The cafetiere or so-called “French press’ coffeemaker is something of a misnomer. The French press is probably the most underrated method so brewing coffee. It is cheap, easy, repeatable, and just about everyone has one at home.
It was probably invented by an Italian, Attilio Calimani, who patented it in 1929. However, a very similar brewer had been patented first by two Frenchmen, Mayer and Delforge, in 1852. In any event, the French rarely use the French press to make coffee these days.
Attilio Calimani furthered the design by using a glass jar spout and a close-fitting plunger with a filter on the end. In 1958 Faliero Bondanini received a patent for an improved version of the cafetiere that didn’t lose heat so quickly, via an insulated coffee press.
French press coffeemaker
