AeroPress

The AeroPress is a small, tough coffee maker invented by the American engineer Alan Adler and launched in 2005. You steep coffee in hot water inside a plastic chamber, then press it through a paper or metal filter with a plunger, a bit like a cross between a French press and a syringe. It’s quick, almost impossible to break, cleans itself as you press, and it makes a properly good cup. Here’s how to use one, the recipe I’d start with, and every AeroPress model explained.

The short version

• Use 11 g of coffee to 200 g of water, from James Hoffmann’s widely used recipe.
• Grind at the finer end of medium. AeroPress’s own instructions call it a “fine drip” grind.
• Fit the plunger 1 cm in so nothing drips through while it steeps.
• Steep for 2 minutes, swirl, wait 30 seconds, then press gently.
• Pop the used coffee straight into the bin and rinse. Done.

What makes the AeroPress different?

The AeroPress is a hybrid brewer. Like a French press, the coffee steeps in all the water at once (immersion). But instead of pushing a mesh through the grounds, you push the coffee out through a filter at the bottom, using an airtight silicone seal on the plunger.

That combination gives you:

• A clean cup with a paper filter, closer to filter coffee than a French press.
• Lots of control. Change the steep time, grind, temperature or filter and you can make anything from a light, tea-like cup to a strong concentrate.
• Easy clean-up. Pressing pushes the used coffee and filter out in one go.
• Toughness. It’s light and tough, and there are travel versions too, the Go and Go Plus.

What do you need?

You’ll need	Ideal	If you don’t have one
An AeroPress	Any model (see below)	No real swap; it’s the brewer
Filters	AeroPress paper filters	A metal filter disc, washed and reused
Coffee	Freshly ground, at the finer end of medium	Pre-ground filter coffee works fine
A grinder	A burr grinder	Ask your roaster to grind it for AeroPress
A scale	A kitchen scale for 11 g and 200 g	Use the scoop that comes with every AeroPress, and the numbered marks on the chamber
A kettle	Any kettle	A pan of boiling water
A mug	A sturdy mug with a wide, solid rim	Any cup that won’t tip under the press

How much coffee and water should I use?

There are two well-known ways to measure.

Method	Coffee	Water	Notes
James Hoffmann’s recipe	11 g	200 g, just off the boil (99 °C)	Steep 2 min, swirl, rest 30 s, press for about 30 s. A full-strength cup
AeroPress’s own method	Scoops, using the scoop that comes with every AeroPress	80 °C (175 °F), to the numbered marks on the chamber	Stir about 10 s, press gently for 20–40 s, then top up with hot water to taste

Hoffmann’s recipe makes a full-strength cup straight away. The official method makes a stronger coffee you top up with hot water, which is handy if you like adjusting the strength cup by cup. To scale either up or down, use the brew ratio calculator.

What grind size is best for an AeroPress?

AeroPress’s instructions call for a fine drip grind; Hoffmann’s recipe says the finer end of medium. Both point to roughly the texture of fine table salt.

• Sour, thin coffee? Grind a little finer.
• Bitter coffee, or very hard to press? Grind a little coarser.

How do you use an AeroPress, step by step?

This is James Hoffmann’s widely shared recipe:

1. Set up. Paper filter in the cap, cap on the chamber, AeroPress on a sturdy mug.
2. Add 11 g of coffee, ground at the finer end of medium.
3. Pour in 200 g of freshly boiled water, wetting all the coffee.
4. Fit the plunger about 1 cm in. The seal holds the coffee in while it steeps.
5. Steep for 2 minutes.
6. Swirl gently, holding the chamber and plunger together.
7. Wait 30 seconds.
8. Press slowly and steadily all the way down. It takes about 30 seconds.

AeroPress’s own quick method: every AeroPress comes with its own scoop, so you measure the coffee in scoops. Use hot water at around 80 °C (175 °F), fill to the numbered marks, stir for about 10 seconds, press gently for 20 to 40 seconds, then top up with hot water to taste.

Standard or inverted: which AeroPress method is best?

The standard method is the one on this page: the AeroPress stands on the mug the right way up. The inverted method brews with the AeroPress upside down on its plunger, then flips it onto the mug to press. People use it so no coffee drips through during a long steep.

AeroPress itself advises against the inverted method. Its help centre says it makes the brewer less stable and more likely to tip, risking burns from hot liquid. It suggests two safer ways to stop drip-through:

• Seat the plunger seal about half an inch into the chamber straight after pouring, as in the recipe above.
• Use the Flow Control filter cap, which has a pressure-activated valve that stays shut until you press. It fits the Original, Go and Clear; the XL has its own Variable Flow Control Filter Cap XL.

General guidance only. Always follow the instructions that come with your AeroPress.

Paper or metal filter?

	Paper filter	Metal filter
Taste	Cleaner, brighter	Fuller, heavier body
Coffee oils	Mostly caught by the paper	More pass into the cup
Fine particles	Very few	A little sediment
Waste	A new filter each time	Reusable; wash it

If you’re watching your cholesterol, it’s worth knowing that paper filters catch more of the coffee oils, including cafestol, which can raise LDL cholesterol when you drink a lot of unfiltered coffee.

General guidance only, not medical advice.

Why does my AeroPress coffee taste sour, bitter or weak?

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Sour, thin	Grind too coarse, or steep too short	Grind a little finer, or steep a little longer
Bitter, harsh	Grind too fine	Grind a little coarser
Very hard to press	Grind too fine	Grind coarser and press slowly and steadily
Weak	Too little coffee for the water	Use more coffee, or less water
Coffee dripping through before pressing	Plunger not fitted after pouring	Fit the plunger about 1 cm in straight after pouring, or use the Flow Control cap

Common AeroPress mistakes

• Pressing too hard and fast. Press slowly and steadily; forcing it makes it harder and can tip the mug.
• Using a flimsy mug. Stand it on a sturdy mug with a solid rim.
• Leaving the plunger out while it steeps. Coffee drips through; fit the plunger straight away.
• Flipping it upside down. AeroPress advises against the inverted method because of the burn risk.
• Changing everything at once. Adjust the grind first, then the steep time.

What’s the best coffee for an AeroPress?

The AeroPress is easy-going, so most coffees taste good in it:

• Light to medium roasts shine with a paper filter, which keeps the cup clean and lets fruity, floral flavours come through.
• Darker roasts work well too, especially for a strong coffee you top up with hot water or milk.
• Fresh beans make the biggest difference. Use coffee within about a month of its roast date, and grind just before brewing if you can.

AeroPress recipes and variations

• A longer black coffee. Brew strong with AeroPress’s own method and top it up with hot water.
• A milky drink. Brew a strong, short coffee and top it up with hot, frothed milk.
• Iced AeroPress. Brew straight onto ice for a quick iced coffee.
• World AeroPress Championship recipes. Every year, competitors create new recipes, and both the championship and AeroPress publish winning recipes to try.

AeroPress models and variations

The AeroPress Original on this page is the classic. AeroPress, Inc. now makes several versions, and there are a few popular variations on the method. Each has its own page:

• AeroPress Clear. Launched in May 2023: the same brewing as the Original in a see-through Tritan body.
• AeroPress Go. The travel model from 2019, with a smaller chamber (up to 8 oz, about 237 ml) that packs inside its own mug with a lid.
• AeroPress Go Plus. A travel system that brews into a double-wall, vacuum-insulated stainless steel tumbler, with a Tritan press. One brew makes up to 10 oz.
• AeroPress XL. A larger AeroPress that brews 2–4 cups at once.
• AeroPress Clear XL. Announced in April 2025: the XL in clear Tritan, with a 20 oz (600 ml) capacity.
• AeroPress Premium. Made with double-wall borosilicate glass, stainless steel and aluminium instead of plastic.
• Inverted AeroPress. Brewing upside down to stop drip-through. AeroPress advises against it.
• AeroPress Flow Control. A filter cap with a pressure-activated valve, so you can steep longer without drips. The XL uses a separate XL version.
• Iced AeroPress. Brewing onto ice for an iced coffee.

How do you clean an AeroPress?

This is the best bit. Unscrew the filter cap over the bin and press the plunger the rest of the way: the used coffee and paper filter pop out in one go. Then rinse the plunger seal, the chamber and the cap. If you use a metal filter, rinse it too and let it dry.

Which AeroPress should I buy?

Model	Best for	What’s different
AeroPress Original	Most people	The classic
AeroPress Clear	Most people who’d like to watch the brew	Same brewing, see-through Tritan body
AeroPress Go	Travel	Smaller chamber, packs inside its own mug
AeroPress Go Plus	Travel and commuting	Brews into an insulated stainless steel tumbler
AeroPress XL	Brewing more at once	Brews 2–4 cups; needs XL filters
AeroPress Clear XL	Brewing more, in clear Tritan	20 oz (600 ml) capacity
AeroPress Premium	A plastic-free look	Glass, stainless steel and aluminium
AeroPress Steel	Heat retention and toughness	Vacuum-insulated stainless steel, 12 oz (360 ml); launched February 2026

More on the range in the AeroPress kit guide.

A short history of the AeroPress

The AeroPress was invented by Alan Adler, a retired Stanford engineering lecturer, whose company Aerobie was best known for the Aerobie flying ring he patented in the 1980s. He began prototyping a better way to make a single cup of coffee in 2004, and Aerobie launched the AeroPress in 2005. In 2017, the toy company Spin Master bought the rights to the Aerobie, and the company was renamed AeroPress, Inc.

The AeroPress quickly built a devoted following, helped by the World AeroPress Championship. It began in Oslo in 2008 as a friendly contest with just three competitors and grew into an international event; Wikipedia records that the 2018 competition drew 3,157 competitors from 61 countries. The 2020 championship was cancelled because of the pandemic, and it returned in 2021 with an online format alongside in-person events.

AeroPress vs other methods

• French press: steeps the same way but strains through metal mesh, so it’s heavier and has more sediment; better for several cups.
• V60: pour-over for a clean, bright cup, but it takes more technique.
• Clever Dripper: steeps then drains through paper; similar clarity, no pressing.
• Hario Switch: a V60 with a valve, switching between steeping and pour-over.
• Moka pot: stovetop and stronger, with a heavier body.
• Espresso: a machine at much higher pressure for a true shot with crema.

Explore every hybrid brewer in the hybrid chapter.