The AeroPress is one of the simplest, most forgiving brewing methods you can own — and one of the most versatile. A medium-fine grind, hot water, 1 minute of steeping, 30 seconds of pressing, and you have a clean, full-bodied cup of coffee. The same gadget makes espresso-style concentrates, single-cup pour-overs, and cold brew.
This guide walks you through the AeroPress method from scratch — gear, grind, ratio, the standard recipe, and the inverted method that specialty cafés use. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to brew a cup that punches well above the $40 price point of the gadget itself.
The short answer: AeroPress in 5 steps
- Insert a paper filter in the cap and rinse with hot water.
- Add 17g of medium-fine ground coffee to the chamber sitting on top of a mug.
- Pour in 250g of just-off-boil water (200°F). Stir 5 times.
- Wait 1 minute (or 90 seconds for stronger).
- Press down slowly over 30 seconds. Stop when you hear a hiss.
That’s the standard recipe. The detail below covers ratios, the inverted method, troubleshooting, and how to make the AeroPress do other tricks.
What you need
- An AeroPress (the AeroPress Original at ~$40 — or the AeroPress Go for travel)
- Paper filters (included; replacements ~$5 for 350 sheets)
- A burr grinder — see our best coffee grinder guide
- A scale — for ratios
- A kettle at ~200°F
- Fresh whole-bean coffee — see our beginner bean picks
The AeroPress ratio
The standard AeroPress ratio is 1:15 (coffee:water) — 17g coffee to 250g water. Most home brewers tweak from there. Stronger and thicker: 1:13. Lighter and tea-like: 1:17.
| Cup style | Ratio | Coffee | Water |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong / espresso-style | 1:8 | 17g | 140g |
| Standard recipe | 1:15 | 17g | 250g |
| Light / tea-like | 1:17 | 17g | 290g |
| AeroPress Go (smaller) | 1:15 | 13g | 200g |
For more on ratios across every brew method, see our coffee to water ratio guide.
Grind size for AeroPress
Medium-fine — slightly finer than table salt, coarser than espresso. The exact setting depends on your grinder and recipe. The AeroPress is forgiving — even a slightly-off grind still produces a drinkable cup.
| Brew method | Grind size |
|---|---|
| Espresso | Very fine |
| AeroPress (standard) | Medium-fine |
| Pour over | Medium-fine |
| Drip | Medium |
| French press | Coarse |
If you’re making espresso-style AeroPress (1:8 ratio), grind slightly finer. If you’re making AeroPress cold brew (steep 12 hours in the fridge), grind coarser.
Step-by-step: the standard AeroPress recipe
- Boil water and grind 17g of coffee to medium-fine. Set your mug on the scale.
- Insert a paper filter into the cap and screw it onto the AeroPress chamber.
- Place the AeroPress on your mug with the chamber facing up (numbered side up).
- Pour ~30g of just-off-boil water through the filter to rinse it (removes papery taste) and pre-warm the chamber. Empty the mug.
- Add the 17g of grounds to the chamber. Place on the mug again.
- Start a timer and pour 250g of water over the grounds in a steady stream — aim to finish in ~15 seconds.
- Stir 5 times with the included paddle to wet all grounds.
- Insert the plunger about 1 cm to create a seal but DON’T press yet. This stops air from rising back through the slurry.
- Wait until 1:00 on the timer.
- Press down slowly over 30 seconds. You should hear a hiss at the end — that’s the signal to stop.
- Dilute if needed. The AeroPress brews concentrated; many people add 50–100g of hot water to taste.
- Drink.
The inverted method (advanced)
The “inverted” method flips the AeroPress upside-down during steeping to prevent dripping during the steep — useful for longer extractions (90 seconds or more). It’s the technique used in most World AeroPress Championship recipes.
- Insert the plunger about 1 cm into the chamber so it seals (don’t press all the way).
- Flip the AeroPress upside-down so it sits on the plunger.
- Add 17g of coffee to the now-upturned chamber.
- Pour 250g of water and stir.
- Steep for 1:30 to 2:00 (longer than standard).
- Screw on the filter cap (with rinsed paper filter).
- Carefully flip onto your mug and press slowly over 30 seconds.
The inverted method gives you more control over steep time and slightly less drip-through during the steep. AeroPress sells “AeroPress Clear” with markings designed specifically for inverted brewing, but the Original works fine inverted.
Watch: James Hoffmann’s AeroPress technique
Hoffmann’s “Modified Inverted AeroPress” video is the canonical explainer for the technique many specialty baristas use at home. Worth 5 minutes if you want to see the method in action.
Troubleshooting AeroPress
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Sour, weak cup | Grind finer, steep longer (1:30), or use hotter water |
| Bitter, harsh cup | Grind coarser, steep shorter (45s), lower water to 195°F |
| Hard to press | Grind too fine — coarsen 2-3 settings |
| Press finishes too fast | Grind too coarse — finer 2-3 settings |
| Papery taste | Rinse filter properly before brewing |
| Cup tastes flat | Beans too old — within 4 weeks of roast date |
The AeroPress is the most forgiving brewing method in this category — even your first cup will be drinkable. But for great cups, dial in grind size + steep time over 5-10 attempts.
What else the AeroPress can do
- Espresso-style concentrate: 1:8 ratio, finer grind, shorter steep — produces a 4oz syrupy shot you can dilute or use in milk drinks. Not real espresso, but close.
- Cold brew: Steep coarse-ground coffee in cold water for 8-12 hours in the fridge, then press. See our cold brew guide for full method.
- Iced coffee: Brew at 2:1 strength, then dilute over ice immediately.
- Travel brewing: The AeroPress Go version is designed for backpacks, camping, hotel rooms.
For the AeroPress vs Moka Pot comparison (both pressure-driven brewers), see our AeroPress vs Moka Pot guide.
The bottom line
The AeroPress is the most underrated brewing method in home coffee. For $40, you get a brewer that’s almost unbreakable, makes 95% of what an espresso machine makes for 5% of the price, and travels better than anything else. The standard recipe is forgiving enough that your first cup will be good; the inverted method gives you control to chase greatness.
For other brewing methods, see our guides on pour over, French press, cold brew, espresso at home, and the soon-to-come Moka pot how-to.
Frequently Asked Questions About the AeroPress
The standard recipe is 1:15 — 17g coffee to 250g water. For a stronger espresso-style cup, 1:8 (17g coffee, 140g water). For lighter tea-like cups, 1:17. Always weigh, never eyeball.
Medium-fine — slightly finer than table salt, coarser than espresso. For espresso-style concentrates use a slightly finer grind. For cold brew with the AeroPress, use coarser. The AeroPress is more forgiving than pour-over on grind size.
Worth trying for longer steeps (90+ seconds) where you don’t want water dripping through during the wait. For the standard 1-minute recipe, regular upright orientation works fine. The inverted method is the technique used in most World AeroPress Championship recipes, but it’s not necessary for everyday brewing.
No — it can’t generate the 9 bars of pressure that defines true espresso. But with a 1:8 ratio and a fine grind, you can produce a concentrated 4oz shot that works well as a base for milk drinks (latte, cappuccino, mocha) or americanos. It’s a close approximation but not the real thing. For real espresso, see our best espresso machine guide.
AeroPress Original at home, AeroPress Go for travel. The Original brews a slightly larger cup (up to 250g of water comfortably) and is the standard for home use. The Go is smaller, comes with a travel mug that the AeroPress nests inside, and is engineered for backpacks and hotel rooms. Same brewing principles, smaller capacity on the Go.
About 2-3 minutes total. Grinding: 30 seconds. Boiling water: assume kettle’s already done. Brew: 60-90 seconds steep + 30 second press. Cleanup: 10 seconds (eject the spent puck into the trash, rinse). End-to-end from cold start, you’re looking at 3-5 minutes.
AeroPress and moka pot get compared a lot — our AeroPress vs moka pot breakdown covers when to pick each. If you want closer-to-espresso intensity, see how to make espresso at home or our step-by-step French press guide. More in the coffee drinks hub.
Hey there! I’m Austin and I love coffee. In fact, I drink about 5 americanos a day. I started BrewingCoffees because I wanted to share my love of coffee with the world. Before starting BrewingCoffees, I worked as a Barista for 7 years.
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