Coffee is an essential part of my morning ritual. A cup of coffee can make or break my day, so it’s important for me to have a reliable appliance as a novice home barista. The goal is to achieve the perfect espresso shot without having to splurge on a heavy-duty commercial machine, and the AeroPress Original Coffee Press makes this possible. Whether you are just starting out on your home-brewing journey or you are an expert coffee connoisseur, this product is a great introduction to perfecting the home brew.
I purchased my AeroPress in March of 2020 as I sat in quarantine craving an iced vanilla latte. Since then, I have transitioned from someone who would take any opportunity to buy an $8 latte to preferring the drinks I make at home for a fraction of the cost. This appliance allows me to make any drink I want at any time, anywhere. With any espresso or ground coffee, this simple yet effective product has caffeinated me almost every morning for the last four years. While it isn’t perfect, it certainly gets the job done for caffeine addicts on a budget.
The AeroPress Original Coffee Press is great for the coffee lover on the go, as it is portable, compact, lightweight and provides a quick brew through a plunge system using 3-in-1 brewing technology.
I typically drink around three coffees a day, so this product has quickly become a necessity in my coffee routine. Here are some of the things that stood out to me the most when using the AeroPress over the past four years.
What I like about it
Quality of coffee
My favorite thing about the AeroPress is the fact that you can add any type of coffee grounds you want. This allows for a lot of creativity and flavors that you can get out of this little gadget. Depending on the grind size (AeroPress recommends a consistency between a drip coffee grind and an espresso grind), you can really change the type of coffee you make with the AeroPress. A fine grind and a quick plunge can get you quite close to the bold flavor of an espresso shot, while a thicker grind tastes more like a concentrated French press.
Generally, I use Lavazza Espresso Ground Coffee, which produces a very sweet and aromatic flavor out of the AeroPress. The espresso shot produced has the same bold flavor profile as when I’ve used these grounds with more heavy-duty machines like the Breville Bambino Plus.?Since you can play with the grind size and brew time a bit more than other coffee makers, the AeroPress makes it easy to tailor your brewing experience to all the different coffees you drink. But no matter the beans or grind size, you’re sure to get a cup that tastes much better than a standard drip machine or a single-serve coffee maker.
One-minute brew time
Another reason I love the AeroPress is just how fast you can pull a perfect espresso shot. Like most people, my mornings are busy, so I don’t want to stand around waiting for my coffee when I’m running late for work. Thankfully, the AeroPress can brew a hot cup in under a minute. When I timed myself making a single shot of espresso, my drink was done in a blazingly fast 38 seconds.
This accounts for the time it takes to fill the chamber with my ground coffee using the rounded scoop, mixing it with the stirrer and pressing it down through the filter cap with the plunger. This process can be modified to make as much espresso as you need at the same rate using the numbered markers on the chamber. Simply add two scoops instead of one and you have the perfect double shot in a pinch. And if you don’t want to drink the espresso straight, just add some hot water to mimic a normal cup of joe.
But what about iced coffee? The days of waiting for your cold brew overnight are over because the AeroPress can successfully make a delicious cold brew using room temperature water in about a minute. Whether you want cold or hot coffee and need an ultra-fast coffee maker that doesn’t skimp on quality, the AeroPress is definitely for you.
Ease of use
Devices like the Aeropress can be intimidating if you have never attempted to make coffee manually. However, this product is extremely beginner-friendly. The directions provided in the package are very thorough, including visual aids as well as listing different steps for various coffee recipes. The mechanism itself is just a basic filtration system activated by pressing down the plunger on the grounds. Even putting it together and disassembling it can be done quickly by following the guidelines or even by just looking at the picture on the box.
Plus, you can use the AeroPress in multiple ways. The brand recommends using it in a similar way to pour-over coffee, where you place the half of the AeroPress that contains the grounds and filter right above your cup, then slowly pour in your water (AeroPress has an instructional video here). On the other hand, some people prefer to use it more like a French Press, where the grounds sit in water to steep longer, and then the whole contraption is flipped before you plunge (Starbucks has an instructional video here).
We’ve tried both methods, and the pour-over technique definitely produces a lighter, less saturated flavor while still remaining concentrated. However, if you like a more full-bodied coffee with bold flavor, the French press method is for you.
Portability
As someone who loves to travel, this product is essential whenever I’m on the go. Last summer I went on a five-week trip to Spain and brought my AeroPress along with me. Thanks to its portability, I brought it with on the bus, to the airport and in all the random hotels and hostels I stayed in as I backpacked through the country. The components are extremely lightweight and compact which makes it easy to throw in any bag, and the whole coffee maker takes up less room than most water bottles, so there’s really no reason to leave it behind. That way, as long as you have access to hot water, you can make delicious brews.
Easy to clean
Cleaning coffee makers can be a real hassle. Wet grounds and soggy filters can leave a mess on their way to the trash, and hand-washing a coffee pot is just another chore to add to your to-do list. That’s why one of my favorite features of the AeroPress is how amazingly easy it is to clean.
Once you’ve completed brewing and taken a sip of your coffee, the AeroPress can be cleaned in about 10 seconds. Simply remove the filter cap and push the plunger to pop out the filter and a perfectly compressed puck of ground coffee straight into the trash.?This is not only mess-free but after the coffee puck is discarded, the AeroPress itself only needs a quick rinse to stay clean. After a few uses, you’ll want to wash the AeroPress with soap to clean out all the oils and residue, but thankfully, it’s dishwasher-safe (as long as it’s on the top rack).
What I didn’t like about it
Despite all the things I love about AeroPress, there are still some things that missed the mark for me.
Can only make coffee for one
Since the AeroPress is so small and can only make small amounts of coffee, it works best when you’re only making coffee for yourself. While brewing one cup only takes a minute, having to do it over and over for your guests can quickly get tiresome. If you do find yourself making coffee for more than one person but still want a better cup than a traditional coffee machine brews, check out our favorite French presses and pour-over coffee makers.
You have to buy filters
Filters are a necessary component of the AeroPress, and unfortunately, they’re not reusable. The appliance comes with 100 paper filters upon purchase, but after that, you will have to buy more to utilize the product the way it’s intended. It’s an additional cost, but most coffee makers (except French presses and espresso machines) require paper filters of some kind, and the ones for the AeroPress are reasonably priced: A pack of 700 AeroPress filters on Amazon is only $15.
How it compares
The AeroPress combines the idea of French press and pour-over to create a customizable, user-friendly coffee maker. We love it for its balance of ease, cost and ability to make a delicious cup of coffee. But if a cheap coffee maker that makes a tasty cup in under a minute isn’t your thing, there are tons of other coffee makers on the market from quick-and-easy single-serve machines for busy mornings to espresso machines that can make lattes that rival those of any café.
We’ve tested what seems like every coffee maker under the sun, so no matter what you’re looking for we have a pick for you. For a standard drip machine, we love the Braun Brew Sense or the luxurious Technivorm Moccamaster if you have some extra cash. French presses are similarly easy to use and cheap like the AeroPress, although they’re definitely harder to clean. And coffee aficionados will definitely want to look at our recommendations for the best espresso machines and pour-over makers.
If you’re a die-hard AeroPress fan, the brand also has the AeroPress Go, which is smaller and more portable, as well as the AeroPress XL, which can brew enough coffee for multiple people at once.
Bottom line
If you want a quick, portable, easy-to-use and budget-friendly single-serve coffee maker, look no further than the AeroPress Original Coffee Press. If you identify as an avid coffee drinker on the market for a new home brewing appliance and you have no issues purchasing filters and don’t need to serve many people at once, for only $40 this product is definitely a must-have.
