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Aerobie AeroPress

Jansie Blom
You need the AeroPress if you can live with making cup after cup of delicious coffee. It's quick and easy to use and clean, and saves you money.

Highlights

Makes a delicious cup of coffee.
Easy to use.
Makes a clean cup of coffee.
Makes a great cup of coffee seriously fast.
Easy to clean, ready for your next cuppa.
Tough, so if you drop it, it probably won't break.
Easy to transport, so you can always have a great cup, no matter where you are.

Product attributes

These are the attributes of the Aerobie Aeropress.

Main attributes

Capacity
10 ounces
Color
Gray

AeroPress assembled

Weight
1.86952 oz (53 g)
Outside diameter (smallest)
1.897638 inches (48.2 mm)
Outside diameter (largest)
4.52756 inches (115 mm)
Inside diameter
1.65354 inches (42 mm)
Height / length
3.11024 inches (79 mm)

Funnel

Width (widest)
3.14961 inches (80 mm)
Width (narrowest)
1.226378 inches (31.15 mm)
Weight
0.811301 oz (23 g)
Thickness
0.185039 inches (4.7 mm)
Height / length
6.45669 inches (164 mm)

Stirring paddle

Weight
1.65788 oz (47 g)
Outside diameter (smallest)
2.775591 inches (70.5 mm)
Outside diameter (largest)
3.429134 inches (87.1 mm)
Inside diameter
2.673228 inches (67.9 mm)
Height / length
3.397638 inches (86.3 mm)

Filter holder

Weight
0.599657 oz (17 g)
Length
26.2205 inches (666 mm)
Capacity
1,35256 fl oz (water) / 0.529109 oz (espresso ground coffee) / 40 ml (water) / 15 g (espresso ground coffee)

Coffee scoop

Weight
< 0.035274 oz (< 1 g)
Thickness
0.00787402 inches (0.2 mm)
Diameter
2.48031 inches (63 mm)

Keto metal filter

Weight (350 filters)
2.11644 oz (60 g)
Weight
< 0.035274 oz (< 1 g)
Thickness
0.005905512 inches (0.15 mm)
Diameter
2.48031 inches (63 mm)

Paper filter

Weight
0.529109 oz (15 g)
Outside diameter (with rim)
2.91339 inches (74 mm)
Outside diameter (without rim)
2.69685 inches (68.5 mm)
Inside diameter
2.507874 inches – 2.51969 inches (63.7 mm – 64 mm)
Height
1.06299 inches (27 mm)

Filter cap

Weight
2.82192 oz (80 g)
Rubber foot diameter
2.28346 inches (58 mm)
Outside diameter (without rim)
2.1200787 inches – 2.141732 inches (53.85 mm – 54.4 mm)
Inside diameter
1.9685 inches (50 mm)
Height / length
5.31496 inches (135 mm)

Plunger

Weight
2.92774 oz (83 g)
Outside diameter (outer rim)
4.2244094 inches (107.3 mm)
Outside diameter (chamber without support rim)
2.4625984 inches – 2.496063 inches (62.55 mm – 63.4 mm)
Inside diameter
2.24409 inches – 2,269685 inches (57 mm – 57.65 mm)
Height / length
4,980315 inches (126.5 mm)

Water chamber

Weight (water chamber, plunger, filter cap, filter)
6.27877 oz (178 g)
Weight (all components)
12,7339 oz (361 g)
Min height (assembled)
5.49 inches (139.5 mm)
Max diameter
4.22 inches (107.3 mm)
Max height (assembled)
~10,315 inches (~262 mm)

Galleries

Product images

A roundup of what's inside the Aeropress box when it first arrives.

How to store your coffee

Contrary to what I've been told, it's not necessary to store your coffee in the fridge to keep it fresh. It's fine to store your coffee in a glass jar.

How to make an espresso (AeroPresso)

Technically, the Aeropress cannot make an espresso. But what it makes, given the parameters it operates with, is lovely.

How to make a double espresso (double AeroPresso)

How to make an Americano

This is probably the most basic caffeinated drink you can make with the Aeropress.

How to make six Americanos

The standard Aeropress maxes out at six cups of Americanos.

How to make a straight filter

How to make milk coffee (MilkoPress)

This was an interesting experiment. The Aeropress does a fine job, but doing it right takes more effort than making a standard coffee.

How to clean

The Aeropress is a joy to clean. Because all the parts are so tough, you don't have to use caution. Just chuck everything into a basin and swoosh the Jones out of it.

DIY paper filters

A great way to save money, if you've lost everything but your Aeropress and you were given a bag of coffee because someone felt sorry for you.

I recently bought an AeroPress online. It makes great coffee in five and a half minutes, cleans in 15 seconds and saves you $51.10.

It won’t turn you into a barista, but none will be the wiser.

What do I know about coffee? I enjoy a good cuppa, but I’m no coffee cognoscente.

We visited a couple one afternoon. They live down by the lagoon in a cozy double story apartment. The husband asked if I wanted a cup of coffee. I said yes, expecting chicory. Didn’t want to be rude though. They’re lovely folks.

He pulled out a funny cylindrical plastic contraption and a bag of ground coffee. A smile formed on his face. I frowned. He boiled water, twisted, scooped, poured, stirred and poured some more. In no time I was sipping on my very first cup of AeroPress coffee.

His smile made its way onto my face.

I hadn’t been looking for a coffee maker per se. But after that intro I had to have the AeroPress.

I was sold. So I bought one.

It changed my coffee life forever. My instant junk consumption plummeted and my intake of quality caffeine skyrocketed.

Here was a tool that allowed me to make great coffee, without me having to become a brain surgeon. Besides, it required hardly any effort to use or clean.

I developed a slight air from using the AeroPress. This, after only a few weeks. It had me believing that I’m a coffee connoisseur. (Idiotic, I know, to feel superior because you now make good coffee, and that after only a few weeks.)

It’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. It demystified the making of great coffee.

Here’s why you’ll love it.

Great taste

The AeroPress makes the same quality coffee you’ll find at any coffee shop. Even better.

But it’s more sensible to buy an AeroPress than it is to spend all your dough at a coffee shop.

Making coffee now becomes more than dumping granules into a cup and overdosing on sugar. You start experimenting with coffee. You start creating your own favorite coffee.

Clean coffee

The AeroPress filter blocks 90 percent of the coffee grounds (I’m being liberal; it’s more than that). Compare this to a French press, which has you chomping dirt at the last few sips when tasty coffee is critical.

Some coffee experts claim that a French press is a terrible option if coffee upsets your stomach. It lets through more than the flavor and some coffee grounds.

The AeroPress filters out most of the bad stuff, leaving you with clean coffee.

The beauty is, you’re not sacrificing taste. You get a full flavored coffee without the grounds.

Quick

The AeroPress propels you from coffee-less to well caffeinated in a few minutes. This includes boiling water, pouring, pressing, pouring again and cleaning; the whole shebang.

But it doesn’t compromise on quality, despite the speed.

Easy to use

In ten steps you go from coffee-less to caffeinated.

And it’s not ten steps into a mathematical marshland. It’s as easy to use as it is to make instant coffee. But much better.

Easy to clean

In a few seconds your AeroPress is clean and ready for the next round.

Tough

The AeroPress won’t break any time soon. It’s made from thick BPA- and phthalate-free plastic. I dropped it to see whether it would stay intact. It did.

Portable

It’s charming to lose yourself in the food and drink of a foreign destination.

But what if you’re visiting a place that’s off the map? No good food; no good coffee…

It’s possible, as horrifying as it sounds.

The AeroPress saves you from decaffeinating. It’s like an insulin injection for coffee lovers.

In this post I show you where to buy the AeroPress (AKA the air press), how to use it and how to clean it. I share simple recipes to get you into the swing of using the AeroPress. This forms a solid foundation for further experimentation on your part.

This is one blind date I’m confident will go well.

Price

At ~$30 the AeroPress is dirt cheap. It makes great coffee; it’s tough; it’s portable; it’s child’s play to use. It’s plenty of product for very little money.

Look at it from a different angle.

One of the world’s largest coffee chains—we’ll call them Siriusdollar—sells their cheapest coffee for $1.75.

Your AeroPress costs a mere 17.14 cups of Siriusdollar coffee.

For some people, that’s a few weeks’ worth of coffee; for others, two to five days’.

You can’t beat that. For the price of only 17 cups of coffee you become a Bad Ass Coffee Making Rockstar who makes a coffee the way YOU like it.

Cost of a cup of coffee

Let’s calculate the cost of a cup of coffee made with the AeroPress.

Let’s say the AeroPress gives you 365 days of service. It’ll last much longer if looked after, but for the sake of this argument we’ll use a year.

You make two filter coffees with the AeroPress every day. You don’t take sugar or milk (to simplify the calculation).

That’s an annual quantity of 730 cups of black coffee without sugar. Sugar is bad for you in any case. Links to cancer, that sort of thing.

You don’t reuse your filters (also to simplify the equation).

We’ll cost water and electricity at $0.40 per cup.

You use two paper filters every day. A filter costs you $0.04 each. That’s $0.08 per day for 365 days.

You buy Death Wish coffee. It costs $1.25 per ounce ($0.04 per gram).

Each filter coffee needs two scoops of ground coffee. At the proper grind level this amounts to 1.05822 oz (30 grams) (15 grams per scoop) of grounds per cup; 2.11644 oz (60 grams) per day.

Death Wish Coffee grounds cost $1.20 per cup.

The AeroPress device, broken up into 730 cups, costs $0.04 per cup.

Cost of an AeroPress coffee:

Water & Electricity (per cup): $0.40.
Filter: $0.04.
2.12 oz (30 grams) of Death Wish coffee: $1.20.
AeroPress device (per cup): $0.04.
Total: $1.68.

It costs $1.68 for a DIY AeroPress coffee. Remember, it’s Death Wish coffee grounds. It’s far more expensive than the Siriusdollar brand. But, per cup it’s cheaper. Besides, your DIY AeroPress coffee is better. You’re the master of your taste buds. You know better than Siriusdollar what you enjoy.

730 cups of Siriusdollar coffees put you back $1,277.50.

730 cups of AeroPress brewed Death Wish coffees put you back $1,226.40.

That’s a saving of $51.10 per year.

You’re getting better coffee AND saving money.

Warranty

This from Aerobie’s FAQ page…

The AeroPress coffee maker is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from date of purchase from an authorized retailer. We advise you to keep your receipt so that if you have a problem with your AeroPress before one year has passed, you can prove when you purchased it and that you purchased it from an authorized retailer that sells genuine AeroPress coffee makers.

In the box

The AeroPress package contains the following:

  • Water chamber.
  • Plunger.
  • Filter cap.
  • 350 paper filters (I counted them).
  • Filter holder.
  • Stirring paddle.
  • Coffee scoop.
  • Funnel.
  • User manual.

Before you use it

Consider these points before you start churning out championship coffee with your AeroPress.

Water temperature

Aerobie recommends using water heated to 176 Fahrenheit (80 degrees Celsius).

Our old kettle heated water to 206,6 Fahrenheit (97 degrees Celsius) (I measured with a thermometer). We bought a variable temperature kettle. It heats water to 176 Fahrenheit (80 degrees Celsius).

I’ve made countless cups of AeroPress coffee with both.

My honest opinion? There’s no difference in taste between coffee made at either temperature.

Best coffee

I won’t tell you which coffee is best for your AeroPress. My tasty might not be your tasty.

But I’ll make a suggestion or two.

Best roast

Look for a medium to dark or dark roast. You want strong, but not bitter, coffee. A light roast might not have enough kick.

You need less dark roasted coffee grounds to make weak coffee. If you use weak coffee grounds you’ll need more. Keep that in mind if you prefer weak coffee.

Grind size

Aerobie recommends you use a fine drip or espresso grind. Trust them on this one.

If your coffee grounds are too fine you’ll have difficulty pressing it. If it’s ground too coarse, flavor goes to waste.

I once bought coffee that was ground too fine. I struggled to push the plunger down. Coffee that was ground too coarse tasted watered down.

You’ll know it’s correct if heated water trickles through the coffee grounds without you pressing it.

My favorite coffee supplier grinds coffee to their customers’ needs. They grind for the AeroPress too.

I’m sure there’s a coffee roaster in your neck of the woods that grinds for the AeroPress.

How to store your coffee

I used to store filter coffee in the fridge.

I spoke to some baristas. No idea where this habit originated, but it does nothing for keeping coffee fresh.

Store your coffee—beans or grounds—in a well-sealed glass bottle. Keep the bottle in a cool cupboard, not a fridge. There’s no need.

What to use it in

Use a container with a mouth of 2,71654 inches (69mm) in diameter. The AeroPress’ water chamber’s flange rests on the container’s rim.

Make sure whatever you’re pressing into can handle the pressure.

It’s fine to press coffee straight into your cup if you’re making one cup.

But what do you do when five people threaten physical harm if you don’t provide them with a coffee fix?

Use a simple, sturdy stainless steel metal jug.

There’s one on Amazon with Imperial and metric measurement markings on the inside.

The opening measures 3 inches (76.2mm) in diameter. It’s perfect for the AeroPress.

I’ve tried plastic jugs. They collapse. A metal jug handles the pressure.

Basic operation

It takes 11 easy steps to make killer coffee with the AeroPress:

  • Remove the plunger from the water chamber.
  • Remove the filter cap from the water chamber if it’s not off yet.
  • Place a filter in the filter cap.
  • Screw the filter cap onto the water chamber.
  • Place the water chamber onto a strong cup or metal jug.
  • Add one or two scoops of coffee to the water chamber.
  • Pour boiled water into the water chamber.
    • If you have a variable temperature kettle, set it to 176 Fahrenheit (80 degrees Celsius).
  • Stir the concoction for up to 20 seconds.
  • Place the plunger into the water chamber and press down all the way.
  • Remove the AeroPress from the cup or jug.
  • Enjoy delicious coffee.

How to make paper filters last longer

Here’s a tip: use two paper filters together. It makes both filters last much longer. It’s only applicable if you reuse your AeroPress filters. I do.

How to make an espresso (AeroPresso)

Now that you’ve bought your AeroPress, it’s time to start making awesome coffee.

An espresso forms the basis of an Americano. So we’ll start with an espresso.

Bad news first…

The AeroPress can’t make an espresso.

An espresso requires six to ten grams of fine coffee grounds, tamped into a portafilter basket through which you force 30ml to 45ml of water with a temperature of 194 Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius) at nine bars of pressure for 30 seconds.

Given the criteria, it’s impossible to make an espresso with the AeroPress.

Don’t let that put you off. The AeroPress makes an amazing coffee. Let’s see how close we can get to a proper espresso.

In fact, let’s call it an AeroPresso. We’ll keep the purists happy. It’s still a good beverage even if it doesn’t adhere to the strict rules for making espresso.

Follow these steps:

  • Heat kettle to 194 Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius).
  • Add ten grams of ground coffee to the water chamber.
    • Fine drip or espresso grind.
  • This is the point where you’re supposed to tamp the coffee grounds. But it’s of no use doing it with the AeroPress since pouring water into the water chamber loosens the grounds.
  • Stand the AeroPress on top of a cup or jug.
  • Pour 1.35256fl oz (40ml) of water into the water chamber.
  • Stir the contents for 15 seconds.
  • Insert the plunger into the water chamber.
  • Here’s the tricky bit. Press down on the plunger for 30 seconds.
    • Will this produce nine bars of pressure? I doubt it. But this is the best you can do.
  • Remove the AeroPress from the cup or jug.
  • Enjoy your AeroPresso.

You’ll notice a severe lack of crema. It’s one of the drawbacks of the AeroPress not being able to make a true espresso.

But what comes out of that little machine isn’t half bad. It’s a clean, strong—yet not bitter—shot of coffee.

How to make a double espresso (double AeroPresso)

A double espresso requires 15 grams of fine coffee grounds, tamped into a portafilter basket through which you force 60ml to 90ml of water with a temperature of 194 Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius) at nine bars of pressure for 30 seconds.

Let’s try to get it as close to the real thing as possible.

Follow these steps:

  • Heat kettle to 194 Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius).
  • Add 15 grams of ground coffee to the water chamber.
    • Fine drip or espresso grind.
  • This is the point where you’re supposed to tamp the coffee grounds. But it’s of no use doing it with the AeroPress since pouring water into the water chamber loosens the grounds.
  • Stand the AeroPress on top of a cup or jug.
  • Stir the contents for 15 seconds.
  • Pour 3,04326fl oz (90ml) of water into the water chamber.
  • Insert the plunger into the water chamber.
  • Here’s the tricky bit. Press down on the plunger for 30 seconds.
    • Won’t produce nine bars, but this is the best you can do with the AeroPress.
  • Remove the AeroPress from the cup or jug.
  • Enjoy your double AeroPresso.

I bought a portable espresso maker which I’ll review in a future post. It makes a phenomenal true espresso.

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How to make an Americano

Before you begin, screw the filter cap onto the water chamber with a filter inside. Place the AeroPress on top of a cup or jug. Then follow these steps:

  • Heat water to 176 Fahrenheit (80 degrees Celsius).
  • Add one or two scoops of ground coffee to the water chamber.
  • Add hot water up to the number 2 mark.
  • Stir the contents for up to 20 seconds.
  • Insert the plunger into the water chamber and press down all the way.
  • Remove the AeroPress from your cup or mug.
  • Add up to 5.74838fl oz (170ml) of hot water to the AeroPress coffee.
  • Add sugar and / or milk to taste.
  • Stir.
  • Enjoy.

How to make six Americanos

That’s the most I’ve been able to squeeze out of my AeroPress.

Before you begin, screw the filter cap onto the water chamber with a filter inside. Stand the AeroPress on a large enough sturdy jug. Get one here: stainless steel jug with Imperial and metric measurement markings.

Follow these steps:

  • Heat water to 176 Fahrenheit (80 degrees Celsius).
  • Add two scoops of ground coffee to the water chamber.
    • Level these off or heap the scoops for more kick.
  • Add hot water past the number 4 mark.
    • I fill it all the way to the top.
  • Stir the contents for up to 20 seconds.
  • Leave the mix to siphon through.
  • When it reaches the number 2 mark, refill the water chamber up to the number 4 mark (or right to the top again).
  • Stir for a few seconds.
  • Insert the plunger into the water chamber and press down all the way.
  • Remove the AeroPress from off the jug.
  • Divide the coffee between the six cups.
  • Add hot water to each cup.
  • Add sugar and milk to taste.
  • Enjoy.

Don’t top up too much. It weakens the coffee.

How to make a straight filter

The AeroPress is champion at making a single filter coffee.

Follow these steps:

  • Place the AeroPress on top of a cup.
  • Heat water to 176 Fahrenheit (80 degrees Celsius).
  • Add two scoops of coffee to the water chamber.
  • Fill up the water chamber with hot water to the number 4 mark.
  • Stir the mixture for 20 seconds.
  • Insert the plunger into the water chamber and press down.
  • Remove the AeroPress from off the cup.
  • Add milk and / or sugar to taste.
  • Enjoy.

How to make milk coffee (MilkoPress)

Caution: heat your milk to no more than 70 degrees Celsius (158 Fahrenheit). Don’t burn it.

Let’s call this beverage the MilkoPress. Instead of using water to make the coffee with, we’ll use milk only.

You’ll need a thermometer for measuring the milk’s temperature.

Follow these steps:

  • Place the AeroPress on a cup.
  • Add two scoops of coffee to the AeroPress’ water chamber.
  • Place a pot filled with water on the stove.
  • Place a jug containing 13,5256fl oz (400ml) of milk inside the pot of water.
  • Place the thermometer inside the jug of milk.
  • Heat the milk to 158 Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius).
  • Pour the milk into the water chamber up to the number 4 mark.
  • Insert the plunger into the water chamber and press down.
  • Remove the AeroPress from off the cup.
  • Enjoy.

This is a fine beverage. Try it. It turned out sweet on our side. We drink lactose free milk. Not sure whether that has anything to do with it.

Caution: clean the AeroPress well after making milk coffee. A rinse won’t suffice. I removed the rubber foot of the plunger to clean it. Don’t take chances with rotten milk.

How to clean

This is a simple operation that takes only a few seconds:

  • Unscrew the filter cap from the water chamber.
  • Remove the filter.
    • If it’s a paper filter, discard of it or rinse and reuse.
    • Rinse it if it’s a reusable metal filter.
  • Push the puck of coffee out of the water chamber with the plunger, into a bin.
    • I pop the used coffee grounds into a food collection container for a pro-bio composter.
  • Remove the plunger from the water chamber.
  • Rinse the plunger under running water.
  • Rinse the water chamber.
  • Rinse the metal filter.
  • Place all components on a drying rack.

Dishwasher safe?

The AeroPress won’t melt or deform when you wash it in a dishwasher.

But I washed a previous AeroPress of mine in our dishwasher as a test. When I took it out the number 1 to 4 markings were half gone.

So don’t wash it in the dishwasher, unless you don’t mind not having the markings on the side.

Time it takes to make a filter coffee

I timed the making of a cup of filter coffee with the AeroPress. This exercise included doing the following:

  • Taking a cup out of the cupboard.
  • Filling the kettle.
    • I filled the kettle with 50.721fl oz (1.5L) of cold tap water, even though I only made a single coffee.
  • Boiling the kettle to 176 Fahrenheit (80 degrees Celsius).
  • Inserting a new paper filter into the AeroPress.
  • Screwing the filter cap onto the AeroPress.
  • Adding coffee grounds to the AeroPress.
  • Stirring the coffee mix inside the AeroPress.
  • Pressing coffee.
  • Pouring coffee into a cup.
  • Pouring milk into the coffee.
  • Stirring the coffee.
  • Disassembling and rinsing the AeroPress.
  • Placing the AeroPress on a drying rack.

It takes 5 minutes and 30 seconds to make a filter coffee with the AeroPress. It’s quick, considering I slowed the process.

Paper VS metal filter

The guys at Aerobie have run many tests with paper filters and metal filter. The paper filter won the taste test, every time.

Aerobie claims that a paper filter removes diterpenes, which raises LDL (bad) cholesterol. Be aware of that.

I purchased the Keto Coffee metal filter for use in the AeroPress. It works great.

It allows a slight amount of grounds through when you press, but not much.

It creates the same great tasting coffee as a paper filter.

You might want to stick to paper filters because it removes diterpenes.

DIY paper filters

It’s easy to make your own AeroPress filters. Make sure you get the size right. My first round of DIY AeroPress filters were too small. It caused leakage.

To DIY your AeroPress filters you’ll need the following:

  • A pair of scissors.
  • Store bought paper coffee filters.
  • Cardboard – 0,047in (1.2mm) thick.
  • Pen or pencil.

To make DIY AeroPress filters, follow these four steps:

  • Use an AeroPress filter to draw a template onto the cardboard.
  • Cut out the piece of cardboard.
  • Use the cardboard as a stencil to draw two circles onto a standard paper filter.
  • Cut out four AeroPress discs from the paper filter.

Cost of DIY filters

A box of 40 standard paper coffee filters cost me about $1.12 (ZAR15.00).

You get 4 AeroPress filters from one standard filter.

That’s roughly $0.015 per filter, a fraction cheaper than an AeroPress paper filter ($0.04). It’s not worth making your own filters if cost is the only criteria.

Final thoughts

The AeroPress is beautiful.

For $30 you get a nippy portable coffee machine that makes great coffee. It cleans in a few seconds and the thick plastic construction won’t break soon.

For the cost of 17.14 cups of store-bought coffee you get a machine that makes amazing coffee. It’s unbeatable value.

The Keto Coffee metal filter for the AeroPress allows you to cut down on paper waste. It also saves you having to buy filters any time soon.

Buy the AeroPress. It’s an investment you won’t regret.

Ditch that overpriced can of instant blegh and start enjoying real coffee.

Read the online reviews for the AeroPress. Thousands of people are happy with it. There’s a reason for that. It makes great coffee with ease and cleans in seconds.

Sources:

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