I recently bought a Bodum French press to shake up my weekend coffee routine. Brewing coffee in a French press is pretty foolproof, but there are a few key considerations to keep your coffee from being a sludgy mess. Keep reading to find out my favourite method for brewing smooth and delicious coffee. HOW TO: 1. Make sure your French press is clean. 2. Grind your coffee beans, then scoop them into your French press. For the 4-cup French press, I use 4 tablespoons of ground beans. 3. Pour hot water (just off the boil) to the halfway mark in the French press. Start your timer for 4 minutes. After 1 minute, stir the top layer (known as "the bloom") with a plastic or wooden spoon (never metal) and pour the rest of the water to the top and secure the press lid. After 4 minutes, plunge away. 4. Pour your coffee into cups or a carafe immediately. If you leave the coffee sitting on top of the grounds, it will keep extracting, getting stronger (and sludgier) by the time you're ready for your second cup. I use the Bodum Chambord French Press. This gold version is from Anthropologie. How do you brew your coffee? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter, I'm @amaetty.