Earlier this year, coffee became a full-blown hobby for me. I invested a lot of time and brain space into learning different techniques on how to make it, which equipment best helps you achieve a certain strength, and what in the heck a moka pot is. 

I think it surprised me just how much there was to learn about something I’d previously given very little thought to. And once you go down this long road, it’s a tad difficult to go back to enjoying Nescafe 3-in-1 (sorry to the good people who work hard to make this 👀). It’s just not likely to cut it anymore.

My newfound obsession pastime led me to the AeroPress. It’s the wonder kid on the streets of the YouTube coffee community. Its devotees believe it can make anything from a strong-ish shot of espresso to beautiful lattes, and there’s a lot of truth in that.

Last November, I bought into the hype and got myself one (alongside a bag of Starbucks ground coffee) and hoped for the best.

PROS

• It’s relatively affordable — roughly the cost of 5 good quality cups of coffee from a coffee shop

• It’s portable and you can take it with you on trips and short stays

• There are a bunch of techniques (and recipes) you can try with the AeroPress

• It (supposedly) filters your coffee grounds better than a French Press

• It’s a nerdy little gadget you can geek over and have fun with — and that’s valid 🤘🏾

CONS

• Getting the hang of using one of these requires some practice and patience (you’re going to make a few boo-boos, but that’s fine)

• In my opinion, it’s not as versatile as advertised, and it’s most certainly not capable of making real espresso, which you need for cappuccinos, lattes, etc.

• Using the AeroPress requires paper filters, which is an additional cost to take into consideration

• If you want a quick cup of coffee before running off to the gym or jumping on a Zoom call, it’s not the best/fastest option out there

So should you get one? The answer lies within what you actually need. If you’re a black coffee lover and want something with more flavour than instant coffee, possibly yes. If speed matters to you above everything else, probably no. 

If you enjoy taking your time to make a good cup of coffee, this could work for you; whereas, if a really strong shot is what you’re after, your best bet is to stick to a coffee shop and/or buy an espresso machine.

But is the AeroPress a nifty little idea? I definitely think so.