In 2005, Alan Alder, inventor of the Aerobie flying ring, created the AeroPress coffee maker. Shaped like a large syringe, it pushes brewed coffee through a filter directly into a mug. Over 20 years later, it remains a cult classic for its ease of use, simple cleaning, and coffee that balances drip reliability with French press richness.
The AeroPress lineup has grown from the Original to include the Clear, Go, Go Plus, Premium, XL, and the new Steel model. While some are hits, others are misses. I have tested every model to help you choose.
Any AeroPress is a tinkerer's delight, offering control over grind size, water volume and temperature, and brew time. Coffee expert James Hoffman praises how it “allows a deeper understanding of coffee brewing but also encourages experimentation.”
My personal journey started with the Original, then upgraded to a Clear, and I quickly adopted the travel-friendly Go. Below is my ultimate rundown of which model may suit you best and which to avoid.
The AeroPress uses an immersion method: you add grounds and hot water to the chamber, stir, wait, then depress the plunger to push coffee through a filter. It produces coffee good enough to stop special agent Dale Cooper in his tracks.
