The Aeropress was invented in 2005 by Alan Adler, the inventor of the Aerobie throwing ring – hence its name. It is a cheap, durable and lightweight  brewer that is very easy to clean.

The interesting thing about the Aeropress is that it combines two different brewing methods. Initially the water and coffee steep together, as they would in a French press. However, to complete the brew, a piston is used to push the water through the grounds and then through a paper filter – a little like an espresso machine and a little like a filter coffee maker.

Compared with other brewers, the number of different recipes and techniques that can be used with the Aeropress is enormous. There is even a competition each year for the best technique, called the World Aeropress Championships. Each year the organizers publish the top three methods from the competition on their website.

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