The AeroPress is unusual in coffee brewing: it’s cheap ($35), nearly indestructible, and produces consistently good coffee. It’s also the most flexible brewing device I’ve ever used, which is both a strength and an occasionally frustrating source of too many options.
Here are three methods I keep coming back to.
Method 1: The Standard (Inverted)
The inverted method flips the AeroPress upside down during brewing, preventing coffee from dripping through before you’re ready.
- 15g coffee, medium-fine grind
- 200ml water at 85°C (185°F)
- Stir gently for 10 seconds
- Brew 1:30 total, then flip and press slowly for 30 seconds
Result: clean, balanced, slightly concentrated cup. Good starting point for any bean.
Method 2: The James Hoffman Method
Coffee writer and World Barista Champion James Hoffmann developed a popular standard method that doesn’t use inversion but produces excellent, repeatable results.
- 11g coffee, medium grind
- 200ml water at 100°C (boiling)
- Wait 2 minutes (flat, not inverted)
- Stir gently 10 times
- Put cap on, flip, press until hiss (don’t go past it)
Result: surprisingly clean and nuanced. The boiling water is counterintuitive but works because the steep time is short.
Method 3: Concentrate for Americanos
- 20g coffee, medium-fine grind
- 60ml water at 92°C
- Stir, steep 1 minute, press immediately
- Dilute with 120ml hot water
Result: an Americano-style drink with more clarity and brightness than espresso provides.
My Recommendation
Start with Method 1 until you get consistent results you enjoy. Then try Method 2 if you want to experiment. The AeroPress World Championship (yes, that exists) has documented hundreds of recipes if you want to go deeper — the variation in approaches is genuinely remarkable for such a simple device.
