There are coffee makers that look like design objects and cost thousands of euros. And then there is AeroPress coffee: a plastic cylinder of around 35 euros that looks like a scientific instrument and is regarded by baristas, travellers and home brewers worldwide as one of the best coffee makers in existence.
Here is an honest AeroPress review: what it does, who it works for and what it cannot do.
How the AeroPress works
AeroPress coffee is a combination of immersion and pressure. You place ground coffee in the cylinder, add hot water and let it steep briefly. Then you push the plunger down, pressing the coffee through a paper filter under mild pressure. The result is a clean, full cup without coffee grounds, ready in under two minutes.
That is different from a french press, which also uses immersion but no pressure and no paper filter. And different from espresso, which uses much higher pressure and requires a specialist machine. The AeroPress sits in between: the body of immersion, the clarity of filtered coffee. French press or espresso are each good for specific situations, but the AeroPress is the most versatile of the three.
Why the AeroPress is so loved by specialty coffee enthusiasts
The AeroPress review you find among specialty coffee fans is almost always positive, and for good reasons. First the control: you can adjust water temperature, grind size, steep time and pressure. That makes it a device that grows with your knowledge. Beginners brew good coffee with it immediately, more advanced users can experiment endlessly.
Second the clean flavour. The paper filter holds back the coffee oils that end up in your cup with a french press. That gives a clearer flavour with more detail, which makes AeroPress specialty coffee particularly well suited to single origin beans with a pronounced flavour profile. Perfect Daily Grind describes the AeroPress as one of the most versatile brewers for specialty coffee at home.
Third the portability. AeroPress coffee weighs almost nothing, is virtually indestructible and fits in any bag. There is an annual World AeroPress Championship where participants from dozens of countries compete with their best recipe, which says something about how seriously the specialty world takes this device.
AeroPress how to use
AeroPress how to use is straightforward. Use coarse to medium-fine ground coffee depending on your preference. Standard recipe: 15 grams of coffee to 200 ml of water at 85 to 95 degrees. Stir briefly, wait 60 seconds, push the plunger down slowly in around 30 seconds. Done.
There are dozens of variations, including the inverted method where you set the AeroPress upside down for a longer immersion time. But the basic recipe already works well and requires no special knowledge. A good coffee grinder is the only real investment that significantly improves results from the AeroPress.
What the AeroPress cannot do
The AeroPress is a single-serve device. For two or more people at once it is less practical. It also does not make real espresso with the crema and pressure that an espresso machine delivers. Those who want to make cappuccinos or brew coffee for multiple people at once need a different device.
But as the best coffee maker home for one person who wants quality at a fair price, there is little that beats AeroPress coffee.
Curious what AeroPress does with a good bean?
Santo Café sources its coffee from Mexico, where farmers receive a fair price for their harvest. Single origin Arabica with a pronounced flavour profile that comes through particularly well in a clean brewing method like the AeroPress.
If you want to taste what the combination of a good brewer and a good bean delivers, this is where to start.