7 ms·

The Invention of the Aeropress (2014)

60 points by cribbles 8y ago

pontifier 8y ago
I really needed to read this, as I've been very discouraged by my lack of success recently. I've only got 4 patents in various stages, and nothing with traction, but this is exactly the kind of life I'm aiming for...
a012 8y ago
Aeropress is awesome, I'm still using mine for 7 years with Able brewing's fine filter. You can make coffee for two by use more coffee ground and dilute with hot water.
- sinis 8y ago
  What’s your recipe for two?
  - JamesCoyne 8y ago
    Ground coffee + hot water?
  - tyldum 8y ago
    Ground principle with coffee is to increase amount of coffee and water. Do not increase immersion time, as that will only make it bitter. If the press is too small to add enough water, then just dilute as needed after brewing. But "never" increase the immersion to make stronger coffee.
two2two 8y ago
I'd love for more inventions to be like the AeroPress. It provides a purist result with pedestrian convenience.
iscrewyou 8y ago
I love my AeroPress. It makes some of the best coffee ever. But I had to stop. Putting hot water in a plastic cup everyday for coffee? I wish there was a metal version. I’ll still use it once every so many months. But the plastic nature of the contraption has turned me away.
- SECProto 8y ago
  Same feeling here. High acidity hot coffee, at that. Plus the rubber seal was starting to degrade on mine
  - mikeash 8y ago
    You can buy a replacement rubber end from the manufacturer for about $8 shipped.
- xenihn 8y ago
  I'm surprised there isn't a premium version available. There's surely a huge market for people willing to spend ~$100 on a non-plastic version.
  - brians 8y ago
    There is a premium version available. It costs only $30. As you can see at https://aeropressinc.com/use-it-now/evolution-of-aeropress/ https://aeropressinc.com/use-it-now/evolution-of-aeropress/ , they’ve continued to re-evaluate materials, including testing for contamination while brewing coffee. You can boil an aeropress at pH 5 for an hour without detecting any leaching. The interesting bit is how it ages—how cracks form, where bacteria might find a home, that sort of thing.
    - acidbaseextract 8y ago
      I'm sure the plastic is fine, I'd just prefer a metal or glass version. On every discussion of the Aeropress, I've seen the ask for a non-plastic version pop up. Every time I've then seen essentially your reply above. I'd just prefer a metal or glass version.
      - borplk 8y ago
        I'd love a glass version too but I think it would be super dangerous. Metal is probably more practical.
xenihn 8y ago
My home-made coffee progression: Automatic drip French Press Aeropress Pour-over (using a Hario v60, Chemex filters, and a cheap, non-Hario Gooseneck kettle) Next will be a home espresso setup if I can ever get rich enough to justify having one.
- marcelluspye 8y ago
  I'm currently at step 2, and was deciding between getting an aeropress or a v60. What do you prefer about the pourover setup?
  - llukas 8y ago
    Take both :) Also get a good grinder (kinu m47, commandante or similar) if you do not have it already. It gives you controlled repeatable grind - you can make same coffee taste very different depending on the grind.
  - el_benhameen 8y ago
    Not op, but I've gone through the same-ish progression, and I prefer the pourover because it ends up being tidier. I always manage to spill grounds getting them into the Aeropress, and cleaning it out is messier, too. Plus there's the risk of your cup flying away with the amount of pressure you're putting on the top of the press. With the pourover, I dump the grounds into the filter, make the coffee, dump the filter with grounds into the compost, and rinse the v60, done. Rarely a spill or a mess.
    - duncanawoods 8y ago
      I think I need a video of you making aeropress! It's super clean for me. Some suggestions: > I always manage to spill grounds getting them into the Aeropress, Use the scoop but don't pour or tap them in - instead put the scoop into the cylinder and then spin the handle to dump out the grounds. Makes it impossible to spill. > Plus there's the risk of your cup flying away with the amount of pressure you're putting on the top of the press That sounds like way too much pressure - some new aeropresses can be tight (which can be remedied) but maybe you have too fine a grind. It should definitely not be espresso level which requires that type of muscle. It's not brewing by the pressure you are applying but time + agitation. The press is just removing the grounds. I have however frequently knocked over a pourover while pouring... my own fault... tend to use a heavy ass kettle which turns it into some weird strength endurance exercise.
exodust 8y ago
There's no chance this plastic contraption makes a nicer coffee than my espresso machine. My coffee of choice is a flat white, so I need silky smooth microfoam (not froth), which the espresso machine does at the same time. Also in terms of an "exact science" in consistently good taste, and getting the best from the beans, the extraction process of an espresso brew is superior and more reliable. Provided you take the time to learn how to do it. Next best after an espresso machine is a stove-top coffee pot. Best for coffees where it's mostly water and only some milk. > "Proponents of the device claim that drinks made with the AeroPress are more delicious than those made with thousand-dollar machines." Yeh that's funny, is this article a paid promo?
- moreentropy 8y ago
  > There's no chance this plastic contraption makes a nicer coffee than my espresso machine. Brewed coffee and espresso are two completely different things.
  - httpsterio 8y ago
    Exactly. Which is why I still use my aeropress (amongst other brew methods) when reviewing new coffees.
  - exodust 8y ago
    They both produce a drink called "coffee". Saying they are completely different is quite a stretch.
- httpsterio 8y ago
  You can't make a good filter coffee drink with an espresso machine, an americano is just a pale imitation. An aeropress on the other hand is not a substitute for an espresso machine. When talking about good coffee it's important to distinguish if you mean coffee you like to drink or if we're talking about flavours, mouth feel etc. The coffee used and recommended for good complex espresso shots does not necessarily translate to good and complex cups of filter coffee. Comparing an espresso machine with an aeropress is like apples and oranges. I could tell you several ways in which the aeropress is superior. But it doesn't matter, they are quite different devices for different purposes.
latchkey 8y ago
Use mine daily here in Saigon with amazing Vietnamese coffee. I bought the metal screen filters off of amazon for cheap. Far better than the paper filters. I can't really tell the difference between the different metal filters, but I've settled on using the wire mess screen for some reason. Interestingly enough, you can get solid knock offs in Vietnam [1] for pretty cheap (450k vnd / $19.50). If you haven't tried inverted method, do it! Lots of instruction videos on youtube. [1] http://barista1.viennam.vn/San-pham/dung-cu-pha-cafe-aeropres-ad187703.html http://barista1.viennam.vn/San-pham/dung-cu-pha-cafe-aeropre...
- neves 8y ago
  There are some research that points that a paper filter will be better for your health. The inventor of AeroPress compiled some of the research here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/v6suj5auwsehn7p/Cholesterol%202.doc?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/v6suj5auwsehn7p/Cholesterol%202.do... That's why he won't make a metal filter himself.
  - latchkey 8y ago
    There is also other research that says that LDL isn't bad [1]. The pollution from living in Saigon will probably kill me long before drinking coffee does. I also only drink 1-2 cups of coffee and tea/water for the rest of the day. At this rate, I'll go for flavor over potential minor health effects. [1] https://www.google.com/search?q=LDL+isn%27t+bad https://www.google.com/search?q=LDL+isn%27t+bad
- httpsterio 8y ago
  Paper filters absorb more oils in the brew, giving maybe a slightly clearer cup, but depending on thee coffee there might not be a huge difference. A metal filter might even make the coffee more enjoyable, but I think when reviewing coffee, the oils cover up some of the more subtle flavours.
neves 8y ago
The Alan Adler posts in the Coffee Geeks forum are really enlightening about how to make a great invention and how to enjoy your coffee: http://coffeegeek.com/members/AlanAdler http://coffeegeek.com/members/AlanAdler It is great to learn how a great inventor thinks.

60 points by cribbles 8y ago

I really needed to read this, as I've been very discouraged by my lack of success recently. I've only got 4 patents in various stages, and nothing with traction, but this is exactly the kind of life I'm aiming for...

a012 8y ago

Aeropress is awesome, I'm still using mine for 7 years with Able brewing's fine filter. You can make coffee for two by use more coffee ground and dilute with hot water.

sinis 8y ago
What’s your recipe for two?
- JamesCoyne 8y ago
  Ground coffee + hot water?
- tyldum 8y ago
  Ground principle with coffee is to increase amount of coffee and water. Do not increase immersion time, as that will only make it bitter. If the press is too small to add enough water, then just dilute as needed after brewing. But "never" increase the immersion to make stronger coffee.

two2two 8y ago

I'd love for more inventions to be like the AeroPress. It provides a purist result with pedestrian convenience.

iscrewyou 8y ago

I love my AeroPress. It makes some of the best coffee ever. But I had to stop. Putting hot water in a plastic cup everyday for coffee? I wish there was a metal version. I’ll still use it once every so many months. But the plastic nature of the contraption has turned me away.

SECProto 8y ago
Same feeling here. High acidity hot coffee, at that. Plus the rubber seal was starting to degrade on mine
- mikeash 8y ago
  You can buy a replacement rubber end from the manufacturer for about $8 shipped.
xenihn 8y ago
I'm surprised there isn't a premium version available. There's surely a huge market for people willing to spend ~$100 on a non-plastic version.
- brians 8y ago
  There is a premium version available. It costs only $30. As you can see at https://aeropressinc.com/use-it-now/evolution-of-aeropress/ https://aeropressinc.com/use-it-now/evolution-of-aeropress/ , they’ve continued to re-evaluate materials, including testing for contamination while brewing coffee. You can boil an aeropress at pH 5 for an hour without detecting any leaching. The interesting bit is how it ages—how cracks form, where bacteria might find a home, that sort of thing.
  - acidbaseextract 8y ago
    I'm sure the plastic is fine, I'd just prefer a metal or glass version. On every discussion of the Aeropress, I've seen the ask for a non-plastic version pop up. Every time I've then seen essentially your reply above. I'd just prefer a metal or glass version.
    - borplk 8y ago
      I'd love a glass version too but I think it would be super dangerous. Metal is probably more practical.

xenihn 8y ago

My home-made coffee progression: Automatic drip French Press Aeropress Pour-over (using a Hario v60, Chemex filters, and a cheap, non-Hario Gooseneck kettle) Next will be a home espresso setup if I can ever get rich enough to justify having one.

marcelluspye 8y ago
I'm currently at step 2, and was deciding between getting an aeropress or a v60. What do you prefer about the pourover setup?
- llukas 8y ago
  Take both :) Also get a good grinder (kinu m47, commandante or similar) if you do not have it already. It gives you controlled repeatable grind - you can make same coffee taste very different depending on the grind.
- el_benhameen 8y ago
  Not op, but I've gone through the same-ish progression, and I prefer the pourover because it ends up being tidier. I always manage to spill grounds getting them into the Aeropress, and cleaning it out is messier, too. Plus there's the risk of your cup flying away with the amount of pressure you're putting on the top of the press. With the pourover, I dump the grounds into the filter, make the coffee, dump the filter with grounds into the compost, and rinse the v60, done. Rarely a spill or a mess.
  - duncanawoods 8y ago
    I think I need a video of you making aeropress! It's super clean for me. Some suggestions: > I always manage to spill grounds getting them into the Aeropress, Use the scoop but don't pour or tap them in - instead put the scoop into the cylinder and then spin the handle to dump out the grounds. Makes it impossible to spill. > Plus there's the risk of your cup flying away with the amount of pressure you're putting on the top of the press That sounds like way too much pressure - some new aeropresses can be tight (which can be remedied) but maybe you have too fine a grind. It should definitely not be espresso level which requires that type of muscle. It's not brewing by the pressure you are applying but time + agitation. The press is just removing the grounds. I have however frequently knocked over a pourover while pouring... my own fault... tend to use a heavy ass kettle which turns it into some weird strength endurance exercise.

exodust 8y ago

There's no chance this plastic contraption makes a nicer coffee than my espresso machine. My coffee of choice is a flat white, so I need silky smooth microfoam (not froth), which the espresso machine does at the same time. Also in terms of an "exact science" in consistently good taste, and getting the best from the beans, the extraction process of an espresso brew is superior and more reliable. Provided you take the time to learn how to do it. Next best after an espresso machine is a stove-top coffee pot. Best for coffees where it's mostly water and only some milk. > "Proponents of the device claim that drinks made with the AeroPress are more delicious than those made with thousand-dollar machines." Yeh that's funny, is this article a paid promo?

moreentropy 8y ago
> There's no chance this plastic contraption makes a nicer coffee than my espresso machine. Brewed coffee and espresso are two completely different things.
- httpsterio 8y ago
  Exactly. Which is why I still use my aeropress (amongst other brew methods) when reviewing new coffees.
- exodust 8y ago
  They both produce a drink called "coffee". Saying they are completely different is quite a stretch.
httpsterio 8y ago
You can't make a good filter coffee drink with an espresso machine, an americano is just a pale imitation. An aeropress on the other hand is not a substitute for an espresso machine. When talking about good coffee it's important to distinguish if you mean coffee you like to drink or if we're talking about flavours, mouth feel etc. The coffee used and recommended for good complex espresso shots does not necessarily translate to good and complex cups of filter coffee. Comparing an espresso machine with an aeropress is like apples and oranges. I could tell you several ways in which the aeropress is superior. But it doesn't matter, they are quite different devices for different purposes.

latchkey 8y ago

Use mine daily here in Saigon with amazing Vietnamese coffee. I bought the metal screen filters off of amazon for cheap. Far better than the paper filters. I can't really tell the difference between the different metal filters, but I've settled on using the wire mess screen for some reason. Interestingly enough, you can get solid knock offs in Vietnam [1] for pretty cheap (450k vnd / $19.50). If you haven't tried inverted method, do it! Lots of instruction videos on youtube. [1] http://barista1.viennam.vn/San-pham/dung-cu-pha-cafe-aeropres-ad187703.html http://barista1.viennam.vn/San-pham/dung-cu-pha-cafe-aeropre...

neves 8y ago
There are some research that points that a paper filter will be better for your health. The inventor of AeroPress compiled some of the research here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/v6suj5auwsehn7p/Cholesterol%202.doc?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/v6suj5auwsehn7p/Cholesterol%202.do... That's why he won't make a metal filter himself.
- latchkey 8y ago
  There is also other research that says that LDL isn't bad [1]. The pollution from living in Saigon will probably kill me long before drinking coffee does. I also only drink 1-2 cups of coffee and tea/water for the rest of the day. At this rate, I'll go for flavor over potential minor health effects. [1] https://www.google.com/search?q=LDL+isn%27t+bad https://www.google.com/search?q=LDL+isn%27t+bad
httpsterio 8y ago
Paper filters absorb more oils in the brew, giving maybe a slightly clearer cup, but depending on thee coffee there might not be a huge difference. A metal filter might even make the coffee more enjoyable, but I think when reviewing coffee, the oils cover up some of the more subtle flavours.

neves 8y ago

The Alan Adler posts in the Coffee Geeks forum are really enlightening about how to make a great invention and how to enjoy your coffee: http://coffeegeek.com/members/AlanAdler http://coffeegeek.com/members/AlanAdler It is great to learn how a great inventor thinks.