There are many different ways to make coffee, and each method has its devotees. Some people like to use an Aeropress, while others swear by French press coffee. One question that often comes up regarding Aeropress coffee is: Can you use a finer espresso grind?
In this article, we will explore the answer to that question and give you some tips on how to get the best cup of Aeropress coffee possible!
The Quick Answer
While you technically can use any coarseness of coffee in your Aeropress, I do not recommend utilizing an espresso grind coffee in the device. It becomes too difficult to push down the plunger, as the fine ground coffee builds up quickly in the filter’s pores and causes more issues than it is worth.
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Fine ground coffee is too tricky for Aeropress.
I am a massive fan of the Aeropress coffee maker (as Aeropress had gifted me one years ago), which is by far my favorite coffee maker today! It is easy to use, quick to use, and consistently makes some of my favorite coffee.
I use this coffee maker multiple times a day at home and have used it thousands of times (of which you can read my full review here).
That said, if you don’t have the grind entirely down and you use too fine of coffee, I have found that the water has difficulty finding its way through the ground coffee, specifically the filter.
This results in needing to push extremely hard on the plunger, which can cause you to lose control of the coffee maker and make a mess all over the kitchen (ask me how I know), or worse yet, it can even break your coffee mugs (I’ve done this too).
So, what coffee coarseness should you use in your Aeropress?
I generally recommend using a medium-fine grind in your Aeropress. This gives enough space between the coffee grounds that the water can make its way through while still being able to extract the coffee in the way that it is supposed to.
Pre-ground coffee from the store is ideal for coarseness. This means you can save money and don’t even have to use a coffee grinder if you don’t want to.
Now all of that said, if you absolutely want to make Espresso with your Aeropress, you might want to get a Prismo (which the brand had sent out to me a while back for free). It can even be found on my best manual espresso maker article here!
Conclusion
So, can you use a fine espresso grind coffee in an Aeropress? In short, no. It becomes too difficult to push down the plunger and causes more issues than it is worth. Fine ground coffee is too tricky for Aeropress to push through, resulting in a poor cup of coffee and a less-than-ideal brewing process.
I recommend using a medium-fine grind in your Aeropress for the best results; no worries if you don’t have a grinder! Pre-ground coffee from the store is generally an ideal coarseness for the Aeropress. Happy brewing!
