How to Use an AeroPress
Rinse a paper filter in the cap, add about 15–18g of medium-fine coffee, pour in 220–240g of water at 80–85°C, stir, steep for a minute, then press slowly until you hear a hiss. Dilute or add milk to taste. It's smooth, clean coffee in about three minutes, and it's almost impossible to get badly wrong.
The AeroPress is one of the most forgiving coffee makers ever designed, which is exactly why it's so loved. It brews a smooth, clean, low-acidity cup in a couple of minutes, it's practically unbreakable, and cleanup is a single satisfying pop of the grounds into the bin. This guide covers the standard method step by step, then the popular inverted method, plus the small tweaks that make the coffee even better.
What you'll need
- An AeroPress (Original, Go, Clear or XL. Any works). Choosing one? See our best AeroPress UK guide.
- Paper filters (or a reusable metal filter for a heavier cup).
- Fresh coffee, ground medium-fine.
- A kettle and a sturdy mug that the AeroPress sits on securely.
- A set of scales helps, but you can brew well by eye once you know your recipe.
See AeroPress models on Amazon
How to use an AeroPress: the standard method
This is the classic, right-way-up method printed on the box. It takes about three minutes start to finish.
- Boil the kettle and insert a filter. Boil fresh water and let it settle to around 80–85°C for most coffees. Drop a paper filter into the cap and rinse it with hot water to remove any papery taste and warm the mug.
- Assemble on top of your mug. Screw the filter cap onto the chamber, then stand the chamber upright on a sturdy mug. Add your ground coffee (about 15–18g, a slightly fine filter grind) and give it a shake to level the bed.
- Pour and stir. Pour in about 220–240g of hot water, filling the chamber. Stir gently for around ten seconds so all the grounds are wetted evenly.
- Steep briefly. Insert the plunger just enough to create a seal (this stops the coffee dripping through) and let it steep for around one to one and a half minutes.
- Press slowly and steadily. Press down with steady, gentle pressure over 20–30 seconds. Stop the moment you hear a hiss: pressing past that pushes air through and can add bitterness.
- Dilute to taste and serve. The AeroPress makes a concentrated cup. Top it up with hot water for an Americano-style drink, or add milk. Adjust strength next time by changing the grind or coffee dose.
The inverted method
Many enthusiasts prefer the inverted (upside-down) method because it gives complete control over steep time, with no coffee dripping through early. It's a little more advanced because of the flip, so take care when your chamber is full of hot coffee.
- Assemble the AeroPress upside down, with the plunger in the base and the chamber opening facing up, so nothing can drip through while it steeps.
- Add coffee and water directly into the upturned chamber and stir, then let it steep for your chosen time with no seal needed.
- Screw on the rinsed filter cap, carefully flip the whole thing onto your mug, and press slowly as normal. It gives more control over steep time, at the cost of a slightly riskier flip.
How to make AeroPress coffee taste better
Grind fresh and dial in. The AeroPress is sensitive to grind: too fine makes it hard to press and can taste bitter, too coarse tastes thin. Start medium-fine and adjust by feel. A good hand grinder, see our best manual coffee grinder guide, pairs perfectly, and many nest inside the chamber for travel.
Mind the temperature. Water at 80–85°C keeps the cup smooth; boiling water often adds bitterness, especially with darker roasts.
Experiment. The AeroPress rewards playing around: change the steep time, the coffee dose, or try a metal filter for a fuller body. It's cheap and forgiving, so there's no wrong way to explore.
Cleaning up
This is the AeroPress's party trick. Unscrew the cap, hold it over the bin, and push the plunger the last inch to eject the compact coffee puck. Rinse the seal and chamber under the tap, and you're done: no soggy grounds, no filter basket to scrub.
Frequently asked questions
What grind size is best for an AeroPress?
A medium-fine grind, a little finer than cafetière and around table-salt texture, works for the standard method. If you use a longer steep or the inverted method you can go slightly coarser. Fresh, evenly ground coffee makes the biggest difference.
What water temperature should I use for AeroPress?
Around 80–85°C for most coffees, which is just-boiled water left to cool for 30–60 seconds. Lighter roasts can take slightly hotter water; darker roasts taste smoother a little cooler. Very hot water tends to bring out bitterness.
What is the difference between the standard and inverted AeroPress methods?
In the standard method the AeroPress sits on your mug and can slowly drip as it steeps. In the inverted method it is assembled upside down so nothing drips, giving you full control of steep time, then you flip it onto the mug to press. Inverted offers more control but involves a flip.
How much coffee does an AeroPress make?
One concentrated serving of roughly 60–240ml depending on how much water you add. It is designed to make one drink at a time, which you can drink neat, dilute into an Americano, or top with milk. The AeroPress XL makes larger volumes.
Is an AeroPress the same as espresso?
No. An AeroPress uses gentle hand pressure, far below the roughly 9 bars of an espresso machine, so it does not produce true crema. It makes a smooth, clean, concentrated coffee that is espresso-adjacent but not espresso. For a more espresso-like stovetop cup, see a moka pot.
The bottom line
The AeroPress is about as beginner-proof as coffee gets: rinse, fill, steep, press. Start with the standard method, try the inverted method once you're comfortable, and tweak the grind and temperature until the cup is exactly how you like it. Ready to buy or upgrade? See our best AeroPress UK guide, or compare it with a moka pot.