Should I buy an AeroPress?
The AeroPress was invented in 2005 by Alan Adler, engineer and innovator. He was frustrated by the lack of options for brewing a single cup of high-quality, fresh coffee and came up with his own solution.
Fans of the device say that it’s simple to use and makes a superb cup of coffee.
The AeroPress forces hot water through coffee grounds and brews a strong coffee, similar to what you’d get from a filter coffee maker. It’s not an espresso maker, although you canbuy an accessory that acts as a pressure valveand helps to brew a stronger, more espresso-like coffee.
What is an AeroPress?
It’s an incredibly simple gadget. It’s essentially just a filter and a clear plastic tube and plunger. Fit the filter to the tube, add ground coffee and water and plunge straight into your coffee cup.
Advantages of an AeroPress
– It’s inexpensive (under £30/ $30).
– It’s small, lightweight and portable, so you can take it to work and away with you when you travel. It doesn’t need dedicated counter space and can be tucked away in a cupboard when not in use.
– It’s plastic, so there are no glass parts that will crack in transport or during use.
– It’s quick to use: once the water is heated and the beans are ground, it takes just a minute or two to get your coffee.
– It’s easy to clean.
Disadvantages
– Functional it may be, but this is not a handsome bit of kit. It has all the allure of a piece of medical equipment. It’s the sort of thing you could take camping or bring out to show fellow coffee-loving friends but otherwise, it’s not a display piece.
– It’ll only make one to two cups of coffee per brew, so it’ll be slow and labour-intensive if you’re making coffee for a group of people.
How to make coffee with an AeroPress
Before the instructions, I should say that the AeroPress has inspired a fearsome coffee aficionado fanbase. There are as many variations on how to use an AeroPress as there are hairs in a hipster’s well-oiled beard.
There are varying opinions on the temperature of the water, whether or not the ‘slurry’ (the mixture of coffee ground and water) should be stirred or left alone, and the precise amount of time that should pass before the coffee is plunged.
But here are some basic instructions. First off, grind your beans: an AeroPress is forgiving when it comes to grind quality. It has a really good filter so can sift out most of the dust that a cheaper grinder can create. A cafetière, for example, requires a much more even grind or the dust (‘the fines’) will sneak in and add a touch of bitterness to your coffee.
What this means is if you’re using an AeroPress, you can get away with using a cheaper grinder and you’ll still get a decent cup. However, you should still look to buy a burr grinder and not a blade.
You’ll want to grind about 15g of coffee on a medium to fine setting.
Then boil your water, and let it cool for approximately one minute. It should be at about 80°C.
There are two ways to use the AeroPress from this point: the traditional or inverted method.
The traditional method
The inverted method
Where to buy an Aeropress
The AeroPress is widely available. You canbuy one for £27.99from Amazon in the UK or $29.95 in the US.
The AeroPress comes with a stirring paddle, a funnel, filters and a coffee scoop.
You can also buy accessories to modify your AeroPress. A useful add-on is a mesh coffee filter which can replace paper filters. There’s one currently available on Amazon UKfor £5.98. It’ll cut down on paper waste and mean there’s less to pack if you take your AeroPress away with you.
You can also buy theFellow Prismo, a pressure valve (which also comes with a reusable mesh filter). It’ll help your AeroPress to produce a stronger, espresso-like brew. But at £39.54, it’s going to increase the price of your AeroPress kit considerably.
Finally, you’ll need a grinder. If you’re going to use it with the AeroPress, you don’t need to go mad on quality. Hand grinders are much cheaper than their automatic counterparts and are also portable. The Hario mediumhand coffee grinder with ceramic burrs is £32but bear in mind that it’s glass – a stainless steel grinder may be a better choice if you intend to use it for travel.
To find out more about coffee grinders, read our article onwhat to consider when buying one. If you’re interested in other ways of making coffee at home, you could also check out our round-up of thebest coffee machines of 2020and thebest buying deals on coffee machinesavailable now.
Author: Emma Rowley, Group Home Tech Editor
Emma has been a journalist and copywriter for over 20 years and has been testing and writing about home tech and appliances for seven years. She tries out every appliance she writes about at home, and aims to recommend time- and energy-saving products that will last.
