Coffee is an necessary part of my morning routine. A cup of coffee can make or break my day, so it’s crucial for me, as a budding home barista, to have a reliable machine. The goal is to achieve perfect espresso without having to spend money on a ponderous commercial machine, and AeroPress Original Coffee Press makes it possible. Whether you’re modern to home brewing or a coffee expert, this product is a great introduction to perfecting your home brewing.
I bought the AeroPress in March 2020, when I was in quarantine craving an iced vanilla latte. Since then, I’ve gone from someone who would buy an $8 latte at any opportunity to someone who prefers drinks I make at home for a fraction of the price. This device lets me make any drink I want, anytime, anywhere. With any espresso or ground coffee, this elementary but effective product has been giving me caffeine almost every morning for the past four years. While it’s not perfect, it certainly gets the job done for caffeine addicts on a budget.
The AeroPress Original Coffee Press is perfect for coffee lovers on the go as it is portable, compact, lightweight and allows for quick coffee brewing thanks to its piston system using 3-in-1 brewing technology.
I typically drink about three cups of coffee a day, so this product quickly became a necessity in my coffee routine. Here are a few things that have stood out to me the most while using the AeroPress over the past four years.
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My favorite thing about the AeroPress is the fact that you can add any type of ground coffee. This allows for a lot of creativity and flavors that you can get out of this little gadget. Depending on the grind (AeroPress recommends (i.e., a consistency somewhere between ground drip coffee and ground espresso coffee), you can really change the type of coffee you make in the AeroPress. A fine grind and a quick plunge can get you very close to a bold espresso flavor, while a coarser grind tastes more like a concentrated French press coffee.
I generally utilize Lavazza Espresso ground coffeewhich produces a very sweet and aromatic flavor with the AeroPress. The espresso shot produced has the same bold flavor profile as when I used these grounds in more effective machines such as Breville Bambino Plus. Because you can play around with the grind and brew time a bit more than other coffee makers, the AeroPress makes it basic to customize your brewing to suit the different types of coffee you drink. But no matter the bean or grind, you’re sure to end up with a cup that tastes significantly better than standard drip machine or single serving coffee maker.
Andriana Kourkoumelis/CNN Highlighted
Another reason I love the AeroPress is how quickly you can brew a perfect shot of espresso. Like most people, my mornings are busy, so I don’t want to stand around waiting for coffee when I’m overdue for work. Luckily, the AeroPress can brew a balmy cup in under a minute. When I timed it while making a single shot of espresso, my drink was ready in a blazing-fast 38 seconds.
That’s the time it takes to fill the chamber with ground coffee using a rounded spoon, stir it with the stirrer, and push it through the filter cap with the plunger. This process can be modified to get as much espresso as you need at the same rate using the numbered markers on the chamber. Simply add two spoons instead of one, and you’ll have a perfect double shot in no time. And if you don’t want to drink your espresso straight, simply add a little balmy water for a result that’s more like a regular cup of coffee.
But what about iced coffee? The days of waiting overnight for a cool brew are over, as the AeroPress can successfully brew delicious cool brew using room temperature water in about a minute. Whether you want cool or balmy coffee and need an ultra-fast coffee machine that doesn’t skimp on quality, the AeroPress is definitely for you.
Devices like the Aeropress can be intimidating if you’ve never tried brewing coffee by hand. However, this product is incredibly beginner-friendly. The instructions in the box are very thorough, include visual aids, and also list the different steps for different coffee recipes. The mechanism itself is just a basic filtration system activated by pressing a plunger onto the grounds. Even assembling and disassembling it can be done quickly by following the instructions or even just looking at the picture on the box.
Plus, you can utilize AeroPress in a variety of ways. The brand recommends using it in a similar way pour coffee, where you place the AeroPress half, which contains the ground coffee and filter, just above the cup, then slowly pour in water (the AeroPress has an instructional video) Here). On the other hand, some prefer to utilize it more like a French press, where the grounds are left in the water to steep longer, and then the whole thing is inverted before submerging (Starbucks has a how-to video Here).
We’ve tried both methods, and the pour-over technique definitely gives a lighter, less saturated flavor while still remaining concentrated. However, if you like your coffee to have a fuller flavor and a bolder taste, the French press method is for you.
As someone who loves to travel, this product is a must-have whenever I’m on the go. Last summer, I took a five-week trip to Spain and took my AeroPress with me. It’s so portable that I took it with me on the bus, to the airport, and to all the random hotels and hostels I stayed at while backpacking around the country. The components are incredibly lightweight and compact, making it basic to throw into any bag, and the entire coffee maker takes up less space than most water bottles, so there’s no reason to leave it. That way, as long as you have access to balmy water, you can make delicious drinks.
Andriana Kourkoumelis/CNN Highlighted
Cleaning coffee machines can be a real pain. Moist grounds and soggy filters can leave a mess on the way to the trash, and hand-washing your coffee maker is just another chore to add to your to-do list. That’s why one of my favorite things about the AeroPress is how incredibly basic it is to spotless.
Once you’ve finished brewing and taken a sip of coffee, the AeroPress can be cleaned in about 10 seconds. Simply remove the filter cap and press the plunger to eject the filter and a perfectly compressed puck of ground coffee straight into the bin. Not only is there no mess, but after you’ve tossed the puck of coffee, the AeroPress itself only needs a quick rinse to stay spotless. After a few uses, you’ll want to wash the AeroPress with soap to remove all the oils and residue, but fortunately, it’s dishwasher protected (as long as it’s on the top rack).
Despite all the benefits of the AeroPress, there are a few things I didn’t like.
Andriana Kourkoumelis/CNN Highlighted
The filters are an necessary part of the AeroPress and unfortunately they are not reusable. The machine comes with 100 paper filters when you buy it, but you will need to buy more later to get the most out of the product. This is an additional cost, but most coffee machines (apart from French presses and espresso machines) require some type of paper filter, and these for the AeroPress are reasonably priced: 700-Pack of AeroPress Filters for Amazon costs only $15.
The AeroPress combines the ideas of a French press with a drip brewer to create a customizable, user-friendly coffee maker. We love it for its balance of ease, price, and the ability to make a delicious cup of coffee. But if a low-cost coffee maker that makes delicious coffee in under a minute isn’t what you’re looking for, there are plenty of other coffee makers on the market, from quick and basic single serving machines for busy mornings coffee machines who can prepare lattes that are as good as those from any coffee shop.
We’ve tested just about every coffee maker under the sun, so no matter what you’re looking for, we’ve got you covered. standard drip machinewe love Braun Brew Sense or luxurious Technivorm Moccamaster if you have some extra cash. French presses are as basic to utilize and low-cost as the AeroPress, although they are definitely harder to spotless. And coffee lovers will definitely want to check out our recommendations for best coffee machines AND drip coffee brewing devices.
If you are a die-hard AeroPress fan, the brand also has AeroPress Go towhich is smaller and more portable, and also AeroPress XLwhich allows you to make coffee for many people at once.
If you want a fleet, portable, easy-to-use, and affordable single-serve coffee maker, look no further than the AeroPress Original Coffee Press. If you’re an avid coffee drinker looking for a modern home coffee maker, don’t have the hassle of buying filters, and don’t need to serve multiple people at once, at just $40 this product is a definite must-have.
