FOOD NEWS
What's The Difference Between Drip Coffee And French Press?
BY Autumn Swiers
A drip coffee maker and a French press are two popular coffee-making tools. While they serve a nearly identical function, there is a difference between the two coffee makers.
Drip coffee makers are all about efficiency and capacity. You can make enough coffee for the whole house with just a couple of scoops of grounds and a few minutes.
These electric makers produce a full-bodied brew with a fairly one-note flavor. For fans of the stereotypical idea of "coffee," a drip coffee gets the job done quickly and well.
On the other hand, a French press requires significantly more attention to detail and knowledge of craft than pressing a button. However, the extra work is certainly worth it.
To use a French press, fill the carafe with grounds and hot water, break up the grounds on the surface, slowly lower the plunger to push them to the bottom, and then serve.
While drip coffee makers rest on a warming plate post-brew, a French press coffee has to be served immediately to be warm. However, the French press offers some advantages.
A drip coffee maker always produces a hot brew. Since a French press doesn't heat the water, you can simply use cold water if you want to make a cold brew.
Beyond temperature, taste is another difference. Drip coffee uses paper filters, which catch and absorb the flavorful fats and oils called diterpenes in coffee beans.
With a French press, those taste-bearing oils are steeped directly into the coffee, creating more dimensionality of flavor and a robust-tasting brew.