The AeroPress was the brainchild of American inventor Alan Adler, who officially launched the first AeroPress model in 2005, in Seattle. It quickly gained in popularity and had attracted a cult following by the following year.
This article takes a look at the AeroPress coffee maker and its origins, the man who invented it and it’s remarkable rise to fame.
Who is Alan Adler?
Alan Adler is an American inventor. He first invented a range of very successful aerodynamic toys before turning to his manual coffee brewing device, the AeroPress.
Alan Adler also dabbles in electronics and optics as well as aerodynamics and worked full time as lecturer in mechanical engineering.
Alan Adler lives in California and is the founder of AeroPress Inc. which began as Aerobie Inc, in 1984.
What is an AeroPress?
An AeroPress is a manual coffeemaker made up of a cylinder and plunger with an airtight seal. Ground coffee beans of your choice are steeped inside, and then pressed through a filter.
This highly concentrated “espresso type” coffee is very popular, and the device can also be used to make cold brew coffee and is sold with a number of coffee making accessories.
The simple design of the model and it’s “funny looking” shape did not at first empress coffee connoisseurs, but it was not long before the little coffee maker was described as making possibly the “best cup of coffee in the world”.
How did Alan Adler’s AeroPress improve on other coffeemakers?
Adler had an intense interest in improving his daily cup of homemade coffee, and in particular wanted to find ways to reduce the acidity (or the “bitterness”) of his regular coffee.
He wanted something that was easy, simple, and quick to use, and which made good coffee every time it was used.
The AeroPress uses a finely ground coffee bean. This is important because the AeroPress has a very short brewing time: 30 seconds compared to the French Press, for example, which has a brewing time of 4 to 5 minutes due to the coarser coffee beans used with it.
The AeroPress uses air pressure to extract the flavour of the beans. The paper filter has been praised for its ability to prevent oils and sediments getting into the cup, and this feature won the AeroPress its reputation for clean coffee with a “clearly defined taste”.
The AeroPress can also be used to make a coffee concentrate, another popular feature for coffee lovers who like to experiment.
What else was Alan Adler, AeroPress inventor, famous for?
Aland Adler was an established entrepreneur well before his interest in good coffee began. His diverse range of hobbies saw him design and launch the definitive flying disc: the Aerobie.
Throughout the 1960s, Adler worked as an engineer, designing miliary items and systems before beginning a teaching career in engineering at Stamford University.
He is also an amateur astronomer, and in the early 2000s, invented a paraboloid mirror , which in optics, is used to gather light in telescopes and solar furnaces.
So it was no surprise that when Adler wanted to improve his personal brew, he simply set about designing something that could do it!
Has the original AeroPress design changed since it was first launched?
There have only been a few changes made to the original AeroPress, and these consisted of alterations in the materials the AeroPress is made from.
The earliest AeroPress models were made from polycarbonate, which is a strong and tough material that is easily moulded. However, in 2009, the company began using copolyester, which is BPA-free.
In 2014, the company switched materials again, this time to polypropylene. They have also altered the logo lettering several times.
Is there only one AeroPress model of coffee maker?
There are now two AeroPress coffeemakers. In 2019, Alan Adler released the AeroPress Go, which is a travel sized model with smaller sized accessories and a travel cup.
The AeroPress Go has also been phenomenally successful, with coffee lovers everywhere adding one to their camping and travelling equipment. However, this mobile model is suitable for anyone “on the go” , and is also useful for day trips, picnics, or anywhere you need good coffee.
What do coffee lovers like about the AeroPress Go?
The Go model is smaller and neater and quick and easy to clean and pack up. Both models are moderately priced. The additional travel cup, besides being useful, is also microwavable.
And, if you forget your favourite coffee beans, you can use pre ground coffee in your AeroPress. It won’t be as flavoursome, but it’ll still make you a cup of coffee.
Is the AeroPress sold in other countries?
The AeroPress is now available in over 80 countries and is the driving force behind the World AeroPress Championships.
This event is a global competition where coffee lovers complete to make the best cup of coffee using their personal favourite AeroPress coffee recipe.
The 2021 competition was conducted completely online and judged in Melbourne, Australia. This time, champions worked with a barista who brewed their recipe for the judging panel.
Because of travel restrictions and other social distancing issues, this new online delivery allowed for would be champions to compete from home.
Is the AeroPress coffeemaker still popular?
The Aeropress remains the company’s fastest selling product and accounts for more than half of company sales, and sales of the product continue to climb.
A popular feature of the coffee maker is its design that allows for supplementary “add on” inventions. The S-filter, for example, is a reusable metal filter invented in 2012.
Barista lovers everywhere debate over AeroPress brewing methods, coffee beans, and filters and record and share the precise details of their own personal AeroPress recipes.
What is Adler’s advice for would be inventors?
“Learn everything you can, try everything that’s possible, and never give up”, is Adler’s most fervent advice for anyone passionate about creating and inventing things.
He also stated emphatically that “persistence” is the true strength behind every successful inventor.
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.