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AeroPress vs French Press Brand Comparison
While the names of each type of brewer do sound quite similar, they offer different brewing methods.
Published November 24, 2021
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Daniel Hedlund
Expert@The Coffee Lab
While automatic coffee makers might seem like they are the most popular option to choose from today, many coffee-lovers do still prefer an option that allows them to manually brew their coffee, as the devices that are required to do this tend to be easy to use, more affordable, and fairly easy to maintain and clean. The French Press and AeroPress are two of the most popular manual coffee maker options available on the market today. While the names of each type of brewer do sound quite similar, they offer different brewing methods.
The French Press, despite its name, was invented by Attilio Calimani, an Italian, in 1929. This is a manual brewer that includes a glass carafe and a plunger. It uses the principle of immersion to brew coffee, which involves steeping the coffee grounds in water before pressing the plunger to filter and brew the coffee. When the plunger is pressed down, the motion pushes the grounds to the bottom of the carafe and the coffee rises through the filter.
On the other hand, the AeroPress is fairly new compared to the French Press. It was invented in 2006 by Aerobie president Alan Adler. It’s quite a simple device that somewhat resembles a syringe, consisting of two cylinders and a plunger with a metal filter. One of the main benefits of using an AeroPress rather than a French Press is that since it uses pressure to force the coffee through the filter, you will get your cup of coffee faster.
How to Make Coffee in an AeroPress
There are various AeroPress review options to consider if you want to get this style of brewer, with different brands to choose from. The Chemex vs AeroPress has very little difference since the Chemex is one of the most popular AeroPress brands to choose from that has almost become a synonym for this method of coffee brewing. It’s one of the best AeroPress coffee maker options available today and you can use it for the Chemex pour over technique or for regular AeroPress coffee. There are various options available including a plastic Chemex and you may want to consider the AeroPress vs AeroPress Go depending on your preferences and needs. There are several factors that go into choosing the best AeroPress coffee maker for you, including whether you’ll be using it for home or on the go, since some are more portable and designed for travel.
To brew coffee with the AeroPress you will use a rather intuitive method. First, place the device on the top of your cup and rinse the filter with hot water. Put your coffee grounds in the filter, before pouring hot water and allowing the grounds to steep in it for a few seconds. Then, gently press the plunger down to allow your coffee to start pouring into your cup. You can also use the inverted method to make coffee in an AeroPress, but bear in mind that this method is trickier and does require some practice. It allows the grounds to steep in the hot water for longer, which ultimately results in a brew that is similar to one you’d prepare in a French Press.
To use the inverted method with your AeroPress, begin by putting the plunger into the bigger cylinder so the device is upside down, and remove the filter. Add your coffee grounds with hot water and stir, before leaving them to steep for a couple of minutes. Rinse the filter out with hot water, and place your coffee cup upside-down on the top. Quickly flip the entire thing over, and push the plunger.
How to Make Coffee in a French Press
Making coffee in a French Press is a fairly easy process. You should start by grinding coffee beans to a coarser grind while allowing the glass carafe to heat up with hot water. Pour the first hot water away and add the required amount of coffee grounds to the French Press. Then, slowly pour some hot water over the grounds and completely submerge them, before allowing them to bloom and expand as they soak up water for around thirty seconds. Fill the rest of the carafe with hot water, and allow it to steep for around four minutes. Then, push the plunger down and your coffee is ready to drink. To get the best brew from your French Press, use fifteen parts water to one part coffee.
Can You Make Cold Brew in a French Press?
A French Press comes with a metal filter, which also makes it an ideal option for making cold brew at home. To do this, you should begin with eight parts water to one part coffee, as cold brew is a more concentrated beverage that is designed to be drank over ice. Use room temperature water and leave the grounds to steep in this for around 12-16 hours, while the carafe is covered with a lit and left out of direct sunlight. Once your steeping time is up, simply push the plunger and the coffee will be ready to serve.
Which Option Offers the Best Quality Brew?
AeroPress machines including Chemex use a pressure-based extraction method which results in a brew that feels and tastes similar to espresso. While it will not be quite as smooth or as rich as espresso due to using a hand pump that won’t generate as much pressure as an espresso machine, it can get fairly close. To get the best quality coffee from your Chemex or other AeroPress device, it’s best to use coarse coffee grounds since fine particles could make their way through the filter and end up in your coffee.
On the other hand, you can expect a high-quality drink from the French Press since this allows you to brew the coffee for a longer amount of time, leading to a better extraction for a robust, bold coffee flavor. If you want a more subtle, smoother brew from your French Press, all you need to do is reduce the steeping time.
Is AeroPress Better Than Drip Coffee?
When it comes to AeroPress vs drip coffee, which is best? Drip coffee is a brewing method that most of us are going to be familiar with, since these machines have been used as a primary method of brewing for a long time. A cheap drip coffee maker can often be a great place to start if you are new to brewing your own coffee at home. There is a wide range of models available whether you want something cheap and cheerful or something more high-tech. Compared to the AeroPress, there are also plenty of different ways that you can use drip coffee brewing, as it allows you to easily customize the grounds-to-water ratio to get the perfect coffee for you. However, on the down side, unlike AeroPress options like Chemex, drip coffee machines are not very portable or travel-friendly.
Moka Pot or AeroPress?
If you’re looking for a coffee maker, the Moka pot might be another option that you have heard of alongside the AeroPress and French Press. But when it comes to brewing coffee, which one will win in terms of AeroPress vs Moka Pot? The Moka pot is a classic Italian-style coffee maker that has been around since the 1930s. They usually work on the stove and are made from stainless steel, producing a small amount of strong and textured coffee.
Compared to an AeroPress, one of the biggest differences with a Moka pot is that you do need a stove burner to use one, which might not make it the best travel companion. A Moka pot is a percolator, which means that it works using steam. To use one, you need to fill the base with water and put finely ground coffee into the filter cup, before putting the Moka pot on a stove burner and waiting for around ten minutes, which means it will take longer to use compared to a Chemex. The water in the Moka pot will heat at the bottom, turning into steam and passing through the coffee grounds, making concentrated coffee that is ready to serve.
Which is the Best Option for You?
With different brands to choose from including the popular Chemex, the AeroPress is an ideal choice for anybody who wants to make espresso-like coffee using pressure in a simple, manual way that does not require any electricity. AeroPress machines are often also smaller and more portable making them an ideal choice for preparing coffee on the go. On the other hand, a French Press may be a better option for you if you want a stronger, more intense brew that has been steeped for longer. Of course, these are not the only options to consider and you may want to think about Moka pots, if you want a more concentrated coffee that you’ll be making on your stovetop at home, or drip coffee, if you are new to making coffee at home and want a simple method that allows you to experiment more with customizing your brew.
With many different AeroPress and French Press options available, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons and consider which fits your preferences best before making a final decision on the best one for you.
About the author
Daniel Hedlund
Working with the Era of We initiative and loves knowledge sharing and a really good cup of coffee.
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