As coffee culture explodes worldwide, more brewing systems appear to try to make coffee brewing easier. Two such inventions are the Minipresso and the Aeropress. However, which is better?
It may not be fair to compare Minipresso and Aeropress directly since Minipresso makes espresso coffee, while Aeropress brews black coffee. Minipresso is smaller and does not require filter paper change. Aeropress is easier to operate and clean too.
In this post, we will look at the Minipresso and the Aeropress. We start by looking at how they work before exploring their similarities and differences. Finally, we decide which you should purchase for your coffee brewing needs.
How Does Minipresso Work?
Minipresso is a small, hand-held espresso maker about the size of two palms. You fill the Minipresso with the ground coffee and hot water before pulling the pistons and pumping manually to produce espresso.
Minipresso is a small, hand-held espresso maker. It is portable and operates manually, without any electricity supply. Instead, it uses a simple yet powerful manual pumping system to generate up to 8 Bars of pressure to extract espresso coffee for you.
The mini press can be broken into three major parts, the body, the coffee container, and the water container. To brew a cup of espresso using the Minipresso, follow the steps below:
- Start by filling the filter basket with coffee grounds. Aim for about 7-8 grams.
- Tamp down slightly to compact the grounds. Aim for about 20-30 pounds of pressure.
- Ensure your Minipresso’s main body is facing up. You should be able to read the Minipresso label correctly. This prevents you from placing the filter basket in the wrong place.
- Place the filter, facing up, into the top compartment of the main body. There are a lot of groove lines to guide your placement. It should fit in nicely and not wobble around.
- Screw in the outlet cap.
- Next, pour hot water into the water tank. Minipresso does not recommend water temperature, but the best temperature to brew coffee should be off-boiling, around 197 – 205 °F (92 – 96 °C.)
- Take the main body of the Minipresso, and attach it to the water tank. There are no screw grooves here; push and twist the main body down until they feel tight.
- Turn the whole Minipresso upside down, and twist the pump counter-clockwise to unlock it.
- Start pumping. The first few pumps should not produce anything. It merely builds up the pressure inside the Minipresso. Espresso may start to come out around pump 6-7.
- Keep pumping until you extract all the hot water. You know you are done when there is no more pressure on the pump and no more espresso flowing out from the Minipresso.
How Does Aeropress Work?
Aeropress is a manual coffee brewing system using a plunger to push coffee through a paper filter. It is a combination of French press and Pour over methods and produces thick, black coffee perfect for sipping.
Aeropress is a unique coffee brewing system; it combines immersion and filtration to brew your coffee. You can say that it combines the French press and the Pour over method to brew coffee.
Aeropress could be broken into three major parts, the main body, the bottom filter, and the plunger. To brew a cup of joe using the Aeropress, you can follow the steps below:
- Start by adding a piece of filter paper to the bottom filter. Untwist the bottom cap, insert the filter paper, and twist the cap back.
- Adding coffee grounds into the main body. A standard recipe calls for 14-18 grams of coffee with about 240 ml of water. Feel free to adjust to your preference.
- Pour in the hot water. Aeropress does not recommend water temperature, but the best temperature to brew coffee should be off-boiling, around 197 – 205 °F (92 – 96 °C.)
- Take the stirrer, and stir for several seconds, to ensure even extraction.
- Allow the coffee to brew for about 2 minutes. Allow more brewing times if you like a stronger flavor with your coffee.
- Place your Aeropress on top of your coffee mug.
- After brewing, insert the plunger into the main body. Slowly press down the plunger to push the coffee through the paper filter.
- While pressing, ensure the coffee mug remains steady and does not wobble. You don’t want coffee spills here.
- Once you finish pressing, the coffee is ready for you to sip. Enjoy!
How Similar Are Minipresso and Aeropress?
Minipresso and Aeropress are similar in that they are relatively new coffee brewing systems. They also use manual operation without the need for electricity. They also have variations like the Minipresso GR or the Aeropress XL.
Relatively New Brewing System
Minipresso and Aeropress are recent inventions, only recently introduced to the market. Minipresso first came into the market barely a decade ago, in 2013. The Aeropress has been around longer, first introduced in 2005.
They may be more than 10 years in the market, but they are new compared to many other common brewing systems we see today. The first French press was invented in 1852, while the first espresso machine was invented in 1822.
As a result, the Minipresso and Aeropress may not be as popular with many coffee drinkers. Only those very into coffee may know these brewers.
Uses Manual Operation
Unlike other brewing systems, Minipesso and Aeropress do not require electricity to operate. This is because they are simple brewing systems that use human muscles to operate instead.
The Minipresso uses your fingers to pump the piston on its main body repeatedly. This helps to generate enough pressure to extract the coffee grounds and make great espresso.
For the Aeropress, you use the plunger to slowly push the coffee through the paper filter and into your cup. It is probably simpler and more elegant than repeatedly pumping the piston, as in the Minipresso.
Variations
Minipresso and Aeropress also come with variations. These models are based on the original Minipresso and Aeropress, with slight changes here and there.
Take, for example, the Minipresso NS. This model can brew a cup of Nespresso coffee; just slot the Nespresso pod into the filter basket. There is also a Nanopresso, an even smaller version of the Minipresso.
With the Aeropress, there are models such as Aeropress XL or the Aeropress Go. The Aeropress XL is the larger version of the original, allowing you to brew a larger cup. Aeropress Go is smaller than the original for even better portability.
How Are Minipresso and Aeropress Different?
At the most basic, Minipresso brews espresso, while Aeropress brews black coffee. This means they may not be directly comparable. However, there are also several other differences between the two:
Size
The Minipresso is an impressive piece of tool. It is made of plastic and metal plates but can generate about 8 Bars of pressure to extract espresso. It is also surprisingly smaller than the Aeropress.
The Minipresso measures 175 x 70 x 60 mm (about 6.89 × 2.75 × 2.36 in.) You should be able to grab one with a single hand.
The Aeropress, instead, measures 140m x 110m x 100 mm, or about 5.5 x 4.3 x 3.9 inches. The size difference may be due to how much water each system needs to handle since they make different kinds of coffee.
Coffee Brewed
The Minipresso is, as the name says, it is a miniature espresso maker. You can pull out a single espresso, about 30 ml, for every brewing session. You can then use the espresso to make your Latte, Cappuccino, Cortado, or Americano.
The Aeropress, instead, is a portable coffee maker. It does not make espresso, but a strong cup of black coffee, with no crema on top. Depending on your filter, the coffee may taste like a French press or pour-over coffee.
For every brewing session, you should be able to pull out around 220 to 240 ml of coffee, using about 15 grams of coffee grinds.
Brewing Process
The Minipresso has rather complicated brewing steps. About 13 in all of them. You fill the filter basket with coffee grounds before securing it into the main body. Then you fill the water tank and secure it to the main body again.
Then you turn the Minipresso over, release the piston, and start pumping. It takes about 20-30 pumps or so to complete the espresso extraction process with the Minipresso.
With the Aeropress, the brewing process is simpler and has fewer steps. You start by replacing the filter paper. Answer the bottom filter housing, replace the paper, and rescue it. Then fill the main body with coffee grounds.
Add hot water into the main body, and use a stirrer to stir the coffee grounds and water. Allow to brew for about 2-4 minutes. Place the Aeropress on the mug, and then use a plunger to push coffee out from the Aeropress to your mug.
Consumables
The Minipresso does not require consumables or anything you use and discard. All the parts are washable and reusable. Some parts may need replacements eventually, but these are probably years down the road, with frequent use.
The Aeropress, however, requires a constant change of filter paper. You can purchase a pack of filter paper of about 300 pieces from Aeropress. Every sheet of filter paper only works for one brewing session, meaning you need to replace it with everything you brew a new cup.
However, there are options to use mesh-wired filters. Although you may lose that clean coffee taste, these do not need to be replaced.
When Does Getting A Minipresso Make Sense?
Minipresso is a great option for coffee lovers, as it is a simple way to make espresso at home. It is also very portable and easy to use. Consider getting a Minipresso if you:
You Want Espresso On Low Budget: Many of us are espresso fans but balk at spending hundreds to get an espresso machine. In this case, you can pick up the Minipresso. Sure, it is not as convenient, but you can upgrade later.
You Enjoy Espresso-Based Drinks: If you like to make your own cup of Latte, Cappuccino, or Americano at home, you will need to be able to make your own espresso. Minipresso solves this issue. Once you have your espresso, you can turn it into other desired drinks.
You Enjoy Pod Coffees: The Minipresso comes with variations, such as Minipresso NS, which allows you to brew a Nespresso pod coffee immediately. You can save money and not spend more to buy a Nespresso pod machine.
You Do Not Mind The Pumping: Minipresso requires you to manually pump the piston to extract espresso. If you do not mind this, the Minipresso is perfect. It is not a very intense thing either; just use your fingers to pump about 20-30 times per brewing session.
When Does Getting An Aeropress Make Sense?
Aeropress can be hard to justify, as it brews black coffee, similar to the French press or pour-overs. However, consider an Aeropress if you:
You Want A Portable & Durable Coffee Maker: Aeropress is a small coffee maker made of plastic. This means it can be easily taken about. It is also not as fragile as your glass French press, meaning you can easily pack it in a suitcase without worrying it will break.
You Want An Easy To Clean Coffee Maker: If you are the type that is lazy with cleaning, you will love Aeropress – it is easy to clean. The Aeropress is dishwasher safe, which means you only need to load it into your dishwasher to clean it.
Aeropress, however, does advise to have it on the upper rack. Perhaps lower racks have too much pressure, which may damage the Aeropress.
Alex is a self confessed coffee addict – but he takes his love of caffeine seriously in a completely responsible way. He loves trying new coffees and testing the latest machines and is not usually fan of one button pod machines. Alex is happiest when he is tinkering with settings and milk temperatures to create the perfect cup. When not obsessing over coffee, Alex is a keen musician and plays weddings and other social events (usually fuelled by… yes, you guessed it… coffee).
