The Aeropress - a users journey PDF Print E-mail
Written by Cheryl de Wolfe   
Wednesday, 27 December 2006 05:41
Cheryl de Wolfe is a Victoria resident and food expert. This is her Aeropress story!

The AeroPress is a clever little manual espresso maker. It needs only hot water (not boiling! The instructions are very clear about that), ground coffee, and a mug in addition to what you find in the box. Even the hexagonal box is clever and perfectly holds the funnel, base, plunger, scoop, stir stick, filters, filter stand, and very clear instructions.


After reading through the instructions, I gathered together the parts and ran through the process. I was surprised by how much force was required to start the plunger, but once it got going, it was easy enough to keep moving with moderate pressure.

Later, I used the kitchen table, lower than the counter top, to get a better angle for that first plunge but I also found that some mugs provided a tighter seal (my travel mug for instance) and required even greater pressure.

It's been a long time since I made espresso at home, so I was a bit surprised by the small volume of resulting coffee in the bottom of the mug.
It smelled strong, however, and had a lovely tan froth on top, but I wanted more, so I topped it up with an equal amount of hot water. Unfortunately, as with any coffee maker, the trick is to "adjust to taste."
With the AeroPress it took me about 6 attempts before I got an Americano I could enjoy.

The biggest surprise to me, and the most fun part of the AeroPress, is the easy cleanup. After a few last drips from the press, I removed the end with a simple twist, walked over to the garbage can, and simply pushed the plunger through the base to eject a small puck of grounds with the filter.

The parts were all easily rinsed under hot water and ready to go again. Having cursed my French press many times while trying to get grounds out of the mesh screen, the cleanup may be the biggest reason for recommending the Aeropress.

After almost two weeks, I can now consistently make a cup of coffee I'm happy with, using the AeroPress and coffee ground for a typical drip coffee maker -- though the instructions say "any grind will do" I'll stick with what I know.

I have yet to try making more sophisticated coffee drinks -- though with my Aerolatte (http://www.aerolatte.com - no relation to the AeroPress), I should be set for any coffee emergency!

Speaking of emergency, the AeroPress is also great for travel, camping, and emergency kits. It can be packed back into its clever box which takes up little space, and as long as you can heat water -- by electric
kettle, stovetop, microwave, or open fire -- you can make a decent cup
of coffee.

Cheryl DeWolfe is a devoted coffee drinker from Victoria BC, who can has been reviewing restaurants and movies online for the past 10 years. This is her first review for CoffeeCrew.com.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 27 December 2006 05:50