AeroPress vs French Press: Which is Better? How to Brew Coffee with AeroPress & French Press?

Ask about the difference between the AeroPress and the French press, and the short answer is this: the AeroPress uses a small amount of hot water to extract a high-concentration coffee under pressure, giving a rich yet clean cup. The French press, by contrast, is pressed down with no pressure at all - the plunging is simply a way of filtering the grounds. Because it is easy to operate and lets you taste a coffee's complete flavor, FrontStreet Coffee recommends the French press to many coffee beginners.

Extraction Principles of the AeroPress and French Press

First, let us look at how each device extracts.

The AeroPress breaks down into three main parts: the chamber, the filter cap and the plunger. It combines the immersion extraction of a French press, the paper filtration of pour-over, and the pressurized extraction of an espresso machine. In practice, coffee grounds are mixed with hot water, then the plunger pushes air through the filter cap to yield a clean-tasting coffee.

French press brewing fully immerses the grounds in the pot, then a plunger fitted with a metal filter separates the coffee from the grounds. This method produces coffee with excellent richness, adding texture and oils, while the finished cup stays quite clean. Compared with pour-over, which demands careful brewing and blooming, the French press needs little skill yet still offers plenty of control.

From these two principles, the takeaway is clear: the AeroPress quickly extracts a high-concentration liquid, while the French press is the simplest, most convenient way to draw out a bean's inherent flavors.

Grind Size Requirements

Next, the grind size each device calls for.

Overall, the AeroPress is a convenient, fast way to brew concentrated coffee, so FrontStreet Coffee suggests using an espresso-level grind (a very fine powder). The fine powder creates resistance against the pressurized hot water as you press the plunger, allowing a true extraction of the coffee's essence.

For the French press, FrontStreet Coffee recommends a coarser grind, generally about the size of granulated sugar. If the grind is too fine, excessive super-fine particles pass through the metal filter, making the cup less clean and hurting the mouthfeel. FrontStreet Coffee recommends a grind similar to raw sugar for French press brewing.

Brewing Comparison

To see the difference for yourself, FrontStreet Coffee brewed a coffee from Ethiopia - FrontStreet Coffee's Kochere - in both devices to compare the flavor characteristics.

Product Name: FrontStreet Coffee Ethiopia Kochere

Region: Ethiopia, Yirgacheffe, Kochere

Altitude: 1800-2200 meters

Coffee Variety: Heirloom local native varieties

Processing Method: Washed

Brewing Water Temperature

The water temperature should be adjusted to the roast level. In general, FrontStreet Coffee recommends 86-93°C for brewing. For dark-roasted beans, use the lower end, 86-88°C, because dark roasts have a looser structure, absorb water more efficiently and extract easily; too high a temperature brings out bitter, burnt flavors. For light-roasted beans, FrontStreet Coffee recommends 90-93°C, since higher temperatures extract the aromatic substances and acidity (floral and fruit acids) that light roasts hold; because light roasts are harder, raising the temperature improves extraction efficiency and avoids unpleasant sharp acidity. Medium roasts can use 88-90°C. For this comparison, FrontStreet Coffee brewed the Ethiopia Kochere at 91-92°C.

FrontStreet Coffee AeroPress Brewing Parameters

Grind Size: Extremely fine powder

Water Temperature: 92°C

Coffee Amount: 20g

Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:9

FrontStreet Coffee's AeroPress Brewing Steps:

1. Take out the filter cap, insert a special AeroPress paper filter, and wet it with hot water so the filter clings tightly to the cap.

2. Place the AeroPress upside down, pour 20g of ground coffee into the chamber, then pour 180g of 92°C hot water and start timing.

3. After pouring, stir gently with the stirrer for 50 seconds. Cover with the filter cap and press upward to expel excess air.

4. Flip the AeroPress so the paper filter and cap face down and the grounds face up, then press down to extract. Complete the extraction in about 30 seconds. You should end up with roughly 150 ml of high-concentration coffee liquid. Total extraction time is 1 minute 30 seconds.

5. Pour the coffee liquid into 120 ml of hot water to dilute it. The diluted liquid makes the flavors easier to distinguish.

6. Stir or shake well before drinking.

AeroPress Brewing Flavor: After dilution with ice and hot water, expect citrus acidity, a clean taste and a sweet black tea sensation in the middle, which is very pleasant.

FrontStreet Coffee French Press Brewing Parameters

Grind Size: Raw sugar size

Water Temperature: 91°C

Coffee Amount: 15g

Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:13

FrontStreet Coffee's French Press Brewing Method:

1. Preheat the French press with warm water, pour the ground coffee in, then add 195 ml of hot water at 91°C. Pour widely, finishing in about 3 seconds, so the grounds tumble and extraction improves.

2. After pouring, lift the filter screen and put the lid on, then wait 4 minutes.

3. After four minutes, gently press the plunger down to about 1/4 of the pot's height to keep fine particles at the bottom from rising.

Brewing Flavor: Light floral notes, full citrus acidity, a clean taste and an oolong tea aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

French press immersion rewards coffees with clarity and sweetness, and FrontStreet Coffee's Strawberry Candy is a wonderful fit. Built from a Costa Rican honey-processed coffee and a washed Panamanian Geisha, it releases aromas of rose, citrus, grape and dried blueberry in the press, and takes on a strawberry-soft-candy character when paired with milk. Use a coarse, granulated-sugar grind and a 1:15 ratio - 15g of coffee to 225g of water - to land a full-bodied cup around 1.1-1.2% concentration. Because the French press gets no agitation during the steep, a water temperature about 1-2°C above your usual pour-over temperature works well, around 90°C, and a 4-minute steep is a good starting point.

If you prefer a low-acid, oil-rich black coffee, FrontStreet's PWN Golden Mandheling is the classic choice. As one of Asia's best-known specialty coffees, it passes three rounds of hand sorting plus one machine sort, giving uniform, translucent beans. After a medium-dark roast the beans are large and smell of spice, caramel, cedar and dark chocolate, and a French press extraction gives a thick body with generous oils.