How to Make AeroPress Coffee

By Shane Weiss Last updated Sep 20, 2023 0

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I used to travel a lot, and that means I’d often wake up to a hotel room equipped with a budget coffee maker and a selection of stale coffee in plastic cups. I care a lot about coffee and the planet, so I tend to eschew even the best instant coffee in favor of my trusty AeroPress.

In the decade I’ve had my AeroPress, I must have made close to a thousand cups of coffee. I’ve used one everywhere from Alaska to Atlanta and regardless of whether I wake up in a hotel suite or a sleeping bag, it’s my go-to on-the-go coffee maker. The brewing process might be new to you, so here’s a guide to how to make the perfect AeroPress coffee. Plus you can check out our full AeroPress coffee maker review for why it’s Insider’s pick for the best single-serve coffee maker.

The AeroPress makes a coffee concentrate that isn’t really espresso, but more like a concentrated filter brew. If you know how to handle it, the strange-looking giant syringe can turn out a delicious cup. And when you’re done, you simply push the puck of grounds into the trash and rinse out the AeroPress, so you don’t have to mess up your hotel sink with coffee grounds.

I often use the AeroPress to make coffee while camping.

James Stout/Business Insider

How to make AeroPress coffee

Boil the water: If you don’t have access to a kettle, microwaving or running the K-cup machine without a pod in is fine. In the latter case, I run one cycle first to clean out any stale coffee taste.
Grind coffee beans: If at all possible, grind your coffee fresh since this preserves flavor and means you get the most out of your brew. If you can’t, have your coffee shop grind it to a medium-fine setting. If you are interested in a grinder for travel, the Hario Skerton Plus is small and easy to use. Here’s our full review.
Assembly: Once assembled, turn the press upside down so the hole faces upward and it’s standing on the plunger. If you are using a paper filter, rinse it well to take away the papery taste. I prefer metal filters as they’re less wasteful and reusable so I never run out of filters on a trip. Place your preferred filter in the cap.
Add water and coffee to brew chamber: Put your coffee in the AeroPress chamber and add enough water to saturate it (about 50 grams if you have a scale) and let it bubble for 30 seconds. Ideally, the water should be just lower than the boiling point, so leave your kettle open about 30 seconds after it shuts off.
Brew coffee: Fill the AeroPress nearly to the top and let it stand for a minute. Give it a quick stir with the included stirring wand and put on the cap. Invert the AeroPress and push down on the plunger.

James Stout

Freelance Writer

James Stout used to be a bike racer, and after a career that saw him achieve mediocre results and have excellent adventures in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, he obtained a doctorate degree in European sports history. Today, he lectures in San Diego and spends as much time as he can outside climbing, hiking, bikepacking, paddling, or just fooling around in the back country. When he’s not covered in sweat and sand, and even sometimes when he is, he spends far too much time thinking about coffee.

How to Make AeroPress Coffee

I often use the AeroPress to make coffee while camping. James Stout/Business Insider

I often use the AeroPress to make coffee while camping.

James Stout/Business Insider