Aeropress, yay or nay?

kinger8938

kinger8938

kinger8938

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Hey all!

I'm currently using a simple Nespresso pod machine. I like an Americano/larger coffee however my results with this machine vary. They just seem to produce too small of a cup and they go cold quick.

In looking about I see mention of an Aeropress? Are these worth having a go with considering they are fairly cheap? Anything I need to know? Can these also be used to say create a latte on occasion? (I have the Nespresso milk thingy)

I'm not overly clued up. Just fancy something simple, and as the only coffee drinker in the house I feel a bean to cup machine may be a bit over kill just for me

Thanks in advance
 
1 - Yes they make good coffee.
2 - No they don’t make espresso.
3 - Strictly speaking they don’t make latte, besides it can’t foam the milk but you are okay on that front, because latte’s recipe requires espresso (point 2), so you lack 1 key ingredient. But it will work in a sense that you will end up with coffee with milk.

Personally…I find a Hario Switch less faff to use, more consistent, even more idiot proof than the Aeropress. Both essentially make filter coffee, with added immersion.
 
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Hey thanks for the reply, shows what limited knowledge I clearly have :)

I'm guessing the press is good for a simple cup of coffee though?

Lattes aren't essential, really but a machine that suits all these needs would clearly trump all
 
kinger8938 said:
Hey thanks for the reply, shows what limited knowledge I clearly have :)

I'm guessing the press is good for a simple cup of coffee though?

Lattes aren't essential, really but a machine that suits all these needs would clearly trump all
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Long time Aeropress user here!

They are great for a decent quality cup of black filter style coffee, mine comes to work with me to avoid the cheapest instant in the kitchen :) If you do get one, check out the inverted method, it's much better than how the manual says to do it.

Hope that helps.
 
All these methods make similar coffee, imo, though I prefer the coffee from an aeropress most of the time (if I can't have an espresso) but the beans will make more of a difference than the method to brew them here.

You can even pick up a cheap hario pour over too.
 
Long time AP user here. Can't recommend it highly enough. Just follow James Hoffman's recipe which is essentially brew for 1m30, agitate, another 30secs, plunge. He dismisses all the nonsense like water temperature (just boiled is generally fine), wetting the filters, inverting etc. I use about 18g per mugful and top it up by about a quarter (as in my AP makes 3/4s and I add a bit more).

Coming from pods though, you'll only get good coffee if you're using good beans. Check the threads on here for recommendations (I use Hasbean). Preferably you should grind yourself but that might be another upgrade down the line. If you're making 1-2 cups a day you can probably get away with buying pre-ground beans as long as they're from a proper roaster and not a supermarket jobby.

EDIT: Hoffman https://youtu.be/j6VlT_jUVPc
 
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The only thing you need to know about the aeropress is brew it upside down instead of the way they tell you in the instructions :) 5 spins front, 5 spins back top it up, the 180deg spin of coffee armageddon and press away.
 
Thanks for all the tips. I've gone ahead and ordered an Aeropress kit from a site called Rave Coffee, hopefully legit :D bit cheaper than their own site.

I'll get shopping for coffee to try. Part of the fun.

With regarding temperature, as mentioned above James Hoffman's method is fine for just boiled.

If I wanted to be more specific, how do you all check the temp? Just a simple thermometer or a fancy kettle that you can adjust etc

Thanks!

I'd be happy to look at a grinder if I like this route, but again as it's just me maybe preground is more convenient. Unless you guys have a good budget grinder you could recommend? Just to see
 
kinger8938 said:
If I wanted to be more specific, how do you all check the temp? Just a simple thermometer or a fancy kettle that you can adjust etc
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You can go the fancy kettle route but honestly unless you're brewing very dark roasted beans (think like Starbucks or something) just boiled is fine. As Hoffman says (and proves in that vid) by the time you pour it out and it hits the grinds you're looking at the temperature region that smart kettles etc. aim for (low nineties iirc). Most recommended roasters tend to roast light anyway.
kinger8938 said:
I'd be happy to look at a grinder if I like this route, but again as it's just me maybe preground is more convenient. Unless you guys have a good budget grinder you could recommend? Just to see
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I have the Baratza Encore which seems to be the most widely recommended budget grinder, assuming you don't want to go the hand-grinder route! You need to make sure you get something with decent burrs, not blades as they are inconsistent and produce heat.
 
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Don’t have an aeropress but this sounds like a great option for me as I’ve pretty much switched exclusively to filter and americano. Came in here to say that I love the Rave Chatswood coffee beans.
 
tom_nieto said:
Don’t have an aeropress but this sounds like a great option for me as I’ve pretty much switched exclusively to filter and americano. Came in here to say that I love the Rave Chatswood coffee beans.
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Nice, yeah I think that's why it may suit me!

Ordered the gift set from Rave, comes with some of their coffee too.

Also there's a 15%off code if you sign up to their newsletter at the bottom, so cost about £30, seemed like a good deal
 
kinger8938 said:
Thanks for all the tips. I've gone ahead and ordered an Aeropress kit from a site called Rave Coffee, hopefully legit :D bit cheaper than their own site.
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Most of my coffee beans are purchased from Rave - they're spot on. Which beans did you get?
 
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Aeropress was my gateway drug into decent coffee followed by the V5 pour over followed by a decent coffee machine.

I always used the inverted method for aeropress because it made cleanup easier, not for any taste reasons.
 
I currently have a subscription wirh rave and I'm going to cancel it, most of what they've sent recently have been on par with supermarket beans.

Maybe I've got unlucky with their subscription service though.
 
Begbie said:
I currently have a subscription wirh rave and I'm going to cancel it, most of what they've sent recently have been on par with supermarket beans.

Maybe I've got unlucky with their subscription service though.
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At risk of slight thread derail - which beans did you get?
 
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