A Silly (yet effective) Aeropress Pressure Method

One of the things that is often overlooked in the Aeropress preparation method is the amount of pressure applied to the device. If you look at several of the methods out there they’ll say things like “slow and consistent” but those are terms that can mean very different things to different people.

Even if given a time i.e. “extraction should take 20 seconds” it’s difficult to gauge how hard to press to get that specific extraction time. Getting even more specific the inventor of the Aeropress suggests  you give it about 15 pounds of consistent pressure. Again though, most people aren’t able to accurately gauge when they’re pressing down 15 pounds worth.

So what I did was stack a dumbbell on top of my Aeropress during the extraction process. It was a bit precarious there, looking as though it would tip over at a strong breeze, but it did give me one thing: consistent pressure. I used an 8 pound dumbbell that  takes about 25-30 seconds for full extraction. I tried the 15 pounds as well, but found a few grounds in the coffee. My guess is that the 15 pounds is a bit too much with a metal filter. Probably 10 pounds is optimal, but I don’t want to have to buy another dumbbell to test it.

Luckily there’s been no tipping over...yet. Still, I should warn you that if you attempt this it’s at your own risk. I’m by no means recommending it as a replacement method simply because it’s pretty dangerous. Enough people spill their coffee using the inverted Aeropess method without adding extra gravitational forces to the mix. Still I would reccomend paying closer attention to how hard you're pressing down on the plunger the next time you use your Aeropress.