What Makes Aeropress Coffee Taste Different From French Press

Are you a French Press devotee or an Aeropress ride or die kind of coffee drinker? While the two brew methods may appear similar to the untrained eye, they produce remarkably different cups of coffee (via homegrounds.com). So, which one is right for you?

For almost a hundred years the French Press has been a staple in kitchens and cafes across the coffee-drinking world. Buying a French press is a great first step for anyone looking to break up with Mr. Coffee to experience a more robust morning brew. It's far from being the only method out there, though, and the classic cafetiére might not be right for you, depending on your preferences.

The Aeropress and its more modern touches lend it a design built for the modern age of coffee. Its all-plastic body is safe to use with hot water and won't affect the flavor or aroma of your coffee either. According to Aeropress.com, it debuted in 2005 to critical acclaim and has developed a passionate following. There's even a worldwide competition devoted to crafting the perfect cup of Aeropress. The Aeropress was originally developed by former Stanford Engineering instructor Alan Adler when he decided to craft a superior cup of coffee.

While there are many variables, the basic method for brewing with a French Press is to use a coarsely ground coffee, let it steep in near-boiling water for five minutes, and then press down the plunger to filter out the grounds. According to homegrounds.com, that long immersion time gives you a final product that is more rounded and robust than other methods. That extra brewing time will allow the water to draw out all of the flavor components of your coffee.

On the other hand, the Aeropress brews using a finer grind and the added pressure from its plunger. The plunger on a French Press is mostly used to filter out the grounds — though a few may still get through — while the Aeropress's plunger is applying pressure to those grounds to extract even more flavor. Depending on your brew method, this can give you a final cup closer to an espresso than a classic drip coffee. It will also have a less bitter flavor with less acidity because those components take longer to extract from the grounds.

While you can't go wrong with either method, deciding between the two may just come down to preference. If you're someone who likes darker roasts or more rounded flavors, then the French Press is probably for you. On the other hand, if you enjoy lighter flavors with more sweetness, then the Aeropress will be your new favorite.