AeroPress Methods: Standard, Inverted and Espresso-Style

There are three main ways to brew with an AeroPress. The standard method, with the AeroPress upright on your mug, is the easiest and the one AeroPress recommends; it makes a clean, balanced cup. The inverted method brews the coffee upside down and flips it onto the mug to press, so no coffee drips through early and you control the steep time, but it is less stable and AeroPress advises against it. The espresso-style method uses more coffee, a fine grind and very little water to make a strong concentrate for Americanos and lattes. It is not true espresso, but it is close enough for milk drinks.

What You Need

• An AeroPress (Original, Clear or Go) with paper filters
• Fresh whole-bean coffee, ideally 2 to 4 weeks from roast; a local roaster is the easiest source
• A burr grinder, a scale and a timer
• A kettle and filtered water
• A sturdy mug that the AeroPress sits on securely

1. Standard AeroPress Method

The standard, or upright, method is how the AeroPress is designed to be used. The only drawback is that some coffee drips through the filter before you press. The fix is simple: set the plunger in the top of the chamber right after you pour, which creates a vacuum that holds the coffee in while it steeps.

1. Heat water to about 200°F (93°C), or let boiled water rest for about 30 seconds.
2. Grind 15 g of coffee medium-fine, like table salt.
3. Set up: put a paper filter in the cap, screw it onto the chamber and stand the AeroPress on your mug. Add the coffee.
4. Pour 220 g of water, wetting all the grounds, and stir gently for 10 seconds.
5. Insert the plunger about half an inch into the chamber to stop drip-through.
6. Steep until 2:00 on the timer.
7. Press slowly and steadily for about 30 seconds, stopping when you hear a hiss.

You get about 7 oz of clean, smooth coffee. If you prefer it stronger, use 17 to 18 g of coffee; if it is too strong, add a splash of hot water after pressing.

2. Inverted AeroPress Method

In the inverted method you stand the AeroPress upside down on its plunger, brew in it like a small French press, then flip it onto the mug to press. Because the filter is on top while the coffee steeps, nothing drips through early, so every gram of water steeps for the full time. Many baristas and AeroPress competitors have used it for that reason.

1. Heat water to about 200°F (93°C) and grind 15 g of coffee medium-fine.
2. Assemble upside down: push the plunger just past the rubber seal into the chamber and stand it on the plunger end on a flat, stable surface.
3. Add the coffee and pour in 220 g of water, leaving some space at the top. Stir gently for 10 seconds.
4. Fit the cap: put a paper filter in the cap, rinse it with a little hot water and screw it on.
5. Steep until 2:00 on the timer.
6. Flip carefully: place your mug upside down on the cap, hold the mug and the AeroPress firmly together, and turn them over in one smooth movement.
7. Press slowly for about 30 seconds.

A safety note: AeroPress strongly discourages the inverted method, because the brewer is less stable upside down and a tip or a bad flip can spill hot coffee. If you use it, keep the chamber well below full, work on a flat surface and practice the flip over a sink. AeroPress’s Flow Control filter cap gives you the same no-drip steep with the brewer upright; it fits the Original, Clear and Go, but not the XL.

AeroPress Inverted vs Normal: Which Is Better?

The only real difference between the inverted and normal (standard) methods is drip-through. Upright, a little coffee can run through before you press, which slightly shortens the steep for part of the water; inverted, none does, which can give a little more body. Once you set the plunger on top right after pouring, or use a Flow Control cap, the standard method holds the coffee in almost as well, so the difference in the cup is small.

• Choose standard for everyday brewing: it is quicker, safer and easier to repeat.
• Choose inverted only if you want very long steeps or coarse grinds and are comfortable with the flip.
• Choose standard with a Flow Control cap for the benefits of inverted without the risk.

3. Espresso-Style AeroPress Method

With a fine grind and very little water, the AeroPress makes a short, strong concentrate that works well as a base for milk drinks. It is not true espresso: an espresso machine forces water through the coffee at about 9 bars of pressure, while pressing an AeroPress by hand creates only a small fraction of that, so you get little or no crema. The taste is smoother and less intense than real espresso.

1. Heat water to about 200°F (93°C).
2. Grind 18 g of coffee fine, close to espresso grind.
3. Set up the AeroPress upright on a sturdy mug with a paper filter, or a metal filter for more body, and add the coffee.
4. Pour 60 g of water and stir for 10 seconds, making sure all the grounds are wet.
5. Insert the plunger and wait until about 1:00.
6. Press firmly over 20 to 30 seconds until you hear a hiss.

You get about 1 to 1.5 oz of concentrate. Drink it as a short shot, top it with hot water for an Americano, or add steamed milk for a latte or cappuccino; see latte vs cappuccino and how to froth milk. For other ways to make strong coffee at home, see how to make espresso without a machine.

Which AeroPress Method Is Best?

For most people, the best AeroPress technique is the standard method with the plunger set on top while it steeps. It is simple, safe and makes an excellent cup. Use the espresso-style method when you want milk drinks, and save the inverted method for experimenting. If you want a tested recipe to follow, James Hoffmann’s popular recipe uses the standard method: 11 g of coffee, 200 g of water and a 2-minute steep. It and four other recipes are in our best AeroPress recipes.

How to Adjust Your AeroPress Coffee

• Grind size: medium-fine for standard and inverted, fine for espresso-style. If it is hard to press, grind coarser; see our grind size chart.
• Water temperature: about 200°F (93°C) for light and medium roasts, 185°F (85°C) for dark roasts. AeroPress inventor Alan Adler preferred cooler water, about 175°F (80°C), for a smoother, less bitter cup.
• Steep time: longer steeps extract more; if the cup is sour or thin, steep longer or grind finer, and if it is bitter, do the opposite.
• Strength: change the amount of coffee rather than the steep time. See our coffee-to-water ratio guide.
• Filters: paper filters make a clean, bright cup; a metal filter lets oils and fine particles through for a heavier, French press-like body.

Cleaning and Travel Tips

• Clean as you go: unscrew the cap and press the puck of grounds into the compost, then rinse the plunger seal and chamber. Wash with mild soap now and then to remove oils.
• Store it unpressed: keep the plunger pushed all the way through or removed so the rubber seal does not stay compressed.
• Travel: the AeroPress is light and durable, which makes it a favorite for camping and hotel rooms. The AeroPress Go packs into its own mug; see our AeroPress Go review.

Comparing brewers? See moka pot vs AeroPress and immersion vs pour-over brewing.