How to Use an Aeropress

Ready to brew the perfect cup of coffee with your Aeropress? This simple Aeropress recipe will guide you to a rich, smooth coffee in just minutes. Whether you’re a coffee newbie or a pro, this method is a must-try for your daily routine. Plus, learn how to use your Aeropress to make four different styles of coffee drinks: Espresso, Americano, Latte, and Cold Brew.

I love how versatile the Aeropress coffee maker is. It’s perfect for making coffee for one and is ideal for on-the-go coffee brewing.

Do you like camping? Do you travel often for work? Or maybe you just really love a great cup of coffee that you can make at home. Everyone needs one of these!

Coffee made in the Aeropress coffee maker is perfect for either busy workday mornings, or weekends when you might have time to make fresh bread topped with homemade almond butter. This brewer can truly fit into any lifestyle, and that’s just one of the reasons I love it.

Why You’ll Love Making Aeropress Coffee

1. Simple Machinery – The Aeropress is a manual coffee brewer that works with boiling water rather than electricity. You can use the Aeropress anywhere, anytime. And when you’re done brewing, toss it in a drawer – no permanent counter space required.
2. Fun to Use – Aeropress is called a gravity-defying coffee brewer. It works differently than traditional drip brewers, french press, moka pot, and espresso machines to create a better-tasting cup of coffee.
3. Really Great Coffee – The flavor of air pressed coffee is fantastic! It’s not quite as strong as espresso, but richer than coffee made otherwise. I also think that it’s less bitter and acidic too.
4. Great for one or for many– I love this machine when I’m just making coffee for myself. There’s no waste, and I can make it exactly how I like. You can also use Aeropress to serve coffee when you’re entertaining. It might take longer than brewing a pot of coffee, but it’s a fun party activity!

What you Need to Make Aeropress Coffee – 4 Ways

Use your favorite coffee brand to make coffee in the Aeropress!

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Aeropress Coffee Maker – You will, of course, need the brewer and the pieces that go with it. Shown above are the Aeropress, filter cap, funnel, scoop, and stirrer.
• Water – Put water on to boil in a kettle. You’ll want to boil the water and then let it cool down to around 175°F/80°C.
• Coffee – Use dark roast or light roast coffee beans that you’ve ground to medium-fine using a coffee grinder. You can use pre-ground coffee as well for ease and convenience. Espresso grind can also be used in the Aeropress. It will take a bit longer to make air-pressed coffee with espresso, but the extraction will be extra rich and tasty.
• Filters – You will need the specific paper filters that fit the Aeropress. If your machine is new, it probably came with some. Be sure to order some more so you don’t run out!
• Milk – If you want to make a latte, you’ll need whole milk or barista-blend oat milk to finish your coffee drink. You can use other types of milk too, but those are my go-to’s when making lattes at home.

How To Make Aeropress Espresso

1. Heat Water: You want the water to be 175°F/80°C. The best method is to boil the water and then allow it to cool for a minute until it reaches the right temperature.
2. Add the Filter: Insert a coffee filter into the Aeropress filter basket/cap, screw it onto the bottom of the press (the hexagonal end), and set it on top of a sturdy coffee cup.

1. Add Coffee: Grind three tablespoons of coffee beans to a medium-fine grind, or use the scoop to measure the correct amount of pre-ground coffee. Insert the funnel, then add the ground coffee to the Aeropress and shake lightly to level out the coffee grounds in the brewer.
2. Add Water: Pour the hot water into the Aeropress through the funnel until it reaches the number 1 mark on the side of the press. Use a teaspoon or the stirrer provided to stir about 10 times. If you enjoy stronger coffee, you can allow the coffee to steep and bloom for up to 1 minute, but it’s not required. You do not need a timer to do this.
3. Press: Insert the plunger into the Aeropress and plunge out all of the coffee until you hear a long hissing sound. This process should take 20-30 seconds (slow and steady!).
4. Clean and Enjoy! You now have a freshly pressed espresso in your cup! Remove the Aeropress, unscrew the filter basket, and rinse the brewer immediately.

How to Make Americano (American Coffee) with the Aeropress

To use the Aeropress to make something that is more like a brewed coffee, you need to add more water to the cup after you’ve brewed the espresso.

If I’m making Americano, I allow the grounds to steep in the brewer for about 1 minute before pressing. Then I add ¾ cup of hot water to my mug.

How to Make a Latte in the Aeropress

Prepare your Aeropress espresso as instructed, and then top it with ¾ cup of hot, steamed milk. Whole milk or barista blend oat milk are my favorites, but any type of milk you enjoy can make a delicious latte.

You can add coffee syrups or extracts to create your own cafe-style lattes at home for much less cash than Starbucks.

Use the Aeropress to Make Coldbrew Coffee

You’ll get the smoothest iced coffee using this method! Simply add ½ cup of iced water, and ¼ cup of ice cubes to the mug, or transfer it into a tall cup if you prefer.

Recipe Tips

• Grind Size: Your grind’s size will affect your brew’s flavor. Finer ground coffee will give you bold, rich coffee flavors, while a coarser grind will give you a lighter coffee. The ideal grind size with this method is a medium to fine grind.
• Don’t Press Too Hard: Be patient, and press down slowly and evenly on the plunger while you’re brewing with the Aeropress coffee maker. Pressing too hard can compact the coffee grounds too much and make everything more difficult.
• Water Temperature Matters: You want your water hot but not too hot. Aim for 175°F (80°C).

Making Aeropress Coffee for Guests

Wondering how you can use the Aeropress to make coffee for a crowd? It’s pretty simple, and you can make delicious fresh coffee to order at brunch or after dinner.

Option 1: Brew in advance. You can brew a handful of Aeropress shots and allow them to sit at room temperature while enjoying dinner or greeting your guests. When they’re ready for a coffee, add hot water to the shots and serve.

Option 2: Make it extra strong and dilute. You can play with the amount of coffee you add to the brewer and create an extra-strong Aeropress coffee that can be diluted to make up to four cups of coffee.

Note that I prefer to brew only one cup at a time. I haven’t yet found the sweet spot for making more than one. Many people will actually add water two or more times to the same coffee beans.

You can experiment with your Aeropress coffee maker to find the best methods and the best cup of coffee for you.

Treats to Enjoy with your Aeropress Coffee

Where there is coffee, there should also be baked goods, right? Try these desserts and breakfast treats that pair perfectly with a great cup of joe:

• New York Style Cheesecake
• Peanut Butter Bread
• Banana Muffins
• Snickerdoodle Cookies
• Strawberry Scones
• Pumpkin Bundt Cake

If you’re looking for a more hearty breakfast option, check out my recipes for breakfast burritos!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I clean the Aeropress in the dishwasher?

While the brewer is dishwasher safe (top shelf, please!), it rarely requires dishwashing since the plunger wipes the chamber clean. You can give the Aeropress a quick rinse, and a good cleaning with soap and water every once in a while.

What kinds of coffee does the Aeropress Coffee Maker make?

The machine makes up to three shots of espresso style coffee concentrate at a time, although I am showing you how to do just one because I think the flavor is better. You can use that espresso to create cold brew, iced coffee, lattes, cappuccinos, or American-style coffee.

Why does my Aeropress coffee taste bitter?

If you’re steeping the coffee for any length of time, reduce that time to reduce any bitterness. This could also be because the coffee beans you’re using are a bit bitter.

What is the Inverted Aeropress method?

I’m not going into this in detail here, as it’s a more complicated process. Once you get a hang of the normal Aeropress brewing method, you can look into inverted brewing, which has you flip the chamber upside down to steep the coffee, and then carefully flip it back to extract.

Do you have an Aeropress Yet? What are you waiting for! I hope these instructions have made it super simple for you. Be sure to Pin the recipe so everyone can see how great this coffee maker is.