AeroPress XL Overview – BIKEPACKING.com

Brewing my first cup with the brand new AeroPress XL at a bit of riverside campsite close to stunning Crested Butte, Colorado, final month, my head was spinning earlier than I even took a sip. I may hardly consider the sight: my trusty titanium camp mug—which I’ve one way or the other managed to hold on to for greater than 10 years and have sipped untold coffees from—was full to the brim with recent AeroPress espresso. The double cup was a longtime dream come true.

I picked up the $70 AeroPress XL nearly as quickly because it was launched on the finish of June, keen to provide it a shot. It appeared poised to resolve what I see as the issue with the otherwise-perfect AeroPress Unique: it doesn’t make fairly sufficient espresso to depart me feeling totally glad, usually resulting in the necessity for a second cup. Fortunately, as I’ve written about right here on the positioning earlier than, making espresso within the AeroPress is fast, clean-up is straightforward, and it yields a constantly spectacular cup.

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AeroPress customers—together with me—have been asking for a bigger model of the lauded brewer all through the almost twenty years because it was launched by founder Alan Adler in 2005. I collect that he was all the time immune to do an excessive amount of, and 2019’s super-compact AeroPress Go (discover my overview linked on the backside of this submit) was the one new brewer launched throughout his time on the helm. Now beneath new possession, the AeroPress XL is certainly one of a number of not too long ago launched brewers and equipment, and there’s reportedly a premium model fabricated from chrome steel, glass, and aluminum on the way in which too.

We bought our want with the jumbo AeroPress XL, and a dozen or so full cups later, I can affirm that it’s fully able to brewing a beneficiant serving of nice espresso. Nevertheless, it’s not with out its faults, and it appears to have solved one drawback solely to create a handful of others. Extra on that beneath.

Unboxing

Pulling my AeroPress XL out of the field, I used to be initially bowled over by its gargantuan proportions. It regarded nearly comically giant subsequent to the usual AeroPress sitting on my counter. In actual fact, from the second I opened the field, I noticed that I’d both underestimated or willfully ignored the implications of its true measurement in my pleasure to select one up. Frankly, I may inform right away that it’s too giant to be a sensible alternative for solo morning espresso whereas bikepacking, nevertheless it nonetheless intrigued me; the prospect of an overflowing cup of espresso from my favourite brewer remained tempting for espresso exterior meetups, splitting with a accomplice, or just savoring at residence as a part of a balanced breakfast.

What’s Included

For a reasonably hefty $70, the AeroPress XL brewer itself comes accompanied by a light-weight Tritan carafe with a 20-ounce/590-milliliter capability, a filter cap, 100 paper filters, a scoop, and a stirrer. I’ve owned each model of the AeroPress so far and have by no means as soon as used the included stirrer or scoop, however they’re sized to suit and are definitely as much as the duty should you’re so inclined. I used to be a bit of shocked that it didn’t include a funnel, which is bought as an add-on lately, however the bigger diameter opening makes spilling grounds rather less possible. There’s additionally no filter holder or bag, each of that are helpful and beforehand accompanied the AeroPress Unique.

AeroPress XL In Use

Again at that riverside campsite close to Crested Butte, I used to be all set as much as make my first espresso within the AeroPress XL. Beans floor, kettle simply off the boil, all that was left to do was add water, stir gently, and wait two minutes earlier than urgent. my AeroPress XL standing tall within the inverted place (my most popular technique of brewing, by which the AeroPress is used the other way up with the plunger backed almost all the way in which out on the backside), the entire thing felt a bit of perilous. I’m a slipshod particular person, and whilst a seasoned AeroPress person, pouring round 16 ounces (450 milliliters) of boiling water into the top-heavy AeroPress XL felt like a high-stakes maneuver.

I managed to not knock it over on that first brew (having an AeroPress catastrophe with espresso and grounds spilling all over the placeis one thing of a ceremony of passage, and each person’s time will come), however a number of the AeroPress XL’s quirks revealed themselves right away. First, there’s the redesigned filter cap, which is simply giant sufficient that it may not match into your mug of alternative. It matches snugly into my titanium camp mug, however not the 2 different camp mugs in my rotation or my favourite bigger mug at residence. This requires utilizing the included carafe, which is helpful and lightweight however cumbersome. You additionally received’t be capable to use present paper filters out of your AeroPress Unique or Go as these have a barely smaller commonplace. This isn’t a dealbreaker, however the introduction of a brand new filter measurement is a bit of annoying, obligatory as it might be from a design perspective. On the time of publishing, I’ve but to see a metallic filter for the XL, although one is unquestionably coming.

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What’s extra, empty or full, the AeroPress XL’s plunger is noticeably tougher to push down. It tends to get a bit of simpler over time, however—maybe due to the elevated floor space—it takes some work to get sufficient leverage on the XL. Even at 6’3” tall, after I’m brewing with it at waist degree, I discover myself having to shift my place and be very intentional about urgent down on it with ample drive. Particularly in case your grind measurement is just too advantageous, it’s possible you’ll discover it difficult to make use of at first.

If it feels like I’m being overly essential or nitpicky in regards to the AeroPress XL, let’s not neglect that its finish product is a bountiful cup of pleasant espresso with minimal effort and time. Nothing appears to be misplaced in scaling up the quantity of beans and water used from my AeroPress Unique recipe, which makes use of a 15:1 ratio of water and low. For the AeroPress XL, I grind 30 grams of espresso (medium), pour 450 grams of 185°F (85°C) water over high, stir gently early on to get every little thing combined, and press after two minutes.

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1Zpresso JX (left) Wacaco Exagrind (proper) nested contained in the AeroPress XL

Impractical because the AeroPress XL’s measurement could also be for solo bike journey, particularly when taking into consideration the necessity for the carafe, I respect that my espresso grinders nest simply inside. Even my sizable residence hand grinder, the 1Zpresso JX, matches comfortably, which isn’t the case with some other model of the AeroPress. My common journey grinder, the Wacaco Exagrind (my overview of the tiny Wacaco Picopresso espresso maker can be linked beneath) matches inside with loads of room to spare for some beans or different small objects. Sadly, the travel-friendly Wacaco Exagrind can’t maintain a full 30-gram dose of espresso without delay, so I’ve to grind 20 grams after which one other 10 to suit into the AeroPress XL, making the method rather less streamlined.

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As soon as your espresso is brewed, coming out the large puck is as satisfying as you may think, and rinsing up is as simple as ever. As with the AeroPress Unique, all it takes is a fast rise to get it clear (PSA: Don’t neglect to often take away and wash the plunger’s rubber finish cap!). After a fast wipe, you may nest every little thing collectively and pack it away. It feels almost indestructible too, making it journey much better than different fashionable brewers such because the porcelain Hario V60 or glass Chemex.

Which AeroPress is for Me?

The introduction of the AeroPress XL simplifies the method of determining who every model is for, and having now brewed 1000’s of cups among the many three brewers, I believe I could make fairly clear suggestions.

From the highest, it’s value mentioning that no AeroPress supplies probably the most compact approach to make espresso on the go. There are smaller and extra packable units, and if measurement and weight are important issues and also you want espresso to get began within the morning whereas bikepacking and tenting, instantaneous espresso might be the way in which to go. There are some shockingly good choices lately.

For folk who benefit from the ritual of brewing espresso and are dedicated to the AeroPress, right here’s my recommendation. When you’ll be utilizing the AeroPress primarily whereas bikepacking and making espresso just for your self, get the Go. When you see your self utilizing an AeroPress largely at residence and typically whereas using and customarily solely wish to make a single cup, get the Unique. And, should you’ll be brewing at residence and want greater than a small cup to get you going or sometimes make espresso for your self and a accomplice whereas bikepacking, can’t be bothered to boil water twice to make two coffees, and have the house in your luggage, think about the XL. With the fitting mugs, you may ditch the carafe and simply press half of the espresso into every. I’d additionally suggest the AeroPress XL should you’re an everyday at espresso exterior meetups and wish to be the hero for anybody who forgot one thing and might’t make their very own espresso, as I are likely to do.

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Left to proper: AeroPress Go, AeroPress Unique, and AeroPress XL

My total decide for one of the best and most versatile mannequin remains to be the $40 AeroPress Unique, and it’s the one I’d hold if I may solely have one. I just like the Go for solo bikepacking, however the barely elevated capability of the Unique is value it for me. Rounding out this part, I ought to notice that there’s all the time the choice to make a extremely concentrated brew within the AeroPress (because it was initially designed) that you may dilute with water to stretch into an Americano-style espresso, however I desire to brew a full-strength cup. Conceivably, you can use the little AeroPress Go to brew a brilliant robust espresso that might be distributed into a number of mugs after which combined with water for extra quantity if it’s to your style, saving quite a lot of house.

• Materials: BPA-free plastic
• Dimensions: 4” x 10” (10cm x 25.4cm)
• Brewing capability: 20 ounces (590 milliliters)
• Place of Manufacture: USA
• Value: $69.95 USD at REI
• Producer’s Particulars: AeroPress.com

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