Aeropress Coffee

This is my first Instructable. I did not invent anything here nor do I work for the company that designed the item shown, I simply think it is a cool coffee press. The Aerobie AeroPress is a coffee maker which uses air pressure to push water through grounds which are filtered by a paper filter, producing a drink that could arguably be called espresso. After that, I add some water, a bit of Splenda, and some half and half to make an Americano. I think it tastes great, as good as any coffee I have bought at a cafe, and from what I have read, some people say this device is as good as some $1000+ machines. But for $30 at Amazon.com, and because I can bring this with me to work I was sold. I want to show you how it works.

These are the parts of the AeroPress, parts are indicated in photo and described individually.

A re-usable paper filter is inserted in the filter screen, screen is then securely screwed onto the "bottom" tube via a bayonet mount.

Place the now assembled "Bottom" tube on your cup.

Choosing the perfect type of coffee is up to you. Unlike the more common french press, this system uses a finer grind. Experiment with types of bean, and grind till you find the one perfect for your taste. I prefer a dark roast with a fine espresso/turkish grind, however many prefer to use the fine/drip type grind.

You can heat your water however you choose. The "Top" tube is microwave safe and you can simply heat your water directly in it.

The one of the unique qualities of the AeroPress is, not a lot of water, or steeping time, is needed to make your coffee.

Time to press the coffee. We insert the now empty "Top" tube. which has a plunger base, into the "Bottom" tube which has the coffee mixture in it. We press, using about 15 pounds (7 kg) of pressure, gently maintaining the pressure until the plunger goes all the way down. Gentle and consistent pressure is key, its simple to do. What happens here is the air in the tube is compressed, pushing the water through the grinds, through the filter and into the cup.

Time to clean up. Once we have pressed the coffee, and removed the AeroPress from the cup, clean up is easy. Remove the filter screen, remove the paper filter, push out the compressed "puck" of grounds, rinse off the filter screen and the AeroPress itself, and rinse the paper filter if you want to reuse it, they are designed to be reused or disposed if you want. This may sound like a lot but it isn't, it takes maybe 30 seconds if that.

All done! It only took a few minutes, heating the water was the longest step. I like to take the "espresso" and add a equal quantity of hot water to it to make an Americano, the common cup of coffee. Or I can add milk to it instead and make a latte, or a small amount heated frothed milk for a cappuccino, or add some drip coffee for a "Red Eye" also known as a Canadiano... the list goes on forever. I have even heard you can use this to make tea, though I do not have loose leaf tea to experiment with. I really like the AeroPress it makes the best coffee I've ever tasted and its portable, inexpensive and near indestructible. Experiment, and enjoy, thanks for reading my article.