The AeroPress: Everything You Need to Know

July 25, 2025

The AeroPress: Everything You Need to Know

Few pieces of coffee equipment have developed a cult following quite like the AeroPress. Invented in 2005 by Alan Adler — the same engineer who invented the Aerobie flying disc — the AeroPress is a simple, inexpensive, and remarkably versatile brewing device that has become a favourite among home brewers, travellers, and competition baristas alike. Here’s everything you need to know.

How the AeroPress Works

The AeroPress is an immersion brewer that uses gentle air pressure to push water through coffee grounds and a paper (or metal) filter. The process takes just 1–2 minutes in total and produces a concentrated, clean, rich cup of coffee.

The basic method is simple: add ground coffee to the chamber, add hot water, stir, and press the plunger slowly to force the brew through the filter into your cup. The short brew time and pressure extraction make AeroPress coffee especially smooth — lower in acidity and bitterness than most other methods.

Why Coffee Lovers Swear by the AeroPress

Speed — a full brew in 1–2 minutes makes it ideal for busy mornings.
Versatility — you can brew espresso-style concentrate, American-style longer black, or something in between. Adjust your grind, ratio, water temperature and steep time to completely change the cup.
Portability — lightweight, unbreakable, and compact. Perfect for camping, travel, and hotel rooms.
Forgiving — unlike pour over, the AeroPress is very forgiving of inconsistency in technique. It’s a great starting point for home brewers.
Easy to clean — press the puck into the bin and rinse. Done in seconds.

AeroPress Brewing: A Standard Recipe

There are hundreds of AeroPress recipes — the device has its own World AeroPress Championship with entries from around the globe. Here’s a solid starting point:

Grind 15g of coffee to medium-fine (slightly coarser than espresso).
Heat water to 85–90°C (slightly cooler than boiling reduces bitterness).
Place a filter in the cap, wet it to remove paper taste, and lock the cap onto the chamber.
Stand the AeroPress on your cup. Add coffee grounds.
Pour 200ml of water over the grounds. Stir for 10 seconds.
Insert the plunger and press slowly over 30–40 seconds.
Taste and adjust — finer grind, hotter water, or longer steep for more intensity.

Best Coffee for AeroPress

The AeroPress works beautifully with a wide range of coffees. Light to medium roasts from fruity origins like Ethiopia and Colombia produce vibrant, complex cups. Medium to dark blends produce rich, espresso-style concentrates perfect for milk-based drinks.

Find the perfect AeroPress coffee at myroast™ — freshly roasted from Australian specialty roasters and delivered to your door.