Starbucks CEO Says French Press Makes the Best Coffee

Most coffee drinkers assume the best cup comes from a café — especially one of the world’s largest chains. But what if the simplest, cheapest way to make great coffee isn’t at your local Starbucks, but in your own kitchen using just hot water, ground coffee, and a $20 metal filter?

The fastest answer: Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz says the best coffee he’s ever had is made using a French press (Bodum brand), costing just $19.95, and his own freshly ground beans — yielding a cup that highlights aroma, oils, and body better than any Starbucks store-bought brew. He estimates his home-brewed cup costs just 46 cents versus $2.01 at a Manhattan Starbucks.

Why Howard Schultz Prefers the French Press

In a 2012 interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Schultz stated that using a French press brings out “the oils, the fragrances, the essences” of coffee better than any other method — including the professional espresso machines used in Starbucks cafés. He argued that the French press, when used correctly, produces fuller, richer-tasting coffee by fully immersing grounds in hot water and using a metal filter that lets natural oils pass through.

How Schultz Brews Coffee at Home

Schultz uses a Bodum French press — a glass or stainless-steel cylinder fitted with a metal mesh filter. His preferred method avoids pre-ground coffee entirely, which he says sacrifices freshness and flavour. Instead, he grinds fresh beans just before brewing. He does not heat the French press on a stove, and recommends drinking the brewed coffee within one to two hours, ideally poured into a thermos to preserve heat and prevent over-extraction or staleness.

Although Schultz didn't cite exact numbers in the interview, FrontStreet Coffee's guide to French press brewing — based on the same device — recommends the following:

• Grind size: Coarse, like granulated sugar; for EK43s set to 10.5, hand grinders around 26 (too fine risks fine particles slipping through the metal filter, creating sludge).
• Brew ratio: 1:15 (15g coffee to 225ml water), resulting in a cup around 1.1–1.2% TDS for balanced strength.
• Water temperature: Around 90°C (let boiled water sit 2–3 minutes, or use a thermometer; slightly higher than standard pour-over to compensate for lack of agitation).
• Brew time: 3–5 minutes (4 minutes is ideal for medium to dark roasts; shorter for light roasts, longer may bring bitterness).

Schultz’s chosen device, the Bodum French press, is also sold on Starbucks’ own website for $19.95 — suggesting even the company sees value in the method he praises.

The Economics of Home Brewing vs. Buying Starbucks

Schultz highlighted the cost difference between store-bought and home-brewed coffee. Using a $14 per pound bag of Starbucks coffee beans, he calculated that each 12 oz cup costs roughly 46 cents to brew at home. Compare that to paying $2.01 for a small brewed coffee at a Manhattan Starbucks location — nearly four times more expensive. That price gap doesn’t even factor in the higher cost of drinks like lattes or caramel macchiatos.

What Makes French Press Coffee Different

Unlike pour-over or espresso methods, the French press is an immersion brewer. That means coffee grounds steep in hot water for several minutes before being filtered out by a metal mesh plunger. This process results in:

• More coffee oils in the cup, contributing to body and mouthfeel.
• A fuller, heavier texture compared to paper-filtered methods.
• Potential for more sediment if the grind is too fine or brew time too long.

Because the metal filter allows natural oils and fine particles to enter the cup, French press coffee often tastes bolder and more robust. That makes it ideal for medium to dark roasts, which can express chocolatey, nutty, or caramel-like flavours without being overpowered by acidity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What French press did Howard Schultz use?

Schultz specifically mentioned using a Bodum French press. While he didn’t specify the model, Bodum is a well-known manufacturer of French press brewers and the brand is widely available, including via Starbucks’ online store for $19.95.

What grind size should I use for a French press?

Use a coarse grind, similar to granulated sugar. For electric grinders like the EK43s, that’s around setting 10.5; for hand grinders, approximately 26. A finer grind risks letting coffee particles through the metal filter, leading to a gritty cup.

What’s the best coffee roast for French press?

French press brewing works best with medium to dark roasts. Lighter roasts can taste overly bright or astringent due to the immersion and metal filtration, while medium to dark roasts express deeper flavours like chocolate, caramel, nuts, and dried fruit.

How long should I let coffee brew in a French press?

Allow the coffee to steep for 3–5 minutes. For medium roasts, 4 minutes is ideal. Dark roasts can go up to 5 minutes, but going longer may result in bitterness. Light roasts may require closer to 3 minutes to avoid under-extraction.

How much coffee and water should I use in a French press?

The recommended brew ratio is 1:15 — 15 grams of coffee to 225 grams (millilitres) of water. This yields approximately one standard cup with balanced strength and body.

Can I use pre-ground coffee in a French press?

Schultz strongly advises against pre-ground coffee, which loses freshness quickly. Freshly grinding your own beans right before brewing ensures better flavour, aroma, and crema-like oils in the cup.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee for French Press

For French press brewing, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Strawberry Candy Espresso — aGeisha-based blend with notes of rose, citrus, grape, and blueberry, paired with milk it highlights a soft strawberry candy profile. Alternatively, PWN Golden Mandheling offers bold spice, caramel, and dark chocolate notes with rich body and a thick crema layer. Both work beautifully with the full-immersion, oil-forward French press method. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.