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Comment by pdpi | Hacker News Reader

> There should only be one way, and everyone is sure that their way is the correct one

I'm 100% sure the way I do it is correct, and that this is the only correct way to do it: put water in the bottom, coffee grounds in the filter, close the whole thing, put it on the stove top, wait for it to brew.

The rest is details, even if we can obviously optimise the shit out of those details.

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This was my take on the description you're replying to as well. I couldn't help but think "There should only be one way to pour water into a glass...Some people keep the glass level while pouring, some tilt at a slight angle; some use a faucet, others a pitcher..." etc.

Another comparison: the details of every other coffee brewing device.

More interestingly the optimum for the rest of the details is probably quite different from person to person. It's unlikely we like exactly the same coffee so even if we optimise very aggressively we'll probably end up at different optima.

If you like the coffee you're getting, then it's all good. I mean, that's all that matters.

When I first started brewing French press, a (somewhat coffee snobbish) friend of mine told me that he brews his French press for exactly 4 minutes and 10 seconds. He insisted the extra 10 seconds are very important.

I just go with 4 minutes.

Patience is a virtue.

Coffee snob + French press is a humorous mix to me. I don't mind using one from time to time, but the poor filtration and rapidly dropping brew temperature are obvious drawbacks, and it is certainly not a fine coffee experience.

He must also plunge and pour at a consistent rate, since the water is still in contact with the grounds?

Water matters. Grind size matters. Compression matters if you want more bitterness. Temperature matters. But yeah, that's pretty much the method, lol.

Also, the timing of the temperature: I've heard of good results if you start heating the water before assembling the unit, so you don't apply as much direct pressure to the grinds.

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