The AeroPress has been my daily brewer for a while now. It’s not perfect, but it’s the one I keep coming back to. Let me walk you through how I actually use it — this isn’t the “official” method, it’s just what works for me.
What You Need
- An AeroPress (obviously)
- Filter papers
- Fresh coffee from a roaster you trust
- Scales
- A grinder, or just ask your roaster to grind it for AeroPress
My Method
At the moment I’m brewing using the inverted method, but I tend to switch between this and the regular method depending on how the coffee is tasting.
The actual steps:
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Weigh out 12g of coffee and grind medium-fine — just a touch finer than what I’d use for a pour over. If you find that your ground are really static when grinding spray them with a bit of water (I just add a few drops in and shake them).
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Boil the kettle. I don’t bother with a fancy temperature-controlled one. I just make my partner a cup of tea first, and by the time that’s done, the water has cooled to roughly where I want it — around 92°C. Low-tech but it works.
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Pour 200g of water into the brewer. Give it a gentle stir to make sure all the grounds are saturated.
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Wait 2 minutes. This is the part where I usually stand there half-asleep or check my phone.
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At 2 minutes, break the crust — just a quick stir to agitate the grounds sitting on top.
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Wait another 30 seconds.
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Screw on the filter cap, flip the whole thing onto your mug, and press. Takes about 30 seconds of gentle, steady pressure. You shouldn’t be fighting it.
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Pop out the puck — this is the most satisfying part — and drink.
Why I Keep Using It
The good stuff:
- Dead easy to clean. Rinse, pop out the puck, done. No glass carafes to fumble with when you’re barely awake.
- Basically indestructible. I’ve dropped mine, travelled with it, thrown it in bags. The plastic just takes it.
- Lightweight. Comes everywhere with me. Hotel rooms, camping, my parents’ house where the coffee situation is usually dire.
- Actually makes great coffee. For such a simple device, the cup quality is genuinely excellent.
The only real downside:
- One cup at a time. If you’re brewing for two people, someone is waiting. That’s just the reality.
That’s it. Just a plastic tube and a bit of patience.
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