I have been loving my Aeropress for over a year now and have one for work and one for home. Compared to the French press, the Aeropress definitely improves the quality and efficiency of the brewing experience. However, even so, the paper filters are the weakness in my opinion. I've seen the other steel filter out for awhile for the Aeropress but didn't try it because reviews I had read stated it was too porous and let too much grit thru. However, when I saw this on Kickstarter and read the pre-review from Marco Arment (), it sounded like this problem had been solved because the mesh was fine enough to keep most of the grit out. I've had my S Filter for a week now and have pressed at least 20 times thru it. I think Nate & John have nailed it. The back pressure is about right when pressing and I feel that I can taste a difference with my routine press recipe (below). I feel like there is definitely more flavor in the cup and while a super fine residue remains if you leave your cup dry after finishing it, I don't feel it or taste it in the last sip. It cleans up well and makes one less piece to have to stock up on over time. I just ordered my second filter for work so I don't have to transport it back and forth. Thanks guys!My favorite recipe lately is a slightly heaping scoop (15-17 g) of Starbuck's Dark Sumatra roast purchased in beans and ground finely (espresso). I do an inverted press with the plunger on the 4 and then fill with water to about the 1. I let it steep for maybe a minute after stirring. Then I press all the way thru, including the air. I really think that the oils are in the last foamy part of the press. Then I dilute that to bring the amount pressed into the mug to about 1.5 cm from the top.
Needless to say I was pretty disappointed. However, the filter was still functional, as it's more or less held together when the aeropress parts are assembled. So, honestly, at that point it was primarily a cosmetic irritation. I was annoyed, but I still wasn't sure that I was free of blame. Had I misused it? Had I thrown it in the dishwasher? Would the dishwasher be enough to ruin the filter? I didn't know, so I wasn't quick to write the seller and complain.
Eventually I did send them a note, and they were absolutely great to deal with. They replaced my filter hassle-free.
By this time I'd figured out what the issue was; the mesh of the filter is adhered to a metal ring. In the amazon picture you can see what I consider to be the bottom of the filter. You can see it appears to be 'stitched' to a ring. My advice to anyone considering this filter but is put off by breakage -just make sure you use the filter with the ring side up. This way, the twisting motion of assembling the aeropress does not put unnecessary force on the 'stitching'. Combined with gentle hand-rinsing, there's no reason the filter shouldn't last you a good, long time.I've been an AeroPress fan and user for years, but I've always found the paper filters frustrating, they're really not all that reusable, they tend to clog very quickly with the fine grinds I prefer. I just bought an S filter, and after a week, I'm very impressed definitely more convenient and easier to use, and the big benefit I was not expecting was a big improvement in taste (which wasn't at all bad to begin with, AeroPress already made the best coffee I've ever had) I was thinking it was a new bag of mail-order fair trade beans that were just delivered, but I tried an old bag of regular store bought Eight O'Clock beans, to much the same effect. Aeropress already made the best coffee I've ever had, so to get such a dramatic further improvement in flavor is really quite remarkable.
So really, I just wanted to say Thanks! Great product! :-)
In fact, I just ordered another one for the office.I previously gave this a 1. Customer service immediately contacted me, gave me a refund, and offered tips for how to address the problem I was having. After trying several methods, I believe this filter it is best used with the "inverted method" when making the coffee, which is a bit more of a pain (I had to watch 2 videos), but in the end, it worked. I don't notice a difference in the taste, so that's why only a 3. It eliminates the need for paper. Yeah! Of course I still have to worry about the fact I am putting very hot weater in plastic and then drinking it, but that's MY problem, not theirs. I would buy again, but I don't need to! BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!When looking at steel filters for the Aeropress, primary factors for me are letting coffee oils through, and yet still providing a minimal of coffee fines through. Aeropress' S filter fulfills those requirements and does so with a sturdy build.
In addition they even provide instructions which makes a better press then the original instructions.
Update: I've been using this filter for some time now and after about a month of use, I noticed (as some others have) that the stitch welds were coming off. I contacted Kaffeologie and they offered to replace it immediately, and also suggested that I was screwing the filter on too tight. Well, I opted not to return the filter, but since I've stopped over-tightening the filter, I have seen no further deterioration of the filter, nor has the filter performed at any less quality.
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