A good AeroPress cup needs no gadgets and no fuss. Use 15g of medium-ground coffee to 220ml of water just off the boil, stir, steep for 90 seconds, then press steadily for 20 to 30 seconds. That is the whole method. Adjust grind and steep time to taste, and dilute with a little hot water if you like a longer drink.
The AeroPress has a reputation for endless tinkering: inverted flips, exotic recipes and stopwatch precision. You can ignore all of it. One simple, repeatable method makes a clean, sweet cup every morning, and that is what this guide gives you.
We small-batch roast our speciality coffees in Glasgow, graded SCA 84 or higher, so the beans do the heavy lifting. If you want the wider picture on brewing well at home, start with our home brewing guide, or read the cafetiere method for a side-by-side comparison.
What you need
The kit list is short: an AeroPress with its filter cap and a paper filter, 15g of coffee, 220ml of fresh water, and a kettle. Scales and a timer help a lot, but a tablespoon and a phone timer will do. If you grind at home, a burr grinder set to medium gives the most consistent result. If you would rather not grind, choose whole beans and grind to medium, or pick a ground format on the product page.
The grind and ratio, in plain numbers
Grind: medium, roughly like table salt. Too fine and the press becomes hard work and turns bitter. Too coarse and the cup tastes thin and weak.
Ratio: 15g of coffee to 220ml of water. That is a strong, full cup. If you prefer a longer drink, brew it at that strength and then top up with 50 to 100ml of hot water afterwards, the way you would an Americano. Water temperature: just off the boil, around 92 degrees, so let a freshly boiled kettle stand for about 30 seconds.
The method, step by step
1. Prepare the brewer. Fit a paper filter into the cap, rinse it with hot water, and screw the cap onto the chamber. Stand the AeroPress on a sturdy mug.
2. Add coffee. Grind 15g of beans to a medium texture and add to the chamber.
3. Add water. Pour in 220ml of water just off the boil, making sure all the grounds are wet, then stir gently two or three times.
4. Steep. Pop the plunger in just enough to seal, and let the coffee steep for 90 seconds.
5. Press. Press down steadily for 20 to 30 seconds. Stop the moment you hear air hiss through the coffee bed, so you do not push bitterness into the cup.
6. Serve. Top up with hot water if you like a longer drink, and enjoy straight away.
Standard versus inverted
The standard method above, brewing with the AeroPress sitting on your mug, is all most people ever need. The inverted method, where you build the brew with the AeroPress upside down and then flip it, gives a touch more control over steep time, but it is fiddlier and easier to spill. Master the standard method first. You can always experiment later, once the basic recipe is second nature and you know exactly how you like your cup.
Common fixes
If the cup tastes bitter or the press feels stiff, your grind is probably too fine, or you pressed too hard. Go a little coarser and press more gently next time. If the cup tastes weak or sour, your grind is likely too coarse, or the steep was too short. Go finer or add another 15 to 30 seconds of steep. Change one thing at a time so you know what made the difference, and keep a quick note of the grind and steep that gave you your favourite cup so you can repeat it.
Best beans for AeroPress
The AeroPress is forgiving, so almost any of our coffees works well. A medium roast is the easiest starting point for a sweet, balanced cup, while a lighter roast rewards you with more clarity and fruit if that is your taste. Browse the full coffee range and pick a roast level you enjoy. New to roast levels? Our guide to light, medium and dark explains how each one brews.
Source notes
Primary sources used: SEO_CONTENT_PIPELINE_v1 sections 4, 5 and 9; outputs/2026/05/seo/schema-tier2/FOLD_INSTRUCTIONS.md and howto-aeropress.json for the folded HowTo and Recipe schema values; CLUSTER_BRAND_VOICE_RULES_v1 (Cluster 2 brewing); memory reference_wacc_coffee_purchase_formats; established AeroPress brewing technique. AeroPress is a brew method, not a purchase format.
FAQPage Q&A
What grind do I need for an AeroPress?
A medium grind, roughly like table salt, is the best all-round starting point. Too fine makes the press hard and bitter, too coarse makes the cup weak. Adjust from there to taste.
How much coffee per AeroPress?
Use 15g of coffee to 220ml of water for a strong, full cup. If you want a longer drink, brew at that strength and top up with 50 to 100ml of hot water afterwards.
Inverted or standard, does it matter?
Not for a great everyday cup. The standard method is simpler, quicker and less messy. The inverted method gives slightly more control over steep time, but you only need it once you want to experiment.
What are the best beans for an AeroPress?
A medium roast speciality coffee is the easiest route to a sweet, balanced cup, while a lighter roast gives more fruit and clarity. All our speciality coffees are graded SCA 84 or higher and small-batch roasted in Glasgow.
