The patent for this brew method was filed in 1852 in France. What we would recognize as a French Press brewer was patented in 1928. This last patent added the spring seal around the bottom.
French Press coffee uses the infusion process but includes a screen filter to separate the coffee grounds from the brewed coffee, giving a strong “mouth feel” as the coffee is high in TDS (Total Dissolved Solids).
The pot consists of a cylinder, a lid with plunger, and a screen and edge seal. It can be made of glass, stainless steel, or even pottery. Glass and stainless come in double walled versions to help keep the coffee warmer a little longer but other than that, all French Press brewers basically function the same way
