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Easy to Clean
Editor Review
The Aeropress makes amazingly smooth tasting and refreshing coffee that’s not bitter. The Aeropress Coffee and Espresso Maker has it’s own style of making coffee, instead of dripping coffee like the other leading coffee makers, Aeropress uses air to push the hot new coffee through the micro-filter producing great tasting coffee. When a coffee maker drips the brew through a filter, the coffee tends to taste a little bitter do to the time involved. By pushing the coffee through the micro-filter, the Aeropress eliminates the bitter taste and completes the process of filtering the coffee in less than 20 seconds. From start to finish, you can be enjoying great tasting coffee in 30 seconds.
As far as cleaning the Aeropress, it’s faster and easier to clean than a drip coffee maker and since there are very few moving parts and no plumbing, you know it’s clean.
If your looking for something that will let you make great lattes, cappucinos and americanos at home, get yourself a decent grinder (you do grind your own beans don’t you?), some quality whole beans and an Aeropress and ruin yourself with some great coffee made quickly and easily at home, you will not be disappointed.
Product Details
Unique coffee/espresso maker uses total immersion and gentle pressure to produce coffee with extraordinarily rich flavor
Makes American style coffee or an espresso-style shot perfect for use in lattes or cappuccinos
Because of the lower temperature and short brew time, the acid level of the brew is much lower than conventional brewers
Micro-filtered coffee so pure and particle-free that it can be stored for days as a concentrate
Includes a years’ worth of micro-filters; BPA free
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Tagged with: AeroPress • coffee • espresso • maker
Filed under: AeroPress
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Wow! Best cup of coffee I ever had. And so simple! The design is brilliant. I’m impressed with the quality of construction, ease of use, ease of cleanup, and the great taste. This is the end of all other methods of coffee production.
I fill the plunger to the appropriate mark with hot tap water and place it in the microwave for 20 seconds (the experimentally determined time to reach 175). While the water is heating I place a filter sheet in the cap, place it on the chamber, and add 1 scoop of coffee. With the chamber on top of my cup, I add the now hot water, stir, and press. Cleanup consists of ejecting the used coffee into the composting pot and rinsing the end of the plunger. Then I’m ready to enjoy a perfect cup of coffee.
I did many hours of research into coffee makers before deciding on an Aeropress. I learned that several factors influence the coffee you end up with: the temperature of the water, the way the water mixes with the coffee, and how the coffee is extracted from the grounds. I found it difficult to find knowledgeable reviews of the various coffee machines, so I decided to take control of my coffee preparation. The aeropress allows you to control how hot the water is and how long you let it mix with the coffee.
The whole coffee making process is explained in the products instructions.
1. Insert a filter and some coffee into the unit. A coffee scoop and some filters are included with the aeropress, they recommend 1 scoop of coffee per cup.
2. Heat the right amount of water. Markers are printed on the side of the Aeropress to show the recommended amount of water for between 1 and 4 (the maximum) espresso shots. The manufacturers recommend water between 75 and 80 degrees. I don’t know if this is correct, because I don’t have a thermometer in the kitchen, and in any case, I’m not going to stick a thermometer in water to get it to a precise temperature. I boil water in my kettle and let the water sit for a set time before use. Alternatively, you could microwave the water for a set time. A bit of experimentation and you’ll find how hot you like the water. I agree with Aeropress that boiling hot water extracts unpleasant flavors.
3. Mix the water with the grounds. The grounds are immersed in water, much like in a french press, but the manufacturers recommend letting the water sit for no more than about 10 seconds. I find that this is about right, but you can experiment and decide for yourself.
4. Insert the plunger and push the water out of the Aeropress. You press the plunger down so that it extracts the water from the grounds over about 20 seconds. The Aeropress needs to be on a strong and stable container, such as a mug, for this part of the process. Pressing the plunger requires a bit of strength if you are making more than one espresso shot. You’ll need to press down for about 20 seconds.
5. Drink up, or dilute the espresso shot(s) for American coffee or mix them for cappuccino, or whatever.
I am very happy with the Aeropress. It makes great tasting coffee. It’s easy to clean and inexpensive. In my opinion the aeropress is superior to french press or manual drip percolator coffee. It is not as convenient as a machine but I’m willing to spend the effort for good coffee.
As others have said, the Aeropress makes great coffee and espresso. The Aeropress lacks the style and design of the $3,000 automated Italian machines. In fact, it looks a lot like a bong or a chemistry set. It operates like no other coffee maker you have seen before. Who would have thought someone could come up with a new way to make coffee?
The Aeropress is a completely manual system, which explains its low price. You espress the coffee manually by pressing on a plastic pipe that sends hot water through the coffee grounds, sort of like an upside down french press. It is very easy to use, and could easily be packed for travel.
Pros:
Cheap
Great coffee
Great espresso
Takes up very little space
No electronics to break
No high-dollar bean mill required. A regular blade grinder will do.
Right water temperature produces coffee with very low acid.
Cons:
You will go through a lot of beans because the coffee tastes so good
It takes practice to make crema
You need an instant-read thermometer to heat the water to 165 to 175 degrees
You will have to heat and steam milk manually if you like milk-based espresso drinks
No cool-looking Gaggia or Saeco espresso machine sitting in your kitchen
No excuse to upgrade your blade grinder to a mill
As a certified coffee snob, I thought it didn’t get better than french press. Fugetaboudit! The Aeropress renders a sweet, flavorful, impeccable Americano every time that will change your expectations forever. I have a drip coffee machine, a french press and a Krups espresso maker, and they are all officially retired thanks to the Aeropress.
I can’t say enough about the results, but note that the Aerobie is more time-consuming to use than either french press or drip coffee makers, more comparable to espresso makers. Well worth it, mind you, but NOT as quick and painless as the manufacturer would have you believe. This product makes espresso by forcing air through the grounds using a syringe-type plunger. You must put in a filter, add the grounds, measure out the precise amount of water, add water and stir. You then have to place the Aeropress on top of a cup to use it, exert a pretty good amount of force, and then, if you’re making two or more cups, divy the espresso up into other containers and add water or milk, if you want. So far I haven’t done it, but I think it would be really easy to push too hard, flip over the cup, and spray espresso everywhere.
Still, greatest coffee ever, no competition. If you want the best, you gotta put in the time.
For reasons beyond the scope of this review, the Aeropress does not make espresso. However, it does make incredible coffee with ease.
The Aeropress’ inability to make espresso is also the reason that it makes exceptionally good coffee: The oils and acids in coffee are trapped in the grounds that remain in the bottom of the Aeropress, instead of your cup. As a result, the Aeropress produces very low acid coffee that is smooth, clean and easy to drink black.
The Aeropress makes coffee that is roughly four times the strength of an automatic drip machine, so it is perfect for making iced coffee and iced mochas. Because of the increased concentration, I brew directly into a tall glass containing cocoa powder and Equal. Brew into glass, stir, fill with ice and milk, stir again, drink. The concentration of the Aeropress coffee offsets the dilution from the ice, and allows you to have a fresh-brewed iced mocha, instead of making one with stale, cold coffee. Beware, once you make fresh coffee mochas, you will never be able to go back.
For best results, buy good coffee beans and grind them immediately before brewing. If (with freshly ground, high quality coffee beans) your Aeropress coffee tastes flat, increase the temperature of the water to 190 F, and be sure to use good tasting water. If your Aeropress coffee tastes bitter, you are brewing it too long and the coffee is getting over-extracted. If the brewed coffee is too strong (Dad), simply dilute it per the included instructions.
The Aeropress makes great coffee, is fast and easy to use, is easy to clean and is made in the United States. On top of all that, it is a great value. I cannot recommend the Aeropress more highly – but it still doesn’t make espresso.
So after living in Italy for a while, I’ve been spoiled by outstanding coffee on a daily basis. I had to travel to central asia for work, and packed a french press thinking that would be good enough. It was better than no coffee, but I needed something better. I had seen the AeroPress on ThinkGeek (a gadget website) and after reading about it on the internet, I figured it would be worth a shot. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, I was expecting a drinkable shot of espresso, but this was able to rival many of the caffé bars I go to in southern Italy. I’m never expecting a god shot from the AeroPress, but this manages to deliver a great cup of coffee every single time. A few things to note:
* I buy either a reputable Italian brand that comes preground or if I have to buy coffee that comes from the US, I buy the beans whole to minimize the flavor loss. The difference between the two is night and day, but using your run of the mill Maxwell House or Folgers, you’re not going to truly enjoy what this little guy can do.
* If you don’t actually enjoy coffee and drink it just because it’s part of a routine, than you’re probably better off with a 20 dollar coffee maker. This is more than capable of giving a great cup of coffee, but if your water is too hot, your beans are garbage, or you extrude to fast, your coffee will suffer.
* Use a fine espresso grind if at all possible, if that’s too strong then slowly work your way towards a larger grind (keep your technique consistent).
I can’t say enough positive things about the AeroPress. Some may not appreciate that it’s not capable of filling a large mug, but that much espresso would more than likely give you tremors anyway. Even in the epic culinary reference set, The Modernist Cuisine, they have nothing but praise for the AeroPress and say it’s only second to a true espresso machine.
I’ve been making coffee with the aeropress all week. Today we got up early and auto-brewed using our old countertop Cuisinart coffee maker. I can’t go back!
The coffee from the AeroPress is fantastic! And it’s way easier to use than getting down the skill for something like a Chemex. In fact it’s so easy to use I kept thinking I was doing something wrong or that “this can’t be it” the first time I used the press. Anyone complaining about the level of difficulty is really stretching to find something negative to say. Even bringing the water to the right temperature in a regular tea kettle was easy enough. I just bring it to the point before a rapid boil and I get the same consistent taste every time.
And the taste! Well first off, it’s tough to get amazing coffee in a lot of places in the country. I live in the Northwest however, and beans are bountiful. We have dozens of independent roasters and wold champs of small batches. Stuff that’s better than all the Tully’s, Peet’s Coffee and other pretenders of local flavor. I haven’t tried anything sub-par in it yet, and so far the Aerobie is a big winner on flavor. What’s amazing, is that it tastes EXACTLY like the cup I drink at the local coffee bar! Fresh, smooth, clean, and with body to the mouth feel, and there’s never any grounds that make it into your cup unlike some other pour over coffee brewers. There’s machines in coffee shops costing thousands, and this little wonder does it for about one percent the cost.
Other advantages are it’s awesome portability. We would leave our stainless steel percolator on the counter simply because we didn’t have anywhere else to put it. Now we just have a tea kettle that has it’s own home along with the press and clean up is a snap. In fact it’s far easier than my traditional coffee maker! I regularly cleaned the cuisinart, bought charcoal filters, ran vinegar through it, wiped down it’s parts inside and out to try and keep the flavor consistent. None of that here, you just eject the spent grounds and clean off the rubberized plunger and you’re ready to brew again.
Overall for the price, I’m completely happy with this product. I don’t think it uses too much coffee as others have said, but you do need to play with it to get the best out of it for your expectations. I simply followed the advice in the manual and bought a $30 thermal carafe from Amazon. Using about a full loaded press I can easily get 8 cups of coffee into my carafe by topping it off with hot water. In truth I can get a little more than that, but I don’t like diluting our coffee down to what my wife refers to as “church” coffee.
Absolutely nothing to complain about. Incredible contraption for the masses that’s easy to use. I’m getting several for gifts for family and friends.
Being every day espresso drinkers, my spouse and I have owned Italian espresso pots and Starbucks barista machines, in addition to cheapo coffee makers galore. We’ve ordered favorite roasts to be shipped continents away during his Navy assignments overseas – in short, we know how we like good coffee. Aeropress delivers in ways more expensive, clunky, tough-to-clean behemoths never could. It’s dead simple to load, operate, and even fun to clean (POP! goes the coffee puck!). The brew is dark and full, with absolutely none of the bite left by some presses.
In short, we are Aeropress people now. And thankful for it.
Positives:
-Consistently produces great coffee. Always strong and flavorful but never bitter or bland. I’ve been a staunch french press-user but I’m slowly starting to like the taste of Aeropress coffee better. Its smoother yet still strong and doesn’t have the fine grinds in each cup like with the french press.
-Easy clean-up and very convenient. This is the biggest plus for me. Outside of a drip coffee-maker (why would you want to use one of those anyways?) the Aeropress is the cleanest and easiest coffee method I’ve ever used. Add grounds and hot water along with the disposable filter, stir, and press. The used grounds pop out of the bottom of the press and go straight into the trash, no mess or fussy cleaning like with a french press or espresso maker. Its made entirely of plastic with a rubber stopper, making it durable enough for camping and travel. I also don’t have to worry about breaking it and having to replace expensive parts like with my Bodum french press.
-Excellent price. $30 for the Aeropress and filters. Coffee this good doesn’t get much cheaper than that.
Negatives:
-Uses a lot of beans. I like my coffee strong, so I tend to use two to three scoops (meaning the scoop that was included with the Aeropress) per serving of coffee. I definitely use more beans than with previous methods but I feel that its worth it for taste and ease of the Aeropress. I usually only have three servings of coffee a day so using more beans isn’t a huge deal anyways.
-Only makes one cup at a time. This is the only major downside that I’ve encountered so far. But once again, I don’t drink more than three cups of coffee and the extra work is definitely worth it. I’ve tried doubling the grounds and water so I can produce more coffee with one press but I ended up getting a watered down, bitter cup. Using too much and trying to save time doesn’t work out very well.
Just unpacked this little wonder. Took me 5 minutes to un-box, read the instructions, heat some water and make one of the best cups of coffee i’ve had in a long time. Luckily I had a thermometer handy and could precisely heat the water to around 160F. I used two scoops of quite finely ground coffee (two steps above espresso grind or fine drip grind which is exactly what the instructions recommend) and let it brew for about 60 seconds stirring continuously. Filled about 1/2 of a large mug, I then diluted it with some more hot water and cream. I can’t speak much to the durability of the product because i am currently drinking the first cup i’ve made with it but ill update this review in a few months. It does use more coffee grounds than one would expect but so far it’s worth it. I think i’m going to go make another cup. I think the ones who say the coffee is watered down are too used to bitter and acidic coffee. The coffee this awesome tool makes is extremely strong and smooth. I feel like i just drank a double shot.