The AeroPress is one of the easiest ways to make a great cup of coffee at home. It's light, almost unbreakable and quick to clean, and it brews a smooth, rich cup in about two minutes. Here's exactly how to use one, plus a few tweaks to get the taste just how you like it.
What you need
- An AeroPress with a paper filter
- 15g of freshly ground coffee (about one AeroPress scoop, slightly heaped). Choose the AeroPress grind in your subscription, or grind medium-fine
- 200ml of water, just off the boil (around 85 to 90°C)
- A sturdy mug, a stirrer and, ideally, a set of scales
How to use an AeroPress, step by step
- Heat the water. Boil the kettle, then leave it for a minute or so. Water that's slightly below boiling gives a sweeter, less bitter cup.
- Rinse the filter. Put a paper filter in the cap and pour a little hot water through it. This gets rid of any papery taste and warms your mug.
- Set it up. Twist the cap onto the chamber and stand the AeroPress on your mug.
- Add the coffee. Tip in 15g of ground coffee and give the AeroPress a gentle shake to level it.
- Add the water. Pour in 200ml of water, making sure all the coffee gets wet.
- Stir and steep. Stir for about 10 seconds, put the plunger in loosely to stop it dripping, and leave it to brew for a minute.
- Press. Push the plunger down slowly and steadily. It should take about 20 to 30 seconds. Stop when you hear a hiss: that's air, not coffee.
- Enjoy. Drink it as it is, or add hot water or milk to taste.
To clean up, unscrew the cap over the food waste bin and push the plunger: the puck of grounds pops straight out. Give the rubber seal a quick rinse and you're done.
Getting the taste right
- Too bitter? Use a slightly coarser grind, cooler water or a shorter brew.
- Too weak or sour? Use a little more coffee, a finer grind or a longer brew.
- Hard to press? The grind is too fine. If the plunger drops with no effort at all, it's too coarse.
- Want something stronger? Use 18 to 20g of coffee with the same water and top up with hot water afterwards. It makes a concentrated shot you can also use for a milky drink.
The inverted method
Many AeroPress fans brew it upside down. Put the plunger into the chamber by about a centimetre and stand the AeroPress on the plunger end. Add the coffee and water, stir, and screw on the cap with a rinsed filter. After a minute, carefully turn it over onto your mug and press. Because nothing drips through while it brews, you get full control over the brewing time. It's not the official method, so take care when you flip it.
Why we love the AeroPress
It brews a cup somewhere between a cafetière and a filter coffee: full-bodied, but clean and smooth. It's also the brewer many coffee people pack when they travel, because it's small, tough and easy to use anywhere. Single-origin coffees with fruity or chocolatey notes really shine in it, which is why it suits a coffee subscription so well.
Want to try other brewers? See our guides to the Hario V60 and the cafetière, and check how much ground coffee to use.
AeroPress FAQs
How much coffee do I need for an AeroPress?
About 15g of ground coffee for 200ml of water makes one good mug. Use more coffee if you like it stronger.
What grind is best for an AeroPress?
Medium-fine, a little finer than for filter coffee. In our subscription, choose the AeroPress grind.
How long should AeroPress coffee brew?
About a minute, plus 20 to 30 seconds to press. Longer brews taste stronger; shorter ones lighter.
New to brewing? See all our brewing guides, with the grind, ratio and brew time for every method.
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