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The AeroPress is an unusual coffee maker. Invented in 2005 by Alan Adler, the same Alan that gave us the Aerobie brand: footballs with fins, flying rings, discs and the like.
AeroPress has since been sold to an investment firm, Tiny Capital. And, following that, more variations on the plastic brew chamber have bloomed.
Last month, AeroPress debuted its Premium model; It’s a coffee press constructed of sleek, hand-blown borosilicate glass and stainless steel.
Now, if you’ve known about AeroPress for a while, a glass, stainless steel variant doesn’t seem to fit obviously into the consumer’s past association of the product. You see, it’s always been the go-to travel coffee companion, hasn’t it?
Why make the AeroPress Premium?
So why the AeroPress Premium? At £150, the AeroPress Premium attempts to elevate the humble plastic brewer, but does it justify its price tag? To find out, we tested the Premium model with the 2024 AeroPress World Championship-winning recipe and consulted Reddit—where opinions were, unsurprisingly, strong.
The 2024 AeroPress Championship Winning Recipe by George Stanica
This year’s 2024 AeroPress Championship-winning recipe is an intricate one, featuring heirloom Ethiopian beans, a precise 58-click grind on a Comandante grinder (the event’s sponsor), and the classic inverted method. The result? A beautifully clean cup, accentuated by the glass chamber of the Premium model, which showcases the bloom and extraction process as though it were a performance.
Position: Inverted
Dose: 18g
Filter: 1x Aesir, Rinsed
Grind: @comandantegrinder C40 Mk4 w/ Red Clix, 58 Clicks (870 µm)
Water: Mix of Aquacode diluted to ~85-90ppm with 0ppm water, 96°C for extraction, Room temperature for 0ppm
☕️ Coffee: Roasted by @olisipocoffee
Country: Ethiopia
Region: Guji
Washing Station: Arsosala
Process: Washed
Variety: Heirloom Ethiopian Varieties
Elevation: 1,800 - 1,900 masl
Method:
1. Prepare the AeroPress. Place the AeroPress in the inverted position around the 4th mark. Add 18g coffee grounds to the chamber.
2. First Pour. Pour approximately 50g of water using a melodrip (takes about 5-6 seconds)
3. Wait. Let the coffee bloom for about 30 seconds.
4. Second Pour. Pour another 50g of water (another 5-6 seconds).
5. Stir. Give the mixture a light stir in a North-South-East-West (NSEW) motion for 10 seconds.
6. Filter and Kettle prep. Rinse the filter and turn off the kettle. Remove the kettle lid.
7. Wait and Cap. Wait until the timer reaches 1:20. Place the cap with the filter on the AeroPress and start gently removing air (takes approximately 10 seconds).
8. Swirl and Press. Gently swirl the AeroPress and place it on your server. At 1:35, start pressing.
9. Complete the Press. Press gently until you have your full output (approximately 76-79 grams) in 30-40 seconds.
10. Dilute. From the kettle, add warm water until you reach a total of 130-135 grams. Add another 20-30 grams of room temperature 0 ppm water.
11. Serve and Enjoy. Serve your coffee. Win a World Championship.
A note from George: "Enjoy and remember this method was tailored for this specific coffee and roast, so adapt based on your palate!"
AeroPress Premium – Plastic vs. Glass: Reddit’s Verdict
The James Hoffmann community on Reddit, unsurprisingly, had their thoughts. Some users reminisced about the days of the £20 AeroPress, when it was the budget-friendly choice for coffee lovers.
As u/Wohinbistdu shared, “The original AeroPress was affordable and simple. This new model just doesn’t make sense to me.” On the flip side, others welcomed the move away from plastic, citing health concerns over microplastics. “I’m all for glass if it means no plastic touching my coffee,” said u/NEVERxxEVER, though even they admitted the £150 price tag was, in their words, “eye-watering.”
Design
According to the official press release, the AeroPress Premium was crafted with “aesthetics and performance” in mind. Its double-walled glass chamber promises both superior utility and a tactile, luxurious feel, complete with laser-etched branding.
The packaging—hexagonal, because why not—further reinforces the “premium” unboxing experience. Still, some in the Reddit community pointed out the inherent impracticality of glass and metal for a device once loved for its rugged portability.
Still, I do agree with the press release.
It’s, of course, heavier and feels very well built. Would I pay £150 for it? If I put everything I know about AeroPress aside - it’s humble beginnings and original price point, yes. But, the simple fact is, some AeroPress purists may not be able to do so.
Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?
Let’s be honest: £150 is a lot for a coffee maker, especially when the classic AeroPress gets the job done for much less. The Premium version is rather nice to look at, but its appeal is more about looks than practicality. If you’re keeping it at home, it’s ideal. Unlike the plastic version, which comes with a travel bag, the Premium doesn’t—almost like it’s meant to stay put.
So at £150 it’s hard to justify but so too is a Cartier Tank, for some. Unless you’re committed to aesthetics and keen to keep your specialty coffee and kitchen looking, well, aesthetically pleasing, the original plastic version is a foolproof option.
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