Aerobie AeroPress Coffee & Espresso Maker
Somehow this coffee making device eluded my attention for the last year or so. Yes the AeroPress is made by the same Aerobie company that makes the well known flying disk. The AeroPress is priced reasonably at under $30 and is an amazing, simple and cool coffee making device. After using the Aeropress, I might go so far as saying that not only does Aerobie make the best flying disk in the world, but they now make the ultimate coffee maker. The first comparison I thought of when I first saw the AeroPress was that it was some kind of French Press that sits atop your coffee cup. Not so, the AeroPress is an entirely new way to make coffee.
Unlike the machine single serve coffee makers, like my Senseo, the AeroPress allows you to use whatever coffee you would like without wasting time making your own pods. While I still enjoy the ease of my Senseo, I cannot help but feel I am forced to only drink the coffees available in the pod format. For the freshest and best coffee, you have to grind your own and only grind your beans right before making the coffee. I always generally felt I made my best coffee using a French Press, however there is an art to using the French Press and sometimes you would end up with some bitterness. With the AeroPress, the advantages of the French Press are there, but the bitterness is eliminated.
- The quick and simple steps to making a cup of coffee with the AeroPress are as follows:
- Put one filter on the bottom of the AeroPress.
- Put the AeroPress on top of your favorite coffee mug.
- Put two AeroPress scoops of finely ground coffee in the chamber.
- Slowly pour in the hot water up to the number 2 on the chamber.
- Stir the grinds and water for 10 seconds.
- Put the plunger on the top of the chamber.
- Push very slowly on the plunger taking about 20 or 30 seconds to bottom out.
- Remove the plunger and over the refuse bin, pop out the grounds. A quick rinse and everything is clean.
- Relax and Enjoy the double expresso you just made, or top off the mug for a standard cup of coffee
After reading all the five star reviews on Amazon, at last check all 47 were five stars and I totally agree, and reading various other reviews and comments I have some tips for those who have an AeroPress.
- Use a fine grind, this is documented everywhere but some people apparently refuse to read instructions. You may need to experiment with the grind, really even a standard grind does not make a bad cup of coffee but the water will run right through the grinds.
- Do no boil the water, take the temperature to around 175 degrees Fahrenheit. A cycle in my Microwave for a cup of water achieves this temperature perfectly.
- Pour the water into the AeroPress slowly, do not just dump it in. Although like the grind, even if the grinds do not expand fully you will get a decent cup of coffee.
- If you are seriously concerned about using all the 350 filters and having to buy more, you can reuse the filters. The filters can be rinsed off and reused and they function quite well. Also, be sure you are not accidentally using more than one filter, unless that is your goal. Seriously though folks, I bought the extra filter pack and I imagine it will be years before I need to buy more.
The AeroPress instructions may look intimidating but seriously, do not worry about pressing the AeroPress too fast, too slow or experimenting with different grinds. I found that even if the coffee strained through quite quickly, that the cup of coffee was still quite tasty. Experiment and like homebrewing beer, relax and enjoy perhaps the best cup of non-bitter coffee you have ever tasted. I purposely made some strong cups of coffee with the AeroPress, and even the strong brews were bitter free. This is it folks, the AeroPress works as advertised and I think I have found coffee Nirvana, the AeroPress is that good and I am sorry it took me so long to discover this amazing coffee maker.
