AeroPress

Equipment notes

The AeroPress was introduced in 2005 by Alan Adler, the engineer behind the Aerobie flying ring. Looking to reduce the acidity and bitterness of his daily coffee, he reasoned that a shorter brew assisted by air pressure could help, and refined the idea through a series of prototypes before the release. Its principle is immersion plus pressure. Coffee steeps briefly inside a cylinder, then the plunger pushes the brew through a paper microfilter with air pressure, aiming to combine the body of immersion with the clean texture of a paper-filtered cup. Because grind size, steep time, and water temperature can be combined freely, the range of possible recipes is wide; the World AeroPress Championship, with national rounds in some 60 countries, is built on exactly that variety. Start with the standard orientation, a short steep, and a gentle press; once comfortable, try the inverted method to take full control of steep time. One tool moves between a concentrate to dilute and a straight filter-style cup, and cleanup is quick. It is a brewer for anyone who wants a single cup made quickly and simply, and who does not want travel to interrupt the experiments.

Filters that fit

• AeroPress StandardDefault
• AeroPress Stainless Steel FilterOriginal