4 ms·

An AeroPress. $30 for a fast and good enough way to make espresso.

masklinn 4y ago
Nit: it makes great coffee (I'm a user myself and as long as I'm awake enough not to pour coffee everywhere but the press, or hit the press once I've put the coffee in thereby pour grounds all over the counter, it's absolutely stellar), but it's nothing like an espresso. Espresso doesn't mean "coffee which isn't shit" (there are shit espresso), nor does it mean "strong coffee".
- browningstreet 4y ago
  I was in Italy this summer and the AirBnB had an ancient Mokapot. It made great coffee-like-stuff. Came home and bought one... it tastes terrible. Every couple of days I'll make a pot hoping to season the device. Sadly, I'm about to give up. I might be nomading it soon, so no big purchases, but if I was buying a house my first purchase would be a proper espresso machine.
  - masklinn 4y ago
    I've never used a moka pot but I don't think they need seasoning. They work off of a pretty simple principle, the device ain't going to fix itself out of nowhere. If the outcome is bad there are lots of options but the ones I would consider are: - the recipe itself is wrong, however I assume you're using the same recipe you got success with in italy, though that requires that the devices are the same kind (e.g. stovetop v electric) and powered the same way - the device itself is broken - the coffee you're using is different enough that the recipe doesn't work, or possibly the coffee you get at home is completely unsuitable for moka (wrong roasting, wrong grind size, ...) Maybe consider watching James Hoffman's moka series for an intro? https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxz0FjZMVOl1Zot3qiJ-wseRXyO-XoVNx https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxz0FjZMVOl1Zot3qiJ-w...
    - browningstreet 4y ago
      I went down the James Hoffman rabbit hole, yes. I've tried different recipes, different beans, etc. Right now I'm on Illy espresso (got some on sale). I hear your suggestions :-). The beans in Italy were basically beans in a tin, open to the air. But it was Italian air, Venetian salt seasoned air, and I was on vacation. Could've been that.
      - masklinn 4y ago
        An other possibility is maybe the device is setup incorrectly e.g. the filter / gasket is not sitting right or something? Though I assume you've taken it apart multiple times at this point and would have noticed. As you've already tried multiple things and covered the basics, I would suggest trying to find some sort of coffee enthusiast group around, or maybe a bit of a fancy / hipster coffee shop, with someone who knows their way around a moka pot who could help you diagnose the issue (whether it's in the device or its usage). Seems a shame to have had a good experience, and to have bought a moka pot, and to not get joy out of it.
        browningstreet 4y ago
        Agreed.. my next gambit is to use the aeropress paper filters, which apparently fit. I do have the right flow now -- it drips out of the spout without making a mess. I made some coffee that basically exploded out of it and needed the lid to contain the mess. But I'm past that. And if I have the aeropress filters, I'm pretty close to getting an aeropress too.
      - dehrmann 4y ago
        You tried a different grind size, right? And you have a quality grinder?
    - planede 4y ago
      In my personal experience the amount of water poured inside the moka pot makes a big difference. The more water you pour in, the higher temperature the coffee brews. If you pour the maximum amount of water that fits inside, then your coffee will brew close to the boiling point of water, which is too hot and makes the coffee bitter. If you pour less amount of water, then the coffee brews at a lower temperature. The principle is that the coffee is pushed out by both the steam and the expanding trapped air inside the moka pot. The more expanding trapped air you have there, the less pressure you need from steam, so the coffee starts brewing earlier.
  - papandada 4y ago
    Most likely culprits here for the discrepancy is which coffee you're using/freshness thereof, consistency of grind, and water quality (and second the JH recommendation)
  - rkachowski 4y ago
    i had a similar issue with the italian style mokapot but i think i fixed it. The key issues were * clean after every use (just with water) * don't fill too much water, the water will touch the coffee for too long and make it sour, aim for just below the pressure valve * don't tamp down the coffee grounds, just fill to the line * dont have too fine a grind on the coffee it sounds like a lot but I'm making great coffee now, i couldn't figure out the aeropress somehow
    - browningstreet 4y ago
      Thanks.. I'll see if focusing on these elements makes a change. The Illy espresso I have right now is probably too fine.
      - masklinn 4y ago
        Yes if you have espresso grind it's way too fine, Moka does have some pressure but it's around 1.5 bars. Moka pots are usually used with drip / pourover grinds. Maybe a pair of stops below, but not espresso-fine. With an espresso grind, the moka pot will struggle to push water through and you'll have a very bitter coffee because it'll be way over-extracted. Is that what you experience?
  - rsync 4y ago
    Maybe it tasted better because you were in Italy. The wines at the tasting in the winery are always amazing… and then you get home and open a bottle and it’s… meh.
- aidenn0 4y ago
  It sits somewhere between a pour-over and espresso both in terms of what it makes and the grain size that suits it well.
- trynewideas 4y ago
  No, you can't get 9 bars from an AeroPress, but you can get a little closer to the result with a pressure-actuated value basket like the Prismo: https://www.beanground.com/fellow-prismo-review/ https://www.beanground.com/fellow-prismo-review/
  - stu2b50 4y ago
    Kinda, it helps that you can do a proper pre-infusion phase, but in the end the bottleneck is human - there's no way you can get anywhere close to espresso pressure (not just 9 bars, anywhere near 9 bars) with your arm. You need mechanical advantage at least. The Prismo doesn't really increase the pressure in the chamber you can have by that much.
    - masklinn 4y ago
      > but in the end the bottleneck is human - there's no way you can get anywhere close to espresso pressure (not just 9 bars, anywhere near 9 bars) with your arm. Not just human either, the aeropress' plastic isn't built to withstand high pressures and it's going to buckle, to say nothing of whatever you put the press on. Hoffman measured the prismo at 1.3 bars after adding a paper filter to the metal filter.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- time0ut 4y ago
  That is fair. It is cheap and close enough for my taste at least.
  - masklinn 4y ago
    You'll get no objection from me on those grounds, I love my 'press and did convert a few colleagues.
- sanderjd 4y ago
  I like great coffee more than I like espresso. We recently added on a milk steamer to our aeropress setup and now I can make my favorite drink at home: the humble cafe au lait.
mattbee 4y ago
I had several holiday let stays improved by bringing my Nanopresso that I got last Christmas - it's £70 but the pressure gets you really good espresso.
formvoltron 4y ago
Might want to get your cholesterol checked. That sort of filter may allow a bunch of cafestol through.
- time0ut 4y ago
  It uses a paper filter. Do you have more information on this?
- _dan 4y ago
  Don't Aeropresses still come with paper filters? Mine did..
pwenzel 4y ago
I put my Aeropress coffee in a cocktail shaker, add ice, oat milk, and a tiny bit of maple syrup. Shake and pour. The result is awesome and much cheaper than the $7 iced latte you'll get at a coffee shop. I love the Aeropress and have been rocking it since Obama's first term.
yewenjie 4y ago
Can somebody compare AeroPress with PicoPresso?
- ValentineC 4y ago
  I have the Nanopresso, which was the bigger and earlier version. The AeroPress doesn't do real espresso, while the Nanopresso somewhat does. I never really got into the espresso that the Nanopresso produced though, while the AeroPress almost always makes a decent filter cup for me.
gausswho 4y ago
Bonus: On a fun day with inadequate patience, the Aeropress can send coffee all over you and the walls. https://drive.google.com/file/d/12a6Md7YkI7-vSf_vOK6JTaVg3-ljBrop/view?usp=drivesdk https://drive.google.com/file/d/12a6Md7YkI7-vSf_vOK6JTaVg3-l... ... The laughs were worth more than the hassle.

Nit: it makes great coffee (I'm a user myself and as long as I'm awake enough not to pour coffee everywhere but the press, or hit the press once I've put the coffee in thereby pour grounds all over the counter, it's absolutely stellar), but it's nothing like an espresso. Espresso doesn't mean "coffee which isn't shit" (there are shit espresso), nor does it mean "strong coffee".

browningstreet 4y ago
I was in Italy this summer and the AirBnB had an ancient Mokapot. It made great coffee-like-stuff. Came home and bought one... it tastes terrible. Every couple of days I'll make a pot hoping to season the device. Sadly, I'm about to give up. I might be nomading it soon, so no big purchases, but if I was buying a house my first purchase would be a proper espresso machine.
- masklinn 4y ago
  I've never used a moka pot but I don't think they need seasoning. They work off of a pretty simple principle, the device ain't going to fix itself out of nowhere. If the outcome is bad there are lots of options but the ones I would consider are: - the recipe itself is wrong, however I assume you're using the same recipe you got success with in italy, though that requires that the devices are the same kind (e.g. stovetop v electric) and powered the same way - the device itself is broken - the coffee you're using is different enough that the recipe doesn't work, or possibly the coffee you get at home is completely unsuitable for moka (wrong roasting, wrong grind size, ...) Maybe consider watching James Hoffman's moka series for an intro? https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxz0FjZMVOl1Zot3qiJ-wseRXyO-XoVNx https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxz0FjZMVOl1Zot3qiJ-w...
  - browningstreet 4y ago
    I went down the James Hoffman rabbit hole, yes. I've tried different recipes, different beans, etc. Right now I'm on Illy espresso (got some on sale). I hear your suggestions :-). The beans in Italy were basically beans in a tin, open to the air. But it was Italian air, Venetian salt seasoned air, and I was on vacation. Could've been that.
    - masklinn 4y ago
      An other possibility is maybe the device is setup incorrectly e.g. the filter / gasket is not sitting right or something? Though I assume you've taken it apart multiple times at this point and would have noticed. As you've already tried multiple things and covered the basics, I would suggest trying to find some sort of coffee enthusiast group around, or maybe a bit of a fancy / hipster coffee shop, with someone who knows their way around a moka pot who could help you diagnose the issue (whether it's in the device or its usage). Seems a shame to have had a good experience, and to have bought a moka pot, and to not get joy out of it.
      - browningstreet 4y ago
        Agreed.. my next gambit is to use the aeropress paper filters, which apparently fit. I do have the right flow now -- it drips out of the spout without making a mess. I made some coffee that basically exploded out of it and needed the lid to contain the mess. But I'm past that. And if I have the aeropress filters, I'm pretty close to getting an aeropress too.
    - dehrmann 4y ago
      You tried a different grind size, right? And you have a quality grinder?
  - planede 4y ago
    In my personal experience the amount of water poured inside the moka pot makes a big difference. The more water you pour in, the higher temperature the coffee brews. If you pour the maximum amount of water that fits inside, then your coffee will brew close to the boiling point of water, which is too hot and makes the coffee bitter. If you pour less amount of water, then the coffee brews at a lower temperature. The principle is that the coffee is pushed out by both the steam and the expanding trapped air inside the moka pot. The more expanding trapped air you have there, the less pressure you need from steam, so the coffee starts brewing earlier.
- papandada 4y ago
  Most likely culprits here for the discrepancy is which coffee you're using/freshness thereof, consistency of grind, and water quality (and second the JH recommendation)
- rkachowski 4y ago
  i had a similar issue with the italian style mokapot but i think i fixed it. The key issues were * clean after every use (just with water) * don't fill too much water, the water will touch the coffee for too long and make it sour, aim for just below the pressure valve * don't tamp down the coffee grounds, just fill to the line * dont have too fine a grind on the coffee it sounds like a lot but I'm making great coffee now, i couldn't figure out the aeropress somehow
  - browningstreet 4y ago
    Thanks.. I'll see if focusing on these elements makes a change. The Illy espresso I have right now is probably too fine.
    - masklinn 4y ago
      Yes if you have espresso grind it's way too fine, Moka does have some pressure but it's around 1.5 bars. Moka pots are usually used with drip / pourover grinds. Maybe a pair of stops below, but not espresso-fine. With an espresso grind, the moka pot will struggle to push water through and you'll have a very bitter coffee because it'll be way over-extracted. Is that what you experience?
- rsync 4y ago
  Maybe it tasted better because you were in Italy. The wines at the tasting in the winery are always amazing… and then you get home and open a bottle and it’s… meh.
aidenn0 4y ago
It sits somewhere between a pour-over and espresso both in terms of what it makes and the grain size that suits it well.
trynewideas 4y ago
No, you can't get 9 bars from an AeroPress, but you can get a little closer to the result with a pressure-actuated value basket like the Prismo: https://www.beanground.com/fellow-prismo-review/ https://www.beanground.com/fellow-prismo-review/
- stu2b50 4y ago
  Kinda, it helps that you can do a proper pre-infusion phase, but in the end the bottleneck is human - there's no way you can get anywhere close to espresso pressure (not just 9 bars, anywhere near 9 bars) with your arm. You need mechanical advantage at least. The Prismo doesn't really increase the pressure in the chamber you can have by that much.
  - masklinn 4y ago
    > but in the end the bottleneck is human - there's no way you can get anywhere close to espresso pressure (not just 9 bars, anywhere near 9 bars) with your arm. Not just human either, the aeropress' plastic isn't built to withstand high pressures and it's going to buckle, to say nothing of whatever you put the press on. Hoffman measured the prismo at 1.3 bars after adding a paper filter to the metal filter.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
time0ut 4y ago
That is fair. It is cheap and close enough for my taste at least.
- masklinn 4y ago
  You'll get no objection from me on those grounds, I love my 'press and did convert a few colleagues.
sanderjd 4y ago
I like great coffee more than I like espresso. We recently added on a milk steamer to our aeropress setup and now I can make my favorite drink at home: the humble cafe au lait.

mattbee 4y ago

I had several holiday let stays improved by bringing my Nanopresso that I got last Christmas - it's £70 but the pressure gets you really good espresso.

formvoltron 4y ago

Might want to get your cholesterol checked. That sort of filter may allow a bunch of cafestol through.

time0ut 4y ago
It uses a paper filter. Do you have more information on this?
_dan 4y ago
Don't Aeropresses still come with paper filters? Mine did..

pwenzel 4y ago

I put my Aeropress coffee in a cocktail shaker, add ice, oat milk, and a tiny bit of maple syrup. Shake and pour. The result is awesome and much cheaper than the $7 iced latte you'll get at a coffee shop. I love the Aeropress and have been rocking it since Obama's first term.

yewenjie 4y ago

Can somebody compare AeroPress with PicoPresso?

ValentineC 4y ago
I have the Nanopresso, which was the bigger and earlier version. The AeroPress doesn't do real espresso, while the Nanopresso somewhat does. I never really got into the espresso that the Nanopresso produced though, while the AeroPress almost always makes a decent filter cup for me.

gausswho 4y ago

Bonus: On a fun day with inadequate patience, the Aeropress can send coffee all over you and the walls. https://drive.google.com/file/d/12a6Md7YkI7-vSf_vOK6JTaVg3-ljBrop/view?usp=drivesdk https://drive.google.com/file/d/12a6Md7YkI7-vSf_vOK6JTaVg3-l... ... The laughs were worth more than the hassle.