Aeropress VS Espresso Machine: Ultimate Showdown (11 Differences)
Aeropress VS Espresso Machine, which of these brewing gears suits you best?
Both Aeropress and Espresso Machine are vastly different brewing methods and produce different types of coffee.
The Aeropress will yield you a black coffee of various characteristics depending on your Aeropress recipe. On the other hand, the Espresso Machine makes espresso which can be consumed on its own or used as a base for various espresso drinks.
But essentially, both of these gears brew great coffee nonetheless.
Before deciding to get an Aeropress or an Espresso Machine, there are quite a number of factors to understand and consider first.
Personally, I own both of these pieces of equipment and in this post, I am going to break down the differences between the Aeropress and Espresso Machine.
Recommended Reads: Difference Between Nespresso And Espresso Machine
Disclosure
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At A Glance: Aeropress VS Espresso Machine: Ultimate Showdown
Aeropress Overview
The Aeropress is a coffee brewing gear which takes a physical form similar to a syringe. In fact, the brewing process does in fact look like you are pushing a syringe; a huge one.
Little did you know, the Aeropress was invented by an inventor who owns a toy company, Aerobie.
As a fellow coffee enthusiast, he was frustrated with how coffee served at his local diners are often acidic and bitter. With the design of his ideal coffee brewing gear going through a few iterations, the very first Aeropress made its debut in the year 2005.
Today the Aeropress has garnered fans from over 80 countries in the world and even has its own championship arena. How cool is that?
The main reason why the Aeropress is so popular is due to its simplicity and also how technical it can get when it comes to coffee brewing. Just simply look at all the recipes for Aeropress you can find on AeroPrecipe!
Espresso Machine Overview
The Espresso Machine on the other hand is a massive equipment when compared to an Aeropress. The main components that distinguish the espresso machine from other coffee brewing gears are the boiler and pump.
Boiler
The first function of the boiler is to heat up water in the espresso machine for brewing purposes. For pricier espresso machines, there will be two boilers in its compartment.
One responsible for espresso brewing while the other boiler is responsible to produce hot steam for milk texturing. The dual boilers allow the user to brew espresso and use the steam wand at the same time.
This is especially useful for high traffic cafes. With a single boiler, when the hot water is used to brew espresso, it may not heat up in time to produce steam for the steam wand for milk frothing.
Pump
At the heart of the espresso machine, lies the pump which drives the espresso machine.
The espresso machine needs the pump in order to push water past the tightly packed coffee bed at the group head when brewing coffee. Here, the pressure baristas usually look for is between 8 to 9 bars. This pressure is one of the many criteria that determines a good espresso shot.
With the combination of the boiler and pump, the espresso machine is capable of pushing high pressure hot water past a tight bed of coffee to produce a thick concentrated coffee known as espresso.
Aeropress VS Espresso Machine Comparison: 11 Differences
Now that we have got the definition of both Aeropress and Espresso machine covered, here I am going to compare 11 differences between the Aeropress and Espresso Machine coffee preparation method.
These 11 factors that I am going to cover are:
- Grind Size
- Flavor Profile
- Pressure
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Brew Time
- Puck Packing
- Cost
- Space Footprint
- Type Of Coffee Produced
- Difficulty Level
1. Grind Size
The basic principles of coffee extraction revolve around how well you are able to extract the flavor and aromatics from the coffee grounds. And one of the governing factors is the grind size.
That said, for different brew methods, you will require different grind sizes. This applies to both Aeropress and the Espresso Machine.
For the Aeropress, you will generally need to grind your coffee beans to medium-fine. Since brewing with an Aeropress requires you to manually exert force to push the water through the coffee bed, the coffee grounds must not be too fine. If the coffee grounds are too fine, it will create a very tightly packed coffee bed. Consequently, you will find it difficult to push water past the coffee bed in the Aeropress chamber.
On the other hand, the Espresso Machine demands a fine grind size for espresso brewing. This is highly associated with how the espresso machine works. The espresso machine uses high-pressure water (8 – 9 bar) to extract coffee from the coffee grounds. For this reason, the coffee grounds need to be fine enough to reduce water channeling in the coffee puck during extraction.
Grind size for coffee brewing is a very delicate variable but also an important one.
Pro Tip!
Here’s a pro tip that applies for both Aeropress and Espresso Machine brewing. If you notice the water is passing through your coffee grounds with barely any resistance, you will end up with watery and unbalanced coffee. To fix this, adjust your grinder to be a little finer.
On the contrary, if you notice the water has difficulty passing through your coffee and the resulting coffee is on the bitter end, adjust your grind size a little coarser.
The general rule for grind size applies to both brew methods
Baratza Encore
Baratza Encore is an award winning grinder and you certainly cannot go wrong with this.
Equipped with 40 grind settings, it fits all kinds of brew methods. Be it espresso, Aeropress, Hario V60, Chemex, French Press, or automatic brewers.
Perfect as an entry level coffee grinder.
2. Flavor Profile
Brewing coffee with an Aeropress Vs Espresso machine results in a highly contrasting flavor profile.
The espresso machine’s main purpose is to brew espressos. On the other hand, the Aeropress brews coffee which is comparable to other pour over or immersion methods such as the V60 and French Press.
So when you compare the espresso against Aeropress’s coffee, the glaring difference will be the intensity of the coffee. This is because the espresso machine uses high pressure to extract flavor compounds from the coffee grounds.
Hence, expect the flavor of espresso coffee to be comparatively more intense and complex compared to Aeropress coffee which is lighter and mellower.
3. Pressure
The brewing pressure for both the Aeropress and Espresso differs by a huge margin too. With an Aeropress, it can generate approximately 0.5 bars of pressure while an espresso machine can go as high as 15 bars. That is 30 times higher!
First off, it is impossible for a human to exert 15 bars of pressure without mechanical means. And this is where the espresso machine comes in handy.
However, an espresso only demands a brewing pressure of 9 bars. If you exceed this threshold, you will risk over-extracting your coffee and you will get a fairly bitter cup of espresso.
Since Aeropress is not able to generate high pressures for coffee extraction, it is technically impossible to get an espresso quality similar to an espresso machine.
That said, with an Aeropress you can get a concentrated coffee shot which is obviously not as good as the espresso machine but fairly decent. I will cover this technique in another post.
4. Temperature
In terms of temperature, both the Aeropress and Espresso Machine brew with roughly similar temperature ranges. This temperature sits between 90oC to 95oC (195oF to 205oF).
This temperature was accepted industry-wide as the most ideal temperature range for coffee brewing for all methods. Using a temperature that is too high will result in over-extraction.
This is because hot water has higher energy content and hence higher extraction power to pull flavor compounds from the coffee grounds. The coffee will be over-extracted and will taste bitter. Vice versa, if your water is not hot enough, you will most likely under-extract your coffee and result in a sour cup of coffee.
That said, brewing within the range of 90oC to 95oC (195oF to 205oF) is pretty safe for both Aeropress and Espresso Machine in terms of coffee flavor.
Author’s note: If you do not have an electrical kettle with a temperature sensor or a food-grade thermometer lying around, just ensure that your water is boiled and let it cool a little before brewing.
5. Cleaning And Maintenance
Aeropress takes the win without a doubt when it comes to cleaning and maintenance.
Cleaning the Aeropress simply requires three simple steps:
Simple Aeropress Cleaning Steps
i) Dispose of the coffee ground and paper filter from the brew chamber.
ii) Rinse the Aeropress brew chamber, filter cap, and plunger.
iii) Leave them to dry and store them in a dry location.
In contrast, the Espresso Machine involves a multitude of cleaning steps and also periodic maintenance procedures to keep it in top-notch condition.
To name a few of these cleaning and maintenance routines:
Espresso Machine Cleaning Routine Examples
i) Rinsing and backflush the group head after every use to prevent coffee grounds build up or getting stuck in the group head.
ii) Periodic replacement of the water filters.
iii) Quarterly descaling of the espresso machine to prevent minerals and deposits in the espresso machine.
iv) Cleaning the portafilters, filter basket, and drip tray after use.
6. Brew Time
When it comes to brewing time, a barista can craft an espresso in a mere 30 seconds while brewing with an Aeropress will easily range between 2 to 3 minutes.
This is vastly due to the brewing pressure. Since the espresso machine is able to generate high pressure water with its pump, it is able to extract the majority of the flavor compounds from the coffee grounds in a short span of time.
In contrast, the Aeropress requires a longer brewing duration. Coffee grounds must be allowed to steep in the brew chamber for a minute or two to allow extraction of flavors. Without sufficient brewing time, the contact time between the water and coffee grounds will be too short. Consequently, you will get flat tasting coffee from the Aeropress.
Author’s Note: Although the time needed to brew an espresso with a coffee machine is way faster compared to the Aeropress, this does not account for the time required to warm up the machine, prepping the coffee puck bed, and also the post cleaning.
7. Puck Packing
For the Aeropress brew method, you do not need to prep the coffee bed prior to brewing.
The reason why the espresso machine requires you to pack the coffee bed by tamping is due to the high pressure environment in the portafilter.
With the incoming high pressure water, the coffee bed needs to be nicely packed to provide some form of resistance. Without proper packing, the water will find loose and weak areas in the coffee bed and cause water channeling.
You can verify if the resistance of your coffee puck is adequate by looking at the pressure reading on the espresso machine or observing the espresso shot flow.
Pressure wise, you should be achieving approximately 8 – 9 bars of pressure for optimum extraction. From the espresso shot flow, you should see a gentle streamline flow of golden brown liquid flowing out of the portafilter.
8. Cost
Cost wise, no espresso machine will ever be cheaper than a humble Aeropress.
All espresso machines, be it automatic, semi-automatic and manual ones will set you back from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on your budget.
Summing up the cost of the coffee beans, coffee accessories and the espresso machine itself, it may be just cheaper to get your coffee from your local cafe daily.
So if you are tight on budget but still want to enjoy great coffee at home, the Aeropress is your best friend here!
9. Space Footprint
If you have seen an espresso machine, you will know how much space it will take up. Even home espresso machines which are designed to be compact do eat up some of your kitchen space. Not to mention other accompanying accessories like the grinder, knock box and tamping area.
Conversely, the Aeropress is lightweight with a compact design which allows you to store anywhere in your pantry without hassle. Measuring 4.6’’ x 3.6’’ x 3.6’’ (12 cm x 9 cm x 9 cm) and weighing only 8 oz (227 gram), you can even bring it along for your camping and hiking trips!
10. Type Of Coffee Produced
With an Aeropress, you can only brew black coffee. Think Long Black but less intense. However, you could try to match the intensity by using more coffee and less water to brew a more concentrated brew. That said, the intensity will never reach the levels of which an espresso machine can achieve.
Unlike the Aeropress, the espresso machine brews mainly espresso (although there are a few variations of espresso). The espresso is a miniature coffee drink, measuring up to 60 ml for a double shot espresso with intense and complex layers of flavors.
With an espresso, you can use it as a base to brew a myriad of espresso based beverages.
11. Difficulty Level
If you are a beginner starting out to explore coffee brewing, the Aeropress is much more beginner friendly. Furthermore, the Aeropress brewing method is extremely forgiving.
Added a little too much water? Got the grind size slightly off? Fret not, because the coffee you brew will taste pretty decent. If not, at the very least still drinkable.
The espresso machine on the other hand has a steep learning curve.
Not to mention that there is a multitude of variables that you can tweak for espresso brewing, such as:
- Grind Size
- Tamping Pressure
- Brewing Time
- Brew Ratio
- Temperature
- Pre-Infusion Time
Personally, I did a part time job in several cafes to gain some experience using and managing an espresso machine before purchasing my very own rig. Even so, I have made a lot of bad espressos before getting the hang of espresso brewing.
Which To Get: Aeropress Or Espresso Machine?
As an owner of both Aeropress and an Espresso Machine, here is my opinion on which to get if you have to choose one.
Reasons To Get An Aeropress
i) You are new to coffee brewing.
The Aeropress is extremely forgiving and beginner friendly. Make lots of mistakes and learn from them here!
ii) You love to go outdoors hiking or camping and enjoy good coffee on the go.
In this case, the Aeropress Go is designed for such a purpose. It is lightweight and engineered to fit within a small compact cup for ease of storage.
iii) You are low on budget but still would love to brew great coffee.
Again, the Aeropress is fairly cheap and budget friendly. That said, I would highly recommend you to invest in a decent hand grinder.
iv) If you don’t have time to fiddle around with coffee brewing.
Aeropress requires way less time and less hassle when it comes to coffee brewing compared to the espresso machine.
v) You love brewing coffee and experimenting with different recipes.
So the Aeropress has been around for almost two decades now and there are countless recipes out there. Who knows you have a winning recipe for the World Aeropress Championship.
Aerobie Aeropress
Aerobie Aeropress is an extremely beginner friendly coffee brewing gear.
This is because the brewing process is fairly forgiving and you can almost make consistently great tasting coffee everytime.
Perfect coffee gear for first timers.
Reasons To Get An Espresso Machine
i) You want to learn espresso brewing and prefer drinking espresso based coffee beverages.
Espresso brewing seems pretty easy when you see your barista churning out espresso after espresso. But getting into that consistent rhythm takes years of practice!
Be prepared to waste lots of coffee beans and brew lots of terrible espressos at first.
ii) You have the budget for this hobby.
Honestly, I will not recommend going for lower end espresso machines. If you are serious about this coffee pathway, do invest in a fairly decent machine with a good coffee grinder. I have seen countless people skim on both coffee gear but get exotic coffee beans and wonder why they don’t taste good.
iii) You have plenty of time to tweak and fiddle with your espresso machine.
There are many variables you can tweak with an espresso machine. For example, brew time, brew ratio, coffee grounds weight and espresso shot volume. Each of which will give you varying tasting espresso. Have fun exploring them!
Breville Dual Boiler Espresso Machine
As an introductory to espresso, the Breville Dual Boiler espresso machine is a fairly decent option.
Feel free to mess around with this before upgrading to better machines!
FAQ On Aeropress VS Espresso Machine
Is AeroPress as good as espresso?
No, the coffee from the Aeropress and espresso are two very different types of coffee. However, it is possible to brew a concentrated shot of coffee with an Aeropress by using a lesser volume of water. The shot will not be as intense and complex as an espresso but, if you do it right, it can be balanced and tasty.
Is AeroPress stronger than espresso?
No, the Aeropress will not be stronger than espresso. This is because the AeroPress isn’t able to produce the same pressure like an espresso machine. An espresso flavor profile will be much more intense and complex when compared to the Aeropress coffee. The Aeropress coffee on the other hand is lighter and features more delicate flavor profiles.
Does AeroPress taste like espresso?
No, the Aeropress does not taste like espresso. An Aeropress coffee is milder and delicate compared to the espresso which is intense with layers of complexity. You can brew a thick shot with an espresso by using smaller volumes of water. Flavor wise it tastes almost exactly the same as espresso but it is not a true espresso.
Why is espresso more intense than AeroPress brewed coffee?
Because of the pressurized way it’s brewed, espresso contains more than five times the amount of coffee bean solids than drip coffee does. This gives it a much more intense taste, making it great for coffee lovers or as a base in a mixed coffee beverage.
Aeropress VS Espresso Machine: Recap
That concludes the key difference between the Aeropress and Espresso Machine
Personally, I love brewing with both my Aeropress and Espresso Machine. The Aeropress is great when I want to enjoy light or medium roast coffee which has soft and mellow fruity and floral tasting notes. While the espresso machine is perfect when I want a more intense cup of coffee.
In short, it all depends on your preference for coffee and brewing style. Like I’ve said, both of these gears make great coffee anyway.
If you find this piece of article informational and have helped you understand the differences when it comes to Aeropress VS Espresso Machine, please share it with your fellow friends, baristas, and home brewers!
Happy brewing!
