietnam by the French in 1857, and today the country is the second highest coffee producing country in the world after Brazil. Most of the coffee produced in Vietnam is of the Robusta ...
From £14.99★★★★★16 Review(s) - Brazil Fazenda Paraiso CoffeeThis very versatile coffee reveals a full body and low acidity, with lovely sweet notes of milk chocolate, cherry, apple raisins and nuts. Brazil Fazenda Paraiso is sourced from a farm located in the traditional coffee-growing district of Cabo Verde, where an ideal climate, low humidity and favourable temperatures create perfect growing conditions. Harvested between May and August, these coffee cherries are picked and taken to drying patios to be sorted, dried and processed under the sun.
From £15.99★★★★★2 Review(s) - Australian Skybury CoffeeThis smooth, full bodied coffee offers a medium strength that is great when used with a cafetiere or filter, and displays subtle and delightful flavours of pistachio nuts. The Skybury plantation, where this coffee is grown, is Australia's oldest producing plantation and the country's largest coffee exporter. The 300 acre plantation is treated to mild winters and warm summers, which make for excellent conditions for growing high quality beans. The coffee harvest, which usually runs through ...
From £30.99★★★★★76 Review(s) - Sulawei Kalossi Torajha CoffeeSourced from Sulawesi, one of the four Greater Sunda Islands situated within Indonesia, this strong, dark roasted coffee offers a heavy but smooth taste, a rich body and an intense spicy finish. Sulawesi coffees are known for revealing a silky body, moderate acidity and a smooth finish, with warm, spicy flavours of cinnamon and cardamom, and well-balanced notes of ripe fruit and dark chocolate. These unique beans are grown in the mountainous regions of the Sulawesi, giving them their ...
From £15.99★★★★★15 Review(s) - Tanzania CoffeeCoffee is one of Tanzania's main exported crops, with plantations dedicated to the cultivation of both robusta and, more often, arabica beans located across area in North Kilimanjaro, the Usambara Mountains, Morogoro, Kigoma, Ngara and other high-yielding regions. Our medium strength Tanzania coffee is shade-grown, a process that involves planting coffee under the canopy of specially selected trees, in this case banana trees, which lowers the risk that the plants and beans will burn in the ...
From £14.99★★★★★29 Review(s) - Costa Rica Azalea CoffeeAn intense coffee with full aroma and sharp, vibrant acidity, our Costa Rica Azalea is a truly unique coffee suitable for all brewing methods. The Azalea is a flower of peculiar yet exquisite aroma, one of nature's true beauties. The flower like our coffee is a symbol of the unique splendours that made Costa Rica's Central Valley legendary. Azalea is produced on farms that transcend this stunning valley of Costa Rica. The strong influence of volcanic soil in the Central Valley combined with ...
From £15.99★★★★★46 Review(s) - Kenya Reserve CoffeeOur medium strength Kenya Reserve blend includes a portion of Kenya Peaberry. This slightly fruity bean adds a hint of extra acidity to the roasted, nutty base of the Central American blend, resulting in great complexity and character. While this coffee is strong, it has not been roasted too highly, which makes it great for all types of filtered coffees or coffees brewed straight from a cafetiere. We wouldn't however recommend it as an espresso: rather go for a bean roasted slightly higher ...
From £15.99★★★★★16 Review(s) - Altura CoffeeOur Altura coffee benefits from the lush surroundings where its source varieties are grown, an area that has become especially popular for coffee production. An ideal climate and soil make for a coffee that is rich, clean and medium bodied, with a sweet acidity that creates delicious filter coffees.
From £15.99★★★★★5 Review(s) - Laos Fancy CoffeeAn intense, strong and full-bodied coffee from Laos, offering a good acidity, notes of chocolate, sweet fruit and nut, and a lovely burnt caramel aftertaste. Coffees in Laos are generally grown at high elevations, at least 1,200 meters above sea level. This altitude allows for a slower growth of the coffee plants, so that the coffee cherries develop a more complex flavour as they slowly mature. Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, contains several coffee-growing regions, generally ...
From £15.99★★★★★18 Review(s) - Java Special CoffeeOur Java Special blend makes the perfect accompaniment to an after dinner dessert, or served on its own to finish a meal. The combination of strong, sweet Java beans and milder, slightly acidic Colombian beans creates a rich, bold and full-bodied coffee that reveals a hint of smokiness in flavour. This combination of sweetness, bitterness and mild acidity makes this blend similar to the famed Mocha Java, but the more complex smokey flavours brings a savoury edge that will work wonderfully in ...
From £14.99★★★★★14 Review(s) - Bolivian Caturra CoffeeA rich, strong and full-bodied coffee from Bolivia, which reveals sweet, fruity flavours, hints of honey and lemon, a medium-light body and little acidity, and a lovely liquorice aftertaste. Caturra, a natural mutation of the Bourbon variety of coffee bean and a sub-variety of the Arabica species of coffee, was discovered in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais between 1915 and 1918 and is now grown in high altitude regions in Bolivia, where ideal temperatures and the high elevations produce ...
From £17.99★★★★★4 Review(s)
Taking the plunge: your complete guide to cafetiere coffee
Underrated, affordable and fuss-free, cafetiere coffee is by far the easiest type of coffee to brew at home. Requiring very little equipment, the device (which is also known as a French press), gives you more control over the strength of your coffee and creates a delicious, well-bodied and thick textured brew.
While the cafetiere is easy-to-use, when it comes to this brewing method, common misconceptions and mistakes often stand in the way of a tasty brew. We're yet to come across anyone who enjoys the gritty taste of sludge that results from a poorly made serve.
Our below guide will equip you with everything you need to know about how to make perfect cafetiere coffee at home, from step-by-step brewing instructions to how to get the optimum grind for your French press.
The java jargon decoder
Here are a few terms that may come in handy as we explore coffee for cafetiere.
- Extraction - The process of brewing (aka grounds dissolving into water).
- Overextracted - When you extract too many soluble particles in the coffee, leaving you with a bitter-tasting brew.
- Grind size - The size of particles once you've ground your coffee. The scale ranges from extra coarse to very fine. Unfortunately, there's no universal setting for grind size, so a quick Google image search will help you determine if you've got your grind size right.
- Ratio - The amount of ground coffee used vs the amount of water used.
- Blend - A combination of two or more different single-origin coffee beans that are mixed to create a new flavour.
A little history
Seeing as the cafetiere is also known as a French press, it comes as no surprise that the design originates from France. Patented in 1852 by French duo Mayer and Delforge, the 'infusion Coffee Maker' was the first of its kind, comprising of the essential components we know so well today - a pot with a metal filter attached to a rod.
This first machine was incredibly flawed and a good cup of coffee it certainly did not make. The mesh filter couldn't be manufactured with enough precision to fit into the pot, clinging to the sides and causing grounds to slip past the filter. However, with the fundamentals in place, the cafetiere's design has continuously been tweaked to improve its performance - from Attilio Calimani's added sealing in 1929, right up to the two-stage, microfilter of Espro Press's precision brewer in 2018.
Today, there are thousands of different cafetieres to choose from, with main categories including stainless steel, plastic, glass, ceramic and hybrid. Each device has its pros and cons but is a world away from the original 1852 prototype and give you all you need to make perfect cafetiere coffee with a single piece of equipment.
How is cafetiere coffee made?
A coffee cafetiere is an infusion brewer, that consists of three main components - a carafe/pot, plunger and lid. Unlike filter brewers or Moka pots (where water passes through the grounds), cafetiere coffee is created by allowing the coffee grounds and the water to steep together in the pot. The plunger then drives a mesh filter through the brewing water, pushing small insoluble particles to the bottom of the pot.
There are lots of benefits of opting for cafetiere brews. Steeping coffee helps produce a more uniform extraction, and the process allows a little oil and small particles to flow through, creating a vibrant body and texture. You have a higher level of control over how strong or weak you'd like your coffee and in terms of ease and affordability, there's also no need for additional equipment such as paper filters or cloths.
The biggest downside to cafetiere coffee is its infamous sludge - the gritty residue you can find at the bottom of your cup. Due to the large meshing of the plunger, some particles can still come through into your pour and when drunk, are bitter with an unpleasant and sandy texture.
What's important to remember is by following the correct grinding instructions, using the right brewing methods and taking care of your equipment, you can counteract many of these negative elements, in particular, learning how to make cafetiere coffee without the dreaded sludge ruining your drink.
The secret to great cafetiere coffee? Get the grind right
For this brew method, we always advise going for coarser grounds and generally advise on a medium-coarse grind. It's important to note, however, that darker roasts tend to be more brittle, so your grind size will need to be a little coarser. Conversely, coffee from higher altitudes can sometimes need to be ground to a finer texture.
If the world of grinding sounds daunting or complicated, don't worry. Having delivered coffee directly to doors for over 30 years, our team are experts on producing the optimum grind for each of our roasts. Plus, we have over 100 different types of cafetiere coffee for you to choose from. Simply select the 'Cafetiere' grind option when adding our coffees to your basket, and we'll do the work.
How to use a cafetiere: your step by step brewing guide
- Ratio: 1 x heaped tablespoon per cup, measuring out at 7g per 120-150ml of water.
- Grind: Medium-coarse (your grounds should look like superfine sugar).
- Equipment: Cafetiere, kettle, coffee.
Brewing instructions:
- Preheat your device with hot water or boiling water to encourage a more consistent steep temperature throughout your brewing process. Make sure to pour this hot water away before adding coffee or new water.
- Grind your beans to a medium-coarse consistency or get your pre-ground beans.
- Boil a kettle of either filtered water (if you live in a soft to moderately hard water area) or bottled mineral water (if you live in a hard water area).
- To get your ratios right, place your cafetiere on your scales and weigh out precisely the right amount of coffee per serve.
- Pour your boiling water into the cafetiere while it's still on the scales. Remember 1g equates to 1ml. Try to get all the grounds wet (gooseneck kettles are handy for this step).
- Give your brew a quick stir with a dessert spoon to agitate the particles, then steep for 4 minutes.
- After four minutes, you'll be able to see a crust-like foam form on the top layer. Use your spoon to stir the crust slowly. Most of the coffee should then fall to the bottom of the pot, but if there's any remaining foam, make sure to use the same spoon to skim it off.
- Wait another 4 minutes to allow as many particles as possible to settle at the bottom of your device.
- Place your lid on top and slowly press the plunger entirely down.
- And you're ready to pour! If you're serving more than one cup, we advise pouring a little into each cup and topping up until full.
The best coffee for cafetieres
UK coffee companies usually have up to 12 varieties suitable for cafetieres. We have over 100. You can browse our wide selection here and take a look at some of our customer favourites below.
Monsoon Malabar Coffee
Often described as 'delicious' with a 'magic aroma', our Monsoon Malabar is the perfect everyday coffee. Grown in Malabar (one of the wettest regions of southern India), once our beans are picked they're immediately transported to an open warehouse for four to five months. This process exposes the beans to the harsh, moist conditions of the monsoon prone area, filling them with moisture and reducing acidity. The result is a heavy-bodied coffee with a distinctive chocolatey, spicy and nutty aroma.
“Exquisite proper coffee. Monsoon Malabar blend has been our favourite for some years. We appreciate a good coffee with ample strength and chocolatey undertones, but absolutely no bitterness. This one is the perfect smooth choice for those who are very particular about their coffee.”
Nona B. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kenya Blue Mountain Coffee
Grown from seeds originating in Jamaica, this blend has all the natural sweetness of Blue Mountain Jamaica with the rich aromatic flavours and intensity of Kenyan coffee. Full-bodied, with good acidity drawn from Kenyan soils, your brew will give you notes of nut and citrus with a delicious caramel aftertaste.
“This was something my mum drank when we visited her. I just could never get my coffee to taste or smell like hers and then she bought us some beans. It was life-changing - now we drink nothing else. This really is about the best coffee on the market at a reasonable price and we love it.”
Chris P. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dark Decaffeinated Colombian Coffee
Dark Decaffeinated Columbian is one of our best-selling decaf roasts. With beans that give you luxurious flavours such as sweet fruit and chocolate, you can enjoy a full-bodied, full-flavoured cup of coffee without a caffeine buzz that will keep you up at night.
“Excellent. I love my coffee dark and strong tasting but I have to have decaf. With this, I can have both! Best I've tasted.”
Maldwyn P. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
FAQs
How much coffee to put in a cafetiere?
To start with, work out the capacity of your device. Place it on your scales and fill it with water until it reaches just below the spout. Remember, 1ml equals 1g, so you just divide the number of your scale reading by 20 to work out how many grams of coffee to add. The ratio we recommend is one heaped tablespoon per cup, measuring out at 7g per 120-150ml of water (this is more accurate than using measurements such as one scoop etc.).
How long should cafetiere coffee infuse for?
We recommend 4 minutes. Any longer than this and your coffee will be over-extracted and taste bitter. If you want a stronger coffee, it's better to add more of the ground coffee rather than steeping it for longer.
Can you use filter coffee in cafetieres?
Filter coffee requires finer grinds, which aren't ideal for the large holes in the appliance's meshing. Similarly, grounds for espresso machine brewing will be even finer and will not be suitable for this type of coffee making. Always opt for a coarser grind for this brewing method if you want to avoid a gritty and weak brew.