Aerobie 80R08 AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker

Review by P. A. Cook
Rating:
I did many hours of research into coffee makers before deciding on an Aeropress. I learned that several factors influence the coffee you end up with: the temperature of the water, the way the water mixes with the coffee, and how the coffee is extracted from the grounds. I found it difficult to find knowledgeable reviews of the various coffee machines, so I decided to take control of my coffee preparation. The aeropress allows you to control how hot the water is and how long you let it mix with the coffee.

The whole coffee making process is explained in the products instructions.

1. Insert a filter and some coffee into the unit. A coffee scoop and some filters are included with the aeropress, they recommend 1 scoop of coffee per cup.

2. Heat the right amount of water. Markers are printed on the side of the Aeropress to show the recommended amount of water for between 1 and 4 (the maximum) espresso shots. The manufacturers recommend water between 75 and 80 degrees. I don’t know if this is correct, because I don’t have a thermometer in the kitchen, and in any case, I’m not going to stick a thermometer in water to get it to a precise temperature. I boil water in my kettle and let the water sit for a set time before use. Alternatively, you could microwave the water for a set time. A bit of experimentation and you’ll find how hot you like the water. I agree with Aeropress that boiling hot water extracts unpleasant flavors.

3. Mix the water with the grounds. The grounds are immersed in water, much like in a french press, but the manufacturers recommend letting the water sit for no more than about 10 seconds. I find that this is about right, but you can experiment and decide for yourself.

4. Insert the plunger and push the water out of the Aeropress. You press the plunger down so that it extracts the water from the grounds over about 20 seconds. The Aeropress needs to be on a strong and stable container, such as a mug, for this part of the process. Pressing the plunger requires a bit of strength if you are making more than one espresso shot. You’ll need to press down for about 20 seconds.

5. Drink up, or dilute the espresso shot(s) for American coffee or mix them for cappuccino, or whatever.

I am very happy with the Aeropress. It makes great tasting coffee. It’s easy to clean and inexpensive. In my opinion the aeropress is superior to french press or manual drip percolator coffee. It is not as convenient as a machine but I’m willing to spend the effort for good coffee.

Review by T. G. Bishop
Rating:
Wow! Best cup of coffee I ever had. And so simple! The design is brilliant. I’m impressed with the quality of construction, ease of use, ease of cleanup, and the great taste. This is the end of all other methods of coffee production.

I fill the plunger to the appropriate mark with hot tap water and place it in the microwave for 20 seconds (the experimentally determined time to reach 175). While the water is heating I place a filter sheet in the cap, place it on the chamber, and add 1 scoop of coffee. With the chamber on top of my cup, I add the now hot water, stir, and press. Cleanup consists of ejecting the used coffee into the composting pot and rinsing the end of the plunger. Then I’m ready to enjoy a perfect cup of coffee.

Review by Diane
Rating:
Below is my original review but I’ve returned to upgrade my opinion and offer some suggestions. Unfortunately Amazon won’t let me change the star rating without deleting and starting over but, after using the Aeropress for about a month I’d give it five stars.

Here’s why I changed my mind: originally I only gave the press four stars because of the large amount of coffee required to make a cup of coffee using the manufacturer’s directions. They must get kickbacks from coffee companies or something, because they say to use two scoops of grounds per cup of coffee — YIKES! That’s fine if you’re using cheap coffee, but when you buy fair trade organic it can really run up your coffee bill. And what’s the point of having a gourmet coffeemaker if you don’t use gourmet coffee?

I’ve been experimenting with the Aeropress and have found that I can make an excellent cup of coffee with only one scoop of grounds by not focusing on “smooth” coffee. I like acidity in my coffee — my preference is for balance over smoothness. So I heat the water to near boiling and fill the Aeropress to the 4-cup line, stir the grounds into the water and allow to set for a couple of minutes before pressing. This allows much more coffee flavor to come through, and I no longer get the paper taste that I got when I made coffee according to directions. When I press I do so fairly quickly, and actually get a lovely espresso crema. This only fills my cup to about 2/3, so I add hot water for the rest.

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Aeropress makes a very good cup of coffee. I’d like to add a few comments.

The instructions say to only heat the water to 175 degrees because that reduces the amount of acidity and makes the coffee smoother. That may be true, but I thought it was a bit too smooth. I like a bit of acidity in my coffee, so after the first trial cup I began to heat the water to almost boiling, which yielded a brew more to my taste. (Also the coffee stays hotter longer that way.)

This method uses a lot of coffee if you go by the directions — they recommend two scoops of grounds per cup! Their scoops are a little smaller than a normal coffee scoop, and I’ve found that 1-1/2 Aeropress scoops make a good cup. This turns out to be about the same that my French press uses, but the Aeropress coffee has no grounds in it, so I”m giving away the French press.