Some products have a certain X factor that puts them into a class all on their own. These are Underscored All-Stars, which you can read more about here.
Had I known the AeroPress would lead to a decade-long obsession with coffee, I would’ve switched to a drip machine and picked a more productive hobby. But when I moved into my tiny college dorm room about 10 years ago, my AeroPress came along — and it has transformed how I think about my morning cup.
Before, I drank coffee to wake up. Now I go to coffee tastings, own enough coffee accessories to annoy my housemates and have repurposed my computer desk into an operating theater for a 14-year-old espresso machine. (A brass brush and descaler sit where my monitor once stood). In other words, I’ve become an annoying “coffee guy,” and it’s the AeroPress’ fault.
You don’t need to take my word for it, as I’m far from the only AeroPress convert. Fans are so wild about this cylindrical plastic brewer that they’ve organized their own World AeroPress Championships. This year, participants number in the thousands, the best of which battled it out in Lisbon to determine who can brew the best cup using just this plastic contraption. But even those who aren’t after a world championship brew should look to the AeroPress for a great everyday cup, whether it’s a simple, standard coffee or a more creative concoction.
With the AeroPress, you can make perfect iced lattes, refreshing cold brews and balanced Americanos at home and on the go. Consider that it’s also portable, indestructible and easy to use, and you’ll see why it’s an all-star product. Snag it now while it's on sale at Walmart for just $30.
Why the AeroPress is an All-Star
It’s easy to use
Brewing coffee with the AeroPress won’t be as easy or boring as pushing a button, but it is simple enough that newcomers can make excellent coffee in minutes.
The original recipe goes like this: remove the plunger, place a filter on the cap, screw the cap on the AeroPress, place the chamber on a sturdy mug, add a scoop of ground coffee, fill it with hot water, stir and plunge.
In minutes, you’ve got a fine cup of strong, espresso-style coffee without any fussy gadgets or maneuvering. Compare that to popular pour-over coffee makers that seem simple on the surface but often require special pouring techniques, a gooseneck kettle and constant monitoring. With the AeroPress, all the magic happens in the brew chamber.
It’s one of the most fun, rewarding ways to make coffee
While you can stick with founder Alan Adler’s original recipe, experimentation is what makes the AeroPress fun and addictive. Coffee geeks around the world are constantly tinkering with it like a piece of open-source software, sharing their recipes on YouTube, Reddit and AeroPrecipe.
On that last site alone, you’ll find over 300 different recipes. Low on coffee beans? There’s an entire category dedicated to squeezing one final cup out of just a few grams of coffee. Or learn from the best and search through AeroPress championship recipes.
There are a few tricky outliers — one “experimental” recipe has you add coconut water and espresso — but most brews are replicable and straightforward, especially compared to dialing in a shot of espresso or finicky V60 recipes.
View this interactive content on CNN.comThe AeroPress is also far more versatile than the average coffee maker. With the Fellow Prismo attachment, you can get close to espresso. Even without add-ons, there are plenty of straightforward espresso recipes that yield strong, espresso-like coffee, unlocking milk drinks and Americanos. (I say “espresso-like” because you need around nine bars — a unit of pressure short for barometric — to pull a true shot. The AeroPress hovers around a quarter to a half bar.)
Iced drinks are easy too. Pour your espresso-like coffee over ice or choose a recipe that’s brewed to be chilled. One popular two-minute iced latte recipe promises notes of “sandalwood and umami seaweed,” plus a “good kick.” You can even make cold brew in minutes.
Then there are the wacky AeroPress techniques. Use a sliced orange as your filter, or shove a double-stuffed Oreo into the chamber. The point is, when you buy an AeroPress, you also join a community with a playful DIY ethos.
You can travel the world with it
Try taking the Hario V60 on a trip. Even if you opt for the plastic dripper, it’s awkward to pack and fragile. On the other hand, the AeroPress is nearly indestructible and made for travel, weighing around half a pound and measuring just over 5 inches tall. There’s also a more packable AeroPress Go model that fits into a travel mug that doubles as a case. Paired with the right handheld grinder, some of which are designed to pack into the AeroPress’ body, and you’ve got a first-rate portable coffee maker for camping, road trips and international travel.
It’ll last for years
Because the AeroPress is made of three durable plastic parts — a chamber, filter basket and plunger — it’ll last for years under heavy use. Before I lost it in a move, my first AeroPress stuck around for four years — around 1,500 cups of coffee. That’s typical. Buy an AeroPress and you can expect to use it for a while before the plunger’s rubber gasket starts to go, and that’s no biggie since AeroPress sells replacements for $10.
How the AeroPress compares to other coffee makers
The AeroPress is unique. Apart from imitations like the Delter Coffee Press, French presses are the AeroPress’ closest analogue since they use a plunger and brew via immersion. But you won’t find one that’s as durable, versatile or compact as the AeroPress, and there’s no French press world championship.
Pour-over coffee makers come close too. Like the AeroPress, they’re affordable and excel at making high-quality hot or iced coffee. My favorite, the Hario V60, even has an active community that shares a similar AeroPress ethos. But most pour-over recipes are more involved and less versatile than AeroPress brews.
And then there are all the espresso and espresso-adjacent coffee makers: espresso machines, manual espresso makers, portable espresso makers and Moka pots. As cool as they are, the best espresso machines are expensive and difficult to use. Same for manual espresso makers. Moka pots are cheaper and easier to master, but there’s less potential for tinkering than with the AeroPress.
That’s not to say the AeroPress doesn’t come with its own cons. It can get close to espresso, but if you want a proper cappuccino, invest in a machine or lever brewer. The AeroPress is also limited by size. Even the larger AeroPress XL can only brew about two cups of strong coffee. Finally, many will cringe at its plastic construction, even though the AeroPress original (polypropylene) and the newer AeroPress Clear (Tritan) are food-safe and BPA-free.
In the end, the AeroPress defies comparison. Is it the best way to make coffee? Not necessarily. But there’s also nothing like it.
Why you should buy the AeroPress
There are myriad reasons why you should buy an AeroPress. Frequent travelers might want an on-the-go alternative to the burned-rubber flavor of hotel K-Cups. Newcomers to specialty coffee could be looking for an affordable upgrade to their crummy drip machine.
Underscored associate testing writer Joe Bloss bought his AeroPress around four years ago after wanting to make espresso at home without shelling out for a machine. Today, it’s how he makes most of his coffee.
“I love the AeroPress for its flexibility and forgiveness,” Bloss says. Sometimes he’s precise, measuring down to the gram and using the “inverted method.” Other times, he’ll just eyeball it and brew as intended. “Either way, the resulting cup is always satisfying.” You’ll find similar endorsements on the AeroPress subreddit, which has amassed over 53,000 members.
It’s the AeroPress’ versatility that hooked me 10 years ago. As a broke college student confined to a 160-square-foot dorm room, I could pick up an AeroPress, buy a cheap burr grinder and experiment with dozens of different recipes, from iced drinks and cardamom coffee to mashed potatoes. There’s no other coffee maker as accessible that encourages such freedom, which is why the AeroPress is an all-star product.