The AeroPress is a tried-and-tested brewer. Found in cafés, roasteries, and homes around the world, it’s a go-to option for both industry professionals and coffee enthusiasts, many of whom want to experiment with different recipes and techniques.
The brewer has undergone significant changes in recent years. Following the launch of the AeroPress Go in 2019, the company unveiled the AeroPress Clear in May 2023 and the AeroPress XL only a month later, as well as the Go Plus and Clear Colours range earlier this year.
On 27 September, the long-awaited AeroPress Premium – the brand’s first glass and metal brewer – was released. With a bigger focus on premium design and materials, the model is set to impact the brewing experience in new and differentiated ways.
To learn more, I spoke to AeroPress’ Chief Marketing Officer David Cole and CEO Gerard Meyer. Read on for their insight on how brewing with the AeroPress has evolved.
You may also likeour article on the evolution of the AeroPress.
Why consumers are demanding more premium manual brewers
Coffee professionals and enthusiasts alike are always on the lookout for the latest brewing gadgets and tools. Although out-of-home coffee consumption has reached pre-pandemic levels in countries like the US, the home still remains the most popular place for enjoying coffee.
As more people have been preparing café-quality coffee at home in the years following the pandemic, interest in the latest brewers and accessories has only grown. To get the best results with their coffee, people are investing in more premium brewing equipment, including scales, kettles, grinders, and brewers themselves.
Gerard Meyer has been the CEO of AeroPress since November 2021, when the company was acquired and experienced a period of significant growth and innovation.
“Premium brewers transform the coffee-making ritual into something more meaningful,” he says. “Consumers today want more than just functionality – they’re looking for a product that reflects their dedication to the craft of making coffee.”
Design, functionality, and materials are key components of coffee brewers, and all equally impact the brewing experience. To meet consumer demand for more premium products and elevate their daily coffee-making routine, manufacturers are increasingly focusing on higher-quality materials and unique designs.
In late September 2024, AeroPress unveiled its eagerly anticipated Premium brewer made from glass, stainless steel, and aluminium. In the months preceding, posts discussing the model’s release were a common sight on coffee internet forums – indicating significant interest in more premium manual brewers.
The evolution of the AeroPress
Officially launched at the 2005 Seattle CoffeeFest, the AeroPress quickly garnered a cult following. In its early years, the AeroPress underwent subtle changes, including the colour of the logo, design of the numbers, and materials.
In mid-2019, the brewer underwent its biggest transformation yet. The company launched the AeroPress Go – a compact version of the original AeroPress that reimagined how users could prepare coffee.
David Cole is the Chief Marketing Officer at AeroPress.
“The AeroPress community is one of a kind in their loyalty. They essentially built our brand and there’s been a growing demand for a wide variety of innovation,” he says. “We owe it to them to cater to this demand – whether it’s new materials or accessories, better solutions for brewing on-the-go, or more premium designs.”
The Clear brewer launched in May 2023, marking AeroPress’ return to one of its first-ever design concepts. Shortly after, the company launched the AeroPress XL, which is double the size of the original AeroPress, further reinventing how baristas and home brewers can use the device to prepare coffee.
“The Premium was designed to elevate the brewing process by featuring high-quality materials like handmade double-walled glass and stainless steel, offering a more refined user experience,” David adds.
How the AeroPress Premium design & materials impact brewing
No matter which brewer you use, design and materials have a huge influence on the brewing process. Although it has the same brewing capacity as the original AeroPress, the Premium’s materials are designed to offer an entirely new user experience.
“The patented double-walled glass brew chamber, which is open-ended on both sides, is designed for better heat retention, and the borosilicate glass enhances its durability,” Gerard says. “The brewer maintains optimal brewing temperature while being cool to the touch.”
This helps baristas and home brewers exert more control over the extraction process. “The aluminium plunger is durable and offers a premium hand-feel, ensuring that each press is smooth and controlled,” Gerard adds.
Moreover, the glass brew chamber allows users to easily observe how ground coffee interacts with water, meaning they can quickly identify uneven extraction and make any necessary adjustments, such as dispersing dry clumps.
With a transparent brewer like the AeroPress Premium, coffee professionals and consumers can also see and test how different rates of agitation impact extraction by monitoring the height and speed of pouring water into the brew chamber.
While especially useful for baristas and home brewers who are new to specialty coffee, this also allows more experienced users to achieve the best possible results.
Elevating the user experience
As tactile and visual elements of coffee brewing have become increasingly important to both baristas and consumers, materials and design need to meet the growing demand for more experiential brewers.
“Premium brewers transform the coffee-making ritual into something more meaningful. With a product like the AeroPress Premium, users experience a tactile connection to the brewing process,” David says. “The feel of the stainless steel, the clarity of the glass, and the precision and weight of the press all work together to create a heightened sense of craftsmanship.”
For many industry professionals and consumers, the visual appeal, weight, and feel of manual brewing methods add to the overall experience, allowing them to interact with their equipment in new ways.
Why premium brewers will become more popular
Education plays an integral role in specialty coffee. As consumers develop their skills and knowledge, David believes demand for differentiated and experiential brewers will only increase.
“Both baristas and home brewers are becoming more discerning about the tools they use. They want products that not only perform exceptionally well but also reflect their passion for the craft,” he tells me. “Brewers like the AeroPress Premium meet that need by delivering on both quality and design, and we expect that interest in high-end brewing equipment will only continue to rise.”
Coffee professionals and enthusiasts are often in pursuit of the latest innovations, including brewers that offer more than just a way to prepare coffee. As AeroPress continues to develop new products, it showcases its commitment to meeting this demand.
“Our recent product launches are a direct response to what our community has been asking for,” David says. “It’s about giving users the variety and improvements they’ve been excited to see while continually delivering an exceptional coffee experience. At the same time, we’re finding ways to share the AeroPress experience with entirely new consumers through innovation.”
Coffee shops play an important role in this. Including the AeroPress Premium on a menu gives baristas an opportunity to attract and engage with consumers in new ways and showcase how high-end brewers can elevate the coffee experience.
The specialty coffee community had been demanding the AeroPress Premium for some time. With its glass chamber, stainless steel filter cap and accessories, and aluminium plunger, the new model is set to change the brewing experience.
Users exert more control over the extraction process, while the premium materials and design also elevate the overall coffee experience. “We’re excited to see how the Premium will inspire coffee enthusiasts around the world,” Gerard concludes.
Enjoyed this? Then readour article on how to make the AeroPress work on your coffee shop menu.
Photo credits: AeroPress
Perfect Daily Grind
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