The AeroPress is arguably the most versatile coffee brewer ever made. It's fast, forgiving, almost impossible to make a truly bad cup with, and produces consistently excellent coffee across wildly different recipes. It also costs less than $40 and fits in a backpack.
If you have one, here are five recipes worth trying. If you don't have one yet, consider this your nudge.
Recipe 1: The Classic (Upright Method)
The standard approach. Reliable, fast, and great for everyday brewing.
- Coffee: 17g, medium-fine grind
- Water: 250g at 200°F (just off boil)
- Steep time: 1 minute
Method: Place filter in cap, wet and attach. Add coffee to chamber. Pour all water in 30 seconds. Stir 5 times. Press slowly over 30 seconds.
Result: Clean, balanced, medium-bodied cup. The reference AeroPress recipe — good with any coffee.
Recipe 2: The Inverted Method
The most popular AeroPress variation among enthusiasts. Flipping the AeroPress upside-down during steeping gives more control over brew time and prevents dripping.
- Coffee: 18g, medium grind
- Water: 270g at 205°F
- Steep time: 1:30
Method: Assemble AeroPress with plunger inserted 2cm. Add coffee. Pour all water and stir. At 1:30, attach wet-filtered cap, flip onto cup in one confident motion, press over 30 seconds.
Result: Fuller body, slightly more complex than the classic. More room to experiment — try different steep times and see how the cup changes.
Recipe 3: Espresso-Style Concentrate
Not true espresso (AeroPress can't generate the 9 bars of pressure an espresso machine uses), but a highly concentrated shot that works as a latte base, over ice, or diluted to taste.
- Coffee: 20g, fine grind (approaching espresso fineness)
- Water: 60g at 200°F
- Steep time: 45 seconds
Method: Add coffee, pour all water, stir briefly, press firmly over 20 seconds. Drink as-is, dilute with 100–150g hot water for an Americano, or pour over ice and add milk for an iced latte.
Result: Strong, rich, syrupy. Good crema-like foam. Best with medium-dark or espresso roast.
Recipe 4: Cold Brew in 5 Minutes
Cold brew usually takes 12–24 hours. The AeroPress can make a serviceable cold brew concentrate in minutes.
- Coffee: 20g, medium-coarse grind
- Water: 100g cold or room-temperature water
- Steep time: 2 minutes
Method: (Inverted) Add coffee, pour cold water, stir, steep 2 minutes, press slowly over ice. Dilute 1:1 or 1:2 with cold water or milk.
Result: Smooth and lower-acid than hot brew — not quite the same as overnight cold brew, but dramatically faster and very drinkable.
Recipe 5: The Long Cup (Drip-Style)
For those who want a larger, more drip-like cup from their AeroPress.
- Coffee: 15g, medium grind
- Water: 250g at 200°F plus 150g hot water in the mug
- Steep time: 1:30
Method: Classic or inverted method as above, pressing concentrate into a mug that already has 150g of hot water in it. The concentrate dilutes in the cup to produce a 400ml serving — much closer to a standard drip coffee in volume.
Result: Light-bodied, clean, and familiar to drip drinkers. Great way to ease someone into AeroPress.
The Best Coffees for AeroPress
The AeroPress is genuinely versatile — it works with light roasts through dark. For recipes 1–2, try a medium roast single origin. For recipe 3 (concentrate), use an espresso blend or medium-dark. For cold brew, medium-dark or dark roast is smoothest.
