When choosing between AeroPress vs. Nespresso, your choice will depend on quality vs. convenience.
Coffee drinkers fall into two broad categories: those who like their coffee with a bit of kick and those who prefer a milder brew. If, like me, you enjoy your coffee strong and concentrated, you may be wondering which brewing method to choose when it comes to the AeroPress vs. Nespresso.
I decided to brew some coffee with these two very different coffee makers this week, and I vote for the AeroPress. Here’s why.
A Short Overview Of The AeroPress And Nespresso Machine
The AeroPress is a popular coffee brewer amongst coffee enthusiasts who enjoy a strong and flavorful cup of coffee. It’s a manual coffee maker that uses an immersion brew style. Unlike the French press, however, the coffee is immersed for only a few seconds, after which you manually force the water out of the brewer by slowly pushing a plunger down the brewer’s chamber.
The aim of the designer of the AeroPress, Alan Adler, was to reduce the acidity and bitterness in his coffee. Judging from the popularity of his invention, he succeeded.
A Nespresso machine also provides strong espresso-style coffee. The machine works with coffee capsules, or pods, that are pre-packaged. When you insert a pod into the machine, it’s pierced by a needle-like sprout, and then the correct amount of water according to the drink size you chose is pumped under high pressure into the capsule.
This causes the foil-covered side of the capsule to burst, resulting in a rich, crema-topped espresso-style cup of coffee. The crema is due to aeration provided by the capsule design since some air is trapped inside each capsule after it’s sealed.
What Do The AeroPress And Nespresso Machine Have In Common?
Both the AeroPress and Nespresso machines can provide espresso-style coffee brews or filter-strength cups of American coffee. Also, with both brewers, you’ll have a cup of coffee in hand in no time.
Because of the short brewing times of these brewers, they both require coffee with a fine grind. Since the coffee comes pre-packed with the Nespresso, you only need to worry about grind size with the AeroPress.
AeroPress Vs. Nespresso Machine
| AeroPress | Nespresso |
| With AeroPress, you have more control over the coffee-making process. | Making coffee with a Nespresso machine involves nothing more than inserting a pod and pressing a button. |
| The pressure in an AeroPress is created manually by slowly pressing the plunger down. | In a Nespresso machine, the water is pressurized mechanically. |
| An AeroPress consists of multiple parts, including a cylindrical chamber, a filter cap, and a plunger with an airtight silicone seal. | A Nespresso machine is a single unit. |
| With an Aero press, you can use whatever coffee beans you want. | You need to use pre-packaged Nespresso pods with a Nespresso machine. |
| An AeroPress is much cheaper than a Nespresso machine, plus you don’t need to buy pods. | A Nespresso machine is relatively expensive as far as coffee makers go. Buying pods is also more expensive in the long run than buying your own coffee beans or grounds. |
| The coffee is filtered through a microfilter. | No filter is used since the coffee is pre-packaged in pods. |
| The AeroPress is portable and compact. | Although Nespresso machines are compact, they aren’t really portable. |
| The AeroPress is a manual coffee maker. | Nespresso machines work with electricity. |
| The pressure in an AeroPress isn’t enough to produce crema. | Nespresso coffee has a layer of crema on top. |
What’s Better About An AeroPress?
A coffee aficionado like me is always going to opt for a coffee brewer, where I have control over the various brewing variables, such as coffee beans, grind, water temperature, and coffee vs. water ratio. I like to experiment with these variables and don’t mind the fact that my cups of coffee don’t all taste precisely the same. In fact, I like it.
What’s more important, however, is that I prefer the quality of the coffee that AeroPress provides. The coffee has a strong and bold flavor that is reminiscent of real espresso.
What’s Better About A Nespresso Machine?
With a Nespresso machine, you’ll receive a consistently good cup of espresso-style coffee. At the touch of a button, you can have your morning cup in hand within seconds.
In addition, you don’t need to wash a Nespresso machine each time after you’ve made coffee. The coffee machine automatically ejects the coffee pod.
Who Should Go For An AeroPress?
If you’re somebody who is really into coffee and enjoys the ritual and experimentation that accompanies making your own brew—as opposed to just pressing a button—an AeroPress will definitely suit you better. With AeroPress, you have control over water temperature, coffee grounds and grinds, and other brewing variables. Also, if you’re currently a bit cash-strapped, an AeroPress is an affordable coffee maker that produces a tasty espresso-style brew.
Who Should Go For A Nespresso Machine?
A Nespresso machine will suit a coffee drinker who likes a consistently brewed espresso-style cup of coffee at the press of a button. If you can’t be bothered with weighing and grinding coffee beans and ensuring that your water is at the right temperature, a Nespresso machine is a good choice.
