How Do I Clean My AeroPress? (Solved & Explained!)

To clean your Aeropress after using it, simply take the unit apart and place it on the top shelf of a dishwasher. Alternatively, you can take it apart and wipe it with white vinegar. 

Continue reading on to learn more about AeroPress, how to use it, and why you’ll never go back to a traditional coffee maker for your specialty brews.

What Is AeroPress?

The Aeropress Coffee Maker was invented in 2005 and is a portable, coffee brewing machine. The Aeropress, which is around the same size as a drinking glass, or 16 ounces, makes a cup of java in under one minute.

To operate the machine, simply load the coffee maker with a filter, coffee, and hot water. Press down with your palm or arm and you’re done. The Aeropress brews coffee with the same concentration as a shot of espresso at a fraction of the price.

Benefits of AeroPress

There are several great reasons to have an AeroPress such as being great for traveling, its small compact size, and the crazy consistent brew it makes. When it comes to espresso makers, this little one is always on the top of every ‘must-have’ list.

Check out other reasons that people love AeroPress:

Durable & Lightweight

The Aeropress is manufactured by Aerobie, the same firm that created the ground-breaking “superdisc.” Aerobie used its advanced plastics understanding to create the AeroPress, which can be dropped, kicked, thrown, and knocked down without even a ding.

The AeroPress is tough. Unlike traditional coffee makers, AeroPress is made completely of plastic. This makes it an excellent choice for those on the go. Weighing around 6 ounces total, if you are looking for a coffee maker to pack on your next camping, hiking, or other outdoor trips, the AeroPress is the one to have.

Fast Clean Up

Cleaning the grounds from the Aeropress is easy and fast. The used grounds are squeezed into a thick, puck like shape after using it. These pucks can then be popped out of the bottom which allows for a faster second cup.  

The Aeropress coffee maker has a very basic design, so there isn’t much that needs to be cleaned on the unit. Tossing the coffee maker completely in the dishwasher or giving it a good dousing of white vinegar is more than sufficient to clean the machine.

Consistently Great Coffee

While there are certainly other methods for making excellent coffee, the amazing thing about the Aeropress is that it is incredibly consistent with each brewed cup. The coffee that this little machine produces is so good, it even has a cult following.

How To Brew Coffee With AeroPress

There are two different ways you can brew coffee with the AeroPress. These methods are called the traditional and inverted brews. Continue reading about how to brew coffee with the AeroPress using these methods, and the pros and cons for each.

Traditional Brewing Method

1. Load the filter inside the cap and twist it to secure onto the brewing chamber. Put the brew chamber on the top of your coffee cup with the filter down and the opening facing toward the sky.

2. Grind your beans, or use pre-ground coffee, and add around 5 tablespoons of coffee to the bottom of the brew chamber. For those using the metric system, this equals around 16 grams of ground coffee.

3. Heat up water for your coffee. To start the brewing process, pour a small amount of water onto the coffee grounds, getting them all a bit wet. Wait for 10 seconds before doing anything to let the water and grounds bloom. 

4. Put in the rest of the water until the chamber is almost full. Leave the water to sit for around a minute and a half. While you are waiting, you will notice some water start to seep through the filter. This is good, and normal because of gravity, but you may need to clean up some spills.

5. After about a minute, put the plunger in the top opening and slowly start to push down on the unit. You will notice your coffee starting to brew. You will want to do this step very slowly and very consistently. Once you hit the bottom of the chamber, remove the AeroPress from your cup.

Pros & Cons of Traditional Brewing Method

Using the traditional method of brewing with the AeroPress will allow you to make a full cup of coffee. You can, however, put as much water as you would like into the coffee maker, though with more water comes more messes, so be prepared for that.

One of the drawbacks of using the traditional method to brew with an AeroPress is that some grinds will ultimately find themselves inside your cup of coffee. This is because gravity can’t be stopped and during the blooming process will leak grinds.

If you like using the traditional brewing method, try to remember the grinds in the bottom of your cup and toss the coffee with a bit still in the bottom.

Inverted Brewing Method

Here is how to brew a cup of coffee with the AeroPress inverted brewing method:

1. Put the plunger into the back of the brew chamber.

2. Put the unit down ensuring the handle is facing down and the bottom is facing up.

3. Leave the filter off.

4. Load around 5 tablespoons of coffee into the chamber.

5. Pour hot water into the chamber, just enough to wet the grounds, and let it bloom for 10 seconds.

6. After the coffee blooms, pour in the rest of the water slowly until the chamber is full. Wait 60 seconds.

7. Insert your filter and attach the filter basket to the unit.

8. Put your coffee cup upside down on the basket, turn the entire unit upside down, and press down on the plunger for 30 seconds.

Pros & Cons of Brewing With the Inverted Method

Using the inverted method over the traditional one gives you greater control over the brewing process. Because the chamber is sealed before brewing, there is no way for coffee grinds to escape. However, because the sealed brew chamber can only hold a set amount of water, you can only brew about a standard sized cup of coffee at a time.

This makes the inverted brewing method not a practical choice for those who like to drink a lot of coffee at once.