Last Updated on January 30, 2024 by Ibrahim Bat
There are many ways to brew a delicious cup of coffee in your home. Aeropress and French press are among these options with quite a high popularity.
Both have the word ‘press’ in their names, requiring pushing a ‘plunger’ to finish brewing. I know it sounds like I’m talking about two coffee makers that are similar to each other.
However, the Aeropress and French press have many differences. Fundamentally, they produce coffees with different taste profiles, work in different ways, and are more suitable for different lifestyles.
In this article, Best Coffee at Home, we will look for an answer to which coffee maker is more suitable for you before purchasing, examining the Aeropress and French press in detail.
Before comparing the Aeropress and French press, let’s briefly examine both coffee brewers.
Difference Between Aeropress and French Press
| Feature | Aeropress | French Press |
|---|---|---|
| Brewing Method | Uses a combination of immersion and pressure | Immersion |
| Ease of Use | Easy to use and clean up | Easy to use but can be messy to clean up |
| Control Over Brew | Yes | Yes |
| Flavor Profile | Clean, smooth, and less acidic | Full-bodied, rich, and strong |
| Brewing Time | 2 min | 5 min |
| Brew Capacity | 8 fl oz | 8-50 fl oz |
| Grind Size | It depends on your recipe | Coarse |
| Available Material | Plastic | Stainless steel, ceramic, glass, plastic |
| Filter | Paper or Metal | Stainless Steel Mesh |
| Portability | Portable and compact | Not as portable as the Aeropress |
What is Aeropress?
Aeropress is a relatively new coffee maker in the world of coffee. It was invented by Alan Adler in 2005 and quickly gained significant popularity.
Its popularity can be attributed to its fast coffee brewing process and its utilization of different approaches in coffee making. It uses a combination of immersion and pressure to extract the coffee flavor.
Aeropress is easy to use. You can make coffee with Aeropress in 2 steps:
- Pour coffee grounds and hot water into the chamber.
- Then, stir and push the plunger after sufficient brewing time.
However, despite its seemingly simple operation, there are certain details you need to pay attention to when brewing coffee with Aeropress. You can check out our article “How to use Aeropress?“
What about French Press?
The French press, a cafetière, is one of the most classic coffee brewing equipment. Due to its unique design and widespread use, it has probably caught the eye of almost everyone at some point.
On the other hand, the French press is one of the simplest coffee makers in terms of usage. There are only two simple things you need to do to brew coffee with a French press:
- Pour coffee grounds and water into the French press.
- After waiting for a sufficient brewing time, press down the plunger.
Does this method sound familiar? Yes, the French press brewing method is almost identical to the recipe I provided for the Aeropress. However, I still insist that they are completely different coffee makers.
Let’s find out why!
Aeropress vs. French Press – Design Comparison
French presses generally consist of a metal frame, a glass container, a plunger, and a metal filter attached to the end of the plunger. When you want to purchase a French press, you can easily find ones made of glass, stainless steel, and ceramic.
On the other hand, the Aeropress has a single design. It is made from food-safe plastic, free of BPA and phthalates. Like the French press, it has a simple design and doesn’t have many components. It consists of three main parts: the plunger, the chamber, and the filter cap.
| French Press | Aeropress | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction Materials | Metal frame, glass container, metal filter | Food-safe plastic, free of BPA and phthalates |
| Design Complexity | Simple design with a few components | Single design with three main components |
| Filter Type | Metal filter | Uses paper or metal filters |
Brew Capacity Comparison: Aeropress vs. French Press
French presses come in sizes ranging from 8 to 50 fluid ounces.
On the other hand, it is possible to make a small brew in a large French press as well. For example, making an 8-fluid-ounce brew in a 21-fluid-ounce French press technically presents no issues (aside from having to wash a larger dish).
Aeropresses, on the other hand, are ideal for single-serving brews. If you intend to share your coffee with someone, you must brew again.
Making consecutive brews is not difficult, but it can be a bit bothersome (or time-consuming) if you consistently require larger brews.
However, when making a brew for two people with an Aeropress, you can brew it more concentrated and dilute it during serving to increase the quantity. I do not like this method because I don’t get the same taste as a standard single-serving brew. But it’s worth remembering if you find yourself in a pinch.
Portability and Durability Comparison: Aeropress vs. French Press
The Aeropress is made of highly durable plastic. It’s almost impossible to break it by dropping it. Furthermore, it’s a very lightweight coffee maker. Therefore, you can easily carry it with you during your travels. It can be a great camping companion for you.
French presses are generally made of glass, making them more likely to break than the Aeropress. Stainless steel models are durable but heavy to carry.
However there are also portable French press models available, but when it comes to portability, the Aeropress is the clear winner.
In summary, the Aeropress is portable and durable, while not all models of French presses are portable and durable.
| Aeropress | French Press | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Highly durable plastic | Generally glass, with stainless steel models available |
| Breakage Resistance | Almost impossible to break when dropped | More susceptible to breakage |
| Weight | Lightweight | Heavier, especially stainless steel models |
| Portability | Highly portable, suitable for travel and camping | Portable options available, but less convenient |
| Overall Assessment | Very portable and durable | Not all models are portable and durable |
Price and Filter Comparison: Aeropress vs. French Press
French presses have a wide range of products. There are dozens of models available in the market. Therefore, you can find a French press for anywhere from $20 to $200.
Aeropresses are priced around $40 and come with 350 paper filters.
These paper filters are not reusable, so you should purchase paper filters at regular intervals, depending on your consumption.
The prices of these paper filters are quite reasonable. You can buy a pack of 700 filters for $15. However, you can opt for a metal filter if you don’t want to incur such a recurring expense or have environmental concerns. Metal filters are reusable.
| Aeropress | French Press | |
|---|---|---|
| Price Range | Around $40 | Varies widely, from $20 to $200 |
| Included Filters | Comes with 350 disposable paper filters | Typically not included |
| Disposable Paper Filter Cost | Affordable, e.g., 700 filters for $15 | Zero cost |
| Reusable Filter Option (Metal Filter) | Available, reusable | Available, reusable |
Filter Comparison: Aeropress vs. French Press
Aeropress comes with paper filters by default. Using a paper filter in your coffee filtration process removes coffee oils and sediments so you won’t see floating coffee grounds or sludge at the bottom of your cup.
However, if you want to change the taste of your coffee, you can purchase a metal filter for your Aeropress.
On the other hand, French presses only come with a metal filter, and you cannot replace it with paper filters. Therefore, no matter how hard you try, you will likely have some sediment in your coffee.
If you prefer a clean cup of coffee, the Aeropress would be better for you.
| Aeropress | French Press | |
|---|---|---|
| Default Filter Type | Paper filter, which removes coffee oils and sediment | Metal filter, which may allow some sediment |
| Filter Replacement Options | Metal filter available for different taste preferences | No option to switch to paper filter |
| Preference for a Clean Cup of Coffee | Suitable for those who prefer minimal sediment | May result in some sediment in the cup |
Ease of Use and Brewing Time Comparison: Aeropress vs. French Press
Both Aeropress and French Press are easy-to-use coffee makers. Initially, both require a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, you can easily brew delicious coffee.
Brewing coffee with Aeropress and French Press takes less than 5 minutes. The steps involved are quite similar. You combine coffee and water in the chamber, wait for it to steep, and then press down the plunger. That’s the entire process.
However, Aeropress requires more attention and effort when mastering the equipment because it offers more variables to tweak. This is because there are more ways to adjust and experiment with the Aeropress than the French Press.
| Aeropress | French Press | |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Easy to use, requires some initial practice | Easy to use, minimal learning curve |
| Brewing Time | Less than 5 minutes | Less than 5 minutes |
| Brewing Process | Combine coffee and water, steep, and press plunger | Combine coffee and water, steep, and press plunger |
| Equipment Mastery | Requires more attention and experimentation | Simpler equipment with fewer variables to adjust |
Customization and Brewing Flexibility: Aeropress vs. French Press
In a French Press, you can adjust the water temperature and steeping time, but you can’t make significant changes to the grind size of your coffee beans. A too-fine grind will prevent the coffee from adequately filtering through the metal filter.
The limited ability to adjust the grind size also constrains the changes you can make to the steeping time. Generally, finer grinds require shorter steeping times, while coarser grinds require longer.
With Aeropress, you have the flexibility to make changes to the steeping time, water temperature, and grind size. Additionally, you can use the inverted method for brewing instead of the standard method, leading to flavor variations in your coffee.
Furthermore, you can purchase a metal filter for your Aeropress, allowing you to achieve a coffee taste closer to what you would get from a French Press.
This flexibility of the Aeropress has led to the development of numerous Aeropress recipes. The World Aeropress Championship (WAC) is held annually, and the winning recipes are made publicly available.
Additionally, you can brew a concentrated coffee similar to espresso with your Aeropress. This lets you prepare espresso-based drinks like latte, cappuccino, and Americano.
| Aeropress | French Press | |
|---|---|---|
| Adjusting Water Temperature | Possible | Possible |
| Adjusting Steeping Time | Possible | Possible |
| Adjusting Grind Size | Possible | Limited adjustments, fine grind may affect filtration |
| Brewing Methods (e.g., Inverted Method) | Multiple methods available, including inverted method | Standard method |
| Espresso-Like Concentrated Coffee | Achievable | Not used for espresso-like coffee |
| Metal Filter Option | Available (for taste closer to French Press) | Typically uses a metal filter |
| Wide Range of Recipe Options (World Aeropress Championship, WAC) | Yes, numerous recipes and competitions (e.g., WAC) exist | Less emphasis on recipe variations |
| Espresso-Based Coffee Preparation (e.g., latte, cappuccino) | Possible with concentrated coffee | Not used for espresso-based drinks |
Related:
Taste Differences: Aeropress vs. French Press
You can make tasty coffee with Aeropress and French Press, but they taste different because of the filters they use.
Aeropress usually has paper filters, while French Press uses a metal one. Metal filters let some coffee oils and grounds go through, while paper filters mostly keep them out.
So, coffee from a French Press is often more tangy, full-bodied, and rich. It feels heavier in your mouth. But there might be some tiny bits of coffee in it because of the metal filter.
Aeropress makes a cleaner, brighter, and less tangy coffee. But if you use a metal filter in your Aeropress, you can make a stronger coffee, like the one from a French Press.
| Aeropress | French Press | |
|---|---|---|
| Filter Type | Paper filter, cleaner and less acidic taste | Metal filter, allows more coffee oils and some grounds through, resulting in a more acidic and full-bodied taste |
| Flavor Profile | Clean, bright, less acidic | More acidic, full-bodied, and rich |
| Mouthfeel | Lighter mouthfeel | Heavier mouthfeel |
| Sediment in Cup | Minimal to none with paper filter | Likely to have sediment with metal filter |
| Adjustable Strength (with metal filter) | Can achieve a stronger coffee with metal filter | Already strong coffee |
Cleaning Comparison: Aeropress vs. French Press
When it comes to cleanliness, the Aeropress has an advantage. After brewing, coffee grounds get compacted right above the filter cap in a disk shape, making cleanup quick and easy.
To clean the Aeropress, you only need to remove the filter cap, push the plunger to eject the coffee grounds, and rinse it with water. Your Aeropress is now ready for the next brew.
However, cleaning a French Press is harder than cleaning an Aeropress. Coffee grounds are scattered inside the French Press, and collecting them can be a bit of a hassle. You can’t simply pour coffee grounds down the sink, as it can lead to clogs.
Over time, coffee grounds can also get stuck in the parts holding the metal filter of the French Press. You should periodically disassemble the plunger attached to the metal filter and perform a deep clean.
For a more detailed guide on cleaning a French Press, I highly recommend reading our article “Effortless French Press Cleaning.”
Bottom Line
In my opinion, you should try both, as both the Aeropress and French Press are affordably priced.
However, if you consider getting only one, you now have all the information you need to decide. If you have any lingering questions, feel free to ask.
Lastly, when you want to purchase an Aeropress, you have two options: the Aeropress and the more travel-friendly Aeropress Go. But if you find it difficult to choose from the hundreds of French Press models available, you can explore our selections tailored to various needs.
