AeroPress Original Coffee Maker
Every recipe on this page works in the Original. 10 oz capacity, dishwasher safe on the top rack, made in the USA.
$39.95, ships from Charlottesville.
Shop the Original →What is the best basic AeroPress recipe?
The standard method, pressed straight into your mug. It is the fastest, the cleanest, and the hardest to mess up.
| Step | Standard AeroPress recipe |
|---|---|
| 1 | Put a paper filter in the cap and rinse it with hot water. This removes paper taste and warms the press. |
| 2 | Set the chamber on your mug and add 15 grams of coffee, ground about like table salt. |
| 3 | Pour 230 grams of water just off the boil, around 200°F. Use about 185°F for dark roasts. |
| 4 | Stir for 10 seconds, insert the plunger just enough to hold a seal, and wait one minute. |
| 5 | Press slowly and steadily for about 30 seconds. Stop when you hear the hiss of air. |
No scale? 15 grams is about two heaping tablespoons of ground coffee, and 230 grams of water is a little under 8 ounces.
What grind size should you use for an AeroPress?
Fine, about like table salt. The brew is short, so the grind has to do more of the work than it would in a drip machine.
If the cup tastes thin or sour, go finer or steep longer. If it tastes harsh or the plunger fights you, go coarser. Our pre-ground coffee is set for drip machines and runs a little coarse for a press, so whole bean gives you the most control.
What is the inverted AeroPress method?
You brew with the press upside down so no coffee drips through before you are ready. It gives a fuller, heavier cup, closer to a French press.
| Step | Inverted method |
|---|---|
| 1 | Push the plunger about half an inch into the chamber and stand the press upside down on the plunger. |
| 2 | Add 15 grams of coffee and 230 grams of hot water. Stir. |
| 3 | Steep for 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Screw on the cap with a rinsed filter. |
| 4 | Set your mug upside down on top of the cap, then flip the whole thing over in one motion. |
| 5 | Press slowly for about 30 seconds. |
Flip it on a stable counter, not in your hand. It is hot water on a plastic tube, and the flip is where people get burned.
How do you make iced coffee with an AeroPress?
Brew it strong and press it straight over ice. The ice dilutes the coffee to normal strength as it chills.
Use 15 grams of coffee and only 120 grams of hot water. Stir, steep a minute, and press into a glass holding about 120 grams of ice. Stir once more and drink.
Which ARC roast works best for each recipe?
Any of them will work. These are the ones we reach for.
| Recipe | Roast | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Fire Watch | Colombian medium, the forgiving all-day cup |
| Inverted | 15W40 | Our darkest roast. The longer steep brings out the body. |
| Iced | Lifeline | A lighter roast stays bright over ice |
| When you need it strong | MOAB | 100% Robusta, about twice the caffeine of regular coffee |
Fire Watch Colombian Medium Roast
What we sell. A single origin Colombian medium roast, whole bean or ground, in 12 oz bags.
Why it helps you. It is the most forgiving roast we make, so it tastes good even while you are still dialing in your recipe.
How to buy. $16.99. Subscriptions take 30% off the first order automatically, no code.
Shop Fire Watch →Questions people actually ask
What is the AeroPress coffee to water ratio?
For a regular cup, about 1 to 15. That is 15 grams of coffee to roughly 230 grams of water. For an espresso-style concentrate, use closer to 1 to 4 and dilute afterward.
How long should you steep AeroPress coffee?
About one minute for the standard method and 90 seconds to 2 minutes inverted, plus a slow 30 second press. Longer steeps give more body, shorter ones a lighter cup.
What water temperature is best for an AeroPress?
Around 200°F for light and medium roasts, which is water about 30 seconds off the boil. Use cooler water, around 185°F, for dark roasts to keep them from turning harsh.
Is the inverted AeroPress method better?
Not better, just different. It stops coffee from dripping through early and gives a fuller cup. The standard method is faster and safer since there is no flip.
Can you use pre-ground coffee in an AeroPress?
Yes. Drip grind runs a little coarse for a press, so steep a bit longer to make up for it. Whole bean ground fine right before brewing gives the best cup.
