Alan Adler: The Inventor of the AeroPress Coffee Machine

How do these coffee machines work?

If you’ve ever looked for the best coffee makers to have in your home so you can brew the daily cup of joe that wakes you up every morning, chances are you’ve heard of the AeroPress, or you might have one in your kitchen. But what’s an AeroPress in any case? It’s a device for brewing coffee that was invented back in 2005 by an engineer called Alan Adler. In these coffee machines, the coffee is steeped for 10–50 seconds and then forced through a filter by pressing the plunger through the tube. The final result is a delicious espresso-like coffee thanks to which the AeroPress has become one of the favorite brewers among coffee lovers.

And it’s all thanks to its inventor. AeroPress machines are simple to use, easy to clean and let you regulate the amount of pressure you put into your coffee brew so you can finish the whole process in less than a minute. Nowadays, people use their AeroPress however they prefer, and there are even competitions especially dedicated to this style of brewing.

How did the AeroPress come to be?

Adler is convinced that most of the time, inventions work when you think of a new way to improve something that already exists. Before the AeroPress, coffee brewing could take around five minutes to complete, and there was no way to actually make a drink as strong as espresso without an espresso machine. About home espresso machines, he says: “There’s no way to adjust the temperature, and it was that problem that led me to start designing my own coffee maker. Because I wanted the freedom to use whatever temperature tasted best, and I didn’t have that freedom with a home espresso machine or with an automatic drip machine.”

At the same time, Adler found out about the benefits of brewing coffee at lower temperatures and decided to create a machine that would allow him to make a single shot for himself at home. He realized a closed chamber that he could pressurize to speed up the process was what he needed, and so he started to work on a prototype in his store and that’s how the first concepts of the AeroPress were born.

A machine that inspired competitions

One thing that’s absolutely great and unique about AeroPress machines is their versatility. It allows you to experiment and create your own personalized ways of brewing your coffee. You can find many different videos on YouTube of people using non-traditional methods to reinvent their drink with the AeroPress. It has even inspired the World AeroPress Championship in which baristas get ready to innovate and try to make the perfect cup of coffee.

However, Adler never saw the competitions coming. In an interview with Sprudge, he explained “Not in my wildest fantasy dreams did I ever consider that (...) When I reflect on it now, the AeroPress really is a perfect thing for a competition because it’s so flexible. It encourages innovation. You couldn’t really have that with an ordinary espresso machine because it’s pretty set with how it works–but the AeroPress, there’s just an unlimited amount of ways you can use it.”

The original recipe

If we go back to the origins of the AeroPress though, we’ll find that Alan Adler experimented quite a lot before coming up with the final AeroPress machine and the recipe that worked best for him. It stands out for its simplicity. If you want to brew your coffee just like the inventor of the AeroPress, all you’ll need will be your vessel, your coffee, and water. First, follow these recommendations:

• The coffee should be of espresso-like grind size.
• Water should sit at 80℃–85℃ temperature. 80℃ for medium to dark roast, 85℃ for lighter roasts.

Then, for the less-than-one-minute brewing process, follow these steps:

1. Place the filter in the filter basket.
2. Screw the basket onto the AeroPress.
3. Sit the AeroPress on top of a decanter or a mug.
4. Put one scoop of coffee in. That equals about 15 grams of coffee.
5. Add water up to the #1 mark. It should be about 85–90ml.
6. Stir the coffee well for about ten seconds, making sure all grounds are wet.
7. Connect the plunger at the top of the vessel.
8. Press the plunger down for about 20–60 seconds, depending on the pressure. It’s recommended to simply put your hands on top of the plunger and let them push the plunger with their natural weight.
9. The result of this recipe is a coffee concentrate. Add hot water based on your taste preference.
10. To clean the brewer, remove the cap, throw away the coffee grounds, and wash your brewer.

Are you ready to brew your coffee Alan Adler’s style? AeroPress is very simple and fun to use! Besides, its practicality makes it the perfect coffee maker to take on a trip or quickly prepare a single shot. Our espresso ground coffee selection is great to try with AeroPress machines, so head to That Coffee Roasters’ online store and prepare to have the most amazing cup of coffee of your life!

Brew strong coffee with them.

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

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