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What is an AeroPress Coffee Maker | Everything You Need to Know

aeropress on top of coffee jar

There are several coffee brewing methods out there that all produce different coffee results. The most popular is the French Press and then there is Drip Coffee, Pour Over, and now we have a new contender, the AeroPress. This innovative device is not only a coffee brewing method, but it is also the brand. 

The AeroPress can brew hot and cold coffees, it’s easy to use, and with the latest addition, the AeroPress Go, you can even travel with it. It is a similar method to the French Press due to the plunging mechanism but you will get an entirely different result with your brew using the AeroPress.

For coffee enthusiasts looking for a new way of drinking coffee, we highly recommend giving AeroPress a try. Also, check out this article: Why is Aeropress coffee so good?

What is an AeroPress Coffee Maker?

The AeroPress is designed with a cylindrical chamber, airtight silicone seals, and with a plunger that is used to push coffee through the airtight chamber and into the cup. The device can be used to create hot coffees and cold brew coffees, the most popular choice being an espresso.

The way the AeroPress works is that you place ground coffee beans inside the chamber together with water and then force both the coffee and water through the filter by pressing onto the plunger, this way you get a full-bodied cup of coffee. 

History Behind the Coffee Brewing Method

The AeroPress was developed by an American inventor, Alan Adler, who was also the founder of AeroPress Inc. Alan Adler is a retired engineering teacher at Stanford University. He started creating the AeroPress back in 2004 in his garage, with the initial release in 2005 at the CoffeeFest trade show in Seattle.

The device went through a number of different changes in terms of materials and aesthetics, but the design concept has always remained the same. There have been various switches to different plastic substances to keep the device BPA-free and sustainable.

Just like every coffee enthusiast knows, you always want to create the perfect cup that’s just right for your palette. That is what led to Alan Adler creating the AeroPress coffee maker, as he wanted to enjoy his cup of joe without less acidity and bitterness of other coffee brewing methods. 

Alan tried different brewing methods in the hopes of creating the perfect cup, but failed to get the results he wanted, even when he tried French Press. This is why in 2004, backed by his knowledge in engineering, Alan began to develop a manual coffee maker prototype in his garage. He was able to bring into existence a brewing method where he can control brew time, water temperature, and coffee ground size.

The early AeroPress design consisted of a cylindrical chamber and plunger made out of polycarbonate. In 2014, the company switched to polypropylene, which is an organic polymer and is less expensive than polycarbonate.

Eventually, in 2019, there was a travel version of the coffee brewing device released, the AeroPress Go. Which we will cover later in the article.

Why is an AeroPress Different?

Though it is a similar concept to the French Press, the AeroPress is entirely different for many reasons. It produces a less acidic coffee, it’s faster to brew, leaves no sediment, and many other reasons. This drastically alters the coffee outcome and provides a better brewing result.

The main reason the AeroPress is different, and the main reason that benefits you as a coffee drinker, is the taste of the coffee. The outcome produces a rich and smooth coffee with no bitterness, allowing you to truly appreciate the coffee notes.

You may be surprised to know that you can also use an AeroPress to brew a cold brew coffee. The instructions on brewing differ slightly from a hot coffee, we will go over how to brew a cold brew coffee with an AeroPress further down.

The main reasons why an AeroPress is different:

  • Produces a richer and smoother brew.
  • Can make up to 3 cups in a minute.
  • Less acidity than regular coffee (1/9 French Press and 1/5 Drip Coffee).
  • Portable for travel.
  • Unique microfilters that leave no sediment in your cup
  • BPA free
  • Easy to wash and clean
  • Can brew espresso and cold brew

World AeroPress Championship

Yes, you read it right, there is even a World AeroPress Championship where brewers can compete from around the world. This unique event has been happening since 2008 and is still going strong. The event started in Norway with 3 entrants and exploded to over 3,000 entrants in 2018. 

Each participant must create different coffee recipes within 5 minutes and progresses through knockout stages to be crowned the winner. All the previous winners of the World AeroPress Championship can be found here. If you love coffee, now might be the time to start training!

How to Use AeroPress Coffee Maker

With most coffee brewing methods, you have to follow a strict process and spend time crafting the perfect coffee, one mistake, and the flavor can be ruined. The AeroPress is different, it’s more like a “plug and play” design, you just add your ingredients and plunge, within a minute, you have a coffee.

To create the best AeroPress coffee is to place to use fine-ground coffee. The first thing that you should do is remove the plunger from the chamber by pushing it out of the cylinder. Next is to place the filter inside the filter cap. After placing the filter, put the filter cap into the chamber by twisting it. 

When you’re sure that that filter cap is placed properly, prop the chamber on top of a mug. Pour your fine-ground coffee into the cylindrical chamber, and then pour hot water over the coffee. Blend the coffee for about 10 seconds or about 1 minute by stirring it. Insert the plunger inside the chamber and push the plunger slowly until it reaches the coffee grounds. 

When you’re done brewing, gently remove the filter cap and push the plunger out of the chamber to remove the coffee. Rinse the parts properly to remove any coffee debris and put it away for the next use. 

The Best Coffee Grind Size for AeroPress Coffee

The recommended grind for an AeroPress coffee is fine to coarse. The reason behind this is that the finer grind size produces a richer and fuller brew. Use a fine grind for an espresso and coarse for other coffee options.

Here are the step-by-step instructions and the summary of how to use an AeroPress coffee maker:

aeropress instructions
Images from AeroPress
  • Brewing Time: 30 – 60 seconds
  • Water Temperature: 175 or 185 °F
  • Grind Size: Fine-Ground Coffee

Tips for Using an AeroPress

Although AeroPress is very easy to use, it’s always good to have some tips on how to get the most of your coffee experience. It is still possible that you can make the coffee wrong, so we wanted to give you the top tips for using an AeroPress:

  • As with any filter that you use brewing coffee, always pre rinse it first with warm water. This eliminates unnecessary taste from the material.
  • You should always grind coffee beans fresh for maximum flavor. You can use this automatic grinder or this manual coffee grinder.
  • Use a fine grind for espresso and a coarse grind for a larger coffee. 
  • If you use the AeroPress Go for travel, be sure to take a travel grinder or pre-ground coffee.
  • Make sure the temperature of the water is between 198-205, and you add slowly.
  • Don’t be aggressive with the plunger, just press down consistently.

The AeroPress Go

If you have the AeroPress already, then you will no doubt be excited about the new travel option of the AeroPress Go. If you don’t have an AeroPress, this travel option is great for those who love coffee but can’t travel with their brewing equipment. 

You wouldn’t go camping with a pour-over coffee kit or a Chemex, would you? The AeroPress Go allows you to go anywhere in the world with your favorite coffee, all you need is the device, a mug, and some coffee. You don’t even have to take a mug or coffee beans, you can buy some local beans depending on where you are going.

Here you can see the differences between the AeroPress Go and the AeroPress Original.

5 Reasons Why You Need to Buy an AeroPress Coffee Maker

  1. It’s simple and easy to use. You don’t have to be a barista to use this coffee maker. The method is very simple and is foolproof. 
  2. Unlike the other manual coffee makers, it’s cheaper. An AeroPress is very affordable, you can buy a whole set for for only $25.
  3. It’s very easy to clean. All you need to do is rinse the chamber properly to remove any coffee debris, and you’re ready for your next coffee.
  4. You only need less than a minute to brew a coffee. Or even just about 30 seconds to create a perfect cup of joe. 
  5. You get a smooth and rich coffee flavor. You get a full-bodied cup with less of the acidity and bitterness of a regular coffee.

The Two Options You Can Buy

AeroPress Go – $31.95

The AeroPress Go was released in 2019. It is a compact version of the AeroPress coffee maker with a smaller chamber that comes with accessories and a travel cup.

The best part about having the Go is that you can have your coffee anywhere, anytime. It’s very compact and lightweight that you can easily carry it around. It has the same function as the AeroPress coffee maker, and you can brew your coffee in about 1 minute. 

It makes around 3 cups per press of a full-bodied coffee with less the acidity and bitterness of other manual brewing methods. 

AeroPress Coffee Maker – $29.95

The AeroPress coffee maker is attested to create the same kind of coffee concentrate as espresso. It produces a higher pH, which means that it’s less acidic than other drip coffee makers.

With this coffee maker, you can brew coffee in less than a minute, depending on how strong you prefer your coffee. The package includes the AeroPress gear complete with the chamber, filter cap, plunger, and filter holder. It also comes with 350 filters, a funnel, stirrer, and scoop.

Key Take Away

The AeroPress a unique and innovative method of brewing coffee. You can enjoy smoother, full-bodied tastes without the high acidity or sediments leftover from other coffee brewing methods. It suits people on all budgets as the equipment is very affordable, starting at just $25. It’s also perfect for travel, with the AeroPress Go. 

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