13 ms·

The Invention of the AeroPress

280 points by duck 13y ago

fieldforceapp 13y ago
Just ordered my first AeroPress, wondering what type of grind works best? > With his plans mapped out, Adler went to Westec Plastics in Livermore, California, > ordered $100,000 worth of molds, and put the invention into production. Just how does one go about stepping up from something like 3D printing (manifold meshes [0] are easy) to something like injection molding? [0] http://www.shapeways.com/tutorials/prepping_blender_files_for_3d_printing http://www.shapeways.com/tutorials/prepping_blender_files_fo...
- atto 13y ago
  Around a medium grind, finer if you prefer richer coffee (closer to espresso). Since you're using a filter, it doesn't need to be nearly as large as a french press grind.
- cpenner461 13y ago
  I use a fairly fine grind, although not as fine as I use for espresso. According to the stock AeroPress instructions it should take about 20s to depress the plunger, if it's too hard to press it's too fine, and conversely if it presses with little to no resistance then it's too coarse.
  - fieldforceapp 13y ago
    20s with 'average' pressure... good guidance, thanks!
  - joezydeco 13y ago
    I use a very fine grind (actually I cheat and use Cafe Bustelo right out of the bag). I've noticed using the inverted method makes the plunge step a lot easier, probably because the grounds are mostly still suspended in the water and not sitting on the filter right away.
- uncleruckus 13y ago
  I go with the finest possible while not impossible to push down the plunger. I bought an AeroPress about 18 months ago and haven't made coffee different way since.
- ChuckMcM 13y ago
  "Just how does one go about stepping up from something like 3D printing (manifold meshes [0] are easy) to something like injection molding?" Pretty straight forward actually. If you have the solid shape you want and can find a line of symmetry that does not result in any over hangs, a good CAD package will let you slice the shape and create two halves. You use boolean subtraction from a solid block to create the mold profile, now you will add alignment pins (at least 3) and add sprue paths (this will depend on the injector you are using) then send that to a suitably equipped milling machine to mill out of a couple of blocks of alumninum. Assemble to two halves and hold them together (you can use a press or bracket for that) take your thermo plastic under modest pressure and heat, and squirt it into one sprue hold until it squirts out the other. That has to happen reasonably quickly as the plastic starts to harden as soon as it hits the Alumninum. Pull apart the mold, pop out the part. if you get a machine like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/140895101602?lpid=82 http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/140895101602?lpid=82 you can pop out a hundred copies pretty quickly.
  - fieldforceapp 13y ago
    $12k??? is there no way to prototype an injection mold for less money? I'm trying to make something like the Xbox Kinect housing, for example.
    - ChuckMcM 13y ago
      Its possible to 3D print something as a prototype (a number of shops use stereo lithography for that) for a couple of hundred dollars. But that doesn't insure that it can actually be injection molded. You need a shape you can represent as a convex hull. The process of developing the molds (aka putting them into a CAD system, slicing them, and then cutting the mold itself. Is called 'tooling.' Any tool and die shop can give you a quote. Back in '99 when the company I was with got quotes for tooling for a desktop gateway, a tool and die shop in Milpitas quoted us $36,000 out the door, and then $4,800 for each additional set of dies. A set of dies was good for between 100,000 and 500,000 uses. I don't doubt they were not the cheapest way to go, shops in China were willing to spread the tooling cost across an order of 100,000 units. So are you trying to see if your design "fits"? If so get a stereo lithography shop to print one for you. If you are trying to see what it will cost to make take your printed part to a tool and die shop and ask for a quote. You will probably specify which type of machine you are going to use for the molding (dies are specific to machine models).
deckiedan 13y ago
I've been using an AeroPress almost every day for over 3 years, and love them. I've had only one issue with them, in that the inside has become scratched and discoloured, which somehow messes up the taste as well (after about 2 years use). A totally worth-while purchase. I'm now on my second one, hopefully this lasts longer, but if not, I'll just buy another one in a couple years. One thing I like is how manual the process is - I can make a much weaker cup of coffee for guests who don't like it so strong without it becoming bitter. For different types of coffee, I can brew it in different ways. And it's odd, but even cheap pre-ground supermarket coffee tastes hugely nicer with the AP. These days, I buy pretty much whichever the cheapest fairtrade coffeebeans the supermarket has, and grind enough for each cup, and it tastes great.
- jseliger 13y ago
  How do you feel about it compared to a Chemex, which is what I used when I drank more coffee and less tea (now I'm the other way around, in part due to this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1934051 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1934051).
  - cpenner461 13y ago
    They're pretty close in my book (have been using the AeroPress for ~1 yr and the chemex for a few months). The chemex is a bit easier if I want several cups at a time.
  - caycep 13y ago
    yeah, I'll have to test it out; I use a pour over funnel similar to this, a hario something or other. I like it a lot better than the bog standard bodum press.
  - deckiedan 13y ago
    I've never used an actual Chemex, but I do quite like other pour-over coffee makers. They're convenient, and much more controllable than auto machines. I find that areopress tends to make cleaner coffee - if that makes sense - and that the flavours come out more. Especially certain kinds of coffee it's nice to let them brew longer - french press / cafetiere style. The areopress can do that easily (inverted style), but the pour-over ones can't. If you want, you can use an areopress pretty similarly to a pour-over, by simply not pushing down the plunger and letting gravity pull the water through.
drcode 13y ago
I am not a coffee nut, but got one of these serendipitously as a present and can attest it makes a good cup of coffee. Here's some facts (maybe obvious to others) I found out after the fact that I wish I had known a long time ago: 1. If you've never owned an electric kettle, you may not know that they will boil water in mere seconds (!) and are a key part in making an Aeropress practical. (And they're cheap: http://goo.gl/8dVnP2 http://goo.gl/8dVnP2) 2. If you ever get heartburn and drink coffee, you MUST buy one of these ASAP, it will help immensely. Fast-brewed coffees have very low acidity, so you should treat yourself with aeropress (or Starbucks Clover coffee, another fast-brewed method) if you have this problem... you will probably feel better. 3. That said, these things brew a coffee that is like a hybrid between espresso and drip coffee, so if that sounds bad/good to you, you'll feel about the coffee you get from this the same way. 4. An aeropress is the easiest to clean kitchen appliance I've ever owned. You will NOT think to yourself "boy this coffeemaker could probably use a thorough cleaning" every time you want a cup of coffee... no such anxiety with this device.
- NamTaf 13y ago
  Wait, what? Electric kettles aren't in every house there? That's insane! Here in Australia, it's like the one thing EVERYONE has. Hell, even hotel rooms usually contain a microwave and a kettle even if they have absolutely nothing else. Maybe it's the fact that in the US, you have 120V/10A max, so your kettles are 1200W peak and therefore take twice as long as ours at 240V/10A and thus 2400W? I don't know. I just find that staggering that someone could not have an electric kettle. As an aside, it's always been amazing to me that the 'standard' coffee you buy here is espresso, everyhwere, whereas the standard there to my knowledge is usually drip or french press. That in itself (that entire nations can have substantially different ways of making 'coffee') is pretty incredible to me. All that said, the whole 'makes 5 or 6 cups minimum' problem is the one I've always faced with making coffee at home. I might actually pick one of these things up if it really does solve that and really deliver something that's more towards espresso rather than drip/press.
  - ojbyrne 13y ago
    I think most/all people in North America have electric kettles. With HN, you're probably dealing with a particular demographic (recent college graduates) that would have a lower adoption.
udfalkso 13y ago
Should users be concerned about pouring hot liquid into plastic and then consuming the result? BPA and such?
- molecule 13y ago
  > The AeroPress is made of three different plastics. The clear chamber and plunger are made of copolyester. The hard black filter cap, filter holder, funnel, and stirrer are made of polypropylene. The rubber like seal on the end of the plunger is made of a thermoplastic elastomer. All of these materials are FDA approved for use in contact with food. None of these materials contain bisphenol-A (BPA) or any phthalates, chemicals that have been in the news lately because of possible health effects. > Aerobie has been shipping AeroPress coffee makers made of the materials described above since August 1st, 2009. Prior to that date, the clear chamber and plunger were made of a very special high humidity and temperature resistant polycarbonate. Polycarbonate does not contain phthalates but it does contain BPA. Even though the FDA and other governmental agencies around the world approve polycarbonate for use in contact with food, we had an independent lab test coffee brewed in a well used AeroPress to determine how much, if any, BPA leaches into coffee brewed in a polycarbonate AeroPress. Absolutely none was detected. Given that result, one could ask why we switched to using copolyester. The answer is simple. The use of copolyester removes any perceived risk from BPA and it is a more attractive material. http://aerobie.com/Products/Details/AeroPressMaterialsDescription.htm http://aerobie.com/Products/Details/AeroPressMaterialsDescri...
  - SippinLean 13y ago
    Plastics containing BPA were once FDA-approved too. Copolyester (currently in Aeropress) may be dangerous.
- kalleboo 13y ago
  Most of the world uses plastic electric kettles with no ill effects.
guelo 13y ago
I used an Aeropress for a while but now I'm back on a glass French press. Its easier to deal with, glass feels cleaner and more durable, and the coffee is delicious.
- foobarian 13y ago
  I like both Aeropress and French press results, but I find them both to make too little coffee while being hard to clean and operate. Standard drip coffee machine still does better on those metrics. Meanwhile in all cases having fresh roasted and evenly ground beans makes a big difference.
  - jedrek 13y ago
    Where is the difficulty in cleaning the aeropress? I wash mine once a week, otherwise I just rinse it off. I also prefer to make coffee by the cup - it's much tastier than making a pot and leaving it to stand.
  - sliverstorm 13y ago
    Buy a bigger french press, and use a thermos if you need storage?
- DontGiveTwoFlux 13y ago
  I switched back to a French press as well. For half the amount of beans I can get twice the amount of coffee out of the French press.
  - chmullig 13y ago
    And a quarter the quality!
    - sanoli 13y ago
      Why? Just because you use less coffee? That's not a good measure of coffee quality. Good beans, good grind, clean water are. I actually prefer the coffee from a french press, having grown accostumed to it over the years. If you use a coarse grind, there's little grit and residue, and all the tasty oils are still in there.
JasonCEC 13y ago
For anyone interested in quantitatively measuring the flavor profile of your coffee, and seeing how dosing and other changes effect your perceived quality of your daily (hourly?) ritual.... My startup [0] makes an Android App just for the occasion! We run statistical quality control and flavor profiling for coffee roasters, beer brewers, and distillers, so your reviews may actually help your favorite coffee companies make better roasting and sourcing decisions. [0] www.Gastrograph.com [1] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gastrograph.testggapp https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gastrograp...
misframer 13y ago
If you're looking for a grinder to go along with the AeroPress, the Hario hand grinder[0] is a good choice. [0] http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001...
- djKianoosh 13y ago
  I prefer a conical burr grinder as they give you more control over how coarse/fine of a grind you need: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=conical+burr+grinder http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dap...
  - mtkd 13y ago
    I can recommend Iberital MC2 grinders. Getting grind consistent and not too fine makes a big difference to taste (esp. reducing bitterness) when making non-espresso.
  - L_Rahman 13y ago
    The Hario Slim is a conical burr grinder. You can adjust the grind size by adjusting a small bolt on the underside of the grinder mechanism.
    - djKianoosh 13y ago
      gotcha. good to know. i have the capresso which is electric and have had it for a solid 2 years at least. if you keep it clean, say, every month or so, it's really convenient.
- skunkworks 13y ago
  Hario Slim is a match made in heaven with the Aeropress, as it fits neatly inside the Aeropress's opening to dispense coffee grounds without needing to use the funnel.
- makeset 13y ago
  It takes a good 5 minutes of vigorous cranking against resistance to grind just two scoops of coffee though. Forearms are not amused. I'm shopping for an electric.
dhughes 13y ago
I wonder if I could just use a large bore syringe and some cotton wadding?
- jedrek 13y ago
  The aeropress is like 25 bucks.
pistle 13y ago
Have this, enjoyed it. Cut coffee out as my caffeine deliver device, so I could gift one with a pile of filters. Very good. You don't get the creme that you get with a French press, but it's still head and shoulders above drip. I had roughly equivalently good quality coffee over a wide range of beans and a fairly moderate range of grinds/grinders from espresso to fine grinds in the cheapy bean/spice grinders you can get at your grocery or walmart/target. Cleanup and maintenance is better than my drip ever was and the process is quicker, somewhat fun even, and a little bit zen.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
archagon 13y ago
Why are there no AeroPress clones on the market? Whenever a game becomes even remotely popular on iOS, imitators spring up almost immediately. The AeroPress seems like a fitting analogue in the real world: easy to use, easy to manufacture, and raved about by tens of thousands of coffee nerds. So where are the competitors? Why isn't this a category yet like the French press? Patents?
elwell 13y ago
I use the inverted method, which is pictured in the first photo. It helps you get all the oils, which float to the top.
- ValentineC 13y ago
  I use the inverted method myself, but I found that the paper filter absorbs the oils. A Kaffeologie S filter [1] seems to help in that aspect. [1] http://www.kaffeologie.com/shop/s-filter-for-aeropress-coffee-makers http://www.kaffeologie.com/shop/s-filter-for-aeropress-coffe...
gingerlime 13y ago
I'm yet to get an aeropress, but what was striking me most about it, was what I would consider an "internet-age packaging" - with a customer testimonial printed on the package. I thought it was brilliant and can't recall any other product that does it - then again, I don't shop much, so I could be wrong. I wonder if they A/B tested it ;-)
thom 13y ago
For my shame I now mostly use a Nespresso, but my Aeropress is certainly the best coffee _placebo_ I've ever used. I have no idea if the coffee was better or worse, but it certainly felt like I was sciencing up the perfectly crafted liquid with space-age tools. It's a lovely ritual, especially when it breaks you out of a hard problem at work to grind the exact right number of beans, measure the exact right temperature, steep for the exact right number of seconds etc.
blt 13y ago
I love the Aeropress! It's also lightweight and tough, so you can take it camping. A big upgrade from instant coffees.
jevin 13y ago
I'm curious as to how this compares to a percolator. Anyone tried both?
- cpenner461 13y ago
  We've done a few blind taste tests at the office between an AeroPress and percolator (and keurig and pour over if we're counting). I suspect it's largely personal preference as the percolator advocate has chosen the percolator brew and I (the AeroPress advocate) choose the AeroPress. To me the percolator has a certain (undesirable) taste profile that always tastes like percolator. Academically I don't like that the percolator keeps "recycling" the water during the brew cycle.
  - jevin 13y ago
    Thanks for the info. Side note, I just discovered that what I was referring to as a percolator, is actually called a Moka Pot : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot
SippinLean 13y ago
Someone PLEASE make a glass or stainless Aeropress. Aerobie refuses to, I don't want to mix hot water with plastics, and the plastic discolors.

280 points by duck 13y ago

Just ordered my first AeroPress, wondering what type of grind works best? > With his plans mapped out, Adler went to Westec Plastics in Livermore, California, > ordered $100,000 worth of molds, and put the invention into production. Just how does one go about stepping up from something like 3D printing (manifold meshes [0] are easy) to something like injection molding? [0] http://www.shapeways.com/tutorials/prepping_blender_files_for_3d_printing http://www.shapeways.com/tutorials/prepping_blender_files_fo...

atto 13y ago
Around a medium grind, finer if you prefer richer coffee (closer to espresso). Since you're using a filter, it doesn't need to be nearly as large as a french press grind.
cpenner461 13y ago
I use a fairly fine grind, although not as fine as I use for espresso. According to the stock AeroPress instructions it should take about 20s to depress the plunger, if it's too hard to press it's too fine, and conversely if it presses with little to no resistance then it's too coarse.
- fieldforceapp 13y ago
  20s with 'average' pressure... good guidance, thanks!
- joezydeco 13y ago
  I use a very fine grind (actually I cheat and use Cafe Bustelo right out of the bag). I've noticed using the inverted method makes the plunge step a lot easier, probably because the grounds are mostly still suspended in the water and not sitting on the filter right away.
uncleruckus 13y ago
I go with the finest possible while not impossible to push down the plunger. I bought an AeroPress about 18 months ago and haven't made coffee different way since.
ChuckMcM 13y ago
"Just how does one go about stepping up from something like 3D printing (manifold meshes [0] are easy) to something like injection molding?" Pretty straight forward actually. If you have the solid shape you want and can find a line of symmetry that does not result in any over hangs, a good CAD package will let you slice the shape and create two halves. You use boolean subtraction from a solid block to create the mold profile, now you will add alignment pins (at least 3) and add sprue paths (this will depend on the injector you are using) then send that to a suitably equipped milling machine to mill out of a couple of blocks of alumninum. Assemble to two halves and hold them together (you can use a press or bracket for that) take your thermo plastic under modest pressure and heat, and squirt it into one sprue hold until it squirts out the other. That has to happen reasonably quickly as the plastic starts to harden as soon as it hits the Alumninum. Pull apart the mold, pop out the part. if you get a machine like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/140895101602?lpid=82 http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/140895101602?lpid=82 you can pop out a hundred copies pretty quickly.
- fieldforceapp 13y ago
  $12k??? is there no way to prototype an injection mold for less money? I'm trying to make something like the Xbox Kinect housing, for example.
  - ChuckMcM 13y ago
    Its possible to 3D print something as a prototype (a number of shops use stereo lithography for that) for a couple of hundred dollars. But that doesn't insure that it can actually be injection molded. You need a shape you can represent as a convex hull. The process of developing the molds (aka putting them into a CAD system, slicing them, and then cutting the mold itself. Is called 'tooling.' Any tool and die shop can give you a quote. Back in '99 when the company I was with got quotes for tooling for a desktop gateway, a tool and die shop in Milpitas quoted us $36,000 out the door, and then $4,800 for each additional set of dies. A set of dies was good for between 100,000 and 500,000 uses. I don't doubt they were not the cheapest way to go, shops in China were willing to spread the tooling cost across an order of 100,000 units. So are you trying to see if your design "fits"? If so get a stereo lithography shop to print one for you. If you are trying to see what it will cost to make take your printed part to a tool and die shop and ask for a quote. You will probably specify which type of machine you are going to use for the molding (dies are specific to machine models).

deckiedan 13y ago

I've been using an AeroPress almost every day for over 3 years, and love them. I've had only one issue with them, in that the inside has become scratched and discoloured, which somehow messes up the taste as well (after about 2 years use). A totally worth-while purchase. I'm now on my second one, hopefully this lasts longer, but if not, I'll just buy another one in a couple years. One thing I like is how manual the process is - I can make a much weaker cup of coffee for guests who don't like it so strong without it becoming bitter. For different types of coffee, I can brew it in different ways. And it's odd, but even cheap pre-ground supermarket coffee tastes hugely nicer with the AP. These days, I buy pretty much whichever the cheapest fairtrade coffeebeans the supermarket has, and grind enough for each cup, and it tastes great.

jseliger 13y ago
How do you feel about it compared to a Chemex, which is what I used when I drank more coffee and less tea (now I'm the other way around, in part due to this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1934051 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1934051).
- cpenner461 13y ago
  They're pretty close in my book (have been using the AeroPress for ~1 yr and the chemex for a few months). The chemex is a bit easier if I want several cups at a time.
- caycep 13y ago
  yeah, I'll have to test it out; I use a pour over funnel similar to this, a hario something or other. I like it a lot better than the bog standard bodum press.
- deckiedan 13y ago
  I've never used an actual Chemex, but I do quite like other pour-over coffee makers. They're convenient, and much more controllable than auto machines. I find that areopress tends to make cleaner coffee - if that makes sense - and that the flavours come out more. Especially certain kinds of coffee it's nice to let them brew longer - french press / cafetiere style. The areopress can do that easily (inverted style), but the pour-over ones can't. If you want, you can use an areopress pretty similarly to a pour-over, by simply not pushing down the plunger and letting gravity pull the water through.

drcode 13y ago

I am not a coffee nut, but got one of these serendipitously as a present and can attest it makes a good cup of coffee. Here's some facts (maybe obvious to others) I found out after the fact that I wish I had known a long time ago: 1. If you've never owned an electric kettle, you may not know that they will boil water in mere seconds (!) and are a key part in making an Aeropress practical. (And they're cheap: http://goo.gl/8dVnP2 http://goo.gl/8dVnP2) 2. If you ever get heartburn and drink coffee, you MUST buy one of these ASAP, it will help immensely. Fast-brewed coffees have very low acidity, so you should treat yourself with aeropress (or Starbucks Clover coffee, another fast-brewed method) if you have this problem... you will probably feel better. 3. That said, these things brew a coffee that is like a hybrid between espresso and drip coffee, so if that sounds bad/good to you, you'll feel about the coffee you get from this the same way. 4. An aeropress is the easiest to clean kitchen appliance I've ever owned. You will NOT think to yourself "boy this coffeemaker could probably use a thorough cleaning" every time you want a cup of coffee... no such anxiety with this device.

NamTaf 13y ago
Wait, what? Electric kettles aren't in every house there? That's insane! Here in Australia, it's like the one thing EVERYONE has. Hell, even hotel rooms usually contain a microwave and a kettle even if they have absolutely nothing else. Maybe it's the fact that in the US, you have 120V/10A max, so your kettles are 1200W peak and therefore take twice as long as ours at 240V/10A and thus 2400W? I don't know. I just find that staggering that someone could not have an electric kettle. As an aside, it's always been amazing to me that the 'standard' coffee you buy here is espresso, everyhwere, whereas the standard there to my knowledge is usually drip or french press. That in itself (that entire nations can have substantially different ways of making 'coffee') is pretty incredible to me. All that said, the whole 'makes 5 or 6 cups minimum' problem is the one I've always faced with making coffee at home. I might actually pick one of these things up if it really does solve that and really deliver something that's more towards espresso rather than drip/press.
- ojbyrne 13y ago
  I think most/all people in North America have electric kettles. With HN, you're probably dealing with a particular demographic (recent college graduates) that would have a lower adoption.

udfalkso 13y ago

Should users be concerned about pouring hot liquid into plastic and then consuming the result? BPA and such?

molecule 13y ago
> The AeroPress is made of three different plastics. The clear chamber and plunger are made of copolyester. The hard black filter cap, filter holder, funnel, and stirrer are made of polypropylene. The rubber like seal on the end of the plunger is made of a thermoplastic elastomer. All of these materials are FDA approved for use in contact with food. None of these materials contain bisphenol-A (BPA) or any phthalates, chemicals that have been in the news lately because of possible health effects. > Aerobie has been shipping AeroPress coffee makers made of the materials described above since August 1st, 2009. Prior to that date, the clear chamber and plunger were made of a very special high humidity and temperature resistant polycarbonate. Polycarbonate does not contain phthalates but it does contain BPA. Even though the FDA and other governmental agencies around the world approve polycarbonate for use in contact with food, we had an independent lab test coffee brewed in a well used AeroPress to determine how much, if any, BPA leaches into coffee brewed in a polycarbonate AeroPress. Absolutely none was detected. Given that result, one could ask why we switched to using copolyester. The answer is simple. The use of copolyester removes any perceived risk from BPA and it is a more attractive material. http://aerobie.com/Products/Details/AeroPressMaterialsDescription.htm http://aerobie.com/Products/Details/AeroPressMaterialsDescri...
- SippinLean 13y ago
  Plastics containing BPA were once FDA-approved too. Copolyester (currently in Aeropress) may be dangerous.
kalleboo 13y ago
Most of the world uses plastic electric kettles with no ill effects.

guelo 13y ago

I used an Aeropress for a while but now I'm back on a glass French press. Its easier to deal with, glass feels cleaner and more durable, and the coffee is delicious.

foobarian 13y ago
I like both Aeropress and French press results, but I find them both to make too little coffee while being hard to clean and operate. Standard drip coffee machine still does better on those metrics. Meanwhile in all cases having fresh roasted and evenly ground beans makes a big difference.
- jedrek 13y ago
  Where is the difficulty in cleaning the aeropress? I wash mine once a week, otherwise I just rinse it off. I also prefer to make coffee by the cup - it's much tastier than making a pot and leaving it to stand.
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  Buy a bigger french press, and use a thermos if you need storage?
DontGiveTwoFlux 13y ago
I switched back to a French press as well. For half the amount of beans I can get twice the amount of coffee out of the French press.
- chmullig 13y ago
  And a quarter the quality!
  - sanoli 13y ago
    Why? Just because you use less coffee? That's not a good measure of coffee quality. Good beans, good grind, clean water are. I actually prefer the coffee from a french press, having grown accostumed to it over the years. If you use a coarse grind, there's little grit and residue, and all the tasty oils are still in there.

JasonCEC 13y ago

For anyone interested in quantitatively measuring the flavor profile of your coffee, and seeing how dosing and other changes effect your perceived quality of your daily (hourly?) ritual.... My startup [0] makes an Android App just for the occasion! We run statistical quality control and flavor profiling for coffee roasters, beer brewers, and distillers, so your reviews may actually help your favorite coffee companies make better roasting and sourcing decisions. [0] www.Gastrograph.com [1] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gastrograph.testggapp https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gastrograp...

misframer 13y ago

If you're looking for a grinder to go along with the AeroPress, the Hario hand grinder[0] is a good choice. [0] http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001...

djKianoosh 13y ago
I prefer a conical burr grinder as they give you more control over how coarse/fine of a grind you need: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=conical+burr+grinder http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dap...
- mtkd 13y ago
  I can recommend Iberital MC2 grinders. Getting grind consistent and not too fine makes a big difference to taste (esp. reducing bitterness) when making non-espresso.
- L_Rahman 13y ago
  The Hario Slim is a conical burr grinder. You can adjust the grind size by adjusting a small bolt on the underside of the grinder mechanism.
  - djKianoosh 13y ago
    gotcha. good to know. i have the capresso which is electric and have had it for a solid 2 years at least. if you keep it clean, say, every month or so, it's really convenient.
skunkworks 13y ago
Hario Slim is a match made in heaven with the Aeropress, as it fits neatly inside the Aeropress's opening to dispense coffee grounds without needing to use the funnel.
makeset 13y ago
It takes a good 5 minutes of vigorous cranking against resistance to grind just two scoops of coffee though. Forearms are not amused. I'm shopping for an electric.

dhughes 13y ago

I wonder if I could just use a large bore syringe and some cotton wadding?

jedrek 13y ago
The aeropress is like 25 bucks.

pistle 13y ago

Have this, enjoyed it. Cut coffee out as my caffeine deliver device, so I could gift one with a pile of filters. Very good. You don't get the creme that you get with a French press, but it's still head and shoulders above drip. I had roughly equivalently good quality coffee over a wide range of beans and a fairly moderate range of grinds/grinders from espresso to fine grinds in the cheapy bean/spice grinders you can get at your grocery or walmart/target. Cleanup and maintenance is better than my drip ever was and the process is quicker, somewhat fun even, and a little bit zen.

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archagon 13y ago

Why are there no AeroPress clones on the market? Whenever a game becomes even remotely popular on iOS, imitators spring up almost immediately. The AeroPress seems like a fitting analogue in the real world: easy to use, easy to manufacture, and raved about by tens of thousands of coffee nerds. So where are the competitors? Why isn't this a category yet like the French press? Patents?

elwell 13y ago

I use the inverted method, which is pictured in the first photo. It helps you get all the oils, which float to the top.

ValentineC 13y ago
I use the inverted method myself, but I found that the paper filter absorbs the oils. A Kaffeologie S filter [1] seems to help in that aspect. [1] http://www.kaffeologie.com/shop/s-filter-for-aeropress-coffee-makers http://www.kaffeologie.com/shop/s-filter-for-aeropress-coffe...

gingerlime 13y ago

I'm yet to get an aeropress, but what was striking me most about it, was what I would consider an "internet-age packaging" - with a customer testimonial printed on the package. I thought it was brilliant and can't recall any other product that does it - then again, I don't shop much, so I could be wrong. I wonder if they A/B tested it ;-)

thom 13y ago

For my shame I now mostly use a Nespresso, but my Aeropress is certainly the best coffee _placebo_ I've ever used. I have no idea if the coffee was better or worse, but it certainly felt like I was sciencing up the perfectly crafted liquid with space-age tools. It's a lovely ritual, especially when it breaks you out of a hard problem at work to grind the exact right number of beans, measure the exact right temperature, steep for the exact right number of seconds etc.

blt 13y ago

I love the Aeropress! It's also lightweight and tough, so you can take it camping. A big upgrade from instant coffees.

jevin 13y ago

I'm curious as to how this compares to a percolator. Anyone tried both?

cpenner461 13y ago
We've done a few blind taste tests at the office between an AeroPress and percolator (and keurig and pour over if we're counting). I suspect it's largely personal preference as the percolator advocate has chosen the percolator brew and I (the AeroPress advocate) choose the AeroPress. To me the percolator has a certain (undesirable) taste profile that always tastes like percolator. Academically I don't like that the percolator keeps "recycling" the water during the brew cycle.
- jevin 13y ago
  Thanks for the info. Side note, I just discovered that what I was referring to as a percolator, is actually called a Moka Pot : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot

SippinLean 13y ago

Someone PLEASE make a glass or stainless Aeropress. Aerobie refuses to, I don't want to mix hot water with plastics, and the plastic discolors.