AeroPress:
steep, then press.

The field notes

A little air.
A gentle press.

An AeroPress brings coffee and hot water together in a chamber, then uses a hand-operated plunger to help the brew pass through a filter. Our film follows one conventional upright setup on a sturdy mug, with a paper disk in the bottom cap.

1. Let coffee and water meet

   Extraction begins before the press

   With the paper filter and cap attached, coffee and hot water meet in the upright chamber. A little liquid can drip into the mug at this stage. After stirring, the plunger is inserted and the coffee is left to steep.

2. Follow the air pressure

   A gentle push moves the brew

   Pressing the plunger compresses the air above the liquid. That pressure pushes the brew through the coffee bed, then through the paper and into the mug. The paper stays in the cap while the plunger moves above it.

3. Leave the grounds behind

   Paper separates the grounds from the cup

   The grounds remain behind the filter as the brewed liquid passes through. Keep the press gentle: pushing harder can compact the grounds and make the push more difficult.

Brew Basics · Part 2 of 3. Watch the air space above the coffee as the plunger moves, then follow the liquid all the way into the mug.

Meet the first brewer in this series: how a moka pot works ↗

Explore another steeping brewer: what is French press coffee? ↗

Read the narration Full video transcript

What does pressing an AeroPress actually do?

Start with an upright brewer on a sturdy mug, with a paper filter in the bottom cap.

Coffee and hot water meet in the chamber. A little coffee can drip through at this stage.

After a stir, insert the plunger and let the coffee steep. Flavor is already moving into the water.

Now press gently. The plunger compresses the air above the brew, pushing the liquid through the coffee bed and paper filter into your mug.

The grounds stay behind. More force isn't the goal: pressing hard can compact the grounds and make the push harder.

This hand pressure is different from an espresso machine's.

Steeping starts the extraction. Pressing helps the brew pass through the filter.

AeroPress · Sources

1. AeroPress · Getting startedOfficial instructions for the upright setup, paper filter, early dripping, stirring, steeping and gentle pressing. Follow the instructions for your particular model when brewing.
2. AeroPress · How it worksThe manufacturer’s explanation of immersion, plunger-driven air pressure and paper filtration. The guide uses those mechanisms without adopting its flavor comparisons.
3. AeroPress · Frequently asked questionsThe brewing section explains normal early drip-through and how hard pressing can compact the grounds and increase resistance.
4. AeroPress Help Center · The espresso distinctionThe manufacturer distinguishes espresso-machine pressure from its use of espresso-style language. This lesson makes no numerical pressure or flavor-equivalence claim.

The original cutaway simplifies one upright brewer with a conventional filter cap and paper disk. It explains the mechanism rather than a complete recipe; quantities and timings depend on the model and preparation. Sources checked November 5, 2026.