How to Use an AeroPress to Make Coffee
Use this portable, lightweight coffee maker to whip up a smooth cup of coffee pretty much wherever you go.
By Team AGNPFor the mornings when you’re on the go and need a perfectly-brewed cup of coffee fast, turn to the AeroPress. It’s surprisingly easy (not to mention convenient) to brew a flavorful cup.
But if we’re being completely honest, what we love most about the AeroPress is the creative ways in which coffee nerds use this lofi gadget to brew according to their own very specific tastes. Created not by a coffee expert, but by retired Stanford University engineering instructor Alan Adler (who also happens to be the guy who invented the aerobie frisbee), the AeroPress has developed a cult following among the innovation-minded. Some devotées even developed an inverted brewing method that literally turns the device upside-down.
Ultimately, this travel-friendly coffee accessory produces an extremely precise and clean cup of coffee: flavorful like a French press, clean like a pour-over. Here, we outline the difference between AeroPress and more conventional brewing methods before explaining the standard steps to using an AeroPress—so you can nail the basics before playing around to see what’s right for you.
What is an AeroPress?
The AeroPress is a syringe-like device with a thick rubber end that uses air pressure and a plunger to compress hot water and ground coffee through a thin filter. It can brew one to three cups of strong, smooth, coffee in under two minutes. (The portable, lightweight device is particularly useful when you’re on a road trip, camping, or jet-setting to a far-flung destination with limited access to craft coffee shops.)
Made from non-toxic, BPA-free plastic, the AeroPress can be less intensive than other ways of brewing coffee, and it’s also much more affordable (a complete AeroPress gear set—including 350 paper filters—costs $29.95).
AeroPress vs. the French press
The AeroPress and French press are similar in that they’re both considered “full-immersion” brewers, which means the coffee grounds steep in hot water before they’re filtered with a manual pump. But the AeroPress utilizes suction and pressure to extract flavor from the coffee, whereas French presses rely exclusively on steeping for the flavor extraction. There are a couple other key differences between these brewing methods:
Grind size and brew time: French presses call for a coarser grind size, which requires a longer brew time than AeroPresses—roughly four minutes for a French press, versus two minutes or less for an AeroPress.
Serving size: The AeroPress brews six to eight ounces (producing roughly one to three servings), while the French Press tends to hold between 28-35 ounces, making it a better option for multi-cup brews.
Note that the tools you'll need to make a great cup of AeroPress coffee are similar to those you'd use with a french press—including a burr grinder, digital scale, and timer. Read our complete tools list in our guide to making french press coffee.
AeroPress vs. pour-over coffee
Pour-over coffee utilizes the same basic principles of automatic drip coffee, except everything is done by hand. The manual technique utilizes a funnel, paper filter, and carafe or decanter (a similar tall glass container). Many coffee lovers believe the pour-over method creates a more flavorful brew compared to other techniques like the AeroPress. With pour-over, the water filters more slowly through the grounds (which allows for more flavor extraction), and the whole process allows more control over the timing and distribution of water on the grounds.
Grind size and brew time: Most pour-over coffee makers require a medium or medium-fine coffee grind size with a brew time of roughly three minutes. You can use the same grind sizes with an AeroPress for a similar brew time of about two to three minutes.
Serving size: Depending on the size of the coffee maker, the pour-over method can yield up to eight coffee servings, whereas the AeroPress yields one to three servings.
AeroPress vs. drip coffee
The automatic drip coffee maker offers what’s arguably the most efficient coffee brewing method. All you have to do is put ground coffee beans into the filter, add water to the reservoir, then push a button to produce multiple servings of coffee in under five minutes.
While the AeroPress brewing process takes less time than using a drip coffee maker, the latter can produce as many as 10-12 cups of coffee and requires much less effort. However, there’s no comparing the quality of the end product—AeroPress coffee is much smoother and richer in flavor. (Full disclosure: Both French press and pour-over methods also result in coffee that’s far superior to what you’ll get from a drip coffee maker.)
6 Standard steps to using an AeroPress
1. Heat the water.
Start by boiling water in a stovetop kettle. Water should be around 175 degrees Fahrenheit. (To make cold brew with the AeroPress, use room temperature water.)
2. Wet the filter.
Place a paper filter inside the AeroPress filter cap and attach the cap onto the AeroPress brew chamber. (You can opt for a reusable metal filter instead, but for what it’s worth, AeroPress conducted blind taste tests that showed an overwhelming preference for coffee prepared with the paper filters.) Place the AeroPress on top of your cup, then pour a small amount of hot water on the filter to thoroughly soak it.
3. Grind coffee beans.
Measure out one rounded scoop of coffee—preferably a fine grind—and add it to the chamber. (The scoop that comes with the AeroPress holds 11.5 grams of coffee or about 2.5 tablespoons.) Give it a couple of shakes to level out the coffee.
4. Add the water.
Fill the hot water to the Level 1 mark on the chamber and stir using the paddle for 10 seconds. (For cold brew, add room temperature water and stir for one minute.)
5. Press the plunger.
Insert the plunger and gently press down for a total of 20 to 30 seconds. You'll hear a hissing sound when the plunger gets to the bottom. Another way to go about this step is by inserting the plunger at an angle, until the plunger creates a seal. The suction prevents the coffee from dripping through the filter, and you can let the suctioned chamber of coffee sit for a minute before plunging. Try both ways and see which you like better!
6. Taste the coffee.
We recommend drinking the full-bodied coffee as is. Some people add water (enough to fill the rest of the cup) to turn it into a makeshift Americano, or top with frothed milk to approximate a cappuccino, or even add ice water to make cold brew. But rather than treating AeroPress coffee as espresso (which it’s not), we prefer drinking this brew unadulterated, letting the quality of the coffee really shine.
To clean the AeroPress after each use, twist off the filter cap and press the plunger down to expel the compressed puck of coffee grounds. Now, rinse off the plunger and you’re good to go.
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