The classic French press and the newcomer Aeropress are both immersion coffee brewers. But in the battle of the presses, there are key differences between these devices. The main differences include filter type (paper for Aeropress, stainless steel mesh for French press), time of brew (1-2 minutes for Aeropress, 4 minutes for French press) and size of coffee grounds used.
The following will explore the key differences between the two coffee presses and the pros of cons of each to see which press is best suited to you.
What Are the Main Differences Between Aeropress and French Press?
- Filter: Aeropress uses paper filters, whereas French press uses metal mesh.
- Time: Aeropress brews in 1-2 minutes whereas French press steeps coffee for around 4 minutes.
- Size: Aeropress makes one cup at a time, whereas French press makes several at once.
- Ground size: Aeropress uses fine grounds, whereas French press requires grounds to be coarse.
What Are the Features of a French Press?
The French press has a classic, simple design. It is made of a glass beaker or carafe, has a lid consisting of a steel cover with a moveable metal plunger, and a filter made of stainless-steel mesh.
How Does It Work?
The French press brewing method involves immersing coffee grounds in hot water and steeping for between 3 and 6 minutes. The hot water extracts the oils and flavors from the grounds. The grounds have continuous contact with the hot water as the mesh filter separates the grounds from the water when ready to serve.
How Is Coffee Made in a French Press?
- Place grounds into your press.
- Boil water and leave cooling for 30 seconds.
- Pour water evenly over the grounds.
- Leave to bloom for 30 seconds.
- Pour over the remaining water.
- Stir before steeping for around 4 minutes.
- Slowly press plunger down to bottom.
What Are the Features of an Aeropress?
According to the official Aeropress site, each Aeropress comes with a chamber and plunger, filters, filter stand and filter cap, a scooper, funnel and stirring stick. The plunger has an airtight seal and fits inside the chamber, both are cylindrical in shape and the Aeropress looks like a large plunger.
How Does It Work?
An Aeropress also immerses coffee grounds in hot water, as does the French press, but for less time. The key difference is the shorter brew time and the pressure behind the larger plunger. The coffee is quickly steeped for around one minute and then plunged through a paper filter.
How Is Coffee Made in an Aeropress?
There are two ways to make coffee in an Aeropress; the traditional method and the inverted method.
The traditional method:
- Place Aeropress on top of mug.
- Insert filter into the plastic cap and rinse with water before adding coffee grounds.
- Pour hot water over grounds and wait 10 seconds for them to begin blooming.
- Pour over remaining water.
- Place plunger on chamber and pull up to create pressure seal.
- Steep for around 1 minute, then slowly press plunger to bottom.
The inverted method:
- Flip the Aeropress around so it’s upside down.
- Add coffee grounds and hot water into the chamber and stir.
- Let grounds steep for 1-2 minutes.
- Rinse filter with hot water and place back on top.
- Put your mug upside-down on top of the filter.
- Flip the Aeropress to the right way round and push the plunger down.
Which Press Is Best – Aeropress or French Press?
Here we will compare the main differences between these presses in more detail.
Method
| Aeropress | French Press |
| Steeps coffee for around one minute before plunging through paper filter. | Steeps coffee for around 4 minutes before plunging through mesh filter. |
Brew time
| Aeropress | French Press |
| Brews coffee in 1-2 minutes. | Steeps coffee for between 3 and 6 minutes, at an average of 4 minutes. |
Filter
| Aeropress | French Press |
| Paper, disposable and not as eco-friendly. If bleached cannot be recycled or composted. | Stainless steel, in-built, and reusable. |
Flavor
| Aeropress | French Press |
| Smooth, dark, strong, but less acidic or bitter. | Rich, heavy, robust, aromatic. |
Grounds
| Aeropress | French Press |
| Grounds should be fine due to the quick contact with water, similar to an espresso. The paper filter catches them. | Grounds must be coarse and midsize else risk over-extracting during long steeping time. If too fine can get through the mesh filter and cause sediment. |
| 3 or 4 tablespoons of grounds, or 2 Aeropress scoops, are needed per cup. | Around 2 tablespoons of grounds are needed per cup. |
Roast
| Aeropress | French Press |
| You can use any type of beans in an Aeropress. Due to the short steeping time dark roast would give the best flavor, like with an espresso machine. | French presses are versatile and can use any type of roast from light to dark, as long as the beans are coarsely ground. |
Size
| Aeropress | French Press |
| Aeropress makes one cup of coffee at a time and holds around 250ml. | French presses can make several cups, up to a litre of coffee at a time. |
Convenience
| Aeropress | French Press |
| Is easy to clean as the grounds are disposed of in the paper filter and the coffee deposits straight into your mug. | French presses are more difficult to clean as loose grounds can become stuck in the filter and the beaker also needs to be cleaned out. |
| You can use finer, pre-ground coffee and just push down plunger. | French presses require more effort as beans usually need to be ground at home, the steep is longer and plunge and pour manually. |
| The Aeropress is portable and has an on-the-go version to take outdoors or travelling, and is made from durable BPA-free plastic. | French press is made of more fragile glass and metal and is not as portable. |
Price
| Aeropress | French Press |
| Aeropresses start at around $30 for the original and on-the-go version. | French presses can be purchased for around $10, though you can purchase higher-end, pricier versions. |
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.