Review: AeroPress XL Coffee Press
By Coffee Expert
Derek Premenko
6 photos
The Curated Take
3.8/5
The AeroPress XL Coffee Press is ideal for previous AeroPress users looking to brew two cups at once. Its lightweight and durable construction makes it simple to use and clean. While the plastic/rubber build may not be ideal for some, and it's a bit large for everyday use unless brewing two cups, it offers a quick and convenient brewing experience. It lacks a Flow Control Filter cap, leading to some drip-through before plunging. Still, overall, it's a great option for those seeking an affordable, durable, and efficient coffee brewing solution.
Ideal for
- Great for previous AeroPress lovers who want to brew two cups at a time
- Lightweight and durable construction
- Simple to use
Not ideal for
- Plastic/rubber build isn't ideal
- A bit large for everyday use unless two cups of coffee is the goal
- No Flow Control Filter cap available, so there will be some drip-through before plunging the coffee
Pressure Control
The AeroPress XL was meant to be as easy as a French press but with the speed and rotundity of espresso. If it marketed itself as an "espresso" maker, then...Read more
Temperature Stability
I really didn't have crazy expectations for this to retain temperature, but it holds in the heat really well. I lose quite a bit of heat in a glass brewer,...Read more
Quality
So, I love what this is meant to be: easy, quick, cheap, but good. Unfortunately, I can't have it all. The XL is made really well, so I'll give them...Read more
Brew Time
Brew time is speedy at the recommended 30 seconds, but I grind a bit finer (to mitigate drip-through before I press the plunger down), which speeds up my brew time...Read more
Curated Experts are not sponsored by brands. Their reviews are based on their honest experiences testing products.
Derek Premenko
About the espresso equipment
- Model: AeroPress XL Coffee Press
Test conditions
- When I bought this: December 2023
- Where I’ve used it: Home
- How many times I've used it: 50
Expert Reviews of the AeroPress XL Coffee Press
Derek Premenko The AeroPress (AP) XL came out in mid-2023 after a long wait for some updates to the traditional design. Not much was needed for improvement, but the capacity has doubled with the XL. Users get about two measured cups of coffee, which fills two diner mugs quite nicely, and all in one go. The AP is pretty quick to brew with and very easy to use/clean, so it's hardly a hassle to brew two separate cups but having a larger unit to brew a double batch with saves even more time!
A slight drawback to the XL being so new is that there's no Flow Control Filter cap available, and I'd call that extra piece pretty essential. The cap that the AeroPress comes with has holes large enough to slide a candle wick through (odd comparison, but it's what comes to mind). The larger holes allow a lot of drippage before I ever press the plunger down. "Medium/fine" is the grind recommendation, and "30 seconds" is the brew time recommendation, but to avoid over-extraction and a ton of drop (like, a 1/4th of the coffee already in the cup before I actually press down), I want nearly espresso-fine coffee and only a few seconds of brewing time.
Overall, it's a great brewer. It's affordable, holds heat really well, is very durable, lightweight, and simple to use. Definitely worth trying out, especially if someone already loves their smaller AeroPress and is ready for an upgrade.
Product Specs
| Color | Smoke |
| Made in | USA |
| Warranty | 1 Year |
Review Ratings
Pressure Control
3/5
Derek Premenko gave 3 of 5 stars. The AeroPress XL was meant to be as easy as a French press but with the speed and rotundity of espresso. If it marketed itself as an "espresso" maker, then maybe I could harp on the fact that I'm pressing down on plastic that sits on top of a ceramic mug (or the plastic carafe that it comes with). Users really can't go crazy with the pressure there, but even if they could, there's no way to know how much pressure they're really using. So, the pressure level isn't "guage-able," but it's not really important because this is primitive and simple brewing.
Temperature Stability
4/5
Derek Premenko gave 4 of 5 stars. I really didn't have crazy expectations for this to retain temperature, but it holds in the heat really well. I lose quite a bit of heat in a glass brewer, but this guy will keep my water piping hot. Granted, users have to know how hot the water is when they pour it, so a precision kettle is pretty key when using this if they want good results. But if they can get the water temperature that they're after, the AP will hold it pretty close.
Quality
3/5
Derek Premenko gave 3 of 5 stars. So, I love what this is meant to be: easy, quick, cheap, but good. Unfortunately, I can't have it all. The XL is made really well, so I'll give them that. The AeroPress is an opportunity to make quick, mediocre coffee. With their directions for use, that's all users will get. It's possible to play around with the recipe (which they encourage) and get something a little more decent, but I'll never serve this coffee to anyone I want to impress. I'll use the AeroPress XL to make something hot in the morning with older beans that I know won't taste great anyway, and that's all I really expect from this. It's portable-ish, lightweight, and very simple, but the end product is just average.
Brew Time
5/5
Derek Premenko gave 5 of 5 stars. Brew time is speedy at the recommended 30 seconds, but I grind a bit finer (to mitigate drip-through before I press the plunger down), which speeds up my brew time to more like 15 seconds. But the tradeoff here is that when I go too fine, the plunger takes forever to push down, so I have to find the "sweet spot." But if we're just looking at overall speed, this is the quickest method one can find.
FAQs
What do you love about this product?
Derek Premenko I love the ease of use and simplicity that AeroPress offers, and I can make two cups for myself at a time with the XL. It's about twice as large as the classic size and still weighs very little for how large it is. It's a bit large to take with me anywhere, but it's great for a quick brew when I need a larger batch fast.
What was your favorite moment with this gear?
Derek Premenko My son is one year and a half old. He's fully mobile (though he's not so steady) and getting into absolutely everything. While working from home, he got into the cabinet and brought me the AeroPress XL, banging and throwing it the whole way from our kitchen into the office. Suppose this was the Hario, the Chemex, the—literally anything else—big trouble. But it was totally fine. I even let him play with it for a while and made coffee with the AP the next day. Not everything is made to be durable these days, but I sure appreciate that the AeroPress is.
Why did you choose this product?
Derek Premenko To be totally transparent, I didn't pay for the AeroPress XL. It was sent along with a few others to try out. I was skeptical because I love precision brewing, knowing exactly what ratios to use and what time to expect for extraction. The ambiguous nature of the AP left me wondering how I could possibly get good coffee out of it, but after using it a bit, I'm pleasantly surprised. Even though I'm out of my "actively testing" phase with it, I still grab it when I need a quick brew, and my beans aren't fresh enough to notice a difference between this and a pour-over.
What is the value for the money versus other options?
Derek Premenko The only competitor is probably a French press, but I've never had a French press that wasn't gritty and flat. The AP XL solves both issues. So, for about $70, it's a little expensive, but there isn't anything else designed for speed and convenience that one can buy for the price.
