AeroPress review

[winemaker81]

Being both a coffee lover and amazingly difficult to buy for at Christmas, after reading reviews I added the AeroPress to my (short) list, and my son gave me one:

AeroPress Coffee Maker Official Store

AeroPress coffee maker is a better coffee press that makes delicious coffee quickly and easily. Learn more and buy direct.

aeropress.com

Seems simple enough. Put a filter in the cap, screw it onto the barrel. Place on a sturdy cup. Add 1 rounded scoop coffee (any grind) for each serving, shake to level the coffee. Add water to the desired line (makes up to 5 servings), stir for 10 seconds. Insert the plunger and gently press the coffee into the mug. As is, it's an espresso shot, or for regular (American style) coffee, dilute each serving to 8 oz.

I did that, and produced a poor cup of coffee, weak and tasteless. I tried again with espresso grind (I have a burr grinder which produces any grind I want), and it was marginally better.

So much for believing the advertising blurb. Thinking about it, I applied rules for making other types of coffee.

First, I pre-heated all equipment with hot tap water. When I purchased my current espresso machine, the instructions stated that due to the small volumes produced, it cools off quickly, so run water through the machine first and use that to heat the cups. [I apply that to my drip machine and run 4 cups through the machine first to pre-heat it, and it makes a difference.]

Next, I stirred the coffee for 20 seconds, not 10. I figured it needs more exposure. And I added more water, adding enough for 2 servings instead of 1.

Pressed it, and got this:



It's BLACK. Looks like espresso without the crema. So I diluted to 8 oz and got this:



Still dark, unlike the first 2 tries.

Taste? It actually tastes good! It's billed as low-acid, and I believe it is. I sometimes get a reaction when drinking coffee on an empty stomach, but not from this.

While the AeroPress doesn't quite live up to the reviews, it does make a decent cup. It's not going to replace my French press and espresso machine, but it's an addition to my collection of coffee-making devices.

 

[Boatboy24]

We typically go to the beach each year w/ friends and rent a house for the week. This year, the house we rented only had a Keurig coffee maker - none of us are fans and we don't typically stock k-cups. Our friend has an AeroPress and brought that. I thought it made a pretty good cup of coffee - definitely seemed smoother to me than the same coffee from my drip coffee maker. I enjoyed it.

 

[winemaker81]

I used a Keurig at work for a number of years, as it's convenient. At first k-cups were ok, but over time they got progressively staler. K-cups sit in warehouses for months, and I suspect ramped up production results in over production. Bleach!

It also took time to learn how to use my electric percolator. Amount of coffee used and grind matter greatly. Lessons learned from earlier coffee makers shortened the learning process with the AeroPress.

 

[sour_grapes]

I really like the Moka pot...

I was at an AirBnB, and I was surprised how good the Nespresso maker was (if you like espresso-like coffee, which I do).

 

[CDrew]

AeroPress makes outstanding coffee. Do not dilute, ever. I mean, why would you even do that? It is not the equivalent of an expresso shot, it's it's own thing. I either do pour over or AeroPress, with a slight preference for AeroPress. When away from home, or camping, the AeroPress really comes into it's own.

 

[winemaker81]

AeroPress makes outstanding coffee. Do not dilute, ever. I mean, why would you even do that? It is not the equivalent of an expresso shot, it's it's own thing. I either do pour over or AeroPress, with a slight preference for AeroPress. When away from home, or camping, the AeroPress really comes into it's own.

It depends on what you want -- I like espresso, but there's also relaxing with a cup of coffee. I used to have a cup with lines on the side -- all but one are labeled "Don't talk to me" and the one at the bottom reads, "it's safe to talk to me".

I can roll out of bed and be going full speed in seconds, but given the option, I enjoy a cup (or 3) of coffee before doing anything significant. You'd be surprised how much such things can reduce BP.

Thinking about the press as I made this morning's first cup, I may have figured out how it works. The unit builds up air pressure inside, which forces the water through the grounds similar to how an espresso machine works. The stirring starts the extraction process, and the pressure completes it. This builds on and combines previous techniques and it works well.

This explains why I'm happier with the espresso grind -- the pressure buildup is much higher due to the fine grain of the coffee, so the result is richer. I make my wife cappuccino with decaf coffee, regular grind. It works -- she's happy with the result, but the coffee doesn't have the richness of a real espresso. Using the same exact coffee in a fine grind produces a completely different result.

Note that I roast coffee and I'm using a medium to medium-dark roast (varies by batch, I do not have a high-end roaster, so determining "done" is by eye and ambient temperature varies things).