Ground coffee for your AeroPress

Why the AeroPress takes a fine to medium-fine grind

The AeroPress takes a fine to medium-fine grind because the coffee has little time to steep and is then pushed through paper under gentle hand pressure. The brewer is forgiving: a slightly finer grind with a shorter steep and a slightly coarser grind with a longer one both make a good cup. Go much finer, to espresso level, and pressing becomes hard work while the taste turns bitter. Go much coarser, as for a French press, and two minutes are not enough to draw out the flavour. Because the paper disc catches the fines, an AeroPress cup has none of the sludge a French press can leave.

How much coffee in an AeroPress

An AeroPress takes about 15 g of coffee per brew, enough for one cup. Steep for 1 to 2 minutes, then press the plunger down steadily over about 30 seconds. Torn between the AeroPress and a pour-over cone? What is the difference between AeroPress and V60? compares the two.

Strength, roast and bag size for the AeroPress

• Strength. An AeroPress brew is concentrated: drink it as it comes or top it up with hot water or milk. With milk, a coffee higher on our strength scale of 1 to 13 holds its own.
• Roast. A lighter roast gives a bright, filter-style cup; a darker roast brings the body closer to espresso.
• One cup at a time, so start small. At about 15 g a brew, a 250 g bag makes around 16 cups, a good way to get to know a coffee before buying a larger bag. Choose 'Freshly ground - Aeropress' and the bag is ground only once you have ordered.

Alongside the AeroPress

A moka pot uses a similar fine to medium-fine grind; for that, browse percolator coffee. A portafilter espresso machine needs the finer espresso ground coffee, while a drip machine takes the coarser filter ground coffee. With your own grinder, order coffee beans and grind fine to medium-fine.