The AeroPress is a hybrid immersion-and-pressure brewer invented by Alan Adler at Aerobie in 2005. It consists of two cylindrical chambers, a rubber-tipped plunger, and a paper microfilter held in a screw-on cap. Coffee and water sit in the main chamber for a chosen steep time, then manual plunger pressure pushes the brew through the filter. The result is a concentrated, low-acid cup that can be served neat or diluted like an Americano.
How the AeroPress brews
Two variables the AeroPress controls that most other brewers do not: steep time is fully independent of drawdown, and final extraction happens under manual pressure rather than gravity. This makes it extraordinarily forgiving to grind size and ratio — almost any reasonable combination produces a drinkable cup — and it is why the AeroPress dominates travel and portable-brewing scenarios. The paper filter strips most oils and fines, producing a clean body closer to pour-over than to French press.
Two orientations are commonly used: upright (water and coffee in the chamber, cap at the bottom, plunger on top) and inverted (AeroPress flipped so the chamber is on top and the plunger acts as a seal). Inverted prevents early dripping during a long steep; upright is faster and dishwasher-friendly.
Sizes in this family
- AeroPress Original — the standard size. 15-20 g dose, final brew 200-250 mL.
- AeroPress Go — same geometry as the Original in a travel-friendly body with a mug lid. Identical recipe compatibility, slightly smaller dose range.
- AeroPress XL — a larger chamber released in 2023 that doubles capacity (up to 40 g dose, 600 mL brew). Used for two-cup serving or for scaled-up versions of Original recipes.
All three accept the same paper microfilters (the XL uses a larger but otherwise identical filter). Metal and cloth filters exist as third-party alternatives and change the body of the cup.
What AeroPress recipes in this collection share
The AeroPress is the most technique-diverse brewer in specialty coffee. The World AeroPress Championship (held annually since 2008) has standardised the "competition recipe" as a genre: short steep, often inverted, with specific agitation and plunge cadence. This collection includes winning and finalist recipes from the WAC alongside classic Adler recipes, Tim Wendelboe methods, James Hoffmann's bypass recipe, and cold-brew adaptations. Typical parameter ranges:
- Ratio: 1:10 to 1:17 (concentrate to diluted Americano-style)
- Water temperature: 75 to 95 °C
- Grind: medium-fine to fine (never as fine as espresso)
- Total brew time: 0:45 to 4:00
Use the AeroPress when you want consistency across a wide range of beans, portability, or short brew times. It pairs naturally with a hand grinder like the Timemore, Comandante, or Kingrinder.