Aeropress Coffee Maker

Lavazza Super Crema Espresso Whole Bean Coffee

The Aeropress coffee maker can be viewed as a modern version of the French press, with some more benefits that go along with it. Please read Become a Coffee Expert! Guide for Making a Perfect Cup at Home to learn the general coffee brewing principles!

It has a fine paper filter or reusable metal filter. While it still lets some tiny coffee particles pass, it is much more efficient than the French press. You can even increase filtering efficiency by doubling or even tripling the paper filters. Aeropress-brewed coffee has a noticeably clear look.

Finer grind, higher water temperature (up to the boiling point) and longer brewing time will normally extract much more flavor, acidity and bitterness out of the coffee. Acidity, of course, will also depend on the coffee beans’ origin and on the roast type. Acidity is often confused with sourness and is not as bad as it may sound. It is what makes coffee bright and flavorful. Overbrewing or overextraction will result in excessive bitterness.

Coffee Grinders for Aeropress

If you are serious about getting the right consistency of the grind size, choose a burr grinder over a blade type. This is especially true if you are planning to brew with a coarse grind.

vintage coffee grinder filled with coffee beans

The burr grinder actually grinds coffee between two abrasive wheels, just like a usual table salt or pepper grinder. It ensures a uniform grind size and, quite naturally, the size can be easily adjusted. Coffee beans only pass through the burrs once.

Blade grinders, on the contrary, slice through the coffee beans. Chances are the blade will not hit all the beans equally which will usually result in a grind of an inconsistent size. Running a blade grinder in short pulses will help to get a more uniform grind. However, if you stick to a fine grind then a blade grinder will work just fine.

If you want to get a lower caffeine and lower acidity beverage, try the cold brew method using dark roasted beans. Aeropress can be also used for cold brewing, of course.

If you want to extract as much oils as possible then press the plunger all the way until the end, otherwise stop when you hear a hissing sound.

It is highly recommended to filter tap water if you are going to use it to make your coffee. This will ensure that chlorine and its organic and inorganic compounds formed during water chlorination are removed. If the tap water in your area is hard, consider using a softening water filter. The best water we’ve ever tasted is called Spa Reine. It is widely sold in the Netherlands and Belgium, it is also mentioned in the video recipes below.

Try brewing inverted, so coffee doesn’t leak into the cup before brewing is complete. Alternatively brew in a Turkish coffee pot as step one, then pour it into Aeropress as step two. This will give you more flexibility if you want to combine both methods and play with the brewing temperatures.