Single Serve Coffee Forums

Apologies if these have been mentioned. I've been digging the AP for a while now (these days, it makes a GREAT iced coffee!) and haven't seen these tips mentioned.

A few people indicated that the AP is a bit of work to use and clean up. I find it pretty easy. (Senseo is my #2 maker now....) I prefer to make AP coffee the original ('factory') way, rather than using inverted methods. But this should help either way. First, I bring about a mug's worth of water to a full boil. This is pretty quick--there's not a lot of water to heat. After it boils, I then pour in some room-temp. (tap) water, about 1/4 the volume of the boiling water. That brings the water to the right temperature with no waiting. I

then go thru the regular AP steps: 1 or 2 scoops of fairly fine grind (for regular and large mug, respectively), AP on mug, pour water to the 1 or 2 mark, stir for about 10 seconds (I usually let it rest for another 10-20 seconds), then plunge. Add water to taste. Or, for iced coffee, add sweetener and milk/cream, then add cold water and ice to fill a mug.

Cleaning is a breeze too. I hadn't seen this mentioned here specifically, but think it's mentioned in the AP instructions. (Who else here reads the instructions? Show of hands?) Basically, after the full plunge, just unscrew the bottom cap over a trash bin, and push the plunger through to pop the puck/filter out. Then just rinse the end of the plunger off and you're done! It works best to leave the plunger in the chamber after the rinse. The wide rubber end protrudes past the end when fully plunged, so the rubber doesn't even contact the chamber. I leave it on the counter, rubber end up, and sit the cap over the plunger end, ready to re-load with a filter after the plunger is pulled out for the next cup. (Of course, you can clean and store it the same way with inverted AP methods!)

I find the AP to be pretty quick and easy and, as others have noted, the coffee is very smooth and rich, with little 'bite.' I actually like the smoother coffee (tastes more like cold-brewed to me). And it definitely makes a strong, tasty cup, easy to adjust with the rest of the hot water (americano style). Haven't traveled with it yet, tho.

P.S. (I don't see an 'edit button!): To 'pop' the puck out, I hold the rim of the chamber with my fingertips and push down on the plunger with my thumbs. It pops right out with little resistance.

Hi! Right, "edit" has been gone for a while now for site security reasons.

Anyway, I love this thing, too. The Trifecta I'm currently crushing on is essentially a fancy automated Aeropress, so I don't use the Aeropress much anymore, but I was getting good coffee from it not too long ago using a metal filter. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm.

Mod note: moving this to "Accessories," which (for better or worse) is where threads on manual brewing gadgets seem to belong.

These are great tips. I still love my Aeropress and always bring it camping. It amazes people for it's simplicity and great coffee.

jbviau wrote:Hi! Right, "edit" has been gone for a while now for site security reasons.

Anyway, I love this thing, too. The Trifecta I'm currently crushing on is essentially a fancy automated Aeropress, so I don't use the Aeropress much anymore, but I was getting good coffee from it not too long ago using a metal filter. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm.

Mod note: moving this to "Accessories," which (for better or worse) is where threads on manual brewing gadgets seem to belong.

Thx for the move--wasn't sure which forum it belonged in...

Does the AP metal filter option let grinds through, or does it make a 'clean' cup? I've let my various french presses go idle b/c I don't like the residue (or the lack of consistency). Thx!

No worries. If you don't like sediment at the bottom of your cup, you should go with the Able DISK Fine instead of their regular DISK. The former (Fine) barely lets anything through; here's a thread I started on it (with pics) over on HB.

I've been using the Aeropress ever since I tried one out during a pass around here a little while ago. It's not my daily driver for coffee (my main coffee maker is a french press at work and a Krups pod machine at home), but I use it when I'm camping because it is quicker and easier to clean than my french press. I don't put nearly as much thought into mine. I boil water in the hot pot, let it cool a little or turn of the pot before it gets to boiling, add 1 1/2 scoops of coffee to the press, fill with water to just past the 2, press into my mug and top off with hot water. I have in the past used my french press to froth hot milk and make a faux cappachino. I'm not a huge fan of milk in my coffe, so I don't do it often.

jbviau wrote:No worries. If you don't like sediment at the bottom of your cup, you should go with the Able DISK Fine instead of their regular DISK. The former (Fine) barely lets anything through; here's a thread I started on it (with pics) over on HB.

Thx for the info. I missed the big testing phase! One question, not fully clear to me: Does the disk have to be removed from the grinds and cleaned after each press? Or does it stay with the cap? I'm leaning away from a disk now, because I really like the simplicity of popping the puck out, quick rinse of the plunger end, and done. And I like the smoothness of the paper filters--might try a disk someday but it' won't be my everyday brewjng.

2 other quick AP tips, not earth-shattering but: for non-inverted brewing, you can use the plunger to measure water, then pour it in. And if you store the plunger fully inserted thru the chamber (highly recommended!), then for the next brew, wet the rubber end of the plunger and it slides out easily to prep the brew.

Even with the Able fine disc I never got better results than my own juicer screen cut scrap filter - I like the paper filter results better.

DrMoze wrote:One question, not fully clear to me: Does the disk have to be removed from the grinds and cleaned after each press? Or does it stay with the cap?

The former, i.e. you can't just eject the puck into the trash until you've removed the DISK. Usually after doing so I'd then give the DISK a quick scrub with a toothbrush under running water.

Eric, I think that statement is as much an endorsement of your juicer screen as it is an indictment of the DISK Fine. Did you ever try either inverted, btw?

About paper, the Aeropress filters are thin enough that I find they let a tiny amount of fines through regardless (though not as much as a metal filter, of course).

jbviau wrote:

DrMoze wrote:One question, not fully clear to me: Does the disk have to be removed from the grinds and cleaned after each press? Or does it stay with the cap?

The former, i.e. you can't just eject the puck into the trash until you've removed the DISK. Usually after doing so I'd then give the DISK a quick scrub with a toothbrush under running water.

Eric, I think that statement is as much an endorsement of your juicer screen as it is an indictment of the DISK Fine. Did you ever try either inverted, btw?

About paper, the Aeropress filters are thin enough that I find they let a tiny amount of fines through regardless (though not as much as a metal filter, of course).

Thanks again for the info! I can see myself popping out the puck out of habit, and then realizing the next day that I threw away my Disk filter. I too have no problem with the paper filters. Any coffee smooth enough for me to drink black is a good coffee. (Not all beans/brewing methods meet this criterion!)

There seem to be a zillion ways to use the AP: inverted or not, paper or metal filter, grind/water ratio, longer or shorter steep, plunge to the end or stop when the air hisses through, water temp (around 180 or just off-boil), stir or not--before or after steeping, etc. etc. etc.! Interestingly, I haven't detected any significant difference when varying many of these parameters (no metal disk filter trials tho). They all taste quite close to me, and distinctly different than french press results. (In a good way.) So I mix up my techniques a bit for variety, but haven't found one that is 'better' than another to me. I don't do direct side-by-sides, but I'd know if a cup was 'off' or noticeably better than my regular!

Nice. Forgot to mention earlier that I store my Aeropress the way you described above, with the plunger inside the chamber and the rubber bit poking through.