How to use an AeroPress — it's not as daunting as you think

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a glass AeroPress premium with aluminum flourishes
(Image credit: Future)
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AeroPresses are lauded in the coffee nerd world for their ability to extract the delicate, nuanced notes in coffee, ease of use, and straight-up street style. It’s easy to be put off by one, though — they look a bit scary.

But is an AeroPress any good for the price? Considering the cheapest model is just $39 at Amazon right now, I think yes. We’ve tested the AeroPress Clear and the AeroPress Premium. You can experiment with coffee-to-water ratios to find your perfect brew, make cold brew, and even espresso-style micro-shots. It’s almost the same brew style as a French press, but then it’s got a similar flavor profile to a Chemex — lots of space for semi-comparisons, but no other brewing method quite hits the same.

How easy is an AeroPress to use? It’s actually not as challenging as you might think. You’ll need standard AeroPress filters (or the reusable AeroPress stainless steel filter, or the third-party Prismo filter), good quality medium-fine ground coffee and just-under-boiling water. Once you get the hang of it you could upgrade your AeroPress with a $25 gadget to produce an espresso-like crema.

My go-to AeroPress recipe

Although it may look daunting, making a delicious coffee with an AeroPress is actually as easy as ABC. Here’s my foolproof method.

Ingredients

  • Medium-fine ground coffee
  • 85° water
  • AeroPress and provided filters

Step-by-step

Follow these easy steps (with pictures) to make excellent AeroPress coffee.

Step 1

(Image: © Future)

First, place the included filter in the filter cap. You can also get steel filters.

Step 2

(Image: © Future)

Screw the filter cap onto the chamber and pour one scoop (provided) of medium-fine ground coffee (not provided) into the chamber. You need about 18g/0.6oz of coffee.

Step 3

(Image: © Future)

Tap the AeroPress on a surface to even out the grounds and secure the AeroPress to a sturdy mug. Pour in 85° Celsius/185° Fahrenheit water to your preferred level. Pour gently to prevent burns.

Step 4

(Image: © Future)

Stir with the provided stirrer, then immediately create a vacuum seal with the plunger. Wait 30 seconds. You have to be really quick between pouring, stirring, and creating the vacuum seal.

Step 5

(Image: © Future)

After 30 seconds, start gently pushing down the plunger until all the water is expressed into the mug. Wait for the AeroPress to cool slightly (about a minute) and remove. Be careful not to push down too fast or too hard.

AeroPress vs moka pot vs French press

Coffee brewed with an AeroPress has a very specific flavor profile. It’s soft but not weak. It’s light but not watery. It’s complex but not overpowering. Other than espresso, it’s my favorite way to brew coffee.

I find that when I brew up using my moka pot, I’m greeted with a layer of silt on the bottom of my mug. Sometimes the coffee is a little bitter for my tastes, too.

I’m a vocal critic of French press coffee, too. It’s marred with similar issues that put me off moka pots — namely a silty bottom and bitter taste — but to a higher degree. AeroPress coffee has no grit and silt thanks to the paper (or steel!) filter, and the innovative, unique brewing process means your morning cup of joe is sans-bitterness.

Is an AeroPress worth it?

a glass AeroPress premium with aluminum flourishes

(Image credit: Future)

The short answer is yes. Then yes. Then yes again.

The long answer is a question that goes something like this. Do you dislike bitter, gritty coffee, and want a softer, more balanced coffee that’s ready in under a minute, and you don’t want to spend more than $40 on a fancy machine? If your answer is yes, then I’d recommend an AeroPress.

Erin Bashford
Erin Bashford
Staff Writer, Reviews

Erin Bashford is a staff writer at Tom’s Guide, covering reviews. She has a Masters in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from the University of East Anglia and 7 years of experience writing music, events, and food reviews. Now she’s turned her attention to tech for Tom’s Guide, reviewing everything from earbuds to garlic crushers. In her spare time you can find her reading, practising yoga, writing, or stressing over today’s NYT Games.

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • Alexibrow
    admin said:
    Follow these easy steps to make delicious AeroPress coffee in no time.

    How to use an AeroPress — it's not as daunting as you think : Read more
    I've been experimenting with an Aeropress and a decent hand grinder for some months, there are multiple variables you can adjust and therefore your recipe is far from foolproof.
    The ratio of coffee grounds to water is very important, so you can't just pour in whatever amount of water you like and expect consistent results. If you're using shop bought pre-ground coffee, the only other two variables you can play with are brew time (30 seconds probably isn't enough) and water temp (this should be dictated by the roast of your coffee: medium and dark roasts need different temperatures). If you can, grind freshly roasted beans yourself for best results, and experiment with brew time and water temp. If your coffee tastes sour it's under extracted, so you could for example increase the brew time to compensate. If it tastes overly bitter it's over extracted, so try dialling the brew time down by a few seconds. The key is to find a combination of of variables that suits the type of coffee you're using and that you like to drink, that's all part of the fun of using an Aeropress!
    One final point to add: your criticism of the French press and Mokka pot stems from incorrect usage, not because they're inherently flawed. Silt in your French press coffee could be because the grind size is too small and has passed through the metal filter, and/or because you pushed the plunger all the way down (you don't need to plunge at all in fact: provided the coffee has brewed / settled for around 10 minutes you can just pour it through the metal filter).
    A Mokka pot needs to be removed from the stove just at the point where brewed coffee starts appearing in the top, to prevent over boiling the liquid. The heat needs to be controlled throughout the brewing process so a steady flow of coffee is produced. This should prevent it from becoming too bitter.
    Hope that the above helps. If you want to find out more about coffee brewing, check out the Godfather James Hoffman on YouTube.
    Reply