If you only want one really good mug of coffee in the morning, and the idea of a bean-to-cup machine humming on the worktop makes you tired, the AeroPress is probably the best answer going. The Clear version is the same press made from a tougher see-through plastic. I think it’s worth a look, with one or two caveats.
What it is, in plain terms
It’s a tube, a plunger and a little filter cap. You put ground coffee and hot water in the tube, stir, wait a minute or two, then press the plunger down and push the coffee through a paper filter straight into your mug. That’s all there is to it. There’s no pump, no pods, no descaling and nothing to plug in.
The result sits somewhere between a cafetière and a filter coffee. It has the body of a French press, but the paper filter catches the fine sludge, so you don’t get that gritty last mouthful.
What the listing tells you about the Clear
- Made from Tritan, which AeroPress describes as clear and shatterproof
- Works with paper or metal micro-filters (paper ones are what most people start with)
- Takes a finer grind than a cafetière, so brewing is quicker
- About 12 x 12 x 30cm with the plunger in, so it takes up less room than a kettle
The see-through body is more useful than it sounds. You can see exactly how much water you’ve added and watch the coffee bloom, which makes it easier to get the same cup every day.
Why it’s good for winter mornings
From kettle to mug, it takes a couple of minutes. Cleaning up is the bit people end up loving: you take the cap off, push the plunger, and the used coffee pops out as a dry little puck straight into the food bin. Rinse the bottom of the plunger and you’re done. When it’s dark at 7am, it helps that nothing needs scrubbing.
It also travels. If you’re spending Christmas at your in-laws and you know their coffee situation is a jar of instant, it fits in a bag.
The caveats
It makes one mug at a time. If two or three of you want coffee at once, you’ll be pressing round after round. For a household, a moka pot or a cafetière is quicker. We weighed up the moka pot in our Bialetti post.
It isn’t real espresso. The box mentions “espresso style”, and you can make a strong, short shot that works in a latte. But it doesn’t build the pressure of an espresso machine, so you won’t get proper crema.
Your coffee matters more than the press. Pre-ground coffee is fine, but freshly ground beans make a noticeable difference. If you’re tempted to go down that road, our coffee grinder post covers it.
A simple way to start
Use one AeroPress scoop of medium-fine coffee, and water just off the boil (leave the kettle for 30 seconds or so). Fill to the 2 mark, stir for ten seconds, put the plunger on to stop it dripping, wait a minute, then press slowly. Top up with hot water if you like a longer drink. After that, it’s down to taste: make it stronger, weaker, or let it brew longer.
Verdict
The AeroPress Clear is worth it if you’re making coffee for yourself, care how it tastes, and don’t want another appliance. If you’re making coffee for the whole house every morning, look at something that brews more at once.
