Guides/Gear guide
Gear guideThe AeroPress: Why a Garage Invention Became the World's Favourite Coffee Press
By The Killer Coffee team
The story
The AeroPress came from a garage, not a coffee company. Its inventor, Alan Adler, was an engineering lecturer at Stanford who had already invented the Aerobie, the record-breaking flying ring. In the early 2000s he got fed up with brewers that made a whole pot when he wanted one good cup, and with coffee that came out bitter.
He started prototyping in 2004 and launched the AeroPress at a coffee trade show in Seattle in November 2005. The idea was simple: steep the coffee briefly, then press it through a fine paper filter. The short brew and the filter give a strong cup without the bitterness or grit.
Baristas took it and ran. The first World AeroPress Championship was held in Oslo in 2008 with three competitors. By 2018 it drew more than 3,000 competitors from 61 countries. Not bad for a plastic tube.
Why we rate it
- Strong without the bitterness. A short steep and a paper filter give a clean, full cup. Use more coffee and less water and you're into espresso-style territory.
- Hard to get wrong. No settings, no screens, no learning curve. Coffee in, water in, stir, press.
- Goes anywhere. Light, tough and quick to clean. It's at home in a hotel room, a campsite, a site office or the back of a ute.
Is it right for you?
Great if you…
- brew one or two cups at a time
- travel, camp or work away from a kitchen
- want better coffee than instant without buying a machine
- like a strong short black or a milk drink base
Think twice if…
- you make coffee for a crowd every morning. It brews one or two cups at a time.
- you want true pressurised espresso with crema. It gets close, but it isn't a 9-bar machine.
How to use it
- Filter in. Pop a paper filter in the cap and rinse it with hot water.
- Coffee in. Add 15g of ground coffee (our Ground Espresso works well).
- Water in. Pour in 225g of water just off the boil and stir.
- Steep, then press. Wait 2 minutes, then press slowly until you hear a hiss.
Full recipes, including an espresso-style shot: How to Brew Coffee with an AeroPress.
Which Killer coffee
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FAQ
Who invented the AeroPress?
Alan Adler, a Stanford engineering lecturer best known for the Aerobie flying ring. It launched in 2005.
Is AeroPress coffee strong?
It can be. Use more coffee and less water for an espresso-style shot, or more water for a regular cup.
Can an AeroPress make real espresso?
It makes a strong, concentrated, espresso-style shot that works well in milk drinks. It doesn't reach the 9 bars of pressure of an espresso machine, so there's less crema.
What's the difference between the Original, Go and Clear?
They brew the same way. The Go is smaller and packs inside its own mug for travel, and the Clear is made from see-through, shatterproof Tritan.
Is the AeroPress BPA-free?
Yes. Current models are made from BPA-free plastics.
How do you clean an AeroPress?
Pop the puck of grounds into the bin and rinse the plunger. That's it.
