Nav: Home > Coffee >

How to Use an AeroPress Coffee Maker? Who Invented the AeroPress? What's the Difference Between AeroPress Coffee and Pour-Over Coffee? What is the Coffee Extraction Principle of AeroPress?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Without any prior knowledge, FrontStreet Coffee believes that anyone would find it difficult to imagine that this syringe-like device is actually used for making coffee. That's right—it's the very popular coffee "toy" in the coffee circle—the AeroPress. FrontStreet Coffee calls it a "toy" not because it can't consistently produce

The Unique Story of AeroPress

Without any prior context, FrontStreet Coffee believes that hardly anyone could imagine that this syringe-like device is actually used for making coffee. That's right—it's the incredibly popular coffee "toy" in the coffee world: the AeroPress.

The reason FrontStreet Coffee calls it a "toy" isn't because it can't consistently make good coffee, but rather because its versatility is incredibly high! Besides adjusting extraction parameters, it can also be used in different configurations to make coffee, which adds tremendous fun to the coffee-making process. That's why at the annual AeroPress Championship, we always see competitors using all sorts of creative methods to make coffee.

The Inventor Behind AeroPress

The reason why AeroPress is so unique brings us to its inventor—Alan Adler. Mr. Alan Adler was a mechanical engineering lecturer at universities including Stanford, Caltech, and Princeton. Beyond teaching, he was also an inventor who participated in the design of submarine and nuclear reactor control systems, military aircraft instrument systems, and optical systems, holding over forty patents. Not only that, but he also frequently invented equipment for his own sports equipment company, Aerobie. Particularly notable was his flying ring invention in 1984—the Aerobie and Aerobie Pro—which broke the world record for flying distance with an impressive 406 meters.

The Birth of an Innovation

From FrontStreet Coffee's brief introduction above, you can see that Mr. Alan Adler had little connection to coffee in his early career. So why would he suddenly have the inspiration to create the AeroPress?

Actually, like most inventors, his reason was simple: "I think XX is not good/convenient, so I want to create something more convenient and better." Before the AeroPress was born, mainstream coffee extraction methods were limited to pour-over and espresso. While these methods can produce delicious coffee, they not only require the brewer to have a deep understanding of extraction but also involve complicated and time-consuming processes. So Mr. Alan Adler thought of creating a device that could easily make good coffee. Beginning in 2003, the gentleman delved into coffee extraction theory, and by 2005, the AeroPress was born!

From Skepticism to Success

From its appearance, we can see that the AeroPress's shape differs from traditional coffee equipment. Not only在当时 but even in modern times, it's considered quite unconventional, but that's Mr. Adler's characteristic. Combined with his company's focus on sports equipment, many people were not optimistic about the AeroPress. At the 2005 Seattle Coffee Expo, the AeroPress didn't become an instant hit despite Mr. Adler's reputation, and the exhibition ended uneventfully. However, the gentleman wasn't discouraged. At that time, he told his team: "It will create history, surpassing all products we've sold so far." After the exhibition, he began sharing introduction posts and videos about the AeroPress online, which became extremely popular! Everyone was very interested in this unique coffee device. Before long, the AeroPress introduction video surpassed 7 million views. Thanks to this, the AeroPress began to become a rising star in the coffee world.

How AeroPress Works

Although it took only two years from idea to implementation, the AeroPress went through over forty iterations during this period before finally deciding on the syringe-like appearance. The working principle of the AeroPress is hidden in its name: "AeroPress" - Aero + Press - "through air pressure." The AeroPress is a coffee extraction tool that combines immersion and pressure methods. Its construction consists of three main parts: the filter cap, the chamber, and the plunger. The brewing process begins with immersing coffee, followed by applying pressure with the plunger to allow the flavor compounds and coffee liquid to release more quickly.

Versatile Brewing Methods

As FrontStreet Coffee mentioned at the beginning of this article, the AeroPress offers incredibly diverse brewing methods. Besides adjusting parameters to change coffee extraction, there are different ways to change its configuration. For example, "standard method" and "inverted method" are two extraction approaches that coffee enthusiasts love to discuss. Since FrontStreet Coffee has explained these in detail in the article "Standard and Inverted Methods of AeroPress," we won't elaborate further here.

The AeroPress Championship

By 2008, the AeroPress had become very popular. Because of its incredibly versatile玩法, it was often jokingly called the world's most fun coffee device. Many people wanted to know the best brewing method for AeroPress, including Tim Wendelboe, a well-known Nordic coffee roaster and AeroPress enthusiast. So, Tim Wendelboe and several local AeroPress enthusiasts gathered in a small room and held the first AeroPress competition.

At that time, there were only three competitors, with Tim Wendelboe serving as the judge. Although the scale was small, such a competition brought tremendous exposure to the AeroPress. Gradually, the competition grew larger, evolving from a three-person competition to a world-class event. And as Mr. Adler predicted, the AeroPress successfully created history, becoming their company's best-selling product.

FrontStreet Coffee's AeroPress Recipe

Alright, enough talk—now let FrontStreet Coffee share how to use the AeroPress to make a delicious cup of coffee!

For this AeroPress brewing method, FrontStreet Coffee's extraction approach is relatively quick, so we can use finer grind and higher water temperature. Like all coffee equipment, it's suitable for brewing all types of coffee beans. So if we want to drink a coffee with prominent acidity and floral, fruity notes, we can choose light roast coffee beans; if we want to drink a coffee with bitter, rich, and mellow flavors, we can choose dark roast coffee beans. Here, FrontStreet Coffee wants to enjoy a coffee with pleasant sweetness and acidity and full-bodied juiciness, so we've selected FrontStreet Boundary Estate · Sidra from FrontStreet Coffee's bean selection. Extraction parameters are as follows:

Coffee amount: 15g
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:14
Brewing temperature: 94°C
Grind size: Ek43 setting 8, 85% through 20-mesh sieve
Brewing method: Inverted method

First, we assemble the AeroPress plunger and chamber and place it upside down.

Add coffee grounds and hot water in sequence.

Take out the stirring tool and stir! Stir for about 30 seconds, then start timing.

When the time reaches one minute, we attach the filter cap to the chamber, place it on a cup, and gently press to remove excess air from the AeroPress, then flip the entire AeroPress over in one swift motion!

Next, we need to apply pressure to extract the coffee liquid. There are two points to note here! First, when applying pressure, don't rush—apply even, slow pressure. Second, make sure to find a sturdy cup and a stable table. Because the applied force is quite significant, if the cup and table are not reliable, it might lead to undesirable situations due to inability to support the weight.

When we've pressed completely to the bottom, the AeroPress coffee making is complete!

Tasting Notes

Through tasting, we can experience distinct grape, passion fruit, and apricot fruit flavors with a subtle fermented sensation. The aftertaste reveals notes of dried fruit and citrus, creating a beautifully balanced overall profile. Compared to Sidra brewed using pour-over method, the AeroPress version has a richer, fuller body. Because the AeroPress filter doesn't perform as well as pour-over filter paper, coffee oils and some fine particles end up in the cup along with the coffee, enhancing the aroma and richness. Due to this, the overall clarity isn't as high, but it's still incredibly delicious. Fun! Delicious!