What Is An Aeropress Coffee Maker & How To Use It?

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Key Takeaways:

The AeroPress is a manual coffeemaker which consists of a cylindrical chamber, and a plunger with an airtight silicone seal. Ground coffee beans and water are brewed in the chamber, and then coffee is forced through a filter by pressing the plunger through the chamber.

The Aeropress has become one of the most popular brew methods, favored by coffee enthusiasts throughout the work for a variety of reasons. It’s small and affordable, and — most importantly — it makes great coffee.

An Aeropress Coffee Maker involves two concentric polypropylene cylinders and a plunger assembly that function similar to a syringe. Air pressure is used to force coffee through a paper filter at one end of the tool and directly into a mug.

It’s a manual one-cup coffeemaker invented by Alan Adler, founder of AeroPress, Inc. in 2005.

On top of being very easy to use, it is a full immersion method like a French Press. Put coffee and water in, give it a stir, let it sit for a time then press it out into your cup through the paper filter.

How To Use An Aeropress Coffee Maker

The Aeropress is easy to use. Pop in a small paper filter, add a scoop of coffee, add hot water, stir, and wait about a minute. 

Next, flip the contraption over and push down on the pump. The pump forces the coffee through the grounds like a manual espresso maker. 

What’s left in your cup is up to four ounces of strong coffee. You can drink it just like that if you like espresso, or add water to make an Americano.

Is AeroPress Easy To Clean

The AeroPress is super easy to clean as it has quite a few parts to it. Screw off the filter cap and throw out the coffee pug, rinse the cylinder where the coffee brewing happens.

Now, grab the cylinder with the vacuum seal on the bottom. Rinse the vacuum seal properly and after that, rinse the filter cap and leave it to dry on a kitchen towel.

Why Is AeroPress Coffee So Good?

The AeroPress is fast and easy to use and it makes coffee that tastes better than a lovingly prepared pour-over. Also, it comes in a durable, portable package.

Anywhere you have ground coffee and hot water, the AeroPress can make a delicious cup of coffee in less than two minutes. 

Is AeroPress Better Than French Press?

In one way the Aeropress and French Press are very similar. They are both considered “full-immersion” brewers, meaning the coffee grounds sit in the hot water to steep before being separated. 

This is different from a pour over device where water is poured onto the coffee grounds and immediately flows down through a filter into the cup. Because of this, the Aeropress and French Press both create thick, flavorful cups of coffee.

The decision comes down to the coffee drinker, whose taste preferences and personality will determine which brew method is best.

The Aeropress is great for people who like experimenting with different brewing recipes, who enjoy making a single cup at a time, and who want to take their coffee brewer anywhere they go.

The French Press is best for people who love rich, bold cups of coffee, who make more than one cup at a time, and who have the “set it and forget it” mentality to making coffee.  

how to use an aeropress coffee maker

What Coffee Do You Use In An AeroPress?

Use good quality coffee beans that are recently roasted and ground finely like you would use in a drip coffee maker. Or just have your coffee ground when you buy the beans.

What Is The Best Grind For AeroPress?

For AeroPress you’ll want the coffee ground fine, like for drip coffee or espresso grind. Finely ground coffee takes longer to press and but makes a richer brew more quickly due to more particle surface area. 

Can You Use Pre-ground Coffee in AeroPress?

Yes, you can also use store bought pre-ground drip coffee in an Aeropress but make sure that you use slightly more coffee or let it steep for a little more time.

AeroPress comes with a pack of 350 (disposable) paper filters, but you can actually reuse these paper coffee filters, simply rinse them once they have been used and place them back into the plastic filter cap of the AeroPress to dry.

We recommend using the filter not more than 3 to 4 times, rinsing after each use.

Is AeroPress Coffee Healthy & Less Acidic?

Aeropress claims that the coffee brewed in their coffee maker is about one-fifth the acidity of drip brewed coffee and one-ninth the acidity of French press brewed coffee. 

A lot of it has to do with the paper filter, grind size & overall brewing process the Aeropress uses. The filter sifts out some of the compounds that would cause this acidity and make it easier on your stomach.

Is An AeroPress Coffee Maker Dishwasher Safe?

The Aeropress is completely safe to clean in a dishwasher on the top shelf. Moreover, you do not need to clean an Aeropress that thoroughly nor that often, because the plunger wipes the interior of the column as you use it. 

Is AeroPress Coffee Maker BPA Free?

Yes, the AeroPress, mug, and accessories are made of food-safe polypropylene that is free of BPA and phthalates. The lid and plunger seal are both made of silicone and the filters are made of paper.

Written by:
Amit Gupta
Amit Gupta

Hi, my name is Amit Gupta, and I am the owner and contributor at Cafeish. My obsession with coffee started when I received my first French press as a gift almost ten years ago. Since then, my love of coffee – and the number of coffee gadgets I own – has grown considerably.

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