My home-made coffee progression:
Automatic drip
French Press
Aeropress
Pour-over (using a Hario v60, Chemex filters, and a cheap, non-Hario Gooseneck kettle)
Next will be a home espresso setup if I can ever get rich enough to justify having one.
Automatic drip
French Press
Aeropress
Pour-over (using a Hario v60, Chemex filters, and a cheap, non-Hario Gooseneck kettle)
Next will be a home espresso setup if I can ever get rich enough to justify having one.
Ultimately I went with the manual lever because I got tired of trying to figure out the espresso machine market, and I knew that the limiting factor in my espresso would be me, not the fact that I didn’t buy a copper boiler, PID-enabled $6k monstrosity.
If the frothy milk thing isn’t something you care about, then these things look pretty amazing and get good reviews on Amazon: https://www.flairespresso.com/ I didn’t go this route because I wanted something that could make my morning latte in addition to espresso, but this looks amazing.
You’ll definitely want to get a decent quality (read consistent) burr grinder to get good espresso. I had a ~$80 Capresso grinder that was great for Aeropress, but didn’t deliver enough grind consistency or enough control over grind size. I broke down and bought a Breville grinder on a friend’s recommendation (listed for $400, got for $180 on sale).
I love the precise grind times, because I’m lazy. But, in the spirit of cheap and manual, I’ve heard good things about the handheld Kyocerra grinder. That plus a cheap digital scale should get you some amazing results.
To recap, you could get the Flair espresso maker for as little as ~$150, and a handheld grinder for <$50 and probably be making as good an espresso as an expensive machine.
It's a cheap option, but scarcely the most usable one--among other things, you also have to go way beyond their recommendations when it comes to filling and tamping the shot, and pre-heat of the assembly with hot water is kinda essential. But for roughly $100 all in including a hand grinder, it was a cheap stab at seeing if I wanted to tinker with espresso. Turns out I do, so sometime in the next couple of years I'll buy into a mid-grade machine for the countertop.
I'd recommend going a mini/nanopresso if you enjoy the smallness of a aeropress but want the bite of an espresso-style shot. Really great little machines - not as simple as an aeropress but makes nice short blacks. Much cheaper than getting a home espresso machine as well.
Also get a good grinder (kinu m47, commandante or similar) if you do not have it already. It gives you controlled repeatable grind - you can make same coffee taste very different depending on the grind.
> I always manage to spill grounds getting them into the Aeropress,
Use the scoop but don't pour or tap them in - instead put the scoop into the cylinder and then spin the handle to dump out the grounds. Makes it impossible to spill.
> Plus there's the risk of your cup flying away with the amount of pressure you're putting on the top of the press
That sounds like way too much pressure - some new aeropresses can be tight (which can be remedied) but maybe you have too fine a grind. It should definitely not be espresso level which requires that type of muscle. It's not brewing by the pressure you are applying but time + agitation. The press is just removing the grounds.
I have however frequently knocked over a pourover while pouring... my own fault... tend to use a heavy ass kettle which turns it into some weird strength endurance exercise.
Is that right? I’ve never understood the purpose of the high pressure air pocket inside the Aeropress. If the pressure has no effect, why does the Aeropress brew more quickly than a French press?
I think the main variable affected by pressure is what is forced through the filter. A faster push and more force means more oils which can have positive or negative taste changes depending on the coffee.
You see competitive aeropressers (yeah, I know...) do 60s long presses to reduce pressure.
> If the pressure has no effect, why does the Aeropress brew more quickly than a French press?
Typically a french press has a coarser grind and less agitation.
I use a generic $4 filter holder from the local kitchen supply store, generic size 104 Melitta-style filters, and a basic kettle. I buy good quality coffee in small batches, which I grind at the store and go through in about a week. The fancy Hario etc. stuff is for hipsters IMO.
I do bust out the moka pot when I feel like changing it up a little, and it does make a very robust and flavorful, dark chocolate-like brew.
I also enjoy the coffee from the Aeropress, but I find it rather fiddly, which is not good for me in the morning.