Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Marine Product Review: AeroPress Coffee Maker

A review of a must-have product for boaters who love coffee as much as we do...
 
AeroPress Coffee Maker
Coffee loving boaters know that options for getting your morning cup can be challenging on several fronts when on your boat. In many harbors, going ashore to get a cup isn’t practical even if there is a coffee shop nearby. Onboard, options for making coffee can be messy and quality is often sacrificed.

In the latest installment of the Daily Boater's weekly Marine Product Review, Mark Sutton of MarineProductReviews.com tested the Aerobie AeroPress and found it to be an exceptional coffee maker for boaters. 
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Read on for our review of the Aerobie AeroPress...


What is the AeroPress?
The AeroPress coffee maker consists of three key components: 1) a brewing chamber, 2) plunger and 3) filter bed. These are all made from FDA approved plastic that is lightweight yet rugged enough for life aboard a boat. The AeroPress also includes a loading funnel for the water, a coffee scoop, a paddle for stirring, as well as micro filters and a convenient holder for the filters.

AeroPress Brewing Process…Incredibly Simple.
The process for making a cup of coffee couldn't be simpler and is one of the many advantages of the AeroPress for boaters. To make a cup of coffee all you need to do is:
    AeroPress Brewing Process
  1. Insert a micro filter into the filter bed and attach to the brewing chamber.
  2. Insert your coffee grounds (2 scoops) into the brewing chamber – finely ground coffee works best but we found the AeroPress to be accommodating to even coarser grounds.
  3. Pour in water. For best results, water temperature should be ~175F degrees, not quite boiling. Less water will yield a nice smooth espresso and more water will give you more of an ‘American’ cup.
  4. Stir the grounds with the paddle.
  5. Insert the plunger and press gently. The air pressure pushes the water evenly thru the grounds.
This process takes about 20-30 seconds and yields an incredibly smooth and delicious cup of coffee every time. The consistency of the quality coffee yielded by AeroPress is uncanny.

AeroPress Quality
The coffee quality is the result of the process itself. The ‘press’ process moves the water thru the grounds evenly. Unlike a drip brewing process where the water hits some grounds more than others extracting flavor unevenly.

The press process uses water of moderate temperature and moves the water thru the grounds quickly relative to other processes. All of the grounds are evenly involved in the process and it happens quickly to extract the flavor but not the bitterness caused by slower brewing processes. In addition, the micro filter prevents any grit from getting into the coffee which can make it bitter.

AeroPress Coffee
The result is a rich and smoother cup of coffee and you won’t sacrifice coffee quality onboard with the AeroPress.

Simple Cleanup.
Trash is always an issue aboard a boat. Drip brewers and French presses can be a bear to clean, the grounds make a mess in the trash and start to smell nasty very quickly.

AeroPress clean up is a snap. Because all of the water is pushed completely thru the grounds, the grounds compact into a firm, dry mini hockey puck shape. It pops out nicely right into the trash.  The filters can also be reused for several presses rather than discarded after eash use.

The ‘clean-up’ factor alone makes the AeroPress a great choice for onboard brewing.

Compact & Rugged
AeroPress coffee case
Space is always at a premium onboard. The AeroPress fits inside a small zipper pouch (included!) so it can be conveniently stowed and carried on and off the boat easily.

The AeroPress is made from rugged plastic that is lightweight making it well suited to boating.  It won’t crash around your cabinets the same way stainless steel or glass apparatus does.

Single Cup Simplicity
Sometimes a full pot of coffee is too much and takes too much time that may not be available especially if you are underway. AeroPress makes brewing a single cup incredibly fast and simple. Yet another reason why AreoPress stands out as the solution for coffee onboard.

The Bottom Line
Any boater who loves coffee should have an AeroPress in their galley. First and foremost, you get consistently smooth, rich cups of coffee and you can also make lattes by adding warm milk or espresso quality shots.

In addition to the delicious coffee, the AeroPress scores exceptionally high in each of these areas, making AeroPress an outstanding choice for boaters:
  • Fast & easy 
  • Compact and light-weight  
  • Durable 
  • Easy to clean 
  • Single cup capability
Finally, the AeroPress is priced at  around $30 making it one of the lowest priced items on your boat!  If you are a coffee loving boater (or know one!) you should definitely check out the AeroPress.

Learn more about the AeroPress at www.aerobie.com/aeropress.htm

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2 comments:

  1. Sounds good. I'm always looking for a better tasting coffee & I have a press that does a good job. With this one I'm concerned about placing it on top of a cup & pressing down. Looks like a Burning disaster waiting to happen, especially at sea.

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  2. Hi Soupy, I had the same concern when I reviewed the AeroPress. I have been a french press guy for years and sometimes they can be hard to press. I found the AeroPress compressed with relatively little pressure. If the rubber part of the press is moist, it glides pretty effortlessly. Plus, once a bit of pressure is built up in the chamber the coffee flows easily thru the filter. Unlike a french press, you have gravity on your side. -Mark

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