The Aeropress coffee maker has been around since 2005. It was invented by Physicist Alan Adler. He had previously invented the Aerobie Pro Flying Ring. His goal was to create a way to brew the best tasting and easiest to make cup of coffee. Millions of Aeropress devotees agree that he succeeded!
The Aeropress uses a forced extraction method of brewing coffee, similar to an espresso machine. It is also similar to a French press, since you push the water through a filter to separate the grounds from the liquid.
So, what makes the Aeropress so popular! Why do people sing its praises? There are several reasons.
First, it limits the time that the hot water is in contact with the fine coffee grounds. The instructions on their website say to add water to the grounds, stir for 10 seconds (1 minute for cold brew) and then use the plunger to press the water through the filter. This process creates a very smooth flavor that avoids a bitter taste by not “over cooking” the coffee and extracting that bitterness. For this same reason, the coffee brewed is very low in acidity.
The microfilter used with the Aeropress helps to filter out grit from your cup, making it better than a French press.
Speed of set up, brew time and clean up are all additional reasons why this patented gadget is so popular. It is very easy to use and minimizes necessary kitchen space. It is also ideal for camping or any type of traveling.
One of the selling points on the Aeropress site is that the materials are Phthalate and BPA free, so there is no worries about the health issues of other plastic products.
So, tastes delicious, easy to make, easy to clean and no plastic worries? I’m starting to see why people in over 60 Countries swear by the Aeropress.