18 ms·

The Invention of the AeroPress (2014)

147 points by hunterloftis 7y ago

draw_down 7y ago
I used one for a while years ago. Ultimately it's too fiddly to brew with, and it doesn't make enough coffee for me (I like 12-16 oz). I settled on a french press, even though the AeroPress does makes nicer coffee, and is easier to clean. But the french press is much simpler, an important consideration in the part of the morning when you pretty much by definition have not yet had any coffee. I don't own a Chemex or other pour-over brewer, but I would put them above the AeroPress. They're less fiddly to brew with, can produce more coffee, the quality is very similar (imo), and cleanup is not much worse.
- kencausey 7y ago
  I used a french press for years but finally got fed up with the difficulty of cleaning it, primarily due to the rough edge of the screen/filter. I got a basic pour-over brewer a couple of years ago and while it is arguably more labor to work with (and I have to buy filters, I really should look for a long use filter, but then I would have to clean that) the simpler cleanup seems worth it. I can't really claim to be able to taste a difference in the methods, variations in the coffee I choose, the cream, how much sugar I use, all seem to drown out any difference due to brewing method.
  - clairity 7y ago
    french presses, drippers, and the like can just be rinsed after every use (to remove spent grounds mainly) and washed every once in a while. i've been using a clever dripper lately as it's easy to use and rinse, and produces good coffee (similar to a french press). friends who have the aeropress really like it, but it seems to me to be more work for marginal benefit (especially if you like cream and sugar =).
- kitotik 7y ago
  My morning ritual is a 20oz cup with an AeroPress. Takes me 7 minutes total including grinding the beans.
  - randycupertino 7y ago
    Would you mind expounding on your steps/timing?
    - kitotik 7y ago
      VERY roughly: - bring a full Bonavita kettle to 205f - hand grind 16-20g beans to roughly ‘beach sand’ - bloom For 25 seconds by while slowly pouring and simultaneously agitating - fill to the top with water - start a 25-45 second extraction at the 110 second mark - top off the 20oz porcelain cup with water (by this time it has cooled to around 195f) - push out the puck and rinse I use the inverted method. I also use a hand grinder because, uh, I sorta like the meditative aspect of it. And I do think you can get a higher quality grind for cheaper with manual grinders. I’m not willing to spend the hundreds on a nice electric. Maybe I’ll do a video of this process at some point!
  - dTal 7y ago
    Ooh, what's your ritual? Not to brag but I've got my perfect cup down to 2 minutes including cleanup: - Kettle emptied, filled and on (10 seconds) - Oat milk into frother (10 seconds) - Grind beans - electric grinder on medium size, 2 scoops (1 second, a mere button push) - prep Aeropress with filter (10 seconds) - grounds into Aeropress (a delicate operation, 20 seconds) - Kettle has boiled, stopwatch started and water up to Mark 3 (5 seconds) - Stir grounds (not on critical path) - When stopwatch reads 25 seconds, plunge over course of 5 seconds - Empty Aeropress and rinse it (5 seconds) - Pour frothed oat milk (5 seconds) - Rinse milk frother (15-20 seconds) This is results in a very delicious latte, the best method I've found so far and also amazingly quick!
    - deleted 7y ago
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    - 7y ago
- Steltek 7y ago
  There's no way pour over is less fiddly than an AeroPress. Timing blooms, gooseneck kettle only so you can gently apply water evenly, and having to sit the whole thing on a scale so you can measure how much water you've really added.
  - Shoue 7y ago
    If you aren't doing any of that for the Aeropress (which you "should") I'm not sure why you think you need to do the same for a pourover. You can just experiment and eyeball it like you do for the Aeropress
    - Steltek 7y ago
      Coffee rituals are a mixed bag of "truths" and preferences. Here's why I believe AP doesn't need those things and a pour over does: Blooming is mostly to remove gas pockets from the bed of coffee so water can reach all of the grounds evenly for the actual brew. This makes a lot of sense for a PO, where water is quickly passing through, but less so for immersion techniques like AP. AP doesn't need a specialty kettle. Just use the same funnel for the coffee grounds to pour in the water and you can be as rough as you want. I still use a gooseneck but that's mostly because they're smaller and take up less countertop space. Water/coffee ratio is easy for an inverted AP. Water isn't leaving the cylinder until you plunge so you just pour up to the mark, however you please. For PO, you have the double whammy of refilling the cone with water and having the water almost immediately start draining out into the cup.
  - mbrock 7y ago
    I make pour over the very first thing early in the morning, usually while an 8 month old baby is crawling around chaotically. I just put the ceramic dripper on my mug, pour a bit of water for the bloom without "timing" it, then pour some more like three times until the mug is full. Yeah I use a gooseneck kettle (which btw also comes in handy for watering flowers and filling up the clothes iron) but I'm not fussy about technique. Occasionally I just dump a bunch of water in the filter at once and the coffee turns out fine if a bit weak.
- Shoue 7y ago
  Yeah, I love Aeropress coffee but after burning myself while using the inverted method I've resolved to using Kalita Wave at work and Chemex at home. I do sometimes miss the flexibility of the Aeropress, especially doing 15 minute brews with really coarse grounds to bring out some unique flavour, but I make up for it with better beans nowadays.
  - ses1984 7y ago
    The inverted method is needlessly complex. Use the unit normally. Fill it with coffee and water. Insert the plunger but don't press down. It makes a seal, and the seal prevents coffee from dripping out. It's like holding your finger over a straw. Sure, a few drips might make it through, but probably you will be able to trap 95% of the brew.
    - wideasleep1 7y ago
      Also alleviated by this 'gismo', named Prismo: https://fellowproducts.com/products/prismo https://fellowproducts.com/products/prismo
    - ValentineC 7y ago
      > The inverted method is needlessly complex. How is it needlessly complex? I do it everyday, and it seems more "natural" in making a full immersion brew, compared to the normal method which doesn't let you stir once you insert the plunger.
      - deleted 7y ago
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      - ses1984 7y ago
        Do you really need to stir after you insert the plunger? I sometimes wiggle the aeropress a bit too break the crust in top.
    - oo0shiny 7y ago
      This is exactly what I do. Or just give the plunger a tug upwards to create a bit of back-pressure. Keeps the water in the tube until you plunge.
- Eric_WVGG 7y ago
  Huh. I use an AeroPress because it is much less fiddly than a pour-over, and makes much better coffee and easier to clean than a french press. Also I find the smaller-batches to be a plus because I don't want to be finishing a room-temperature pot in two hours.
- Talanes 7y ago
  Clean up with my pour over: Dump filter in compost. Rinse under sink quickly. Done.
- ineedasername 7y ago
  I thought the idea was that you fill it up as much as it can go, but the small amount of water makes a stronger cup so you add the rest of your hot water directly to dilute it to desired strength.
turbostyler 7y ago
What happened to Priceonomics? They used to regularly publish great content that I'd often see on the front page here. Is their business dying or are they just no longer prioritizing content marketing (or maybe targeting different people)?
- kencausey 7y ago
  Did you notice that this article is from 2014?
  - kencausey 7y ago
    Maybe I misunderstood whether the OP was referring to this particular article as 'content marketing'.
- bckygldstn 7y ago
  They pivoted their business model a few times, and now do data content writing for other companies. The fascinating Priconomics deep dives that I used to look forward to don't pay as well as advertorials like "5G Is 200X Faster and Will Unlock Everything" and "Which Industries Will Be Transformed By Blockchain".
- pixelpoet 7y ago
  I noticed a bunch of typos (it's, Alder, jo), am about 4/5 through.
sesuximo 7y ago
I love my aeropress but it is not even close to the best cup of coffee in the world
- kitotik 7y ago
  Hmmm. Perhaps not the _world_, but if you can’t make a cup that is in at least your personal top 10, you need adjust process and/or ingredients. I can cover a pretty wide range of my personal tastes - from syrupy espresso-like to smoky diner style to super crisp and light pour over style.
  - ValentineC 7y ago
    > I can cover a pretty wide range of my personal tastes - from syrupy espresso-like to smoky diner style to super crisp and light pour over style. Is this all from your AeroPress? I find that a lot of the "range" I'm getting comes from obtaining beans from a variety of regions and roast levels. I can't figure out how to switch things around on the process level — but I almost always do the inverted method.
    - kitotik 7y ago
      Yes for sure all from AeroPress. So many knobs to turn. Aside from the obvious variables like quality and quantity of beans and water, the following have HUGE effects: - coarseness of the grind - water temp - bloom time - steep time - length and pressure of the extraction(the ‘press’) Checkout some award-winning recipes to get a feel for all the different techniques.
      - notechback 7y ago
        From looking at some of those recipes Aeropress looks more like a cult than a way of brewing coffee. Instructions on exact seconds to wait for the water to cool or how many times to turn the spoon... I don't doubt that this influences the coffee but I doubt that any mortal human can taste the difference between s coffee stirred 3 or 4 full rounds.
whitlock 7y ago
I recently watched the AeroPress Movie (https://aeropressmovie.com/ https://aeropressmovie.com/), which was a fun look into the history and culture around the AeroPress. Something I enjoyed about it was seeing the inventors workshop in his garage, as well as his opinions on what constitutes a "good cup" of coffee.
- llbeansandrice 7y ago
  Interesting. I've not watched the movie but I disagree with the inventor on the type of coffee he tries to make with the Aeropress. From what I recall he tries to make a more "espresso" style coffee and then dilute it. I prefer to just go 15g coffee to 250g of water for a single normal cup. No dilution.
  - bagacrap 7y ago
    yeah, he also doesn't steep, but I find that you need to steep for a few minutes unless you want to under extract your beans. I also greatly prefer a metal filter over paper as it lets more flavor through, but people who don't like flavor call that "acidity" or "bitterness". ️
Steltek 7y ago
I'm the only coffee drinker in the house and I love my AeroPress: * It's fast * It's foolproof * It makes good quality coffee * It's camping friendly All of the tedium and unforced errors of pour over coffee disappears: "blooming", meticulous pouring technique, realtime measuring of water/coffee ratio. The hardest part is I use a hand grinder but even that isn't so bad.
- kitotik 7y ago
  The camping/road trip scenario is what lead me to AeroPress many years ago. The fact that it was able to replace all the other methods and home and work was a total bonus! Disclaimer: total AeroPress nerd and fanboy
- freetime2 7y ago
  A pour over doesn’t need to be that complicated, though. For most people it’s just a matter of throwing a scoop of coffee into a filter cone and pouring hot water over it. Sure you can get a more precise outcome with more fiddling, but it’s a tradeoff of effort vs. diminishing rewards.
  - dominotw 7y ago
    this is what i do. I just need my fix, takes me all of 10-15 secs to get it.
- baldfat 7y ago
  My wife is in the same boat as you. She ended up just going back to single serve french press. She thinks it is just simpler and taste great.
  - samatman 7y ago
    Same, except I went with a Hario V01 pourover. I do use single serve French press sometimes. The basic tradeoff for Aeropress is more complex flavor but weaker mouth feel, and I decided I wanted a richer texture. Usually drink darker roasts, so squeezing every note out of the beans is less important to me.
thebean11 7y ago
Plastic + hot liquids still make me nervous
- dylanz 7y ago
  I'm in the same boat and I roll with a Chemex at home.
- kashyapc 7y ago
  I was worried about that initially, but the plastic is sufficiently robust (I have to say, my AeroPress got a bit chipped at the top when it fell from my hand as I was cleaning). I'm still wondering if a glass-based, non-plastic variant of AeroPress will show up any time soon.
  - simtel20 7y ago
    I've really hoped that a stainless vacuum-sealed thermos-type tube could be created to replace the main chamber. It should be to handle and clean.
    - wideasleep1 7y ago
      I have long-considered the Espro Travel Press to be the Aeropress's metal cousin: https://www.espro.com/catalog/french-press/coffee-travel-press https://www.espro.com/catalog/french-press/coffee-travel-pre...
      - simtel20 7y ago
        The espro ends up being more bitter, though. I can't say why, maybe it shouldn't be, but it is.
        wideasleep1 7y ago
        Bitterness is overextraction, which involves tweaking either grind size (extraction speed) and/or brew time (extraction duration), and of course whether you press the Espro, and consume from the vessel (spent grind still impacting flavor) versus pouring brew into a separate mug. edit: It should also be mentioned, since AP is a relatively unconventional approach to coffee prep, it has evolved over time that many prefer to brew in the AP at significantly lower temperatures than other methods. AP instructions even suggest a 176F brew temperature, which when followed makes it more challenging to get bitter overextractions, when grind size and brew time are maintained. Consistency is a major attribute to AP.
kashyapc 7y ago
I used to swear by my French Press. Some two years ago I casually said to my sibling that I wanted to try AeroPress to see what the fuss is all about. One day it showed up as a present in my mailbox. I opened it, ridiculing it, thinking I'll give it a single try, toss it in the closet and get back to my French Press. Fast forward two years: Almost every weekday morning I start with a full AeroPress. And each morning I used to shake my head with the same surprise as I ground the beans[+]: "I still can't believe this plastic thing can produce such good coffee." It's the French Press now that's gathering dust in the closet. To my brain, AeroPress == French Press minus the "fine sludge". [+] FWIW, I use "Mano Mano" by the Belgian coffee roaster, Café Liégeois (not associated with them, just a happy user)—https://cafe-liegeois.com/en/cafes/mano-mano-puissant https://cafe-liegeois.com/en/cafes/mano-mano-puissant
- freetime2 7y ago
  I actually enjoy the bits of coffee bean in french press coffee. Same as with turkish coffee which I also enjoy. Kind of like the coffee equivalent to a “rustic” bread. It’s not something I use every day, but when I do I look forward to it.
- AdmiralAsshat 7y ago
  AeroPress doesn't really scale for company, though. I remember trying to make several cups in a row for family and by the time cup #3 was finished, cup #1 was cold. I do still whip out my AeroPress from time to time if I'm making a really fruity coffee, because I feel like the AP method is better at extracting those flavors. But for my usual morning cup for myself and my significant other, French Press is king. > To my brain, AeroPress == French Press minus the "fine sludge". I haven't really noticed "the sludge" in my FP since I invested in a Barata Encore canonical burr grinder. It's able to grind the beans coarsely and evenly enough that you don't get the sludge (which is usually the unevenly-ground fines that slip past the mesh filter). Additionally, paper filters trap the coffee bean fines, but they also trap the oil, which is desirable in your coffee. But I will concede that the AP is probably the most affordable option for a good cup of coffee. You can pair it with a cheap blade grinder and still get a decent cup out of it, while poorly-ground coffee in a FP can make for a "sludgy" cup.
fermienrico 7y ago
IMO we shouldn't allow inventions such as AeroPress to have exclusive rights to produce it by enforcing Patent laws. The idea of Patents was to encourage entrepreneurs to invent, but the consumers get shafted by increased price and no competition. AeroPress is an extremely simple invention, patented to the brim and they spend a ton of money defending their patents. This expenditure gets passed to the consumer with a $40 price tag for something that costs $2 to make. Inventions are not special. Providing value to the user by out competing others either by price, quality, customer service, etc. is a win for the customer. Products such as AeroPress, Frisbee, Rubik's cube, etc. leave a bad after taste as a consumer. AeroPress has no incentive to improve their product because of the lack of competition. AeroPress should get a 2 year headstart. After the 2 years, their patent expires and they gotta actually compete with others. What if the Chinese start making these for $1.50? We should have a labor quotient - if country X imports from country Y, country X should charge import duty that is proportional to the labor quotient exactly to counter balance the higher labor cost in country X. I am interested in counter arguments, what are the benefits to the society as a whole when we have exclusive production rights to inventions?
- diob 7y ago
  How does a person outside the system compete or move up at all then? Sell immediately to someone who owns the means of production? I don't disagree with your thoughts about patents, but I also don't know how to protect regular folks.
- dragonwriter 7y ago
  > The idea of Patents was to encourage entrepreneurs to invent, but the consumers get shafted by increased price and no competition For a limited time, that premium is imposed; that's where the incentive comes from. > Products such as AeroPress, Frisbee, Rubik's cube, etc. leave a bad after taste as a consumer. Two of those are long out of patent protection. (Well, in Frisbee's case at least on the base design, new innovations may be still be covered.) > AeroPress should get a 2 year headstart. So you have no problem with the idea of patents, you just want to reconsider the duration of either patents in general or patents in some particular subfields? > We should have a labor quotient - if country X imports from country Y, country X should charge import duty that is proportional to the labor quotient exactly to counter balance the higher labor cost in country X. Is this average labor cost per hour or industry-specific labor cost per unit delivered or something else? I suspect once you decide this, you'll see a whole set of unintended consequences...
mangoman 7y ago
Different brewing methods taste different. French press tastes different than a pourover. An Aeropress tastes different than a moka pot. I couldn't help but groan at the idea that a tool 'brews the best cup of coffee in the world' . The coffee the various tools produce simply taste different and they have different usecases. Not better or worse, just different.
- alharith 7y ago
  To brew "the best" which means really to get the best extraction out of the bean for which the flavor profile the drinker enjoys the most (too much extraction results in a acidic, heavy taste, too little extraction results in the dreaded "mud water" light taste) I've tried them all. The aeropress simply enables you to brew the most consistent cup to your liking, plus all the other benefits Steltek pointed out.
  - freetime2 7y ago
    Shouldn’t that be “the aeropress simply allows me to brew the most consistent cup to my liking”? Taste is highly subjective, after all.
  - wmkn 7y ago
    > too much extraction results in a acidic, heavy taste, too little extraction results in the dreaded "mud water" light taste It's actually the opposite. Over extraction results in more prominent bitter flavors and under extraction in more prominent sour flavors.
  - notechback 7y ago
    A mocha express style Italian coffee maker is super consistent in quality and (for my taste) gives much better flavour. The steam method takes out much of the bitterness compared to a poured coffee like Aeropress.
    - jdashg 7y ago
      I think that depends more on the beans. Good light roast beans don't need to worry so much about masking bitterness. If modern craft light roast is not your preference, you will need to care more about bitterness. (NB: Not all coffee labeled light roast is)
Zenbit_UX 7y ago
Can anyone recommend an electric grinder for this thing? Tempted to try it.
- wideasleep1 7y ago
  Baratza Encore
- ineedasername 7y ago
  I'm not sure you need any particular grinder, I've used everything from ultra fine ground to very course grinds and it works fine with anything.
- Lio 7y ago
  I found that grind in an AeroPress is not as critical as for an espresso machine where you use it to tune pressure towards 9 bar. Having said that I’d say get a conical bur grinder and not a cheap bladed one. Less bothered about brand myself. With the bladed grinder you measure the coffee volume in beans then set the grind size by the time you run the machine. On a bur grinder you can set the grind size with a dial and use the timer to measure the volume of coffee. Much more repeatable and hence easier to tweak one way or the other.
- hunterloftis 7y ago
  A bit late but I use the OXO brew conical burr on its "fine" setting. It looks nice, works reliably, has good ergonomics, and doesn't get messy. Also runs the full gamut of grind sizes so we can use it with our french press and chemex too. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CSKGLMM https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CSKGLMM
elchief 7y ago
hot water + plastic = bad
- wideasleep1 7y ago
  https://aeropress.com/use-it-now/evolution-of-aeropress/ https://aeropress.com/use-it-now/evolution-of-aeropress/ edit confession: I have collected all versions, save for the new red one.
- Kirby64 7y ago
  Based on what? If the plastic has no BPA in it, what's the issue?
  - CptFribble 7y ago
    There's a lot more in our products, our packaging, in our food and water supply that's potentially harmful but "technically unproven to cause harm." Do some research into BPA and you'll find there are several other BPx's in use now, each with their own problematic potential for endocrine disruption, that still allow the manufacturers to say "BPA Free!!" Also every thermal paper receipt you touch is covered in BPA.
  - elchief 7y ago
    https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/09/news-BPA-free-plastic-safety-chemicals-health/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/09/news-BPA-... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222987/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222987/ Plastics have a much lower solubility constant than glass. There's no reason to use plastic when you can use glass
suprfsat 7y ago
Archived version with images: https://web.archive.org/web/20140307081011/https://priceonomics.com/the-invention-of-the-aeropress/ https://web.archive.org/web/20140307081011/https://priceonom...
chadlavi 7y ago
Were you inspired to post this after watching the Bon Appétit test kitchen work-from-home coffee video?
dang 7y ago
Related from a few weeks ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22493376 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22493376 OP discussed in 2018: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18474815 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18474815 OP discussed at the time: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7615399 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7615399 Related from 2015: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9381315 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9381315 Also 2015: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9214571 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9214571 I think that covers the major AeroPress bases.
grafelic 7y ago
I use my AeroPress for Yerba Mate exclusively. Two spoons of Yerba Mate for one cup, add 90C° water, put in plunger on top and let it steep for 5 minutes. It stretches the Yerba Mate and it is easy to clean.
- ineedasername 7y ago
  Apparently Mate might cause cancer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba_mate#Cancer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba_mate#Cancer
  - apk-d 7y ago
    Last I checked, the evidence was unclear whether it's the mate or the temperature it's consumed at. Which is weird to be because I thought mate was brewed at lower temperature compared to coffee (70°C). Either way, the WHO recommends you don't take your beverages too hot: https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/94/8/16-010816/en/ https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/94/8/16-010816/en/
  - leviathant 7y ago
    Drinking alcohol increases the risk of mouth cancer, pharyngeal (upper throat) cancer, oesophageal (food pipe) cancer, laryngeal (voice box) cancer, breast cancer, bowel cancer and liver cancer. But that doesn't really seem to slow anyone down.
    - ineedasername 7y ago
      Sure, but assuming the mate drinkers are also drinking alcohol, it may have a synergistic effect and increase risk much beyond either alone, like tobacco and alcohol do with each other. Pure speculation though.
01100011 7y ago
I am terribly lazy and have completely given up on quality coffee. I drink medaglia d'oro instant espresso and find it does the job without consuming too much time or counter space.
- PascLeRasc 7y ago
  Why not just take caffeine pills at this point?
  - fudged71 7y ago
    Caffeine pills are great in the morning if you want a precise dose consistently
  - pm215 7y ago
    There is comfort to be had in the habit of drinking a big mug of a hot drink, caffeinated or not. I drink coffee for that as much as anything else, and given the popularity of decaf coffee so do many others...
  - 01100011 7y ago
    Coffee tastes good and contains beneficial compounds like quercetin and phenylindane.
  - Talanes 7y ago
    As someone who enjoys good coffee, I still think cheap shitty coffee is better than bad (here meaning anything I don't like) craft coffee. It tends toward muted flavors rather than anything actively unenjoyable. If I don't like the roast in a quality cup of coffee, all of those flavors I don't like will be front and center.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
TomMasz 7y ago
When my last espresso machine died I switched to the AeroPress as a temporary replacement. It didn't take long before I realized I didn't need to buy another espresso machine.
- ntsplnkv2 7y ago
  Curious what kind of espresso machine you had? Aeropress is great but doesn't come anywhere near a good pulled espresso shot for me - in any capacity.
darkteflon 7y ago
If you’re an espresso drinker and are looking for something that makes a frankly excellent little shot of coffee and is comparably (with the AeroPress) low-fuss and low-maintenance, I bought a handpresso (https://www.handpresso.com/en/ https://www.handpresso.com/en/) a couple months back for an overseas trip but was so happy with it that it’s now my daily driver.
- sien 7y ago
  That looks cool. I have two nanopressos which are also very good. One for home and one for work. https://www.wacaco.com/pages/nanopresso https://www.wacaco.com/pages/nanopresso
  - 0-_-0 7y ago
    I can second the nanopresso, I also recommend the barista kit for the bigger coffee basket: https://www.wacaco.com/products/barista-kit https://www.wacaco.com/products/barista-kit
  - darkteflon 7y ago
    Yeah I cross-shopped that - it looks good too. The wacaco and the handpresso seem to dominate the travel espresso segment. A friend of mine - a fellow Melburnian - has the Rok espresso maker (https://www.rok.coffee/ https://www.rok.coffee/), which is a large-ish countertop manual espresso device. He reckons he’s pulled over 10,000 shots with it and swears by it. Also low-fuss, low-maintenance and just a couple hundred bucks.
    - sien 6y ago
      Oh that's cool. Thanks for posting that.
zipperhead 7y ago
I have an AeroPress, a french press, and a Clever Dripper. While I like the AeroPress, I don't find it makes enough coffee in one go. The Clever Dripper is basically a french press with a #4 filter, so you still get a filtered cup - no sludge (you do miss out on the oils though). It's a foolproof method to a great cup of coffee.
manifoldgeo 7y ago
Hey, I just made a 3d model / animation of an AeroPress in Blender! I put it on GitHub under a Creative Commons License (obviously I didn't use the brand name), so feel free to use it if you have a need for a model of an AeroPress for some reason. https://github.com/bxbrenden/Blender-CoffeePress https://github.com/bxbrenden/Blender-CoffeePress
ineedasername 7y ago
I have an AeroPress. I have a few different french-press mugs. I have a disc you place over a much, with a little fabric pouch in the middle for the grounds, and then pour in the hot water. (They're all convenient in different scenarios.) I can honestly say that I never notice any taste difference (assuming I'm using the same beans). I don't doubt many people can taste the difference, and it's a big deal for them. But I also think there are many people who, like me, honestly don't taste much of a difference.
alister 7y ago
> “What do you guys do when you just want one cup of coffee?” Adler had wondered this many times himself. He’d grown increasingly frustrated with his coffee maker, which yielded 6-8 cups per brew. Why can’t you put just enough water and coffee in a standard coffee maker to make only one cup? My coffee maker came with a manual that said, “Always make a full pot”, but I never understood the reasoning behind that. (And admittedly never tried making just one cup to see what happens.)
chriselles 7y ago
My wife has a super expensive espresso machine. It makes her a great cup of coffee. I use my aeropress, exclusively.

147 points by hunterloftis 7y ago

I used one for a while years ago. Ultimately it's too fiddly to brew with, and it doesn't make enough coffee for me (I like 12-16 oz). I settled on a french press, even though the AeroPress does makes nicer coffee, and is easier to clean. But the french press is much simpler, an important consideration in the part of the morning when you pretty much by definition have not yet had any coffee. I don't own a Chemex or other pour-over brewer, but I would put them above the AeroPress. They're less fiddly to brew with, can produce more coffee, the quality is very similar (imo), and cleanup is not much worse.

kencausey 7y ago
I used a french press for years but finally got fed up with the difficulty of cleaning it, primarily due to the rough edge of the screen/filter. I got a basic pour-over brewer a couple of years ago and while it is arguably more labor to work with (and I have to buy filters, I really should look for a long use filter, but then I would have to clean that) the simpler cleanup seems worth it. I can't really claim to be able to taste a difference in the methods, variations in the coffee I choose, the cream, how much sugar I use, all seem to drown out any difference due to brewing method.
- clairity 7y ago
  french presses, drippers, and the like can just be rinsed after every use (to remove spent grounds mainly) and washed every once in a while. i've been using a clever dripper lately as it's easy to use and rinse, and produces good coffee (similar to a french press). friends who have the aeropress really like it, but it seems to me to be more work for marginal benefit (especially if you like cream and sugar =).
kitotik 7y ago
My morning ritual is a 20oz cup with an AeroPress. Takes me 7 minutes total including grinding the beans.
- randycupertino 7y ago
  Would you mind expounding on your steps/timing?
  - kitotik 7y ago
    VERY roughly: - bring a full Bonavita kettle to 205f - hand grind 16-20g beans to roughly ‘beach sand’ - bloom For 25 seconds by while slowly pouring and simultaneously agitating - fill to the top with water - start a 25-45 second extraction at the 110 second mark - top off the 20oz porcelain cup with water (by this time it has cooled to around 195f) - push out the puck and rinse I use the inverted method. I also use a hand grinder because, uh, I sorta like the meditative aspect of it. And I do think you can get a higher quality grind for cheaper with manual grinders. I’m not willing to spend the hundreds on a nice electric. Maybe I’ll do a video of this process at some point!
- dTal 7y ago
  Ooh, what's your ritual? Not to brag but I've got my perfect cup down to 2 minutes including cleanup: - Kettle emptied, filled and on (10 seconds) - Oat milk into frother (10 seconds) - Grind beans - electric grinder on medium size, 2 scoops (1 second, a mere button push) - prep Aeropress with filter (10 seconds) - grounds into Aeropress (a delicate operation, 20 seconds) - Kettle has boiled, stopwatch started and water up to Mark 3 (5 seconds) - Stir grounds (not on critical path) - When stopwatch reads 25 seconds, plunge over course of 5 seconds - Empty Aeropress and rinse it (5 seconds) - Pour frothed oat milk (5 seconds) - Rinse milk frother (15-20 seconds) This is results in a very delicious latte, the best method I've found so far and also amazingly quick!
  - deleted 7y ago
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Steltek 7y ago
There's no way pour over is less fiddly than an AeroPress. Timing blooms, gooseneck kettle only so you can gently apply water evenly, and having to sit the whole thing on a scale so you can measure how much water you've really added.
- Shoue 7y ago
  If you aren't doing any of that for the Aeropress (which you "should") I'm not sure why you think you need to do the same for a pourover. You can just experiment and eyeball it like you do for the Aeropress
  - Steltek 7y ago
    Coffee rituals are a mixed bag of "truths" and preferences. Here's why I believe AP doesn't need those things and a pour over does: Blooming is mostly to remove gas pockets from the bed of coffee so water can reach all of the grounds evenly for the actual brew. This makes a lot of sense for a PO, where water is quickly passing through, but less so for immersion techniques like AP. AP doesn't need a specialty kettle. Just use the same funnel for the coffee grounds to pour in the water and you can be as rough as you want. I still use a gooseneck but that's mostly because they're smaller and take up less countertop space. Water/coffee ratio is easy for an inverted AP. Water isn't leaving the cylinder until you plunge so you just pour up to the mark, however you please. For PO, you have the double whammy of refilling the cone with water and having the water almost immediately start draining out into the cup.
- mbrock 7y ago
  I make pour over the very first thing early in the morning, usually while an 8 month old baby is crawling around chaotically. I just put the ceramic dripper on my mug, pour a bit of water for the bloom without "timing" it, then pour some more like three times until the mug is full. Yeah I use a gooseneck kettle (which btw also comes in handy for watering flowers and filling up the clothes iron) but I'm not fussy about technique. Occasionally I just dump a bunch of water in the filter at once and the coffee turns out fine if a bit weak.
Shoue 7y ago
Yeah, I love Aeropress coffee but after burning myself while using the inverted method I've resolved to using Kalita Wave at work and Chemex at home. I do sometimes miss the flexibility of the Aeropress, especially doing 15 minute brews with really coarse grounds to bring out some unique flavour, but I make up for it with better beans nowadays.
- ses1984 7y ago
  The inverted method is needlessly complex. Use the unit normally. Fill it with coffee and water. Insert the plunger but don't press down. It makes a seal, and the seal prevents coffee from dripping out. It's like holding your finger over a straw. Sure, a few drips might make it through, but probably you will be able to trap 95% of the brew.
  - wideasleep1 7y ago
    Also alleviated by this 'gismo', named Prismo: https://fellowproducts.com/products/prismo https://fellowproducts.com/products/prismo
  - ValentineC 7y ago
    > The inverted method is needlessly complex. How is it needlessly complex? I do it everyday, and it seems more "natural" in making a full immersion brew, compared to the normal method which doesn't let you stir once you insert the plunger.
    - deleted 7y ago
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    - ses1984 7y ago
      Do you really need to stir after you insert the plunger? I sometimes wiggle the aeropress a bit too break the crust in top.
  - oo0shiny 7y ago
    This is exactly what I do. Or just give the plunger a tug upwards to create a bit of back-pressure. Keeps the water in the tube until you plunge.
Eric_WVGG 7y ago
Huh. I use an AeroPress because it is much less fiddly than a pour-over, and makes much better coffee and easier to clean than a french press. Also I find the smaller-batches to be a plus because I don't want to be finishing a room-temperature pot in two hours.
Talanes 7y ago
Clean up with my pour over: Dump filter in compost. Rinse under sink quickly. Done.
ineedasername 7y ago
I thought the idea was that you fill it up as much as it can go, but the small amount of water makes a stronger cup so you add the rest of your hot water directly to dilute it to desired strength.

turbostyler 7y ago

What happened to Priceonomics? They used to regularly publish great content that I'd often see on the front page here. Is their business dying or are they just no longer prioritizing content marketing (or maybe targeting different people)?

kencausey 7y ago
Did you notice that this article is from 2014?
- kencausey 7y ago
  Maybe I misunderstood whether the OP was referring to this particular article as 'content marketing'.
bckygldstn 7y ago
They pivoted their business model a few times, and now do data content writing for other companies. The fascinating Priconomics deep dives that I used to look forward to don't pay as well as advertorials like "5G Is 200X Faster and Will Unlock Everything" and "Which Industries Will Be Transformed By Blockchain".
pixelpoet 7y ago
I noticed a bunch of typos (it's, Alder, jo), am about 4/5 through.

sesuximo 7y ago

I love my aeropress but it is not even close to the best cup of coffee in the world

kitotik 7y ago
Hmmm. Perhaps not the _world_, but if you can’t make a cup that is in at least your personal top 10, you need adjust process and/or ingredients. I can cover a pretty wide range of my personal tastes - from syrupy espresso-like to smoky diner style to super crisp and light pour over style.
- ValentineC 7y ago
  > I can cover a pretty wide range of my personal tastes - from syrupy espresso-like to smoky diner style to super crisp and light pour over style. Is this all from your AeroPress? I find that a lot of the "range" I'm getting comes from obtaining beans from a variety of regions and roast levels. I can't figure out how to switch things around on the process level — but I almost always do the inverted method.
  - kitotik 7y ago
    Yes for sure all from AeroPress. So many knobs to turn. Aside from the obvious variables like quality and quantity of beans and water, the following have HUGE effects: - coarseness of the grind - water temp - bloom time - steep time - length and pressure of the extraction(the ‘press’) Checkout some award-winning recipes to get a feel for all the different techniques.
    - notechback 7y ago
      From looking at some of those recipes Aeropress looks more like a cult than a way of brewing coffee. Instructions on exact seconds to wait for the water to cool or how many times to turn the spoon... I don't doubt that this influences the coffee but I doubt that any mortal human can taste the difference between s coffee stirred 3 or 4 full rounds.

whitlock 7y ago

I recently watched the AeroPress Movie (https://aeropressmovie.com/ https://aeropressmovie.com/), which was a fun look into the history and culture around the AeroPress. Something I enjoyed about it was seeing the inventors workshop in his garage, as well as his opinions on what constitutes a "good cup" of coffee.

llbeansandrice 7y ago
Interesting. I've not watched the movie but I disagree with the inventor on the type of coffee he tries to make with the Aeropress. From what I recall he tries to make a more "espresso" style coffee and then dilute it. I prefer to just go 15g coffee to 250g of water for a single normal cup. No dilution.
- bagacrap 7y ago
  yeah, he also doesn't steep, but I find that you need to steep for a few minutes unless you want to under extract your beans. I also greatly prefer a metal filter over paper as it lets more flavor through, but people who don't like flavor call that "acidity" or "bitterness". ️

Steltek 7y ago

I'm the only coffee drinker in the house and I love my AeroPress: * It's fast * It's foolproof * It makes good quality coffee * It's camping friendly All of the tedium and unforced errors of pour over coffee disappears: "blooming", meticulous pouring technique, realtime measuring of water/coffee ratio. The hardest part is I use a hand grinder but even that isn't so bad.

kitotik 7y ago
The camping/road trip scenario is what lead me to AeroPress many years ago. The fact that it was able to replace all the other methods and home and work was a total bonus! Disclaimer: total AeroPress nerd and fanboy
freetime2 7y ago
A pour over doesn’t need to be that complicated, though. For most people it’s just a matter of throwing a scoop of coffee into a filter cone and pouring hot water over it. Sure you can get a more precise outcome with more fiddling, but it’s a tradeoff of effort vs. diminishing rewards.
- dominotw 7y ago
  this is what i do. I just need my fix, takes me all of 10-15 secs to get it.
baldfat 7y ago
My wife is in the same boat as you. She ended up just going back to single serve french press. She thinks it is just simpler and taste great.
- samatman 7y ago
  Same, except I went with a Hario V01 pourover. I do use single serve French press sometimes. The basic tradeoff for Aeropress is more complex flavor but weaker mouth feel, and I decided I wanted a richer texture. Usually drink darker roasts, so squeezing every note out of the beans is less important to me.

thebean11 7y ago

Plastic + hot liquids still make me nervous

dylanz 7y ago
I'm in the same boat and I roll with a Chemex at home.
kashyapc 7y ago
I was worried about that initially, but the plastic is sufficiently robust (I have to say, my AeroPress got a bit chipped at the top when it fell from my hand as I was cleaning). I'm still wondering if a glass-based, non-plastic variant of AeroPress will show up any time soon.
- simtel20 7y ago
  I've really hoped that a stainless vacuum-sealed thermos-type tube could be created to replace the main chamber. It should be to handle and clean.
  - wideasleep1 7y ago
    I have long-considered the Espro Travel Press to be the Aeropress's metal cousin: https://www.espro.com/catalog/french-press/coffee-travel-press https://www.espro.com/catalog/french-press/coffee-travel-pre...
    - simtel20 7y ago
      The espro ends up being more bitter, though. I can't say why, maybe it shouldn't be, but it is.
      - wideasleep1 7y ago
        Bitterness is overextraction, which involves tweaking either grind size (extraction speed) and/or brew time (extraction duration), and of course whether you press the Espro, and consume from the vessel (spent grind still impacting flavor) versus pouring brew into a separate mug. edit: It should also be mentioned, since AP is a relatively unconventional approach to coffee prep, it has evolved over time that many prefer to brew in the AP at significantly lower temperatures than other methods. AP instructions even suggest a 176F brew temperature, which when followed makes it more challenging to get bitter overextractions, when grind size and brew time are maintained. Consistency is a major attribute to AP.

kashyapc 7y ago

I used to swear by my French Press. Some two years ago I casually said to my sibling that I wanted to try AeroPress to see what the fuss is all about. One day it showed up as a present in my mailbox. I opened it, ridiculing it, thinking I'll give it a single try, toss it in the closet and get back to my French Press. Fast forward two years: Almost every weekday morning I start with a full AeroPress. And each morning I used to shake my head with the same surprise as I ground the beans[+]: "I still can't believe this plastic thing can produce such good coffee." It's the French Press now that's gathering dust in the closet. To my brain, AeroPress == French Press minus the "fine sludge". [+] FWIW, I use "Mano Mano" by the Belgian coffee roaster, Café Liégeois (not associated with them, just a happy user)—https://cafe-liegeois.com/en/cafes/mano-mano-puissant https://cafe-liegeois.com/en/cafes/mano-mano-puissant

freetime2 7y ago
I actually enjoy the bits of coffee bean in french press coffee. Same as with turkish coffee which I also enjoy. Kind of like the coffee equivalent to a “rustic” bread. It’s not something I use every day, but when I do I look forward to it.
AdmiralAsshat 7y ago
AeroPress doesn't really scale for company, though. I remember trying to make several cups in a row for family and by the time cup #3 was finished, cup #1 was cold. I do still whip out my AeroPress from time to time if I'm making a really fruity coffee, because I feel like the AP method is better at extracting those flavors. But for my usual morning cup for myself and my significant other, French Press is king. > To my brain, AeroPress == French Press minus the "fine sludge". I haven't really noticed "the sludge" in my FP since I invested in a Barata Encore canonical burr grinder. It's able to grind the beans coarsely and evenly enough that you don't get the sludge (which is usually the unevenly-ground fines that slip past the mesh filter). Additionally, paper filters trap the coffee bean fines, but they also trap the oil, which is desirable in your coffee. But I will concede that the AP is probably the most affordable option for a good cup of coffee. You can pair it with a cheap blade grinder and still get a decent cup out of it, while poorly-ground coffee in a FP can make for a "sludgy" cup.

fermienrico 7y ago

IMO we shouldn't allow inventions such as AeroPress to have exclusive rights to produce it by enforcing Patent laws. The idea of Patents was to encourage entrepreneurs to invent, but the consumers get shafted by increased price and no competition. AeroPress is an extremely simple invention, patented to the brim and they spend a ton of money defending their patents. This expenditure gets passed to the consumer with a $40 price tag for something that costs $2 to make. Inventions are not special. Providing value to the user by out competing others either by price, quality, customer service, etc. is a win for the customer. Products such as AeroPress, Frisbee, Rubik's cube, etc. leave a bad after taste as a consumer. AeroPress has no incentive to improve their product because of the lack of competition. AeroPress should get a 2 year headstart. After the 2 years, their patent expires and they gotta actually compete with others. What if the Chinese start making these for $1.50? We should have a labor quotient - if country X imports from country Y, country X should charge import duty that is proportional to the labor quotient exactly to counter balance the higher labor cost in country X. I am interested in counter arguments, what are the benefits to the society as a whole when we have exclusive production rights to inventions?

diob 7y ago
How does a person outside the system compete or move up at all then? Sell immediately to someone who owns the means of production? I don't disagree with your thoughts about patents, but I also don't know how to protect regular folks.
dragonwriter 7y ago
> The idea of Patents was to encourage entrepreneurs to invent, but the consumers get shafted by increased price and no competition For a limited time, that premium is imposed; that's where the incentive comes from. > Products such as AeroPress, Frisbee, Rubik's cube, etc. leave a bad after taste as a consumer. Two of those are long out of patent protection. (Well, in Frisbee's case at least on the base design, new innovations may be still be covered.) > AeroPress should get a 2 year headstart. So you have no problem with the idea of patents, you just want to reconsider the duration of either patents in general or patents in some particular subfields? > We should have a labor quotient - if country X imports from country Y, country X should charge import duty that is proportional to the labor quotient exactly to counter balance the higher labor cost in country X. Is this average labor cost per hour or industry-specific labor cost per unit delivered or something else? I suspect once you decide this, you'll see a whole set of unintended consequences...

mangoman 7y ago

Different brewing methods taste different. French press tastes different than a pourover. An Aeropress tastes different than a moka pot. I couldn't help but groan at the idea that a tool 'brews the best cup of coffee in the world' . The coffee the various tools produce simply taste different and they have different usecases. Not better or worse, just different.

alharith 7y ago
To brew "the best" which means really to get the best extraction out of the bean for which the flavor profile the drinker enjoys the most (too much extraction results in a acidic, heavy taste, too little extraction results in the dreaded "mud water" light taste) I've tried them all. The aeropress simply enables you to brew the most consistent cup to your liking, plus all the other benefits Steltek pointed out.
- freetime2 7y ago
  Shouldn’t that be “the aeropress simply allows me to brew the most consistent cup to my liking”? Taste is highly subjective, after all.
- wmkn 7y ago
  > too much extraction results in a acidic, heavy taste, too little extraction results in the dreaded "mud water" light taste It's actually the opposite. Over extraction results in more prominent bitter flavors and under extraction in more prominent sour flavors.
- notechback 7y ago
  A mocha express style Italian coffee maker is super consistent in quality and (for my taste) gives much better flavour. The steam method takes out much of the bitterness compared to a poured coffee like Aeropress.
  - jdashg 7y ago
    I think that depends more on the beans. Good light roast beans don't need to worry so much about masking bitterness. If modern craft light roast is not your preference, you will need to care more about bitterness. (NB: Not all coffee labeled light roast is)

Zenbit_UX 7y ago

Can anyone recommend an electric grinder for this thing? Tempted to try it.

wideasleep1 7y ago
Baratza Encore
ineedasername 7y ago
I'm not sure you need any particular grinder, I've used everything from ultra fine ground to very course grinds and it works fine with anything.
Lio 7y ago
I found that grind in an AeroPress is not as critical as for an espresso machine where you use it to tune pressure towards 9 bar. Having said that I’d say get a conical bur grinder and not a cheap bladed one. Less bothered about brand myself. With the bladed grinder you measure the coffee volume in beans then set the grind size by the time you run the machine. On a bur grinder you can set the grind size with a dial and use the timer to measure the volume of coffee. Much more repeatable and hence easier to tweak one way or the other.
hunterloftis 7y ago
A bit late but I use the OXO brew conical burr on its "fine" setting. It looks nice, works reliably, has good ergonomics, and doesn't get messy. Also runs the full gamut of grind sizes so we can use it with our french press and chemex too. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CSKGLMM https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CSKGLMM

elchief 7y ago

hot water + plastic = bad

wideasleep1 7y ago
https://aeropress.com/use-it-now/evolution-of-aeropress/ https://aeropress.com/use-it-now/evolution-of-aeropress/ edit confession: I have collected all versions, save for the new red one.
Kirby64 7y ago
Based on what? If the plastic has no BPA in it, what's the issue?
- CptFribble 7y ago
  There's a lot more in our products, our packaging, in our food and water supply that's potentially harmful but "technically unproven to cause harm." Do some research into BPA and you'll find there are several other BPx's in use now, each with their own problematic potential for endocrine disruption, that still allow the manufacturers to say "BPA Free!!" Also every thermal paper receipt you touch is covered in BPA.
- elchief 7y ago
  https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/09/news-BPA-free-plastic-safety-chemicals-health/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/09/news-BPA-... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222987/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222987/ Plastics have a much lower solubility constant than glass. There's no reason to use plastic when you can use glass

suprfsat 7y ago

Archived version with images: https://web.archive.org/web/20140307081011/https://priceonomics.com/the-invention-of-the-aeropress/ https://web.archive.org/web/20140307081011/https://priceonom...

chadlavi 7y ago

Were you inspired to post this after watching the Bon Appétit test kitchen work-from-home coffee video?

dang 7y ago

Related from a few weeks ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22493376 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22493376 OP discussed in 2018: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18474815 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18474815 OP discussed at the time: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7615399 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7615399 Related from 2015: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9381315 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9381315 Also 2015: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9214571 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9214571 I think that covers the major AeroPress bases.

grafelic 7y ago

I use my AeroPress for Yerba Mate exclusively. Two spoons of Yerba Mate for one cup, add 90C° water, put in plunger on top and let it steep for 5 minutes. It stretches the Yerba Mate and it is easy to clean.

ineedasername 7y ago
Apparently Mate might cause cancer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba_mate#Cancer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba_mate#Cancer
- apk-d 7y ago
  Last I checked, the evidence was unclear whether it's the mate or the temperature it's consumed at. Which is weird to be because I thought mate was brewed at lower temperature compared to coffee (70°C). Either way, the WHO recommends you don't take your beverages too hot: https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/94/8/16-010816/en/ https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/94/8/16-010816/en/
- leviathant 7y ago
  Drinking alcohol increases the risk of mouth cancer, pharyngeal (upper throat) cancer, oesophageal (food pipe) cancer, laryngeal (voice box) cancer, breast cancer, bowel cancer and liver cancer. But that doesn't really seem to slow anyone down.
  - ineedasername 7y ago
    Sure, but assuming the mate drinkers are also drinking alcohol, it may have a synergistic effect and increase risk much beyond either alone, like tobacco and alcohol do with each other. Pure speculation though.

01100011 7y ago

I am terribly lazy and have completely given up on quality coffee. I drink medaglia d'oro instant espresso and find it does the job without consuming too much time or counter space.

PascLeRasc 7y ago
Why not just take caffeine pills at this point?
- fudged71 7y ago
  Caffeine pills are great in the morning if you want a precise dose consistently
- pm215 7y ago
  There is comfort to be had in the habit of drinking a big mug of a hot drink, caffeinated or not. I drink coffee for that as much as anything else, and given the popularity of decaf coffee so do many others...
- 01100011 7y ago
  Coffee tastes good and contains beneficial compounds like quercetin and phenylindane.
- Talanes 7y ago
  As someone who enjoys good coffee, I still think cheap shitty coffee is better than bad (here meaning anything I don't like) craft coffee. It tends toward muted flavors rather than anything actively unenjoyable. If I don't like the roast in a quality cup of coffee, all of those flavors I don't like will be front and center.
deleted 7y ago
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TomMasz 7y ago

When my last espresso machine died I switched to the AeroPress as a temporary replacement. It didn't take long before I realized I didn't need to buy another espresso machine.

ntsplnkv2 7y ago
Curious what kind of espresso machine you had? Aeropress is great but doesn't come anywhere near a good pulled espresso shot for me - in any capacity.

darkteflon 7y ago

If you’re an espresso drinker and are looking for something that makes a frankly excellent little shot of coffee and is comparably (with the AeroPress) low-fuss and low-maintenance, I bought a handpresso (https://www.handpresso.com/en/ https://www.handpresso.com/en/) a couple months back for an overseas trip but was so happy with it that it’s now my daily driver.

sien 7y ago
That looks cool. I have two nanopressos which are also very good. One for home and one for work. https://www.wacaco.com/pages/nanopresso https://www.wacaco.com/pages/nanopresso
- 0-_-0 7y ago
  I can second the nanopresso, I also recommend the barista kit for the bigger coffee basket: https://www.wacaco.com/products/barista-kit https://www.wacaco.com/products/barista-kit
- darkteflon 7y ago
  Yeah I cross-shopped that - it looks good too. The wacaco and the handpresso seem to dominate the travel espresso segment. A friend of mine - a fellow Melburnian - has the Rok espresso maker (https://www.rok.coffee/ https://www.rok.coffee/), which is a large-ish countertop manual espresso device. He reckons he’s pulled over 10,000 shots with it and swears by it. Also low-fuss, low-maintenance and just a couple hundred bucks.
  - sien 6y ago
    Oh that's cool. Thanks for posting that.

zipperhead 7y ago

I have an AeroPress, a french press, and a Clever Dripper. While I like the AeroPress, I don't find it makes enough coffee in one go. The Clever Dripper is basically a french press with a #4 filter, so you still get a filtered cup - no sludge (you do miss out on the oils though). It's a foolproof method to a great cup of coffee.

manifoldgeo 7y ago

Hey, I just made a 3d model / animation of an AeroPress in Blender! I put it on GitHub under a Creative Commons License (obviously I didn't use the brand name), so feel free to use it if you have a need for a model of an AeroPress for some reason. https://github.com/bxbrenden/Blender-CoffeePress https://github.com/bxbrenden/Blender-CoffeePress

ineedasername 7y ago

I have an AeroPress. I have a few different french-press mugs. I have a disc you place over a much, with a little fabric pouch in the middle for the grounds, and then pour in the hot water. (They're all convenient in different scenarios.) I can honestly say that I never notice any taste difference (assuming I'm using the same beans). I don't doubt many people can taste the difference, and it's a big deal for them. But I also think there are many people who, like me, honestly don't taste much of a difference.

alister 7y ago

> “What do you guys do when you just want one cup of coffee?” Adler had wondered this many times himself. He’d grown increasingly frustrated with his coffee maker, which yielded 6-8 cups per brew. Why can’t you put just enough water and coffee in a standard coffee maker to make only one cup? My coffee maker came with a manual that said, “Always make a full pot”, but I never understood the reasoning behind that. (And admittedly never tried making just one cup to see what happens.)

chriselles 7y ago

My wife has a super expensive espresso machine. It makes her a great cup of coffee. I use my aeropress, exclusively.