Aerobie 80R08 AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
by Aerobie
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Aerobie 80R08 AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
Customer Review: Invert The AeroPress
Summary: 5 Stars
The reviews say it all - the AeroPress makes one good cup of coffee, but I found a way to make it even better. I followed the directions that came with it for a while, then found a community on the web dedicated to their love for the Aeropress and found the inverted method to work best for me. The methods vary but the one that I use is as follows:
TIPS:
I find that the coffee tastes best with freshly ground beans. I grind only the amount I need for single use (between 15-18 grams) with Krups 203-42 Fast Touch Coffee Grinder, Black. You can vary the coarseness depending on how you like your coffee (finer produces stronger).
Use filtered water, heat to ~175 F. For reference, the boiling point of water at standard pressure is 212 F.
INVERTED METHOD:
Press the plunger about 1.5 inch into the main chamber (around the 4 mark). Invert the Aeropress and place on counter such that the opening is facing you.
Dump the fresh coffee grind into the chamber and slowly pour the hot water halfway. Stir about a dozen times and fill the water to the top.
Wet filter and place it in the cap. Twist the cap on.
Place your favorite mug/thermos upside down on the aeropress and carefully invert the aeropress right-side up (you can leave the mug on the counter and carefully invert and place the aeropress on the mug).
Press the plunger. You will find that it is easier to press down compared to the traditional method because there is less air bubble.
Enjoy coffee.
It might take a few tries to find what works for you, but I wanted to encourage other reviewers/potential buyers to experiment.
Customer Review: Great for making Americanos
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been using my AeroPress for several months now, and am glad I bought one. I'm the only coffee drinker in my household and the AeroPress is perfect for making single serving drinks. Using fresh beans and steeping for the length of time suggested creates rich flavors with little or no bitterness.
Basically, the AeroPress produces a concentrated coffee. Dilute the concentrate with hot water and you've got an Americano. Or use the concentrate to create other coffee drinks you like.
I have not been able to produce an espresso shot with the AeroPress of the sort you'd expect from a pump driven espresso machine. That said, this doesn't diminish my satisfaction with the AeroPress. I enjoy the clean cup of coffee it creates, and only use my drip maker sparingly now.
I've entertained with the AeroPress once. For four people, I was able to make two drinks at a time. The Aeropress has the capacity to make four singles or two doubles per batch. I chose doubles, thus the two drinks at a time. It wasn't as effortless as using a drip maker to make this kind of volume, but my guests did compliment the taste and seemed entertained by the AeroPress brewing process. I should mention that there was some waiting involved for those folks that ended up with the second batch - but not a lot - since I finished preparing and served the first two before starting the second batch. The directions suggest using an insulated carafe to keep already brewed batches hot while you continue brewing more until you have the volume needed for the number of servings desired. This would allow everyone to get their drinks together like would be typical if using a drip maker. I just don't have an insulated carafe at the moment so wasn't able to try this, but the suggestion makes sense.
Customer Review: Great for camping
Summary: 5 Stars
I completely agree with the reviewers who write "coffee the way you like it" because you have so much control over the coffee flavor.
And I agree with the reviewers praising the "perfect design" because the product has been so well thought through; at first I couldn't figure out why they had to give a funnel to add the coffee--there seem to be a lot of parts. But then I started using my coffee grinder with it and realized the funnel makes it a lot easier to go from coffee grinder straight into the AeroPress.
What I think needs emphasis is that this is perfect for camping. Don't take a french press; the cleanup is too hard. Don't take those stove-top coffee pot things; even harder to clean. When this is over, you wipe off the plunger. Done.
I make one cup of coffee in the morning. I place 1 cup of water into microwave for 2:45, which brings it to recommended temperature of 170 degrees. During that time, I grind the coffee and put filter in AeroPress and am ready to make coffee when the water is ready. If you need to make more coffee, put more scoops and more water into the aeropress and press into larger container then divide into cups and top up with hot water.
Enjoy!
UPDATE. I have a suggestion. You will get better coffee from this using a burr grinder than a blade grinder. If you only have a blade grinder, you will be happier with your aeropress if you buy pre-ground coffee. The flavor profile of coffee from the aeropress is very sensitive to the size and quality of the grind. For some coffee, you will dial in the right flavor by stirring for 10 seconds before pressing; other coffee maybe 30 seconds. While using a blade grinder I was never able to dial in the flavor like that because the grind is not consistent enough.
Customer Review: Innovative Coffee Maker, Not Traditional "Espresso," But I Like It
Summary: 5 Stars
The AeroPress makes excellent coffee, and it's healthier than an espresso maker or French Press because it pushes the coffee through filter paper that its makers claim greatly reduces chemicals (cafestol and kahweol, which are fat-soluble compounds known as diterpenes) that are said to raise cholesterol and triglycerides. I'm not an M.D., and this isn't a medical opinion, but you can search this for yourself online.
The AeroPress has been controversial among espresso connoisseurs because it is advertised as an espresso machine, and it isn't that in the sense they mean. A traditional espresso machine extracts coffee at about 8 1/2 to 8 atmospheres of pressure and can produce a very rich mouthfeel with lots of fine bubbles, or crema, that hold aromatic flavors. The AeroPress can make concentrated coffee that tastes good, but it's different. It's more like a French press or "cafetiere" that filters out the grit and harmful components for those who care. If you don't care about the cholesterol risks that some studies show occur in non-filtered coffee, maybe a French press will be what you'll like. I also prefer the AeroPress over pour-over filters like Melitta because it seems I can better control temperature and concentration with this method. It's a quality, thick plastic device that's a good insulator to help control temperature.
I like brewing traditional espresso using beans and blends roasted for that purpose. I taste it and then filter the remainder through paper for health reasons. I prefer the AeroPress for coffees that taste better when not brewed under high pressure. It also cleans up faster than my espresso machine. And unlike the time it takes to heat that up, it's very fast because it only requires heating water in an Instant Hot or Microwave.
Customer Review: best single cup coffee maker ever!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've used this for about 3 months now and I have to say it always makes a great cup of coffee. I have tried every other method of making coffee and this is the best I've found so far. Probably the next best is a coffee press.
You can read all the other reviews about how wonderful it is, yeah it's all that.
I would like to comment on two issues that people have complained about:
1) it uses too much coffee: yes, if you follow the directions exactly, it does but you don't have to use that much. Experiment/customize to suit your taste. I love Starbucks coffee which is considered very strong (even their mild, so I am told). I find I need much less than the prescribed amount of coffee to suit my taste. The key is grinding the beans very fine. (Get a burr grinder and grind the beans yourself to suit you! Yes, I get Starbucks beans). Also, use filtered water, a Brita filter will do. For real convenience, add a Hot Water dispenser to your sink and put an undersink filter in front of it. It sounds like a lot to get great coffee but after skipping Starbucks for a few months, it will pay for itself :-) I still go to Starbucks but it isn't as good as your own custom brew...
2) the other complaint I have read is how hard it is to push down the plunger. Yes it is very hard at first but it gets easier with use. Another tip is to be patient. It is ok if it take 30-40 seconds to push all the way down. If you push slowly, you don't have to push real hard (especially after it has be used a bit). You can also keep your arm still and lean your body into it if you really need to. If you have limited arm function, you may have problems but for I would expect most people can do it easily after it is broke-in and/or if they lean into it and push slowly.