Set the timer to 118 seconds

How to use the online timer

A French press needs a proper steep before you plunge it, and 118 seconds is the usual window for a strong, evenly extracted cup without it turning bitter. Pour the water over the grounds, start the timer straight away, and leave the plunger alone until the countdown's done instead of pressing early out of impatience. The extra minute of waiting is what separates good coffee from average coffee.

There's no setup beyond pressing Start, and the countdown handles the rest on its own from that point. Since it runs inside the browser, keep the tab open for the timer to keep an accurate count; you can switch to other tabs in the meantime, but closing this one out resets things. When the countdown hits zero, a sound plays so you're not stuck staring at the numbers.

A kitchen timer only works in the kitchen, and a phone timer competes with texts, calls, and every other app fighting for your attention. Keeping the countdown in a browser tab sidesteps both problems: it goes wherever your laptop or phone goes, and it isn't trying to notify you about anything else. Minimise it, work on something else, and it'll be counting when you check back. Set a timer for 118 seconds, set the timer to 118 seconds, start a 118 seconds timer — it is the same countdown either way.