Invented by Alan Adler in 2005, the AeroPress has become a well-renowned coffee-making toy for coffee lovers worldwide. I say toy because you can play around to find different brewing with the AeroPress tips and tricks.
Also, Alan Adler was the founder of a toy company named Aerobie, famous because of the invention of the Frisbee. In short, a toymaker invented a toy for making coffee.
Today, we’ll be discussing neat little tricks you can apply to your AeroPress for making delicious coffee.
Before you apply aeropress tips and trick, you must buy a aeropress coffee maker first.
If you don’t have it, here’s a few reasons to get an aerospress.
Aeropress Tips And Tricks:
Tip #1. Stop Plunging Before The “Hiss”
This is more of a rule of thumb and less of a law established by science.
When you hear the “hiss” noise, it means your plunger is pressing the coffee ground directly. Over-pressuring the grounds brings out the “extra” content present in the ground, which can cause the coffee to be bitter and flavorless.
So if you wish to get a balanced brew, stop plunging right away when you hear the “hiss” noise. If you’ve had a lot of practice, you can even stop the plunger right before the noise comes out.
Tip #2. The Aeropress Functions Everywhere
The AeroPress is the most travel-ready coffee maker in existence. The food-grade polyurethane rubber build ensures you can use it anywhere, and I mean ANYWHERE. Yes, even in. . .
Considering the Aeropress needs only pressure to brew coffee. In contrast, other coffee makers use gravity (next to non-existent in space anyway); you can, theoretically, brew coffee even in space with this coffee maker.
Tip #3. Use The Hexagonal Funnel!
The AeroPress funnel may look like it just helps you pour the grounds in the Aeropress, but it has multiple cool uses that you can use to step your game up.
By fitting the hexagonal funnel on the side of the filter cap, you can do two cool things:
Cool thing #1: You can use a pour-over stand to brew into a mug.
Cool thing #2: You can brew into mugs that wouldn’t even fit the Aeropress!
You can even use the coffee funnel to easily store the Aeropress. Stack your parts in the exact order of the following list, and you’re golden.
- Filter holder
- Funnel with the wide side up
- Aeropress itself with the filter cap down
- Place the scoop and the paddle in the opening of the plunger
Tip #4. You Can Make Espresso – But Not That Good
Though AeroPress can make a shot of espresso with the help of a couple of aftermarket parts. But the AeroPress espresso shot can only be described as “close but no cigar,” compared to french press coffee or a regular espresso maker.
When AeroPress coffee maker creates only 0.75 bars of pressure instead of a modern espresso machine that generates 8-10 bars of pressure, you can understand why the aftermarket parts come into play.
What Aeropress creates is an espresso-style coffee with adjustable coffee ratios. It may taste perfect to a newcomer, but any coffee geek can spot the difference. Check out the guide on how to make espresso with aeropress.
Tip #5. Use Reusable Metal Filters
The metal filter really brings a lot of change into the final cup of coffee. You can get a more rounded flavor with all the ground coffee particles and oils mixing into your cup through the filter.
Cleaning it is pretty easy too. Just take out the compressed puck, chuck it in the trash, and rinse the filter in warm water, and you’re ready to go.
Also, metal filters are convenient when you’re trying to brew on the go.
Tip #6. Use Your Microwave For That Perfect Water Temperature
This can also be achieved with an electric gooseneck kettle, but in case you don’t have one, a microwave and a thermometer can do you wonders.
The detailed instructions that come with AeroPress recommend that your water be 175℉. Keep your eye on the microwaving time and the thermometer to ensure so. Note down the time when the boiling water reaches 175 ℉.
Congratulations! Now you know the perfect brew times for your brewing water!
Tip #7. Brew First, Dilute Later
For a perfect drinking temperature, keep a brew in hand so you can save time later.
On a tight time schedule? Take your brew that you already had stored at room temperature, dilute it with hot water, and get your fresh cup any time of the day by reducing your brew times.
Tip #8. Use The Same Size AeroPress For More Coffee
You don’t need a larger version of the AeroPress to brew multiple cups of coffee.
Yes, you can brew up to four cups of coffee with your current AeroPress setting. If you use more grounds than usual and fill the water up to the highest point, you can create a highly concentrated coffee that you can dilute and make multiple cups out of.
Tip #9. Don’t Rinse Your Paper Filters
We know we told you to rinse your filter paper in a few different articles so you can get rid of the papery taste. But you can skip this step with AeroPress filters to save yourself some time.
AeroPress’s inventor himself mentions that there’s no contribution from the filter paper to the cup in terms of taste, so rinsing the filter isn’t necessary.
Tip #10. Save Your Filters By Using The Same Filter
If you’re looking to reduce waste or save an extra filter for later emergencies, this tip is perfect for you. AeroPress filters can be used for multiple brews. Not just the metal ones, the paper ones too.
All you need is to rinse the filter in hot water, let it dry, and your filter is ready for round 2!
Tip #11. Don’t Press Too Hard
When you press the plunger gently, it allows you to press efficiently. As a result, it saves time and also makes your coffee sweeter.
A harder press compresses the ground beans and slows down the water flow, resulting in a bitter cup. Considering this tip is from Alan himself, I’d take it seriously if I were you.
Tip #12. Use Back Pressure To Avoid Dripping
When you add hot water to the AeroPress. But you want it to function like an AeroPress, not a drip coffee maker. So we want to force the entire water out in one pressure for the best coffee result.
Insert the plunger in the body right after adding water to stop the dripping. However, doing so will create back pressure and prevent the water flow. Another way to stop the dripping is to use the inverted method.
Tip #13. Don’t Forget To Pre-rinse Your AeroPress
This one is not about the filters; we’re talking about rinsing the machine itself.
When you rinse the AeroPress with warm water before a brew, it preheats the machine while wetting the filter to ensure better filtration.
Pre-rinsing the AeroPress is a great tip for almost all coffee maker styles. It ensures you are getting consistent coffee throughout and gets rid of excess off-tastes.
Tip #14. Always Use Filtered Water
A small tip, but a critical one. The water quality is just as important as the quality of the coffee beans when you are brewing your cup.
If you want to make the best of your brew, you need to use filtered water or bottled water. Avoid tap water like the plague.
Tip #15. Grind Your Beans Right
A medium grind is the best choice for your AeroPress after you have the chosen beans at hand. Grinding too fine or coarse can have adverse effects on your final coffee.
A finer grind gets you a bitter cup of coffee. With a coarser grind, you have a cup of coffee-flavored warm water. Adjusting your grind to the standard method for brewing coffee can be a game-changer.
Tip #16. Pre-Infuse Hot Water
Pre-infusion doesn’t apply to the AeroPress exclusively, but it’s an excellent tip to keep in mind.
Pre-infusing your coffee grounds ensures that they are properly saturated and degassed by releasing carbon dioxide from the coffee bean.
To do so, simply add 50ml of water below the boiling point, and wait for 30 seconds before starting the brewing process.
Tip #17. Do Not Fill The Container All The Way
When you fill the AeroPress chamber all the way to the top, the water overflows when you add your filter and lid.
And suddenly, you have burnt hands from an unfortunate accident and no coffee. Certainly not how you wish to start the day, do you?
Make a concentrated coffee brew with a lower water level first, then dilute it with warm afterward to get your desired brew.
Tip #18. Don’t Be Too Greedy, Plunge Gently
Squeezing every last drop of your coffee grounds to get that sweet nectar of happiness might sound highly lucrative, but it’s not always a good thing to do.
When you plunge all the way down, you can over-extract the coffee and end up with bitterness in your mouth.
Tip #19. Turn The Frown Upside Down
When the baristas use a tip to make the coffee maker more flavor efficient, you know it’s a good one.
You basically need to set your AeroPress upside down for the inverted brewing method, so your coffee has time to steep and ensure that under-extracted coffee doesn’t start dripping through the filter.
Tip #20. Sandwich Your Coffee Filter
Add grounds, put a filter on the top of said grounds, and then add more grounds on top of the filter. It’s like a coffee sandwich inside your AeroPress. It may sound like a lot of work, but it’s worth it.
The resulting brew is so good that Professional barista Andy Sprenger won the 2013 U.S AeroPress Championship using this method.
Tip #21. Use Colder Water For Faster Coffee
Another championship-winning tip, this time it’s coffee professional Lukas Zahradnik winning the 2015 World AeroPress Championship with it. He used cold water so that the coffee was ready to drink right after pressing.
Lukas used the inverted method while using water at 174 ℉, with 25 seconds of coffee steep time and 75 seconds pressing time.
Tip #22. Get creative!
There are a LOT of brew methods you can perform with the Aeropress. But, of course, it’s always better to try new things out to explore the wide world of coffee. And yes, even cold brew coffee is on the list, among other kinds of coffee you can get out of an AeroPress.
Bottom Line
With the power of secret brewing knowledge in your hands, it’s time for you to shine with your supreme AeroPress brewing skills. Shock your friends and family by showing how awesome a coffee recipe you can create.
Had fun reading Aeropress tips and tricks? If you end up disliking aerospress even after reading this entire list of awesome tips check out french press vs aeropress article.
FAQs
Rinse the filter in warm water after you throw away the compressed coffee puck, and then rinse the AeroPress to completely clean your coffee maker for a fresh brew.
175℉ is the recommended ideal temperature for the AeroPress.
AeroPress is the most affordable coffee brewing method, which offers you the flexibility to try out different blends, brew ratios, and brewing methods in an all-in-one package.
For an ideal cup of coffee, you need to use 2.6 grams of coffee per fl Oz.
The inverted method is when you set the AeroPress on your table upside down. This prevents dripping and over-extraction.
